What is the best CRM for charities? A guide to implementing a suitable CRM for the charity sector

Best CRM for charities: How do they differ from one another?

Although a ‘CRM for charities’ may sound self-explanatory, it’s important to understand that these platforms can subtly differ from one another.

Each charity CRM software provider will offer their own product which is generally unique to itself. Factors such as organisational focus areas and your budget will be key influences when opting for charity CRM software. While there are undoubtedly benefits to implementing a CRM for charities, you should ensure to focus on certain areas to determine the best CRM for you.

These areas are the cornerstones of what differentiates respective platforms and include:

• Features and functionality
• Cost and pricing packages
• Customisation options
• Level of integration
• User-friendliness
• On-going support by the software provider

Once you acknowledge these nuances that shape a respective provider and their software, you can then make an informed decision as to which will be the most suitable in enhancing your organisation’s processes.

Read more about how to avoid choosing an unsuitable CRM

Top considerations when evaluating the best CRM for charities

Implementing a CRM is fairly straightforward, the challenge is to choose the right platform for your charity.

When looking for the best CRM for charities, you should take a measured approach when considering what each piece of software offers and how the respective providers compare. For this reason, identifying certain key factors and their relevance to your requirements as a charity organisation is paramount. Without approaching software providers with criteria to measure against, you run the risk of potentially implementing a CRM that won’t help you reach operational excellence.

We have outlined recommended considerations below.

Niche functionality

Niche functionality enables you to meet your full potential as a practical charity organisation that prioritises the user-experience of its donors, volunteers, and service users. Achieving this will not only streamline your processes but also enhance these key areas by taking informed actions to make long-term improvements.

When looking to implement a suitable CRM for charities, you should focus on how various platforms’ functionality differ in the following areas:

• Donor management
• Charity event management
• Volunteer management
• Reporting & analytics
• Automation
• Payment processes

One platform may differ from another regarding how you are able to manage these key elements of your organisation. You should therefore identify these from the outset to ensure that you implement charity CRM software that meets niche requirements.

User-friendly system

You should be aware that the user interface of respective systems can differ. Generally, the more user-friendly the CRM, the easier you will find the day-to-day management of your organisation’s processes.

The key elements to look out for include:

• Intuitive navigation – A clear and logical structure that allows you to easily manage several areas of your organisation. This can be achieved through the use of clear labels and visual cues such as icons and buttons.
• Simple terminology – Avoids technical jargon and acronyms that may cause confusion. Where these are included, they should be clearly explained from the outset.
• Training and support - Adequate training and support should be included to assist you in using the system to its full potential. This can include training sessions, online tutorials, and a helpdesk or support forum.

Incorporating a practical interface can improve the overall user experience for your staff, enhancing their efficiency when managing their daily tasks.

Level of customisation

Customisation can be approached differently depending on the CRM software. While most platforms contain ‘out-the-box’ functionality, which enables you to use these features from the outset, some are more niche than others.

For this reason, the following two categories are the most common scenarios regarding customisation:

• Sector-flexible CRM that is highly customisable – These platforms relate to software such as Salesforce and Microsoft Dynamics. These CRMs provide standard functionality that can technically be used by organisations from any sector. However, if additional niche functionality is required, you are able to customise these accordingly to the desired standard.
• Charity-specific CRM with limited additional customisation - Alternatively, Access Charity CRM has been developed specifically for the charity sector. This means that its out-the-box features should meet your niche requirements from the outset, avoiding the need for additional cusomisation. 

For more information regarding customisation, read our Access Charity CRM vs Salesforce guide

Insightful customer support

The level of customer support you receive will depend on the agreement you have with your software provider. Regardless, customer support generally involves providing you with assistance in relation to the CRM software.

This type of support can include:

• Technical support – Help troubleshoot and resolve any technical issues you encounter while using the CRM software, such as login problems, error messages, or functionality issues
• Training and onboarding – Assist you with onboarding and training on how to use the CRM software, including setting up accounts, customising features, and importing data
• Account management – Help you manage your accounts, such as upgrading subscription, adding on additional functionality as it is required, contract renewals, or account cancelations
• Billing and payment – Answer your queries, disputes, and issues related to billing, invoicing, and payment processing
• Customer feedback – Collect and analyse your feedback, while using it to improve the CRM software and its services

CRM provider customer support is crucial for ensuring customer satisfaction and retention, while supporting you in making the most out of your investment. Before deciding on a piece of software, you should be clear on the level of support you will receive and decide whether this meets your expectations.

Clear on costs

The cost of CRM software can differ depending on the pricing plan of the respective provider. Some may choose to offer a flat rate, whereas others may provide a standard package with additional costs for add-on functionality.

Regardless of the structure of the pricing plan, the factors that can influence the costs of respective CRM for charities can include:

• Database size
• Total number of users
• Number and technicality of integrations
• Number and technicality of customisations
• Level of support and training
• Level of scalability

When considering the best CRM for not for profit organisations, you should ensure to clearly understand how these factors will influence your pricing plan, should you choose to implement the system.

Find out more about the costs of a CRM for charities

Integration capability

Integrating with other tools and systems can help to further streamline your processes, while reducing duplication of effort.

Successful integration should be able to coordinate with a variety of platforms including your:

• Charity website
• Social media platforms
• Email marketing platforms
• Payment processors
• Analytics tools

By integrating with platforms such as these, it provides you with increased, real-time vision of your organisation’s activities. This clear view allows you to identify the areas that are successful, and conversely, where informed actions need to be taken.

Read our guide outlining the benefits of integrating with your charity website.

On-premise or cloud-based system

When looking for the best CRM for charities, you should consider whether an on-premise or cloud system is more suitable for your organisation.

On-premise and cloud CRMs are two different deployment options for customer relationship management software. The former refers to software that is installed and runs on servers located on a company’s premises, while the latter is accessed via the internet and hosted by a third-party provider.

Several of the key differences between these approaches include:

• Cost – On-premise CRMs typically requires a large upfront investment in software licences, hardware, and IT personnel to successfully manage the system. Alternatively, cloud CRM requires a lower initial investment as the costs are distributed over time with a subscription-based model.
• Scalability – On-premise CRM systems can be challenging and expensive to scale as your organisation grows in size. A cloud CRM can be easily scaled depending on your requirements, as the provider manages the hardware and software upgrades.
• Security – On-premise CRMs provides greater control over your data security as it is stored on in-house servers. However, cloud CRM providers have extensive security measures in place to protect this data, often surpassing those conducted by many companies.
• Accessibility – On-premise CRMs can only be accessed by employees who are physically on-site or via a virtual private network (VPN), which can be cumbersome. Providing that you have an internet connection, a cloud CRM can be accessed from anywhere, making it more convenient for remote or mobile teams.

Find out which is more suitable for you by reading our on-premise vs cloud-based CRM guide

Positive reputation

The best CRM for charities should have a positive reputation among both customers and experts in the charity sector. Before implementing a system, you should conduct research into both the software itself and its respective provider to ensure they are a credible option.

Several actions you can take include:

• Speaking to both current and former customers
• Reading third-party review websites
• Reaching out to charity experts
• Engaging with charity discussion groups on social media e.g. LinkedIn

The more insight you gain into the reputation of respective products and their providers, the better equipped you are to make an informed decision in relation to their suitability.

Read our review of Salesforce as an example

What are the best CRM features for charities?

The best CRM for charities will put your donors, volunteers, and service users at the centre of your processes. It’s therefore wise to implement software that aligns the key areas of your organisation to enhance user experience, while accurately tracking engagement which encourages informed actions to be taken where required.

Although there are countless features that can be mentioned, it’s crucial that you have the necessities included in your software package. These will most commonly be broken down into modules that can both work in isolation and as part of a wider suite.

These must-have features are outlined further below.

Donor management

Arguably one of the most important modules, it provides key insights into the various interactions donors have with your charity.

Key features:

• Contact management – Stores and manages donor contact information including names, addresses, phone numbers, and email addresses.
• Donor segmentation – Segment donors based on criteria such as their donation history, donation frequency, and communication preferences.
• Donor engagement tracking – Track donor engagement including the types of communication received, email open rates, and event attendance.
• Donation tracking - Track all donations from each donor including the amount, date, and source of the donation.

With these insights, you can gain a sound understanding of your supporters’ behaviour, enabling you to position your charity to meet their interests and attract further donations in the future.

See our donor management software for more information

Fundraising management

A fundraising management feature supports campaign planning with your donor’s interests in mind, while also tracking fundraising goals and measuring the overall success of your campaigns.

Key features:

• Campaign planning and management – Plan and manage fundraising campaigns, including donor outreach, donation processing, and campaign tracking.
• Grant application management – Successfully manage each step of your grant applications for funding.
• Supporter management – Undergo detailed management of your supporters at each stage of their journey from supporter through to donor and beyond.

Implementing this module can streamline your fundraising activities, while maximising their reach to potential donors.

See our fundraising management software for more information

Charity event management

Charity event management functionality can assist with all event-related tasks to ensure that they are organised to the highest standards. Regardless of whether it is event planning, registration, ticketing, or promotion, this module should cover all bases.

Key features:

• Supporter and volunteer management – Easily identify likely attendees or volunteers for your upcoming event by location or previous behavior to ensure you target the most likely to engage with your event.
• Event planning and management – Plan and manage events, including registration, ticketing, promotion, and logistics.
• Communication and engagement – use donor and volunteer data to personalise communication and engagement strategies.

Organising and managing your events at each stage of their development will help ensure that they are well attended and meet the interests of your supporters.

See our charity event management software for more information

Reporting & analytics

Reporting and analytics features provide key insights to create detailed reports and analyse data in relation to your fundraising campaigns and donor relationships.

Key features:

• Customisable reports – Generate customised reports based on specific criteria such as donor demographics, donation frequency, and campaign performance.
• Data dashboard – Provide real-time data to track your progress towards goals.
• Data visualisation – Tools such as charts and graphs enable you to understand complex sets of data in relation to your donors and campaigns.

Access to these key insights can support you in making informed, data-driven decisions to improve your overall fundraising success.

See our reporting and analytics software for more information

Marketing automation

Automating charity CRM processes such as email marketing campaigns pre-configures their schedule, while using data and analytics to create personalised messages that will resonate with your supporters.

Key features:

• Automated messaging – Saves time by sending out marketing emails to the supporters on your database based on triggers you define such as attending events, making a donation or signing up to your newsletter. Making sure the right people get sent your emails at the right time.
• Third party integration – Integration with platforms such as Mailchimp or DotDigital provides additional features to personalise your messaging.
• A/B testing – Experiment with your messaging and refer to key data to understand what type of content interests your supporters.

Implementing this feature enables you to deliver personalised messages at the perfect opportunity, while saving valuable time and resources during the process.

See our marketing automation software for more information

Direct debit payment processing

Direct debit payment processing simplifies donor payment methods by allowing them to authorise regular donations to your charity.

Key features:

• Recurring payments – Ability to set up direct debit payments on selected dates.
• Bank validation checks – Reduce failed payments by integrating with your bank to successfully process automated direct debit payments.
• Diverse payment methods – Provides donors with the option to set up direct debit payments either online or via mobile.

Implementing this approach can streamline your payment processes and improve customer satisfaction by providing a convenient and reliant donation method.

See our direct debit payment processing software for more information

Implement the best CRM for not for profit organisations

Prior to implementing the best CRM for charities, it’s crucial that you understand the factors to look out for when opting for a suitable piece of software and the key features that will enable you to reach your full potential. Failing to do your research can alternatively leave you with a system that doesn’t quite meet your requirements, which can negatively impact the experience for employees, supporters, and service users.

Whether you’re looking to implement your first CRM for charities or wish to switch to a more suitable platform, our highly-experienced team are available to provide you with any required support.