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Nonprofit Membership Management Software

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The GoCardless content team comprises a group of subject-matter experts in multiple fields from across GoCardless. The authors and reviewers work in the sales, marketing, legal, and finance departments. All have in-depth knowledge and experience in various aspects of payment scheme technology and the operating rules applicable to each. The team holds expertise in the well-established payment schemes such as UK Direct Debit, the European SEPA scheme, and the US ACH scheme, as well as in schemes operating in Scandinavia, Australia, and New Zealand. See full bio

Last editedDec 20212 min read

Any nonprofit organization knows just how important it is to stay organized. Nonprofit organization membership management software keeps all your member details in one place for easier data tracking and sharing. Beyond tracking donations and storing contact details, the best membership management software can also automate a lot of your day-to-day busywork, freeing your employees up for other tasks. Here are a few of the prime benefits of membership management software for nonprofits.

More effective event organization

Events are a key component of nonprofit fundraising, and with the right membership management software you’ll be better positioned to organize your next seminar or gala night. With a list of all current members, you can automatically send out invitations to ensure no one is left out. Software also enables you to register new members, conduct surveys, and work out a streamlined schedule.

Simplified payment collection processes

One of the biggest benefits of any membership management software for nonprofits is the ability to better manage your payment collection. From one-time donations to membership dues, it’s often far more convenient for donors to pay electronically and automatically. Set up recurring payments through subscription membership management software. GoCardless offers automatic invoicing to make the process run smoothly, so that you don’t have to chase up on late member fees.

Boost to community engagement

The right software lets you break your contact list down into groups, organizations, and individual donors for a targeted outreach program. This encourages a higher level of community engagement by allowing you to analyze performance of various groups. You’ll be able to see which engagement efforts are most successful, broken down by demographic.

Data-driven marketing and outreach

Along these same lines as the point above, modern membership management software uses analytics to provide useful, data-driven insights into your membership’s behavior. Find out the type of fundraising efforts that yield highest engagement, so you know where to focus your marketing efforts.

Comprehensive systems integration

Another benefit to consider is that of integrating your systems. Using tools like an API, you can connect your membership software with other systems, including event management apps, marketing tools, and accounting software. Integrating all these various applications into a single platform makes it easier to stay organized with your nonprofit admin and management.

Features of the best membership management software

So, now that we’ve covered the reasons to consider purchasing membership management software, what features should you look for? The features will vary depending on the money you pay, with premium plans offering more comprehensive tools than free software. Generally, you might find features including:

Newsfeed to publish the latest updates
Membership directory
Member filters to create lists
Events management tools
Payment processing for donations
Private member messaging
Data analytics

The most comprehensive software will blend donation and member management with events planning and a connected social network.

How to choose nonprofit organization membership management software

As you start to compare your options, keep your organization’s needs in mind. You can ask questions like the following:

How many users must the system support?
Do you need subscription membership management software?
Which features are must-haves on your list?
What is your monthly budget?
Which integrations do you anticipate using?

Finally, don’t neglect the importance of online security when comparing options. This is particularly important if you’re looking for member management software that handles payment processing. You’ll need to use encryption and other tools to protect your members’ data.

Members are the lifeblood for most nonprofit organizations, so it’s worth choosing a system that makes communication and payment as easy as possible.

We can help

GoCardless helps you automate payment collection, cutting down on the amount of admin your team needs to deal with when chasing invoices. Find out how GoCardless can help you with ad hoc payments or recurring payments.