Factors to Look for in a Donation Management System

Whether you are a small nonprofit organisation or you are raising millions annually, it is crucial that you employ a donation management system. A donation management system is also called pledge management. It is a tool allowing you to organise all the donations received, which includes donations gathered in-person and online.

There are many donation management systems but not all are created equal. You should also understand that there is no one-size-that-fits-all system for nonprofit organisations. With this in mind, it is important that you know what to look for in a donation management system.

Functionality
The first thing that you need to look for is the functionality of the system. It is better to choose a donation management system that has everything you need to track donations. It should make it easy for you to manage pertinent donor or administration data.

Reporting
A comprehensive system will provide data reports. This can help you analyse the information and base your strategies or steps to meet the needs of those you want to help. You need to look for a system that has a user-friendly way of extracting data (also called data mining) unto the documents or spreadsheets. It does not end there – the system should do everything the secure way.

Integrations
It is not a surprise that you use different systems to help your nonprofit organisation from email services to analytics and accounting. A comprehensive system will allow you to utilise multiple applications and platform integrations for better function.

Support
Integrating and learning about a new system will take time. Sometimes getting used to it will be challenging. With this in mind, you need to look for a system that offers an intensive resource center as well as live support to help with the transition. You have to check the support because it is crucial for a smooth and easy transition.

Expansion
Do not underestimate the processing of donation. Although you may process 500 donations a year right now, there is a chance that this number will increase over time. When it comes to choosing the right system, look for something that allows expansion as your transactions increase.

Best practices you should consider
Finally, when it comes to effectively managing your donation, it is important that you always follow best practices. The first thing that you need to practice is to use one dedicated place. Keep in mind that scattered data is unproductive and unhelpful. It is imperative that you secure your donation information in one place so anyone can access it.

Aside from using a dedicated place, you should think about designating a staff person. You must understand that donation management requires frequent reviews and updates. It can help if you designate a person to ensure that the right data is going to the correct places. More importantly, you should create a plan and stick to it. You need to decide things like what data you want to track and where you plan to track it.

Conclusion
Remember that donation management is an indispensable tool that you should consider. There are many reasons why this system is necessary but ultimately, it should be considered if you want to grow your donation base and expand your organisation.