Ensure you have a foolproof plan for selecting the right fundraising software for your needs.

1. How to Choose the Right
Fundraising Software for
your Not for Profit

2. 4/2/2015 2
CUSTOMERS ARE AT THE HEART OF EVERYTHING WE DO
We work with 29,000 organisations
worldwide and over 420 not for profits
locally
Our customers raise more than
$100 billion annually

3. 3
Let’s get started…
As the Product Marketing Manager,
Jeremiah represents the customer’s
voice in the development of
Blackbaud products and services.
Prior to Blackbaud Jeremiah held
senior roles spanning global
business operations, product
management, data analysis,
marketing and new business
development.
#bbpwebinar @j_flickinger

4. 4
Software Selection Process
Vendor
Search
Vendor
Evaluation
Selection
Define
Priorities
Gather
Requirements

5. 5
Automatetasks
Define Priorities
Increase donation revenue by 20%
Thankingeverydonor
Mapping donations to the correct funds
Trackingrelationships
Enable our fundraisers in the field (mobile accessibility)
What are the biggest opportunities?
Recognising gifts made in Tribute
Create a clearer picture of who our donors are
Automatetasks
Personalise donor
interactions
Better visibility into our campaigns
Enable our fundraisers in the field (mobile accessibility)
Trackingrelationships
Personalise donor
interactions
Automatetasks

6. 6
Requirements Gathering
Why is requirements gathering the most
important step in the partner selection process?

7. 7
Requirements Gathering
Having good requirements can avoid this:
You ask for this.
(Poorly defined requirements)
This is how the
software vendor
understood the
requirements.
How the sales
person
represented their
software
What you ended
up with.
What you really
needed.

8. 8
Stakeholder:
Anyone potentially impacted or who
may benefit from a new software
purchase.
def•i•ni•tion
Meet with Stakeholders
Requirements Gathering

9. 9
Tips
• Include decision makers
• Define current processes
• Identify gaps
• Understand their ideal world
• Gauge their technical capabilities
• Prioritise their wishlist
• Monetise or enumerate wherever possible
• Tie back to organisational goals
Meet with Stakeholders
Requirements Gathering

10. 10
Budget
Anticipated Growth
Resource Requirements
Functional Requirements
Requirements at minimum should consider:
Requirements Gathering

11. 11
Requirements Gathering
Requirements Matrix
• Consolidate feedback
from stakeholder
interviews
• Categorise
• Will become the
foundation of your vendor
scorecard

12. 12
Vendor Search
Where to start?
Industry Associations
&
Conferences

13. 13
Vendor Evaluation
Approach should match your needs:
• Organisation complexity
• Workflow complexity
• Risk exposure
• Level of investment

14. 14
Basic Vendor Evaluation Process:
1. Notify vendors of interest
2. Schedule requirements discussion (prior to
demo)
3. Schedule demo with key stakeholders
4. Follow-up (from vendor and internal)
5. Scorecard vendors
6. Select a finalist
Vendor Evaluation

15. 15
Vendor Demos
• Set Expectations Ahead of Time
• Make Sure the Right People Attend
• The Tale of Two Perspectives (Follow-up is key)
Vendor Evaluation

16. 16
Evaluation Criteria to Consider:
Total Cost
• Software
• Implementation
• Training
• IT
Functionality
• Purpose built
functionality
• Workarounds
• Third Party
• Not included
Flexibility
• Licensing
• Usage Fee
• Modular
Vendor Evaluation

17. 17
Evaluation Criteria to Consider:
Security
• Data security
• Back-ups
• Disaster Recovery
Sector Expertise
• Years of experience
 Employees
 Company
• Thought Leadership
• Client List
Financial Stability
• Public vs. Private
• Growth v. Decline
Vendor Evaluation

18. 18
Evaluation Criteria to Consider:
Customer Support
• Availability | Local
• Chat
• User Groups
• Account Manager
• Support Inclusions
 Training
 Technical
 Consulting
R & D
• Annual R&D Budget
• Release Cycle
• Accessibility of Updates
References
• Similar organisations
• Similar needs
• Case studies
Vendor Evaluation

19. 19
Individual Criterion
Creating a scorecard:
Categorical Scores
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Showstoppers



Vendor Scorecard

20. 20
You’re almost there!
But before signing, make sure you get:
- Internal Buy-in
- Statement of Work (from the vendor)
Vendor Evaluation

21. 21
Software Selection Process - RECAP
Vendor
Search
Vendor
Evaluation
Selection
Define
Priorities
Gather
Requirements

22. 22
Questions for Me
And Finally…
Connect with me:
au.linkedin.com/in/jeremiahflickinger
@j_flickinger
jeremiah.flickinger@blackbaud.com.au

23. How to Choose the Right
Fundraising Software for
your Not for Profit
NXTTM