Sweet and Essential Tools for your Nonprofit Toolkit

Embark on a journey through the sweet world of finance, fundraising, and accounting tools, where each offering is akin to a unique chocolate in a vast assortment. Much like a box of chocolates, these tools promise diverse flavors of efficiency and innovation to enhance your organization processes. In this blog, we'll unwrap five distinct tools—Ramp, QuickBooks Online, Gusto,  Bloomerang, and Zeffy—each contributing its own blend of features to sweeten your work experience. So, let's dive in and savor the distinct flavors these tools bring to the table.

Ramp: Combining corporate cards with best-in-class finance operations software, Ramp is the only all-in-one solution designed to help customers save more money and free finance teams to do the best work of their lives.

We like Ramp because of its user-friendly interface and ability to easily facilitate organization card use.

The basic plan is free with upgraded levels starting at $15/month. Features include:

  • Unlimited cards and smart controls

  • Automated expense management

  • Vendor management and accounts payable

  • Accounting software sync

  • Real-time saving insights

QuickBooks Online: QuickBooks Online (QBO) is a subscription-based product that gives you the freedom to work on the go. You can access and sync data across all your devices – computer, tablet and smartphone. Your data is securely backed up and you have instant access to the latest product and feature updates. Additionally, you can connect QBO to over 300 apps you already use, and save even more time. 

QBO is becoming universally favored, especially with QuickBooks Desktop ending availability to new subscribers. And this is pretty much the only accounting software we use. Since we need access to our clients’ books, the cloud-based access makes having multiple users a breeze.

Normally, QBO runs anywhere from $30/month to $200/month. However, as a 501c3 nonprofit with TechSoup, you can get an annual subscription for a total of $75 or $160 depending on which option you select.
Features include:

  • Donor software integration

  • Send pledges/invoices and get paid

  • See and manage cash flow

  • Bookkeeping automation

  • Accountant access

  • Customized access for Board Members

  • Receipt capture

  • Mileage tracking

  • Mobile app

  • Banking with 5.00% APY

Gusto: Gusto, Inc. is a company that provides cloud-based payroll, benefits, and human resource management software for businesses based in the United States.

Our favorite part (besides the pig mascot) is the employee surveys. They allow us to check in with our team about our culture, management, communication, etc. In addition, the employee interface is very intuitive when it comes to managing hours and payroll.

The basic plan costs $40/month plus $6/month per person. Features include:

  • Full-service payroll including W-2s and 1099s

  • Full support

  • Employee profiles and self-service

  • Basic hiring and onboarding tools

  • Gusto-brokered health insurance administration

  • Employee financial benefits

  • Payroll and time-off reports

  • Custom admin permissions

  • Integrations for accounting, time tracking, expense management, and more

Bloomerang: Bloomerang is the community-focused nonprofit donor management software built to deliver a better giving experience and help organizations thrive.

We are big fans of the Bloomerang team! Besides being a fun team, they provide a lot of best practices and resources for growing nonprofits. The flexibility of a subscription allows for organizations to be able to size up in an affordable way as they grow. 

The basic plan is $125/month for 1000 records. Features include:

  • 5000 emails

  • Unlimited users

  • Free email & chat support 

  • Unlimited online giving pages & forms

  • Email marketing included

  • Donor engagement scoring 

  • Wealth screening 

  • Mobile App (iOS and Android) 

Zeffy: Zeffy is the only 100% free fundraising software for nonprofits.

Zeffy is an amazing resource for nonprofits that have jumped from a spreadsheet to a CRM. The price is right and has many features for basic fundraising. 

Zeffy is free and includes the following services:

  • Ticketing

  • Donations

  • Peer-to-Peer campaigns

  • Memberships

  • Lotteries and Raffles

  • eCommerce

  • Donor management

As we conclude this exploration of productivity tools, consider them as the assorted chocolates in your professional toolkit. Just as a well-curated box of chocolates caters to different tastes, these tools cater to various nonprofit needs, from finance operations to fundraising management. Whether you're craving the all-in-one experience with Ramp, financial finesse with QuickBooks Online, streamlined HR and payroll with Gusto, or robust donor management with Bloomerang, there's a tool to suit every palate. 

And for nonprofits seeking a sweet deal, Zeffy provides a free, delightful surprise. Just like chocolates, these tools are designed to make your work life a little sweeter, a little smoother. Enjoy the richness they bring to your professional endeavors!

Not sure where to start? We’d be happy to advise; set up a meeting here.

Patricia Doylenonprofits, tools