By Brijesh 
Accessible and connected software can make it easier for nonprofit staff to manage donations. Whether an organization uses the same platform to raise funds and maintain current donor records or integrates online donation systems with cloud-based donor relationship management software such as Salesforce for non profits, here are six guidelines to optimize donation management.
Communicate Effectively With Donors
Outreach plays an essential part in attracting donations. Beyond being an opportunity to express the goals of a campaign in light of the overarching mission of an organization, donor communication is a chance to let good donation management practices shine. Use database integration software to bring together accurate contact information and records of past gifts when contacting the right donors at the right time through preferred communication channels.
Software To Assist in Proper Donor Management
An organization should use constituent relationship management software to support every stage of donation management. From cultivating leads to securing repeat gifts, a CRM platform should facilitate profile updates and segmentation. When it is time to report donations, integration software can promote the best donation management practices across platforms with support for automation and data enrichment.
Update Gift Entry Across Platforms
It is important to regularly update donation records in CRM software. If the latest gift information stays siloed on a donation platform, this could lead to repeat asks or omissions that prevent staff from locking in promised donations. Good donation data management practices make it possible to classify gifts across platforms and act in a timely manner to close pledges or prospective gifts.
Identify Gift Matching and Affiliations
Corporate gift matching programs have the potential to double the amount of members’ donations. Donation management should include dedicated efforts to identify which constituents participate in these programs and fulfill reporting requirements. Different measures may be necessary to track affiliations or organizational relationships based on CRM software. Use an integration platform that can ensure this information is readily available.
Draw On Donation Data During Outreach
When donations are properly managed, information on recent and past gifts should be on hand across platforms for use in ongoing and future campaigns. The ability to thank donors for past gifts, point out the impact their giving made possible or provide more general fundraising statistics can translate to larger or more frequent donations.
Maintain High Data Security Standards
One of the most important elements for managing donations includes observing consistent cross-platform security practices. It may be preferable to retain the most sensitive financial data on a donation platform that meets the highest payment data security standards. Contact information and other donor data can be kept private by using an integration platform that prioritizes security, ensuring that CRM software is updated and mandating rigorous practices regarding login credentials and permissions.
These are six of the best practices for managing donations, from soliciting gifts to updating records securely stored across platforms. Integration software developed for nonprofits can make it easier to transfer records of donation amounts and dates from fundraising platforms to a CRM platform where this data will be available for future campaigns.