What’s the Best Way to Implement a CRM for Nonprofits?

By: Katharine Bierce and Chris Thomas

What’s the best way to implement a CRM for nonprofits? Well, it depends on what you use it for!

Are you looking to use a CRM for fundraising? CRM for marketing/communications? CRM for program management?

Here are a few things to think about.

Nonprofit CRM for Fundraising Considerations

For fundraising, the best CRM for nonprofits should be able to:

Track relationships, both among individuals and over time. It helps to define your target audience, define your donor journey, segment, and then market to them – in an automated way. Track the life cycle you have for fundraising, e.g. volunteers becoming donors. One way to do this is by deepening relationships to reach your fundraising goals. Have notes where you can collaborate with colleagues. For example, within hours of a nonprofit’s ask for volunteers to help with technology for disaster relief, more than