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 You are able to raise funds and engage supporters by selecting online donation platforms. When you're deciding on an online platform for your first time or transferring to a different platform, there are a few hundred options on the market currently. There are numerous options for your non-profit organization, in terms of cost as well as features and services. However, the process of selecting Charity donation websites could be a daunting undertaking, requiring an enormous commitment of staff time. Here are six tips that can assist you with this selection process. Assemble Your Selection Team The best place to start is to form a group consisting of individuals who will guide the selection process towards a successful conclusion. It is essential to have at the very least one person to manage the fundraising and communications for the organisation. Finance personnel can take care of accounting concerns and an IT professional will handle technical problems. To ensure that things are moving forward you must designate a person as the project manager. If you're worried about the ability of your personnel to handle the selection process, you might consider bringing in an outside expert to assist. Perhaps you already have someone in mind or you could use TechSoup's Consultant Connection to search for an expert. Consultant Connection allows you to quickly find the best help to your business from consultants who specialize in this field. Find the top reviews of your product The next step is to get two documents that will prove invaluable in your selection process. I highly recommend these documents to all organizations that are going through this procedure. This is a comprehensive guide to donor management systems that is targeted at small-to-medium-sized nonprofits for whom fundraising is a priority. The systems it covers can be suited to an array of organizations, from those starting out to those with a staff of up to five fundraisers. The guide is 156 pages that reviews hundreds of systems and discusses numerous case scenarios. This guide is totally free. This report is a 27-page guide to seven donor management systems for managing donors. Firefly Partners has deemed these to be the most suitable choices for large and mid-sized companies that need an integrated set of fundraising tools and email marketing, advocacy, grassroots organizing, and peer-to–peer fundraising. Conduct a thorough internal needs assessment After you've gathered your team and finished the research and have a clear idea of what you need in the online platform for fundraising. It's important to do this regardless of whether you're selecting your first platform or moving to a different platform. This will allow you to identify your communication and fundraising goals, and how they relate to digital engagement and marketing. The goal of your needs assessment is to compile an inventory of the functionality you may need for an online fundraising system. To get a thorough guideline for conducting a needs assessment, be sure to go through the first chapter of the Consumer's Guide to low-cost Donor Management Systems. Build a document that collects and organizes all your requirements into distinct categories. Here's a list of items you must include. To understand the interactions between your organization and its donors, you can create a map. With this map you can describe data flows and user experience. Define the size of your primary data file, for example, the how many records. Find out the fields you use to capture information. What will the size of the file increase in the coming years? What needs do you have for fundraising or email marketing, advocacy and crowdfunding whether now or in the in the near in the near What data storage systems are you currently using to store your data? What other than digital needs? Are there any non-digital needs that you can address with an online platform, apart from those that are digital? These might include keeping mailing addresses in storage, creating labels to mail outs, or keeping track of phone calls or personal interactions with donors. Find Your Budget Capacity Think about your budget for free online donation platforms and the amount you're willing to spend, both upfront as well as in monthly charges. Online fundraising platforms for various platforms may differ, so be prepared to look into the details and come up with cost scenarios that model your costs over many years of use. Examine the Vendor Landscape The reports mentioned above can be used to help you find a few vendors that you'd like to discuss with to receive proposals. Make sure to provide a document that describes your requirements in as much detail as you can. A business development representative will contact you to schedule an appointment for a demonstration and will then draft the cost estimate. Consult with the references of your clients when you review proposals, and conduct your own research about companies to establish their credibility. Consider Your Migration Timeline & Capacity. If you are considering working with online suppliers fundraising ensure that you carefully evaluate the ability of your employees to manage a move. A plan of action will outline the steps needed to set up a new platform. It will also outline those who are responsible for each step. Consider the ideal time of year to make your move to stay clear of the most busy times. |
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