Idealware

Undergoing a fundraising technology upgrade or transition can be a tricky proposition. There are common traps many organizations fall into that complicate matters. The good news is there are ways to combat them.

So, this is the year you get serious about online fundraising. Here is my six-point checklist for developing a kick-butt online fundraising program in 2010.

Looking for ways to streamline your nonprofit organization's processes? Many times, implementing software to automate certain processes can increase efficiency and even save money in the long-term. However, it can be a daunting endeavor that raises many questions. For instance, what types of software should your nonprofit be using? What products are available, and which would work best for your particular organization?

Horsham, PA, October 13, 2009 — SofterWare, Inc. recently introduced the latest version DonorPerfect Online (DPO), a top-rated fundraising software solution as noted by independent organizations N-TEN and Idealware.

When someone searches a search engine on a word related to your cause, the search engine lists the sites it feels are most important and likely to be the best on a topic. Search engine optimization is all about polishing your Web site so that it appears high in search engine results.

In the Idealware webinar "Optimizing Your Web site for Search Engines" in June, presenter Laura Quinn, director of Idealware, discussed the basics of search engine optimization, tips for creating a site search engines can find and ensuring a search-friendly site architecture.

Horsham, PA, July 31, 2009 — Straight Forward Software, Inc., developer of LifeLine Nonprofit Management System, and SofterWare, Inc., developer of DonorPerfect Fundraising Software, today announced a strategic partnership that will enable LifeLine clients who are seeking a web-based fundraising solution to seamlessly migrate to DonorPerfect Online.

Horsham, PA, May 4, 2009 — After an extensive evaluation, both DonorPerfect Installed and DonorPerfect Online (a web-based fundraising solution) received more “Excellent” ratings for their features then any other products. In addition, the report identifies several purchasing categories for nonprofits, and DonorPerfect received 6 recommendations for the online version, and 5 for the installed version.

Sure, raising money online is a bit more 
complicated than renting a mailing list and testing various packages on the names to see what works and what doesn’t. For starters, in the spam-challenged online world, you need donors’ permission to continue communicating with them. And to be sure, your organization can raise serious cash online without sending a single e-mail, particularly during December when many donors seek you out. Heck, you can even raise a few dollars (but only a few) on Facebook these days.
But eliminate all the jargon and the steady 
stream of innovative ideas, and you’ll find that acquiring donors online boils down to five key steps.

WordPress, Joomla, Drupal, and Plone are all free and open source systems that can help nonprofit build and manage websites — but how do they compare? This 60-page independent Idealware report provides both an introduction to the topic and a very detailed comparison of the four systems.

In the webinar "Blogging for Nonprofits: Tips, Traps, and Tales" last month, Kivi Leroux Miller, founder of EcoScribe Communications and keeper of the Nonprofit Marketing Guide, covered blogging inside and out, including information about the types of blogs nonprofits can create and questions organizations should ask themselves to make sure a blog is right for them.