CitizenCRM is a donor management web app, purpose built with the intention of being able to serve as much as 95% of small to mid-sized nonprofit organizations. The product scales to the size of the database to provide services to smaller organizations that would often only be available to much larger ones. The company is extremely focused on connections, saying: “We connect your CRM data to your third party apps’ data, we connect your organization to your donors’ social networks, we connect everyone in your organization to the data the need; anytime, anywhere.”
For non-profit organizations, saving money and resources is an operational imperative that requires managers to make smart and sustainable choices. Implementing a new solution feels like a commonplace decision in the for- profit world, while even considering to adopt something requires a small miracle in the non-profit world. A September of 2013 survey by Connecting UP and TechSoup Global revealed that 90% of non-profits were using the cloud in one way or another for everything from emailing and online database management to web conferencing.
For non-profit organizations, saving money and resources is an operational imperative that requires managers to make smart and sustainable choices. Implementing a new solution feels like a commonplace decision in the for- profit world, while even considering to adopt something requires a small miracle in the non-profit world. A September of 2013 survey by Connecting UP and TechSoup Global revealed that 90% of non-profits were using the cloud in one way or another for everything from emailing and online database management to web conferencing.
The Internet has provided nonprofit organizations with such a wonderful avenue for getting the word out about the amazing things they are doing. Web sites serve as a great "brochure," blogs allow for more in-depth exploration and storytelling, and social media provides an opportunity to build rapport that can develop into a sense of community with constituents. These are all wonderful methods for reaching out and creating potential for support in the form of donations and volunteer hours.
Email fundraising provides a low cost alternative to traditional direct mail appeals, but how does your organization stand out in a crowded inbox? Here are five things you should consider before launching your next email campaign.
Webinar This Wednesday - Nonprofit Registration DemystifiedTony Martignetti is a lawyer but he doesn't talk like one. He's the author of, "Charity Registration: State-by-State Guidelines for Compliance" and in plain language he will explain what the rules are; why it's important to comply; how to figure out where you should register; how exemptions work; and Tony will leave you with a simple, executable plan for getting your registrations started.
CitizenCRM is a donor management web app, purpose built with the intention of being able to serve as much as 95% of small to mid-sized nonprofit organizations. The product scales to the size of the database to provide services to smaller organizations that would often only be available to much larger ones. The company is extremely focused on connections, saying: “We connect your CRM data to your third party apps’ data, we connect your organization to your donors’ social networks, we connect everyone in your organization to the data the need; anytime, anywhere.”
DonorCommunity is billed as "the first comprehensive, powerful, affordable and easy to use online fundraising and advocacy solution designed expressly for small to mid-sized NPOs." Its fully integrated suite of cloud computing applications enables clients to communicate and interact with stakeholders utilizing the customer relationship management, online marketing, and social networking technologies that have become commonplace in the for-profit world.
FastFund Online by Araize is an SaaS-based application that handles a wide variety of tasks for nonprofit organizations by seamlessly integrating nonprofit accounting, fund raising (CRM,) and payroll. The FastFund Accounting module is a true nonprofit accounting system designed to handle the unique requirements of nonprofit organizations, including FASB-116 compliant reports, multiple fund tracking, program and project accounting, budgeting, and customizable financial statements.
Orange Leap is a, on-demand, web-based constituent and donation management solution for nonprofits. It is designed to track individual or organizational constituents in a user interface that is easy to learn. The system has been developed to enable quick data entry, with terminology that is easy to understand- or the terminology can be changed to match that used by the nonprofit. Context-appropriate navigation significantly decreases navigation-related confusion so that what used to take four or five steps often can be done in two or less. Orange Leap is also very customizable with the ability to modify, rename, or hide any screen or field based upon business requirements.
Planning is the key to a successful auction and ReadySetAuction's auction management software solution provides all the tools necessary to ensure your event is a success. There are several modules and add-ons available, so any size organization can host profitable event.
Technology plays an important role for non-profits. Yet, replacing old outdated technology isn't always possible for non-profits. In an effort to change that npCloud, a service of Tech Impact, offers non-profits a way to have current technology at affordable prices.
A non-profit puts a lot of effort into developing a fundraising event and the only way the event will succeed is if people attend the event. One way to ensure a large turnout for your next fundraising event is to use an online tool such as EventBrite.
People are using their mobile devices for everything from quick searches and reading novels to interacting with their favorite charity, but what if the organization doesn't have a website optimized for use on mobile devices? Well, not having a mobile website can lead to frustration on the users' part, which could lead to the organization losing a potential volunteer or donation.
The advanced persistent threat (APT) is waging an all-out attack on enterprises’ intellectual property. Yet most companies continue to try to protect themselves using approaches that are years out of date. That is one of the conclusions in Responding to Targeted Cyberattacks, a frank new how-to book published by global IT association ISACA and written by professionals at Ernst & Young LLP.
AccuFund, Inc., provider of financial reporting and accounting software for non-profit, municipal and government organizations, today announced AccuFund Anywhere, the new cloud-based version of the AccuFund Accounting Suite. With AccuFund Anywhere, users can access AccuFund’s core accounting functionality from any browser, enabling them to perform their accounting tasks whether they are in different offices or offsite locations.
Bloomerang, a software product focused on nonprofit donor retention and loyalty, announced its recent partnerships with Tom Ahern and Dr. Adrian Sargeant , two highly-respected experts in the nonprofit fundraising industry.
According to Chicago Business, smaller nonprofit arts groups are turning to technology to increase their fundraising efforts. By using technology that not only makes it easier to buy tickets or donate online, but also gathers valuable information about potential donors and subscribers allows the nonprofits to stay in contact with the customer. This gives gives them more opportunity to turn them into donors.
Students from Northern Illinois University hosted a conference for local nonprofits, reports NIU Today. The CLCE 350 Community Organizations in a Digital World conference included information on how to create better websites, using technology for fundraising, search engine optimization, and how to maximize mobile devices.
According to the Guardian, an auction on Charitybuzz offers the winning bidder a chance to have coffee with Tim Cook, the Chief Executive of Apple. Currently, the high bid is $605,000. All the the money from the auction is being donated to the Robert Kennedy Centre for Justice and Human Rights.
According to Venture Beat, online crowd funding site Benevolent has received a grant from the Knight Foundation and Marjorie S. Fisher Fund. The grant will be used to grow the site, which allows donors to make small donations to help low-income individuals overcome a one-time economic hurdle.
The FUND Suite runs on the Windows environment and all the modules are integrated to the system's general ledger, meaning that entries to accounts payable will post directly to their designated accounts in general ledger. As with most fund accounting systems, the FUNDS Suite can also automatically create the necessary due-to/due from accounting transactions that properly track transfers between funds.
While the system is not a web-based application, their implementation of remote access works well. It uses SinglePoint, a specially configured Applianz server to create a remote connection. In practice this is similar to connecting to a Citrix server, but unlike Citrix and Microsoft terminal access, this is not a general purpose connection. It is dedicated to the Cougar Mountain software. In the end, this may be a more secure approach and may even deliver more consistent performance.
In Use
I found the interface to be consistent to the point of being boring. But used in this context, boring is not a negative connotation. The design is a traditional Microsoft Access type layout right down to the color scheme. The advantage to this approach is that many users will be immediately familiar with the way the screens work, eliminating the need for long ramp-up times and probably reducing at least some need for training.
The system supports a 36 period calendar, meaning you can leave your current year open to even after the year has ended. In addition, you can have as many as two years of budget in process, in addition to the current year and its budget.
The account number seems flexible enough. It is limited to a maximum of 45 characters in eight segments, and each segment carries a label, making it easier for casual users to identify the contents of the structure. I was able to use the system's restructure feature to change the layout of the account codes across the system, something you wouldn't normally do. But in the event you do need to change the account code structure, this function is a lifesaver.
The system is batch oriented. For those accustomed to working with batches of transactions, the FUND Suite will be comforting. But non-accountants may feel put-upon by the additional steps required to step through the various processes associated with batch systems. While working with batches provides a high level of control over the accounting process, it also adds steps to the process that more casual users might find to be unnecessary.
The reporting system is adequate, and includes the FASB reports necessary in the nonprofit world. But I was disappointed in the lack of any kind of drill-down capability. On the positive side, the report generation window allows selection of account ranges, accounting periods, and fund, making it flexible enough to print the most frequently used reports. The lack of drill-down capability severely limits the usefulness of the reports as research tools however. If the user finds it necessary to view the source of any individual line item in a report, it's necessary to go to the account history and find the transactions. So while the system maintains the detail necessary to maintain a robust accounting system, its presentation has not kept up with the technical advancements of most accounting systems.
Overview
Cougar Mountain's FUND Suite is a modified general accounting application. It includes all the components necessary to handle a small to medium sized nonprofit's accounting. Accountants who are accustomed to batch oriented accounting systems will feel right at home with the FUND Suite, but administrators more concerned with usability and convenience (without sacrificing GAAP and FASB) may be put off by the extra steps required for posting batches. In addition, FUND Suite's reporting, though adequate, lacks up-to-date drill-down facilities that make researching accounting transactions so much easier.
FUND Suite retails for $6,358, and the SinglePoint appliance that supports an unlimited number of local users, and 20 remote users sells for $15,995.
Advantages
Modular suite of applications
Can be extended by adding components
Remote access via SinglePoint server available
Disadvantages
Lacks drill-down capabilities in reports
Batch oriented accounting
Scott Koegler |
| About the author: |
About the Author: Kurt Martin is a Founder and Group Publisher of Progressive Media Group (PMG) and the Publisher of Nonprofit Technology News. During his 4 years as Publisher of The NonProfit Times, he grew the imprint from a single newspaper to a community of websites, online job boards, email newsletters and digital editions of the print editions. Prior to taking the role of Publisher he was the East Coast Sales Manager for Broad Daylight, Inc. a knowledgebase company. He also held management roles in advertising and ciruclation sales at American Banker/Bond Buyer (Thomson), Faulkner & Grey (Thomson) and SourceMedia (Investcorp.) Kurt graduated from Montclair State University with a B.A. in Political Science and Public Administration. |
