15 Best Nonprofit CRMs for 2024: Compare the Top Solutions

Best Nonprofit CRMs

A nonprofit CRM, also known as donor management software, helps organizations understand and grow their relationships with donors. According to the Nonprofit Tech for Good 2023 report, 67% of nonprofits use a CRM to track donations and manage communications.

As a nonprofit professional, it’s important to understand exactly how a CRM can improve your nonprofit’s data reporting and relationship management. You may also be looking to upgrade your current CRM system. If so, you’re in the right place!

In this guide, we’ll explore the basics of nonprofit CRMs and a few top platforms to consider. Here’s what to expect:

The right CRM can optimize your nonprofit’s fundraising efforts for years to come, making it worthwhile to spend some time finding the best solution for your needs.

Bloomerang’s nonprofit CRM was built for fundraisers, by fundraisers. Explore our platform.

What is a CRM for nonprofits?

A nonprofit CRM allows nonprofits to store, report on, and update donor data. You may have also heard this software referred to as a nonprofit database or a donor management system.

This tool organizes donor data, identifies giving trends, and makes recommendations to increase the likelihood of receiving future donations.

CRMs are also used in the for-profit sector to manage customer relationships. Some CRMs can serve both nonprofits and for-profits, but a dedicated system for your specific organization type is always best. Nonprofit CRMs offer nonprofit-specific tools, such as donor engagement metrics and online giving functionality.

Though there are some alternatives to using a CRM, it’s widely considered the best way for organizations to analyze all their data and keep it secure.

How does a nonprofit CRM help with fundraising?

A CRM for nonprofits is a great alternative for organizations that have outgrown spreadsheets and want a platform where they can leverage their data to improve their fundraising campaigns.

A nonprofit CRM can help with fundraising by predicting which donors are the most likely to give in larger amounts, showing if and how donors are connected, and offering insight into their giving habits. For instance, with Bloomerang’s CRM solution, you can track how often donors give and predict when and how much they are likely to donate in the future.

Benefits of nonprofit CRM solutions

The right CRM can help nonprofit professionals find the data and donor information they need in a matter of seconds, saving time and resources. That way, they can invest more of their energy in their organization’s mission.

Here are some ways a nonprofit CRM can help your organization simplify its daily activities:

This image shows the benefits of a nonprofit CRM, explained in the text below.

 

Task automation

Task automation can save plenty of time for your donor relations team members, sometimes saving even full work days that would otherwise be spent conducting manual data tracking and uploads.

A nonprofit CRM automates reporting, creates donor groups, identifies potential major donors, and integrates with your email marketing platform. All of these functions create a more personalized donor experience and a simpler user experience for your team.

Easy-to-access donor information

With a CRM, you can find any donor information you need in just a few clicks. Whether you need to update a donor’s address or remind yourself of the last time a donor gave, your CRM makes it easy to search for this information.

Contact records and task reminders

A powerful CRM offers features that streamline relationship management. For example, contact profiles give you a detailed record of every interaction you have with donors. Assess when your donors last gave and how much they gave. See what emails you’ve sent them and what you talked about during your phone calls or in-person meetings. Set reminders to schedule a thank you phone call with your major donors so no one falls through the cracks.

Actionable analytics and reporting

Your nonprofit manages a lot of data. If you don’t have a CRM, your data is likely spread out in several different platforms, including your email marketing platform, online fundraising platform, and payment processor. With a CRM, you’ll be able to keep all your valuable data in one location.

Your nonprofit CRM should also be able to run reports to help you identify your lapsed donors or a first-time givers report so you can send these individuals a welcome email series. Plus, a nonprofit CRM can give you high-level insights into your organization, showing visuals like a donor pyramid or donor lifecycle. This makes it easy for you to see the health of your organization at a glance.

15 top CRMs for nonprofits

To help you find the right nonprofit CRM for your needs, we’ve compiled a list of top solutions to explore. Use this list to compare features, pricing, and other considerations to find an option that aligns with your goals. We’ve also summarized the pros and cons of each option based on real reviews from reliable third-party sources like G2 and Capterra.

1. Bloomerang

This image shows what Bloomerang’s nonprofit CRM looks like.

Overview: When it comes to robust features, valuable integrations, streamlined reporting capabilities, and professional support, Bloomerang stands out as the best CRM solution for nonprofits. Bloomerang’s nonprofit CRM offers an interactive dashboard, constituent timeline, and data segmentation to help personalize donor interactions and understand your supporters on a deeper level.

Plus, with Bloomerang’s fundraising tools, you can get the best of a nonprofit CRM and online fundraising platform all in one. Create streamlined donation pages, add them to your website, and share them via email and social media.

 

Features: 

  • A donor database that performs engagement analysis to identify valuable fundraising opportunities hidden in your supporter base.
  • A marketing platform that allows you to send personalized emails and letters, document relationships, and thank donors right after they give.
  • Online giving tools that allow donors to give from anywhere at any time. Plus, Bloomerang offers valuable peer-to-peer and crowdfunding tools to power supporter-driven campaigns.
  • Reporting and analytics tools that provide valuable insights into your donors’ giving habits and help you track fundraising progress.
  • A best-in-class payment processor that simplifies payments with straightforward transaction processing.

Why Bloomerang is the top nonprofit CRM option: Customers love our software because it’s a tool built for fundraisers, by fundraisers. They note our user-friendly interface, caring and responsive customer service, and robust reporting features as top benefits of our platform.

Pricing: Bloomerang starts at $125 per month and scales up from there based on the number of records or contacts in your system.

Bloomerang’s CRM helps grow a stronger donor community. Request a demo.

2. Salesforce

This screenshot shows information about Salesforce’s NPSP.

Overview: Salesforce is the most widely used CRM software for businesses. Salesforce offers a nonprofit solution called the Nonprofit Success Pack (NPSP).

Features: 

  • A supporter database to assess donor and volunteer information from one platform.
  • Over 70 reports and dashboards tailored to the nonprofit sector.
  • Tools to manage and grow recurring giving.

Pros: All-in-one CRM functionality and powerful relationship management features.

Cons: Since Salesforce is a large and complex system, you will likely have to hire a specialist to help set up your configuration. This can be costly to set up and maintain, especially for smaller nonprofits with limited budgets.

Pricing: Your first 10 Salesforce subscriptions are free. More pricing information is available in the pricing guide.

3. Blackbaud Raiser’s Edge NXT

This image shows actions users can take in Blackbaud’s nonprofit CRM.

Overview: Blackbaud Raiser’s Edge NXT is a fundraising and donor management platform that prioritizes helping nonprofits increase their donor bases and gifts and grow their overall fundraising revenue.

Features: 

  • AI-driven suggested donation amounts for your online giving form.
  • Prospective donor insights based on capacity and propensity to give.
  • Automated data health tools to keep your internal information updated and accurate.

Pros: Reporting capabilities and robust functionality through modules

Cons: Reviewers mention slow customer service and a challenging user interface as downsides of this platform.

Pricing: Contact the Blackbaud team for pricing.

4. Virtuous

This image represents Virtuous’ nonprofit CRM.

Overview: Virtuous is a responsive nonprofit CRM devoted to helping organizations craft a personalized experience for donors at every level.

Features:

  • Automated donor stewardship processes, such as moves management and prospect identification.
  • Multichannel communications across email, SMS messaging, and direct mail.
  • 360-degree donor views and flexible dashboards to assess all donor engagement efforts at a glance.

Pros: Intuitive user interface and powerful automation features.

Cons: Some users noted a lack of customization options due to the out-of-the-box nature of this platform.

Pricing: Starts at $400 per month.

5. Classy

This image shows actions you can take in Classy’s nonprofit CRM.

Overview: Classy helps nonprofits raise more through a robust online fundraising platform and a central supporter management CRM.

Features:

  • Search, filter, and segmentation features to group supporters and create more targeted outreach.
  • Automated email functionality to steward donors and remind them of their impact.
  • Level 1 PCI compliance and SSL Security to protect donor data.

Pros: Easy to launch fundraising campaigns with the help of templates and webinars.

Cons: Some users consider limited design functionality for DIY fundraising pages a con.

Pricing: Classy offers custom pricing for different packages.

6. DonorPerfect

This is a screenshot of the DonorPerfect homepage.

Overview: DonorPerfect is a nonprofit CRM and fundraising hub for coordinating donor management efforts, fundraising campaigns, and marketing strategies all in one platform.

Features: 

  • AI-based solutions to predict new donor acquisition, retention, and upgrades.
  • Monthly giving management to automatically process payments and provide donors with payment flexibility.
  • Annual appeal support through branded forms, integrated payment processing, and custom reports.

Pros: Ability to customize the platform to your nonprofit’s unique needs.

Cons: Users report that some data functionality is not as user-friendly as desired.

Pricing: Contact DonorPerfect for a personalized price quote.

7. CharityEngine

This image shows an overview of CharityEngine’s nonprofit CRM.

Overview: CharityEngine’s donor management solution helps nonprofits keep donor information at their fingertips with automation and multichannel communication features.

Features: 

  • Enterprise-level marketing and email communications.
  • Membership management tools that help keep information organized across chapters.
  • Automated reports and advanced queries to access strategic insights.

Pros: Extensive customizability and flexibility.

Cons: Potential for a lengthier onboarding process because of the system’s complexity and challenges related to the platform’s use of non-industry standard terminology.

Pricing: Starts around $450-$700 per month.

8. Keela

This image represents Keela’s nonprofit CRM software.

Overview: Keela’s donor management system helps nonprofits increase donor retention with personalized stakeholder engagement strategies and efficient fundraising tools.

Features: 

  • Data analytics tools that offer real-time insight and predict donor behaviors.
  • Track donors’ stories to personalize their journey and unlock hidden giving potential.
  • Donor communication preference tracking to reach out in ways that resonate.

Pros: Responsive customer service and robust all-in-one functionality.

Cons: Some users identified clunky integrations as a pain point.

Pricing: Keela’s pricing starts at $134 per month.

9. Little Green Light

This screenshot shows the Little Green Light homepage.

Overview: Little Green Light is an all-in-one donor management platform and fundraising tool that can grow alongside your nonprofit as it expands its reach.

Features: 

  • Goal-tracking features to measure progress and assign tasks.
  • Gift tracking for all types of donations, from matching gifts to in-kind donations.
  • Streamlined online donation tools that automatically update constituent records.

Pros: Easy to use platform, even for users without a high level of technical expertise. Great for smaller nonprofits with limited budgets.

Cons: Many cons noted in user reviews are related to limited features or lack of expected functionality.

Pricing: Little Green Light’s pricing starts at $486 annually.

10. Giveffect

Homepage for Giveffect, a nonprofit CRM

Overview: Giveffect describes itself as “10-in-1 Nonprofit Software,” combining tools for online giving, volunteer management, events, relationship management, and more into one platform.

Features: 

  • 360-view relationship tracking, including details like giving histories, event attendance, and membership renewal information.
  • Automation tools that help send thank you messages and create relationship records.
  • Custom fields and donor grouping based on unique characteristics.

Pros: Positive reviews compliment the software because it brings multiple and disparate processes under one roof. Users love the ability to save time with the user-friendly interface.

Cons: Some downsides include a lack of robust features for smaller pricing plans.

Pricing: Giveffect’s starter plan for smaller nonprofits is $399 per month. They also offer custom pricing for growing and enterprise nonprofits.

11. HubSpot CRM

Homepage for HubSpot, a free nonprofit CRM

Overview: HubSpot CRM is a free contact management and marketing platform. The sales features of this platform can help nonprofits develop a giving pipeline and foster leads within their communities.

Features:

  • Dashboard and reporting platform to assess all marketing and sales activities in one place.
  • Pipeline management to facilitate the donor journey and track leads.
  • Email template builder and reporting platform.

Pros: Seamless website integrations

Cons: Steeper learning curve for beginners

Pricing: HubSpot’s basic CRM features are free. Learn about paid options on their website.

12. DonorDock

DonorDock’s homepage

Overview: DonorDock’s donor management system is built for small nonprofits. The platform offers unlimited contact records, online giving solutions, and other options to help grow fundraising.

Features:

  • Automatic suggestions for contacts to prioritize in your outreach.
  • A giving timeline for each supporter, with details about past donations, events, volunteer experiences, and other interactions.
  • Simple donor segmentation with tags and custom reports.

Pros: Easy to use and affordable for small shops.

Cons: Many integrations are only possible through Zapier, which can lead to a clunkier process.

Pricing: DonorDock offers a free plan for one user. Their Lite plan is $89 per month.

13. Bonterra

Homepage for Bonterra, a provider of nonprofit fundraising tools

Overview: Bonterra offers a robust suite of fundraising and donor management products for nonprofits. Their solutions help facilitate donor engagement, program management, advocacy, volunteer coordination, and more.

Features:

  • Predictive analytics to help anticipate donors’ future behaviors and likelihood of giving.
  • Omnichannel marketing tools to manage fundraising appeals, newsletters, and other mass outreach.
  • Event and auction management to engage supporters in creative ways.

Pros: The all-in-one nature of the Bonterra system makes it easy to assess all supporter engagement efforts in one place, facilitating simple cross-team collaboration.

Cons: Challenging and potentially lengthy onboarding and configuration process.

Pricing: Request pricing on the Bonterra website.

14. Springboard

Homepage for Springboard by Jackson River

Overview: Springboard by Jackson River is a fundraising and advocacy platform built for the Salesforce Nonprofit Cloud. The platform leverages Salesforce-backed data insights to support nonprofit growth.

Features:

  • Customizable, mobile-responsive marketing forms, including event registrations and surveys.
  • A self-service portal for donors to manage and review their giving.
  • Peer-to-peer fundraising functionality.

Pros: Robust features that allow for a high degree of customization.

Cons: One review notes that this option comes with a higher price point that makes it inaccessible to smaller organizations.

Pricing: Contact Jackson River for pricing information.

15. GlueUp

Homepage for GlueUp, a nonprofit CRM and membership management platform

Overview: GlueUp offers constituent management tools for keeping communities organized and engaged. Their membership CRM centralizes supporter data to help improve campaigns.

Features:

  • Contact insights, including finance histories, event attendance, and marketing engagement.
  • Marketing personalization through list segmentation, tags, and filters.
  • Custom reminders and push notifications so sales team members don’t miss any new opportunities.

Pros: Ability to streamline workflows and save time.

Cons: A steeper learning curve and higher price point were noted as a few cons.

Pricing: Contact GlueUp for pricing.

Looking for more guidance to find the right CRM? Download our free buyer’s guide.

Features to look for in a nonprofit CRM

When reviewing nonprofit CRM features to find the right solution for your organization, look for the following features:

Look for these features in a nonprofit CRM (explained further below).

Fundraising tools

Your nonprofit CRM’s fundraising tools should allow you to easily create online fundraising campaigns and pages and add them to your website, social media, and email marketing campaigns.

Your fundraising tools should also give you a deeper understanding of how your donors give, whether it’s online, in person, or through other giving channels. You should be able to seamlessly transfer donor data from your fundraising tools to your CRM database to add new donor information to your records.

Donor communications

Donor communications features give you the ability to automatically send fundraising receipts, create to-do lists for your team, and thank donors when they give to your organization. Most tools will also allow you to segment your donors by specific filters and then easily add them to a group based on shared characteristics. Then, you can effortlessly send letters to different segments and sync them with your email marketing platform.

Donor management

With donor management tools, you can track all of your fundraising efforts, communications, and other essential activities. You’ll also be able to understand your donors better with key insights on big-picture trends alongside day-to-day specifics.

Tracking and reporting

Most donor management tools also offer tracking and reporting features, meaning you can quickly spot trends and immediately take action to improve the health of your organization. You can also build, save, and schedule custom reports to easily access the information that matters most to your organization.

Integrations

You’re likely already using software for online fundraising, payment processing, accounting, and communication. The good news is that you don’t have to give up the tools you’re already using when you invest in a nonprofit CRM that offers robust integration options.

Review each of your CRM options to determine whether they integrate with:

  • Email marketing providers like Mailchimp and Constant Contact
  • Event and auction platforms like Eventbrite and Handbid
  • Fundraising tools like GoFundMe Charity and Qgiv
  • Payment processors like Stripe, PayPal, and Square
  • Accounting software like QuickBooks

Support and training

Even the most tech-savvy users will likely need help with their CRM at some point. Your CRM provider should be available to help when you need it.

Here are some types of support to ask about:

  • Onboarding and data migration. When you invest in a new CRM, you’ll need to migrate your donor data to the system. Does the CRM provide a service to help organize your data in their platform?
  • Customer support. Does the CRM offer free email and phone support? Do they have a help center where you can find articles about the platform?
  • Ongoing training. Does the CRM provide ongoing training to help you make the most of the platform?
  • Nonprofit and fundraising consulting. Does the CRM provide any fundraising consulting services?

How to choose the right nonprofit CRM

Now that you know some of the top CRMs for nonprofits, how do you choose the one that’s best for your organization? We recommend considering the following questions to help you compare.

Questions to ask before investing in a nonprofit CRM (listed in the headers below) 

What features do we need?

  • What are our must-have and nice-to-have features?
  • Which ones need to be built in?
  • Which ones can we integrate through another software provider?

What integrations do we need?

  • What software are we already using, or do we plan to use?
  • Which CRMs will integrate with our software?

What’s our price range?

  • What fees does the CRM provider charge?
  • Will our CRM pay for itself over time?

What type of training does the CRM provider offer?

  • Will the software provider help migrate our donor data?
  • How much help will we need with our data migration?
  • Is there someone on our team who can take point on this?

What level of ongoing support does the CRM provider offer?

  • Are support services free?
  • Do they have email and phone support?
  • Is there a Help Center?

Will we need any consulting services?

  • Do we need help managing our donors?
  • Do we want our CRM to offer fundraising consulting?
  • What does the CRM provider offer to help set us up for success?

What are the reviews like for the CRM?

  • Are other organizations having success with the platform?
  • Does the CRM have positive reviews on reliable review sites?

Bring other team members who will use your CRM regularly into the discussion, like your executive director, development director, donor relationship manager, and database manager.

Once you consider all these questions with your team, pick your top two or three CRM providers, and schedule a call with each provider. After that, it’s just a matter of choosing the one that makes the most sense for your team!

The bottom line

At the end of the day, prioritizing your donors requires prioritizing your donor data. With a nonprofit CRM, you can improve your donor relationships and ultimately maximize your positive impact on the world.

Review these additional resources for more information about using your nonprofit software to the fullest:

Retain more donors with a CRM built just for nonprofits. Request a Bloomerang demo here.