How to assess and select a CRM for your non-profit

Every area of work is becoming digital, and all of us use database systems to track and facilitate our interactions with donors, supporters and colleagues — but we don’t always have the right technology in place.

These database systems are so central to our work that an ill-fitting one can seriously hamper our efficacy, and deploying a new system can be a lengthy and painful experience, not to mention an expensive and risky endeavour. But getting the right database in place can let us focus on our valuable work feeling empowered by technology, not constrained by it, and can save our charities real money.

In this webinar, Harrison Brown of Suru Partners will walk you through how to think about these key pieces of your I.T. landscape, including how to assess whether your current system is the right fit for you and how to go choosing a new database system by evaluating the market like an expert and avoiding the common pitfalls made by many non-profits. You will learn how to do that assessment and how to start evaluating whether there’s a business case to look at replacing it.

We’ll also look at an actionable, effective process for assessing the market, evaluating options for a new database system for your non-profit and proactively testing them to decide which option is best for you. A clear process like this really helps keep momentum in a project and prevent it from getting bogged down in the details.

• How to know when it’s time to change your database system
• How to critically assess your needs
• Common pitfalls that charities make when choosing a CRM
• Which pain-points can be solved by technology and which need a different approach
• How to develop a business case and reduce financial risk
• Who needs to be involved (hint: it’s not just I.T.)
• Why it’s vital to put your staff, donors and partners at the centre of any process to select a database system
• How to efficiently assess the software market and make the right choice
• How to talk to commercial software vendors as a non-profit
• How to avoid the silver bullet myth and see through vendor hyperbole