One reason small charities lag behind in adopting digital is that they do not have the time to make the most of their tools even when they have them. Charities tell us time and again that they are spread thin and don\u2019t have the time to learn the skills needed for digital.<\/p>\n
So, it can be overwhelming when a resource provides too many things for you to sift through. Instead of listing an extensive list of all the tools out there that you\u00a0could<\/em>\u00a0use, this chapter hones in on the key tools for small charities, the ones you\u2019re most likely to use no matter what kind of program you are delivering, with a brief explanation on what they do, the benefits to using them and\u00a0how to make the most of them.<\/strong><\/p>\n Don\u2019t forget that many tools offer a free version for charities or a steep discount so it could be more budget-friendly than you think. There are also organizations out there like\u00a0TechSoup Canada<\/a>\u00a0that help to connect charities with technology, and that is another great place to start when looking for digital solutions.<\/p>\n \u200d<\/p>\n Many types of software fall under this banner, such as word processors, spreadsheets, presentation software, email and calendar applications. You\u2019re likely already using some of them. The most accessible and commonplace contenders in this area would be\u00a0Google Workspace<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0Microsoft 365<\/a>, both of which have nonprofit programs for up to 300 users.<\/p>\n Google Workspace emphasizes collaboration and a user-friendly interface and has integrations with many other tools. Microsoft 365 however, has some more sophisticated functions and is better suited to organizations that already work within the Microsoft ecosystem (e.g. Azure, Teams, Sharepoint) or have needs that go beyond office productivity such as coding development.<\/p>\n They are quintessential in the modern workplace and allow you to communicate, enhance productivity and collaborate; here are some ways you can ensure you are getting the most out of them:<\/p>\n \u200d\u200d<\/strong><\/p>\n As much as we try to avoid jargon and abbreviations, CRMs and DMSs are unavoidable. They stand for \u201cconstituent relationship management\u201d and \u201cdonor management system\u201d. DMS are a type of CRM but not all CRMs are DMS; a DMS is essentially a donation-specific CRM that helps charities to manage the contact information and relationships involved in the donation process.<\/p>\n In all organizations, there are many relationships to manage. Having a CRM allows you to keep it in one place so that your staff members are working with one source of truth. This is incredibly important when you may have employee turnover, a remote team or many contact points with the same person. With a CRM, you can see at a glance how many contacts you have, each staff member can access and self-serve, and you can begin to make more data-driven decisions.<\/p>\n If you manage donations, having a DMS goes a step further. A DMS should be specifically configured to help you manage donations and have automations so you don\u2019t need to copy and paste information between spreadsheets, or manually issue tax receipts and thank you messages.<\/p>\n To get the most out of your CRM\/DMS:<\/p>\n \u200d\u200d<\/strong><\/p>\n Whether your role lies in marketing or not, you\u2019re probably no stranger to email! Even with the critique around email and our crowded inboxes, it remains a critical part of the toolbox for building relationships. Mailing to one large list, copied and pasted from an Excel spreadsheet and BCC\u2019ed is often the starting point for Canada\u2019s smallest charities but this method is unscalable and lacking in nuance.<\/p>\n If you\u2019re already doing all of this or looking for some email specific resources, check out these blog posts:<\/p>\n \u200d\u200d<\/strong><\/p>\n As Canada\u2019s largest online platform for donating and fundraising, we would be remiss not to mention a fundraising platform! Online giving has shown significant growth, with online donations through CanadaHelps doubling between 2019 to 2023 and the average one-time donation growing to $226.78 in 2024.<\/p>\n While there will always be a place for offline donations through cash and cheque, diversifying your fundraising is helpful to mitigate impacts such as the 2024 year-end Canada Post strike. Some charities prefer to receive donations through EFT though that can cause friction to your donor journey causing donors to drop off and also create a lot of manual work to issue your donation receipts. Online fundraising platforms typically follow best practices to ensure that donors have a great experience, and decrease the manual work needed for follow-up, while also issuing tax receipts and thank you messages to the donor.<\/p>\n To make the most of your online fundraising platform:<\/p>\n If you\u2019re looking for more information on online fundraising, check out these blog posts:<\/p>\n \u200d<\/em><\/p>\n \u2014<\/p>\n Embracing digital tools is crucial for small charities to increase their capacity in today\u2019s digital-first world. Adopting a few key tools well can make all the difference for your charity and your mission. This is a starting point that hopefully shows you the possibilities of your key digital tools and how you can use more of their full potential. While there is a learning curve and some time taken to implement things at the beginning, the pay-off of better operational efficiencies and greater relevancy in a digital world will help you continue to fulfill your mission far into the future.<\/p>\n If you found this blog helpful, be sure to check out the\u00a0eBook: Digital First Steps for Your Small Charity<\/a>\u00a0or check out the other blogs in this series:<\/p>\n1. Office Productivity Tools:<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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2. Constituent Relationship Management (CRM)\/ Donor Management System (DMS):\u00a0<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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3. Communications & Marketing Tool:\u00a0<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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4. Online Fundraising Platform:<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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