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.

Fundraising Project as a Resilient Recovery Response to Local Disaster

Fundraising Project as a Resilient Recovery Response to Local Disaster

Helping with Disaster Recovery in the Southern Ozarks, part 3

Since experiencing the massive flooding in Southern Missouri, I've run into the concept of 'resilience' linked to disaster recovery. It's a great concept. It easily applies to good recovery on the part of  any individual or organization that experiences stress, especially stress that is game-changing. I'd guess that many if not most of the organizations that FundRaiser works with can relate directly to the concept of resilience at this time of great change in our society.In the case of Autumn Shirley, CEO of FundRaiser, fundraising has been a part of her resilient response to the extraordinary experience she and her husband Joshua Shirley, who is CFO of FundRaiser, and other members of the Shirley family went through. Their dramatic story was publicized widely when they survived the flood that unexpectedly forced them to the roof of their river house. 

Continue reading
4119 Hits

Three Key Lessons I Learned About Volunteering When Disaster Struck

Three Key Lessons I Learned About Volunteering When Disaster Struck

Helping with Disaster Recovery in the Southern Ozarks, part 2

I usually report about nonprofit activity from the sidelines, but earlier this month massive flooding hit the area where I live. Over a period of 2 weeks, I experienced what it is like to live in a community affected by out-of-control weather.  Due to the efforts of compassionate and resourceful people in my community, a relief effort began immediately. I was fortunate to experience only minor direct effects from the flooding and so was free to volunteer. Now, three weeks later, I've learned many precious lessons about the blessings offered by rolling up your sleeves to volunteer where you can. I know that many of our FundRaiser customers are the front line in making this possible for people all over the world. Here are some key experiences things I learned that I'm grateful for: 

Continue reading
4285 Hits

Short Take: In Kind Donations

Short Take: In Kind Donations

 

When your organization takes in donations of good or services, how do you record that donation? On the Gifts tab, when you enter in a donation, the Gift Mode code reflects the form that the donation took—how the money was received or if it was an In Kind donation.  When you choose “In Kind” for your gift mode, this tells the database that the donation was received not as a financial transaction, but rather a donation of goods or services. The amount field can be the approximate value of those donations, and you can use your motivation and purpose codes to further categorize the donation.

Continue reading
3815 Hits

Helping with Disaster Recovery in the Southern Ozarks

Helping with Disaster Recovery in the Southern Ozarks

The water has swept on from the floods that raged through this region less than 2 weeks ago. It took with it all that it had the power to carry away. It left behind not just confusion and debris, but also an opportunity for communities to rise higher than the water ever did, and they are doing so. All members of the FundRaiser staff were touched directly by the impact of the floods which spread over the entire region where the FundRaiser office is located. Each responded with energy and courage as matched their situation, and all have been left with a deeper understanding for customers involved in disaster relief.  

Tamara Lovan of Technical Support went right to work volunteering. "Heading to Carmichael Field to assist with sorting flood debris starting at noon. This evening we will be helping gather donations at the Civic Center," she wrote us after being one of the first to track down where the volunteers were gathering. 

Continue reading
4063 Hits

Reach Out during Crisis w/ Respect & Sensitivity

Reach Out during Crisis w/ Respect & Sensitivity
Communicate in Midst of Disaster & Crisis

How can our orgs communicate effectively in the middle of two huge crises - 1) Police brutality and misconduct in Baltimore, spurring response by community members fighting for their rights and lives; and 2) Nepal’s crushing earthquake, and the millions whose lives will be impacted for years to come?

This is an extremely delicate challenge, whether the crisis is human-driven (as in the Baltimore police actions) or a natural disaster.

Continue reading
5630 Hits

Tornado near FundRaiser office hits close to home

Tornado near FundRaiser office hits close to home
b2ap3_thumbnail_JoeyDoorsWindows_20150410-023340_1.jpg
b2ap3_thumbnail_JoeyWindow2.jpg

Last Thursday, people around the FundRaiser office had their eyes glued to the weather radar. A tornado was headed our direction. It hit in the early morning hours of Friday, April 3rd. Although the damage wasn't widespread, many of us were personally connected to someone who was impacted. One of those was the Whetstone Boy's Ranch, a boarding school for at-risk and troubled boys in Mountain View, Missouri. Whetstone is a FundRaiser user. A further connection for us it that Joey Patten, of FundRaiser Technical Support, has been helping with the damage clean-up at the Ranch, along with other members of his church, the Pomona Christian Church. 

Everyone at the Ranch is safe -- boys, staff and animals. The Ranch, however, has been severely damaged. It's a devastating sight, relieved in part by news of the faith and funds being raised to recover from the damage. On their facebook page, Whetstone is reporting rapid fundraising progress. We are so sorry that this has happened, and are looking forward to hearing more happy news as the recovery process continues.

Continue reading
5215 Hits

Communicating in the Shadow of Disaster – Practical Tips for Nonprofits

You haven't seen the power of a cyclone till you've seen the calm at the eye of the storm

FundRaiser: We are republishing this blog post on responding to disasters because it is so helpful for nonprofits on how to respond when the public's attention is focused on a disaster. Following Nancy's guidelines can help you stay centered, appropriate and helpful under challenging circumstances.

What is the place of nonprofit communications in the wake of disaster, particularly when this most recent crisis of epic proportions—the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami disasters in Japan—is rightly dominating our minds and conversations, as well as the media?

Continue reading
5903 Hits
Wait a minute, while we are rendering the calendar
mission driven understanding giving trends appeal appeal letters custom page tech tip ROI user interface GoFundMe project planning major gift prospects donor retention rate Reminders Groupings New Year membersip benefits new donors Donor Portal membership programs LYBUNTS FundRaiser Hosted giving levels follow up spreadsheets direct mail how to handle auction gifts correspondence legacy giving security End of Year Letters grants announcements animal rescue social media corporate sponsors fundraising letters Reporting to IRS donor loyalty planned giving fundraising welcome packet auction annual campaign vacation small donations Volunteer module Thanksgiving premiums PayPal Thank You entering auction gifts new features memorial giving campaign management Congratulations data entry advanced tab volunteering customer service donor attrition rate personalizing letters budget recurring gifts NCOA processing Crowdfunding Campaign major donors nonprofit fundraising raffle change of address updating spare fields repeat donors new leadership lapsed donor gift entry communications Alternative Addresses disaster relief Network for Good large donations features monthly giving holiday annual maintenance plan board members community supported gardens relationship tracking donor attrition donor targeting banquet donor slip community broadcasting Cloud donor preferences texting donors mailing donor charity golf tournaments happiness office role of nonprofits donor profile technical support In-Kind gifts gift acceptance policy holiday letters the Ask donation history FundRaiser Spark Constant Contact endowment campaign new version data analysis donor prospects alumni Company culture Tickles Excel donor contact information case study merge notes general event management on site training Snow Birds passwords user spotlights arts online donations ticketsales solicitors capital campaign brick campaign phoning donors Facebook campaign pledges correspondance support operational costs donor recognition prospects building donor relationships Personalizing upgrading donors FundRaiser Basic GivingTuesday increasing giving amounts grassroots campaign development director flash sales password protection upgrade mode code updates publicity materials segmenting donors data conversion accounting software National Change of Address operating systems backing up data #GivingTuesday reports online donations tax summary letters pictures membership benefits Importing Data merge fields gift notes field email donor engagement campaign motivation add ons targeted mailings Resiliency giving history new nonprofit tribute gifts Codes salutation ticket sales letter templates donor advised funds overview moves management community arts nonprofits customer portal volunteers donor source look and feel thank you letters word processor training donor retention Task List in honor of donations training tip adding personal notes to letters Facebook product news motivation code government grants donor relations letter transparency importing csv foundations how-to videos SYBUNTS anonymous donors holiday giving

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