What Are Online Fundraising Tools and Which Are the Best?

What Are Online Fundraising Tools?

An online fundraising tool is a software that gives nonprofit organizations the ability to manage their fundraising campaigns in a streamlined manner. Most such tools function as excellent solutions for nonprofits, making the process of raising funds simple for organizations and their donors alike. These tools can serve different purposes, and some of the most common types include:

• CRM software. A customer relationship management (CRM) software can help you track and manage your nonprofit’s interactions and relationships with its existing and potential donors. It can hold information like contact details, details of previous interactions, and donation history. Some CRM software can double up as charity fundraising software.
• Fundraising platform. When you turn to an online fundraising platform for nonprofits, you may look forward to creating branded campaigns and custom donation pages as well as accepting donations using different payment methods and transferring donor information to your CRM.
• Peer-to-peer tools. Peer-to-peer fundraising involves individual supporters raising funds from friends, family, and colleagues on behalf of a nonprofit. A peer-to-peer fundraising platform simplifies how you manage any such campaign and gives your supporters the tools they need to make the most of their efforts.
• Text-to-give tools. An increasing number of nonprofits are turning to text messaging for fundraising because of the efficacy this medium provides. A text-to-give platform simplifies how you use this technology for raising funds and managing donor information.
• Prospect research tools. A prospect research tool gives you the ability to learn more about existing and potential donors. While the simplest include search engines and social media platforms, dedicated prospect research tools help you screen individuals for wealth markers and establish their capacity to donate.

In addition to using these fundraising tools for nonprofits, you may also benefit by turning to different forms of digital marketing. These can come in the form of search engine optimization, search engine marketing, social media marketing, and email marketing.

Paying attention to your website is also important. This is because your website serves as the online representation of your organization, and it is ideal that you put your best foot forward. It is for this reason that you should consider using the services of a professional nonprofit web design company.

8 Benefits of Fundraising Platforms for Nonprofits

The top fundraising software and tools offer a slew of benefits when compared with previously conventional fundraising methods. For example, you get to reach out to a much larger audience without spending too much time or money.

1. Simple Process

A not-for-profit fundraising software typically comes with a lower barrier to entry in comparison to traditional fundraising methods. After all, you need rather basic technical knowledge to start using an online fundraising tool. Besides, using social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter gives you the ability to drive traffic to your fundraising website or campaign.

If you feel you don’t have the resources or time to devote to the process, you can always turn to a nonprofit digital marketing agency for assistance.

2. Increased Reach

When you use online fundraising tools, you get to share your mission, vision, values, and impact with a global audience. Irrespective of the cause you support, be it education or conservation, there’s a possibility you can find donors from different parts of the world. Besides, social media integration allows supporters to share campaigns easily, further expanding your reach and creating a viral fundraising effect.

3. Save Time and Money

One of the key benefits of modern fundraising technology is that it can lead to savings in the form of time and money. For instance, you no longer have to worry about the costs associated with printing and postage, and your use of stationary can reduce significantly. Besides, a non-profit fundraising software gives you the means to automate different tasks such as collating data as well as sending receipts and thank you emails.

4. Build Trust

More often than not, the best nonprofit fundraising platforms give donors insight into how an organization utilizes its funds. This is possible when you itemize all your income and expenses. If you do this, the trust your donors place in your organization increases manifold. This transparency not only encourages them to make online donations but also to spread the word.

5. Get More Donations

Statistics shared by Double the Donation indicate that 63% of donors in the U.S. prefer making online donations using credit or debit cards. Direct mail comes next, at 16%, followed by PayPal, at 10%. This goes to show the power that online fundraising tools have when it comes to raising funds for charity. After all, they give donors the ability to make donations at any time and from practically anywhere.

6. Better Efficiency

Fundraising platforms for nonprofits let you launch and manage campaigns quickly and easily, and donors can contribute with no more than a few clicks. This streamlined process leads to faster fundraising cycles and quicker access to funds.

7. Higher Engagement Levels

The best nonprofit fundraising software come with tools you may use to share your stories, track progress, and connect with donors. This fosters transparency, builds trust, and allows donors to feel more connected to the cause they support.

8. Data and Analytics

Several fundraising websites for nonprofits provide valuable data and analytics on donor behavior and campaign performance. Digital marketers use this information to target their efforts more effectively and optimize their fundraising strategies to generate even better results.

The 6 Best Nonprofit Fundraising Software and Websites

If you’re looking for the top fundraising software for nonprofits, know that there is no single alternative that works equally well for everyone, and each tends to cater to specific requirements. As a result, you need to take your needs into account before making a selection.

You also need to understand that there is no free fundraising software for nonprofits because whichever you select, you still need to pay payment processing fees. In addition, not all have free starter plans.

In no particular order, here are the best nonprofit fundraising platforms.

1. Fundraise Up

If you’re looking for the best fundraising software that does not require you to sign up for any contract, Fundraise Up deserves your attention. This platform relies on machine learning to increase revenue by carrying out Al optimizations. You get to integrate it into your existing website and it lets you create completely personalized webpages with custom logos, colors, images, and calls-to-action (CTAs).

Some of the other features include checkout management, multiple payment methods, pre-built UI components, recurring giving, multi-language fundraising, and fraud protection. It also offers 24/7 support via phone, email, text, and video.

The pricing model is simple; you need to pay 4% per transaction. While this fee might seem steep to some, most users of this fundraising platform feel it’s worth the price.

2. Classy

Two great features this fundraising website for nonprofits offers are crowdfunding campaigns and a peer-to-peer fundraising platform. Classy donor management focuses on empowering supporters and scaling retention through its centralized hub. While this platform lets you accept one-time donations with ease, it provides recurring giving options as well.

Some of the other features this fundraising website offers include donation websites, donation forms, live events, event ticketing/registration, auctions, and corporate giving. You may view Classy donation page examples along with best practices on its website.

When it comes to pricing, Classy offers three packages – Essentials, Professional, and Advanced. However, it requires customers to contact the company for customized quotes.

3. CauseVox

CauseVox makes it to the list of the best fundraising platforms for nonprofits because it offers a variety of tools to suit different needs. It lets you create donation forms, run crowdfunding campaigns, and manage peer-to-peer fundraising efforts. A simple yet effective tool, you may customize the CauseVox thermometer and use it as a downloaded image or embed a dynamic thermometer into your website.

The CauseVox CRM gives you an easy means to run and track your fundraising efforts with real-time reporting. Its website offers a wealth of resources that come in the form of blog posts, courses, and webinars. These can help you learn about different digital marketing strategies.

While CauseVox offers a free plan, it has limited features, and you still need to pay processing fees of 2.2% to 2.9% plus $0.30 per transaction. Upgraded plans come with a monthly cost, which might be a deciding factor for smaller nonprofits with tight budgets.

4. GivingDNA

GivingDNA can serve as an excellent tool for nonprofits that wish to elevate their fundraising efforts through data-driven strategies. By leveraging its wealth screening and donor behavior analysis, you can identify your most valuable donors and tailor your outreach accordingly. Besides, its dashboards and reports help you understand donor trends, track campaign performance, and make data-driven decisions for future fundraising initiatives.

The effectiveness of this fundraising tool hinges on the quality and completeness of your donor data, and ensuring seamless data integration from your CRM or donor management system is crucial.

GivingDNA functions using a subscription-based model, and pricing varies based on how many constituent records you have. You need to contact the company for further details.

5. Fundly

This platform finds favor with nonprofits that are looking for ease of use because setting up a campaign and customizing your fundraising page is rather straightforward. While it does not offer custom web design, it lets you add videos, pictures, and a goal amount to your page. It also allows social media integration, peer-to-peer fundraising, and event ticketing.

Fundly integrates with several popular tools like Eventbrite, Salesforce, and Google Analytics, making it easier to manage your campaign. The website also provides an array of fundraising ideas that can help newcomers make the most of the digital landscape.

Like Fundraise Up, Fundly does not charge any platform fees. However, you need to pay the payment processing fee that Stripe charges, which is 2.9% plus $0.30 per transaction.

6. Donorbox

When it comes to the top not-for-profit fundraising software, Donorbox makes it to most lists. This is because it serves as an effective solution for different types of organizations that wish to increase their donor-based income by using a power fundraising/donor management tool.

This platform integrates with popular website builders like WordPress, allowing seamless integration of donation options into your existing website. In addition, Zapier integration paves the way for connecting Donorbox with a variety of other tools. Connecting your payment processors is easy. Using Donorbox UltraSwift Pay lets donors make donations through digital wallets such as Apple Pay, Google Pay, Venmo, and PayPal Checkout.

Like most popular fundraising platforms for nonprofits, Donorbox lets you choose from donation forms, events, donation pages, recurring donations, peer-to-peer campaigns, and crowdfunding. It offers a robust donor management software that helps you track and manage all your donor information. It also provides extensive resources for anyone who wishes to learn more about fundraising for nonprofits.

The Standard package that Donorbox offers comes with no monthly fees, but you need to pay a 1.75% platform fee for each transaction. It also offers Pro and Premium packages.

Conclusion

Given the plethora of fundraising platforms for nonprofits from which you get to choose, you need to take your specific requirements into account before making a decision. For example, if you’re starting out, you may benefit by signing up with a platform that does not charge monthly fees. On the other hand, if you wish to take your fundraising efforts to the next level, you may consider partnering with a platform that provides in-depth analytics and reports.

If you’re unsure of which online fundraising tools might work best for you, consider seeking advice from a digital marketing agency that specializes in this realm. This way, while you’ll get answers to the questions you have, you may also benefit by getting a host of other relevant information.