Top 5 best CRMs for small nonprofits in 2023

Are you overwhelmed by managing your donor data? For many small to midsized nonprofits, you’re operating as a small team that’s driven by passion and wearing too many hats. Without the right tools, donor management feels too complicated and difficult to manage for your small nonprofit!

You know your organization needs more than spreadsheets. You need something that doesn't just store information but helps cultivate relationships too. And yes, we are talking about CRM software specifically designed with small nonprofit organizations in mind.

The best nonprofit CRM for small nonprofits, however, isn't one-size-fits-all. It depends on your budget, donor management needs, or even its integration with the tools you're already using.

So let’s dive into the top 5 nonprofit CRMs to help your small nonprofit get a handle on donor management! We’ll give you the good, the bad, and the price of each nonprofit CRM, so that you are equipped to choose the donor management platform that is tailored to meet your unique needs and ensure better engagement with supporters!

Table of Contents

1. What is a nonprofit CRM?
2. Why you need a nonprofit CRM
3. DonorDock
4. Bloomerang
5. Network for Good
6. GiveButter
7. Little Green Light
8. Conclusion
9. FAQs

What is a nonprofit CRM?

A Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system is a powerful tool that nonprofits can use to manage their donor data and foster donor relationships. It's not just about keeping records, but also building meaningful connections with supporters.

In essence, it acts as a hub for all your nonprofit's interactions with donors - from tracking donations to managing communication efforts. CRMs let you keep an eye on every aspect of your relationship with each supporter, providing insights into giving habits and preferences.

Why does your small nonprofit need a CRM?

The importance of a nonprofit CRM cannot be overstated; an effective donor management system saves your nonprofit time, helps you develop donor relationships, and gives you a clear picture of your donor engagement.

It’s not just about storing information; it's also about using that data to build strong donor relationships.

The ideal CRM should let your small nonprofit manage donor data efficiently. It’s not just about storing information; it's also about using that data to build strong donor relationships.

Before starting your search for a CRM software, nonprofits need to think through their biggest goals, the size of the organization, their budget, and what data they need to track.

And while most CRMs come packed with basic data management tools and features for communicating with supporters like email campaigns or direct mail marketing, not all solutions offer everything you might want straight out-of-the-box.

Comparing top CRMs for small nonprofits

Choosing the right nonprofit CRM can feel like finding a needle in a haystack. But, when you understand your organization's needs and goals, it gets easier.

Are you looking for a robust system that offers all the bells and whistles, or would that be overkill for your nonprofit’s needs? Salesforce, for instance, is known for its robust features. But, its complexity and for-profit focus mean it might not be the right fit for your smaller nonprofit’s needs.

Maybe you need something easy-to-use that serves up suggested donor development tasks or you’re looking for something that integrates with all your favorite tools?

Take a minute to assess your nonprofit’s needs and think through what would reasonably fit into your budget.

When looking at potential CRM solutions make sure the platform has what you need. Every nonprofit is unique so don't settle until you find something that works well for you.

1. DonorDock

DonorDock is a nonprofit CRM platform designed with small nonprofits in mind, simplifying donor management, online giving, and donor outreach. It is user-friendly— even if you're new to using a donor management tool. But simplicity doesn't mean compromise on functionality; this CRM packs quite the punch when it comes to streamlining operations at small nonprofits.

With detailed donor profiles, understanding your donors becomes straightforward and efficient. This allows for more personalized outreach which can significantly improve relationships with supporters.

What sets DonorDock apart from other nonprofit CRMs is its ActionBoard. Smart Nudges automatically serve up actionable tasks based on your data and what is most important to you. The ActionBoard acts like a virtual fundraising coach, reminding you when to reach out to your constituents.

Price:

DonorDock offers a free tier that lets nonprofits create unlimited online giving pages and accept donations. And, you never pay to accept donations! The free tier also includes limited CRM functionalities and reports.

In addition to the free tier, DonorDock offers three paid tiers with pricing starting at $79 a month, with the most popular priced at $119 a month. With no hidden fees, training and support are always included, your price never changes due to the number of contact records, and you have access to integrations.

The Good:

• Reasonably priced with no hidden costs.
• Easy-to-use CRM, plus drag-and-drop email and donation page builders, make DonorDock an accessible solution for small nonprofits.
• Training and support customers rave about.
• ActionBoard acts like a virtual fundraising coach, guiding you to make the best decisions for donor outreach.
• Email and text message marketing is included with their nonprofit CRM price, so small organizations aren’t paying more for those services.

The Downside:

• To keep things simple, DonorDock doesn’t offer custom fields. For many small nonprofits, the badges and tags features in their CRM work well for segmentation. But if your nonprofit requires custom fields, this won’t be the CRM for you.
• While DonorDock has native integrations with software that offers peer-to-peer fundraising and auctions, it is not offered within the software itself.

2. Bloomerang

Bloomerang is a donor management system that offers fundraising and marketing, along with its nonprofit CRM. Recently, Bloomerang acquired Kindful, a well-regarded CRM among small nonprofits. So, while Bloomerang is well-known in the nonprofit world and used by many, sometimes these types of acquisitions leave the smaller guys feeling like less of a priority.

Bloomerang has a generosity score that helps nonprofits keep track of their supporters' giving and engagement levels. For an additional cost, nonprofits can also use their integrated DonorSearch feature that gives insights into your donors’ behavior and potential major gifts.

Price:

Bloomerang’s pricing starts at $79 a month for nonprofits with less than 1,000 contact records, who earn less than $250,000 a year. Prices more than double once your nonprofit hits 1,500 contact records. They also charge 2.9% + .30 cents to cover their processing fees.

They also list their Online Giving Tools Suite, DonorSearch, and phone support as optional add-ons, so it’s important to factor those costs in, too.

The Good:

• With Bloomerang, your nonprofit can create custom fields. If that’s necessary in a CRM for your small nonprofit, it might feel worth the cost.
• They offer a generosity score to help you better engage with your constituents.
• Email marketing is included with their nonprofit CRM price, so small organizations aren’t having to pay more for an email service.

The Downside:

• Bloomerang’s biggest downside is its price. While pricing for 1,000 constituents or less is reasonable, their prices quickly skyrocket. And because their pricing is based on constituent records, it costs you to grow your nonprofit.
• There is a lack of transparency around their pricing. Yes, they list the cost for their CRM, but what is the cost of their Online Giving tools, and do they charge nonprofits to accept donations?

4. Network for Good

Network for Good offers donor management, online giving, and email marketing features in one package. With Network for Good, your nonprofit is able to host online auctions and it has some event features. They offer a very robust donor management system that may be more than most small nonprofits need. The best nonprofit CRM software isn't always about having every bell and whistle—it's about finding what works well specifically for your organization.

Price:

Network For Good’s pricing is not available publicly. To get a quote, you have to talk to a sales rep, and they are very hesitant to give the lowest entry point price. From our research, we’ve seen price quotes starting at $300 a month and go up from there. They also charge additional transaction fees for donations accepted.

The Good:

• Network for Good is a very robust system with many features.
• A wide variety of fundraising options are available — auctions, peer-to-peer, and event management.

The Downside:

• For small nonprofits on a tight budget, the higher pricing plans may be challenging to justify.
• The learning curve for Network for Good is steep.
• They lack transparency when it comes to pricing, which is always a concern. Nonprofits have to meet with a sales rep before they get any indication of cost, and they are not forthcoming with a lowest price.

3. GiveButter

If you're seeking user-friendly software, GiveButter is a good option. Known for its fundraising capabilities, GiveButter offers online auctions, peer-to-peer fundraising, and unlimited online giving pages.

Initially created for fundraising, many of GiveButter’s email outreach, donor management, and reporting features are fairly limited. While GiveButter does market itself as a nonprofit CRM, we hesitate to give it that title. Though GiveButter lets you store your donor data, it doesn’t do much to help you activate your data.

They do offer many integrations with other software, so that can help to cover the limited reporting and CRM features. Although, it’s important to account for those costs, when considering the right CRM for your small nonprofit.

Price:

GiveButter charges 2.9% + 30¢ of each donation to cover their platform fees. Donors can opt to cover those fees, but if they don’t then that fee comes out of each donation. Aside from platform fees, GiveButter doesn’t charge for their software.

The Good:

• GiveButter offers a user-friendly interface that makes getting started easy.
• They offer peer-to-peer fundraising and online auctions.
• It’s free to start, only charging platform fees on your donations.

The Downside:

• While it does offer basic donor management capabilities (such as capturing donation history), its CRM is lacking in many of the features small nonprofits need.
• Their reporting is very basic and only allows for a donor’s individual transaction history, a general gift transaction history, and EOY reports.
• Email functionality is very limited and only allows simple modifications and basic branding changes.
• Donations go through GiveButter's own Stripe account. They pay out donations to the nonprofit, which is a less transparent system. For example, nonprofits don’t see how much GiveButter has been tipped by their donors.

5. Little Green Light

Little Green Light shines when it comes to price point. They are an accessibly priced CRM making them attractive to small nonprofits. Little Green Light lets nonprofits create online giving pages, manage donors, and send out basic mailings.

Little Green Light was created before the original iPhone, and it shows. The lack of ongoing development means the interface is clunky and outdated making it less friendly for users.

Price:

Little Green Light pricing is based on constituent records. For nonprofits with 2,500 contact records or less, they charge $45 a month. Up to 50,000 contact records cost $135 a month. Additionally, they don’t charge payment processing on donations made through their online giving pages.

The Good:

• Little Green Light is affordably and transparently priced.
• They offer online giving, donor management, and email outreach.
• Many reviews favorably mention Little Green Light’s customer service.

The Downside:

• Little Green Light was created before the original iPhone, and it shows. The software feels clunky and outdated.
• They charge per constituent record, so your price will increase as your nonprofit grows.
• Their features are more limited than many other nonprofit CRMs, which can hinder the work your small team is doing.

Conclusion

Choosing the best nonprofit CRM for small nonprofits isn't a game of chance. It's about understanding your unique needs, recognizing key features, and making informed decisions.

Your ideal CRM should help you manage donor data with ease. It should enhance your communication efforts, streamline payment processing, and track major gifts effectively.

It’s essential to evaluate each option thoroughly—weighing their strengths against weaknesses—and comparing them side by side. This makes sure that the tool not only fits your budget but also meets your organizational needs.

Remember: implementation is as important as selection! So make sure it's done right to fully reap the benefits of this powerful tool!

Are you using a donor development platform that fits your needs and serves up actionable steps to help you cultivate better donor relationships?

Nurture your donor relationships with DonorDock. An easy-to-use Donor Management Platform built for nonprofits like yours.

FAQs regarding nonprofit CRMs for small nonprofits

How do I choose a CRM for a nonprofit?

Pick a CRM based on your nonprofit's size, goals, budget, and the specific features you need. Make sure it integrates well with other software.

Does a small nonprofit need a CRM?

Absolutely. A good CRM helps nonprofits manage donor relationships effectively and streamline fundraising efforts, boosting overall efficiency.

Is there a free CRM for small business?

Certain platforms offer free CRMs, but they often have limited features. For robust solutions, investing in paid options is generally better.

Can a CRM be implemented in nonprofit organizations?

Yes. Implementing an effective CRM system can greatly improve donation management and enhance donor relations in any nonprofit organization.