FundRaiser Blog

The FundRaiser Software Blog is an excellent resource for nonprofit organizations looking to learn more about fundraising, donor management, membership management, and much more.

2 Situations When You Might Want to Consider Using Access or Excel for Donor Management

Gene Weinbeck

With the proper template (and there is one for nonprofits included with Access), it's not too difficult for someone with a modicum of computer savvy to put together a program to handle the basics of fundraising using either Excel or Access. However, remember that the fundraising world is not static, and neither should be your fundraising program—continuing maintenance could become a drain on your time and resources.

In our opinion, there are two situations in which using Access or Excel (or similar products) might make sense.

Continue reading
Tags:
Excel spreadsheets tech tip fundraising
Tweet
Non-Profit Fundraising Tips
8109 Hits

8 Ways to Know If You've Outgrown Your Homegrown Software

Gene Weinbeck

In this modern technological age, even the smallest nonprofits are likely to use some type of software to help with fundraising. These fall into two general categories:

commercial "off the shelf" donor management softwarehomegrown or custom programs.

The homegrown varieties are most often constructed using Microsoft's Access or Excel because they are the most readily available products from which to create a database. In our many years working with small to medium-sized nonprofits in various capacities, many organizations have come to us looking for a solution to having outgrown their homegrown programs. This experience has taught us a number of lessons that may be helpful if you are thinking it may be time to purchase fundraising management software.

Continue reading
Tags:
fundraising nonprofit fundraising spreadsheets Excel
Tweet
Non-Profit Fundraising Tips
6350 Hits

In the beginning... how network technology change has effected FundRaiser

Gene Weinbeck
When I first created FundRaiser in prehistoric times, it was cutting edge (this was way before Windows), but time passes and things change, fastest of all when it comes to computer technology. Since those DOS days, enormous changes have occurred, many of which affect our use of single/multi-user vs. client/server for FundRaiser, which is what I want to talk about today.

For many years, FundRaiser has offered users the option of using either client/server or single/multi-user for network setups. Both worked fine most of the time on local networks, although client/server was always faster and more reliable.

Single/multi-user was actually a carry-over from the DOS version of FundRaiser. For those of you who skipped computer history in school, DOS was before you could use a mouse and before graphics or images of any kind could be displayed on the screen. You used only the keyboard to enter commands and data.
Continue reading
Tweet
Tech Blog
6040 Hits

Volunteering in Joplin - My Impressions

Gene Weinbeck

On Wednesday (June 1, 2011) FundRaiser sent a carload of volunteers to help with the disaster relief in Joplin, which is just 3 hours from here.  I was one of them.  These are my impressions…

We worked with a crew of about 20 from one of several disaster relief centers (I would estimate that there were about 200 volunteers just at this one, which was coordinated by the Baptist convention).  We were working on the outskirts of the worst of the damage – where there were still houses standing.  The houses might have lost parts of a roof, or had part of the house caved in, siding blown off, windows blown in, etc, but they were habitable and the occupants were there.

Continue reading
Tags:
general volunteering
Tweet
Program News
135937 Hits

From the Developer: What is FundRaiser Online

Gene Weinbeck

FundRaiser Online works exactly like the current version of FundRaiser installed on your computer. The difference is that you can run it from anywhere that you have internet access:  home, office, library, hotel room.... you name it. You can let board members or other people have access to it, and you can limit what they can do and what they can see in the program, just like with the regular version of FundRaiser. Read more...

Tweet
Tech Blog
4072 Hits

From the Developer: What is FundRaiser Online

Gene Weinbeck

FundRaiser Online works exactly like the current version of FundRaiser installed on your computer. The difference is that you can run it from anywhere that you have internet access:  home, office, library, hotel room.... you name it. You can let board members or other people have access to it, and you can limit what they can do and what they can see in the program, just like with the regular version of FundRaiser. Read more...

Tweet
Tech Blog
4892 Hits
Wait a minute, while we are rendering the calendar
operating systems add ons correspondance grants customer portal End of Year Letters support social media announcements email GivingTuesday general donor attrition rate ticket sales training welcome packet endowment campaign appeal letters password protection GoFundMe project donor retention rate donor slip understanding giving trends holiday texting donors ticketsales vacation Constant Contact NCOA processing planned giving thank you letters importing csv prospects merge notes merge fields Importing Data campaign management communications personalizing letters new leadership volunteers new features segmenting donors donor contact information custom page solicitors mailing word processor office fundraising large donations new nonprofit motivation code Company culture the Ask correspondence how-to videos Network for Good Facebook campaign letter templates case study Crowdfunding Campaign government grants user spotlights role of nonprofits donor relations how to handle auction gifts small donations corporate sponsors #GivingTuesday repeat donors building donor relationships disaster relief grassroots campaign capital campaign banquet donor attrition memorial giving donor engagement community broadcasting arts publicity materials major gift prospects mission driven Tickles data entry reports in honor of donations Excel change of address updating FundRaiser Hosted upgrading donors phoning donors look and feel pictures Reporting to IRS security accounting software Congratulations donor source alumni mode code annual maintenance plan event management Resiliency Alternative Addresses brick campaign donation history fundraising letters membership programs annual campaign holiday letters passwords development director foundations volunteering upgrade user interface FundRaiser Spark Volunteer module premiums monthly giving Reminders happiness gift entry membersip benefits operational costs campaign recurring gifts data analysis new version gift notes field data conversion features charity golf tournaments Personalizing community supported gardens customer service planning community arts nonprofits Snow Birds LYBUNTS spare fields FundRaiser Basic updates pledges new donors New Year entering auction gifts direct mail In-Kind gifts nonprofit fundraising advanced tab Cloud budget board members follow up National Change of Address appeal moves management membership benefits tax summary letters transparency donor loyalty major donors letter on site training Thank You online donations technical support legacy giving donor prospects Facebook backing up data tech tip adding personal notes to letters product news donor overview donor advised funds giving levels donor profile auction PayPal animal rescue online donations Thanksgiving tribute gifts gift acceptance policy Groupings relationship tracking Donor Portal lapsed donor holiday giving donor retention motivation donor preferences targeted mailings flash sales anonymous donors SYBUNTS giving history donor recognition Task List spreadsheets ROI donor targeting Codes raffle increasing giving amounts training tip salutation

Connect With Us

  800-880-3454 ext 3
  Email Us
  Request More Information
  Monday-Friday
      8:30AM-5:30PM CST

Customer Portal Login Form

   

The customer portal is unavailable. If you need support please reach out to support@fundraisersoftware.com Thank you.

 
  User Name:
  Password:

If you are not sure about your Customer User Name, please call 800-543-4131 and we will be able to help you.

Or you have lost your password, Request Password