Pros
This database does everything we need it to and more. We're a smaller non-profit with 1500 donors. The database makes searching for information and pulling reports simple while providing all the details we need. The BEST part of DonorSnap is their incredible customer support team. They've never taken more than a few minutes to respond to email questions with clear and concise answers. They answer in a way that not only gives you what you need, but teaches you how to find it next time. This team is really on top of their game. Our organization also just launched the new partnership DonorSnap has with goEmerchant for our online giving and feedback from our donors has been very positive. Nice to have it all in one system.
Cons
This software is not flashy or polished. Then again it doesn't have a premium price tag. Once you learn the software though you'll find it has everything most people need to successfully manage an organizations donors/volunteers/etc. I think there are a few functions that would be great to add, but honestly, when I've asked the support team - 2/3 of the time they are already working on that next new feature! For example - one area that is lacking is regional donor search features. We have donors all across the country and when I go visit a certain area it would be great to search for all donors within 50 miles of a certain zip code for example.
David,
Thank you so much for the feedback. Regarding the proximity report... we actually have this ready to go on our testing site. It will go live in the next batch of updates. You'll see that option in DataMiner Platinum by adding the zip code field to the query builder. Let us know how it meets your needs!
We were able to centralize all of our school's donation records. We can quickly and easily generate reports of all types - no limits on customizable reports. I can allow donors and alumni to update their own contact info. I can easily mass enter gifts and do mass uploads as well. It is a great system.
Pros
I have worked with bigger and much more expensive databases at past jobs, and I always ran into problems that were unsolvable within the system - reports I needed that it couldn't generate, no ability to mass upload things, or something along those lines. Donorsnap has thought of EVERYTHING. And for such a minimal monthly price. I was recently at a fundraising professionals meeting, and someone in the forum asked what databases everyone used. A few people sheepishly said what they used, but both added "although I wouldn't recommend it. It's a pain." I was the only person in the room who proudly said "Well, I am using Donorsnap, which is really affordable and can do everything I need. I would highly recommend it to anyone." And a bunch of people jotted it down. Its hard to be happy with your donor database, but for the first time, I am. Their customer service is also great, and responds quickly to any questions. They have tons of video tutorials for every page, so you can learn how to do things when you need to handle a new process you haven't done before.
Cons
Like all software, there is a learning curve. You have to figure out how to do the things you want to do - reports, imports, eforms, etc. One time, I had to import hundreds of gifts made on another platform, and get them to match up to the right donor records already in our database. It was quite the conversation with customer service as I learned how to do this, and it wasn't something I hope to have to do often. But it was possible to do it, without manually entering each gift! Which I can't say would be true for all databases. They have built in a ton of flexibility to this database.
Pros
DonorSnap is a small company that gives big service! I really appreciate that I can ask for help and receive a response in a timely fashion (usually within just a couple of hours or sooner). One of the reasons we went with DonorSnap was because they offered a lot of what larger companies offered, but at far less the cost. While they didn't have all the bells and whistles, they didn't pretend to either. We needed something easy to operate. I love that the screens all work basically the same. You don't have to remember how things work from screen to screen. The reporting system encompasses every data field (theirs or our customized fields) and is a breeze to utilize. They advertised "no hidden costs" and after 3 years, that's still true. I've sat in on numerous free webinars that have all been timely within the fiscal year and presented in a concise manner. I like the 20 minute specific lesson experience led by knowledgeable instructors and also learn from questions asked by other attendees. But back to the bells and whistles. Throughout the short time that we've been with DonorSnap, they've thoughtfully added some popular features like credit card interface, the ability to quickly upload individual demographic info solicited from a form on our website, and mass email capabilities to save on postage. I know that there's a lot more to this product than I utilize, but I like that they give me the opportunity to check out new software features with their webinars. I can't think of any other company (that I initially considered) that didn't charge for every little features and support - whether I needed them or not! I'm very happy with DonorSnap!
Cons
I wish there was a better way to show "InKind" donations on a report. Currently, they look the same as a cash donation.
PLC gives DonorSnap an A+ - We love it! It is the perfect solution for a smaller land trust. Being online means my data is accessible when I am out on the road or working from home or a volunteer's office. I can update donor records quickly, from anywhere, and the program is so intuitive my staff and volunteers have picked it up very quickly with little anxiety. The support available via the page help and video help is extensive, in fact we haven't had to call DonorSnap yet, although during the conversion it was clear that the staff is friendly, accessible and efficient - so I wouldn't hesitate.
After a very disappointing and frustrating experience with our previous software I am both relieved and pleased with all that DonorSnap brings to the table. Bravo!
Pros
Smoothest conversion ever! I couldn't believe how seamless it was. And because I can define fields easily on the fly we didn't have to do a great deal of pre-work, as soon as we see a need I can simply create the field needed. DonorSnap is SO easy to use, very intuitive. With minimal training we are recording gifts, pulling mailing lists, tracking interactions and contacts, and syncing with Constant Contact. As a small regional land trust I love that my donor database is online. My board and committee members can enter data into member records themselves rather than sending me emails that I then enter. Their access is limited to what is appropriate for their role, but they can now look up contact information or document conversations - an efficiency that is so valuable when you have limited staff. I have found the reports to be easy to use, and have even created a few new ones - far easier than in ebase.
Cons
We migrated to DonorSnap over the summer from Ebase, and ran into trouble with the name override feature. DonorSnap is creating labels with two names "John Doe and Jane Doe" rather than John and Jane Doe. Perhaps there is an easy fix? I haven't asked yet. Beyond that, we are still learning to use Dataminer, but I find the page help feature a great guide. There were only one or two hiccups with the conversion, not in the migration, but because ebase and DonorSnap have different ways of tracking data (payment type, for example). Dennis suggested an easy work around, and within a year the problem will have dissolved on its own. Don't have any real cons yet...I'll keep looking!
Pros
We are a small non-profit that used to have a big donor software system. It was cumbersome--training new people always took some time. Reporting was confusing--we were never was sure that we were getting what we asked for. Support was adequate. The worst part is that the company seemed more concerned with selling add ons and upgrades than making sure we had what we needed.
Moving to DonorSnap was such a relief! It is a lot more intuitive and easier to use. It has all the functionality we need and some to grow into. The support is very responsive but most of the time I can find what I need in the webinars and online videos that are available. I love the on-line responsive forms that keep donors on our website and the reporting that doesn't require me to write code. We are starting to take advantage of the prospecting aspects--tracking our donor contacts and using ticklers to make sure we follow-up in a timely manner. The mobile app is great for our Board members to have accessibility when they go out on donor visits. They can enter notes on their visit right on their phones! The Staff is wonderful--they want you to be successful. They have all come from the non-profit world so they understand your needs. The fact that it has all the functionality it does at such an affordable price is amazing. I have been recommending DonorSnap to the other Ed Foundations in our area.
Cons
Ironically, the one thing that took me some time to adjust to was its flexibility. I was so used to having to work within the constraints of a system. I went from, "It doesn't work that way" to "Sure, you can do that!" I really appreciate all of the things I can do to customize DonorSnap to fit my needs. . . define user profiles individually, add and customize fields, rearrange my dashboard to view what I want to view. . . it has all been great.
I used DonorSnap for about 3 years to manage volunteers and donors at the homeless shelter where I worked. It made our process for tracking and acknowledging these aspects of our work much more organized and efficient.
Pros
This is an excellent program. It's great for a non-profit to track contacts and all donations and volunteer hours and form a list from which many types of reports can be pulled. Excellent for mailings and generating acknowledgement letters that would have otherwise had to be hand-written. Great for campaigns. Wonderful help index on every page with detailed instructions and help-videos. Excellent customer support with frequent training webinars.
Cons
It would be nice to be able to generate an email list right from the program without having to go through a third party like Constant Contact. Also, generating mailing labels is not as easy as it could be.
Adele, thank you so much for the praise! We're very pleased to hear how DonorSnap has helped increase the organization and efficiency of your nonprofit.
I think you will also be pleased to hear that we added a mass email tool to DonorSnap earlier this year. It is included with all subscriptions. Email us at [email protected] and we'll walk you through it.
Pros
Customization is virtually unlimited. The Vendor is very easy to work with and offers free training classes geared to your needs. Support is quick usually in a couple of hours. Help is instantly available at any place in the program. The Vendor is constantly adding new features and improvements at no additional cost. Entirely web based, allowing access from anywhere there is an internet connection. Offers unlimited users at no additional cost. Access for each user can be tailored to their needs. Offer a mobile app for iPhone. The price is very competitive with other companies and may be paid monthly or yearly. We have seen a marked improvement in our donations since we began using the program. We highly recommend this program for any non profit who solicits donations and or performs fund raisers
Cons
While they offer a mobile app for iPhone, they also need a mobile app for Android. Mass updates are a little bit cumbersome by requiring information to be exported to Excel, updated and then imported back into the program. However, the process is simple and straightforward.
Connellsville Area Community Ministries has been a customer of Donorsnap
since the summer of 2013. We track our monetary and in-kind donations
with your system and generate thank you letters and end-of-year
contribution statements. We also track our volunteer hours. By the end
of August 2016 we had approximately 1300 records in our system.
Then, on August 28, 2016, our town was hit with a flash flood that
affected 300 homes and the donations started to pour in. We took in
more than $22,000 the first day! At this point, we have collected more
than $650,000 for the flood recovery effort. With Donorsnap's help, we
were able to generate more than 1500 thank you letters in a three month
period.
We could not have acknowledged that kind of volume by hand. We really
needed Donorsnap. Thank you! We appreciate the work that you do!
Blessings,
Cris McDonough
Assistant to the Director
Connellsville Area Community Ministries
P.S. In addition, your customer support is always timely and I appreciate the improvements you have made over the past three years to make data tracking easier. Your training sessions are efficient and helpful. In comparison to other programs of this type, yours is very affordable. Keep up the good work.
Pros
It is very flexible.
Cons
It's all good.
Easy reporting
Easy data entry
Duplication Management
Website Integration
Pros
I manage a number of databases for various nonprofit clients across the United States. DonorSnap is by far one of my favorites. It's extremely easy to use. On the occassion, I need help with a query, report, import, or anything, someone is ALWAYS there to help...very quickly!!! When I have a client that needs a system to track their gifts, I will always refer DonorSnap. So many nonprofits cannot afford an expensive system, however, still want the functionality, DonorSnap does this for them. The cost is beyond affordable and functionality rivals any Blackbaud product in my opinion.
Cons
To be honest, I can't say that anything is really a con to me. The DonorSnap team is continually coming out with additional features to enhance an already great system. All the while, keeping the price extremely affordable.
Pros
DonorSnap just redesigned their interface--it is very nice! Easier to find things!
We have been using it about a year now. Still fitting our needs! Still really liking it!
Cons
I don't have any complaints about DonorSnap, but I've had a few issues with their on-line purchasing partner GoEmerchant.
Sometimes our transactions didn't go through as anticipated--sometimes a day or two late. We also had a gala event and many of our transactions from the event did not go through--and there was no indication that they didn't. I had one of their Customer Reps say that it may have been that the number and dollar amounts of the transactions may have tripped a fraud trigger. They told me to call ahead next time and notify them. Ugh! Non-profits have major events with large transactions! I ended up having to follow up with may donors--fortunately, they were understanding and supportive. I pray that doesn't happen again!
We're glad you've found the new interface to be a big improvement! Thank you for the feedback and please let us know if you have any suggestions for improving it further. I'm sorry for the growing pains you've experienced with goEmerchant, but I hope that does not continue. If it does continue, please let us know.
Pros
DonorSnap is easy to use. My favorite feature is the form builder; the forms integrate nicely with our website and are a great solution for event registration forms that import the data directly into the CRM. I've used both DonorSnap and Saleforce for registration and hands down DonorSnap is far more reliable, simpler, and offers better customization for our needs vs Salesforce. It's also far easier to use both as the administrator and as an end user. I've never had a DonorSnap form fail me. I can't say the same for Salesforce.
We use DonorSnap for tracking donors, volunteers, and participants in our programs.
DonorSnap keeps their software updated and is very good about offering training and notifications of any server maintenance that may disrupt use (it never does).
Cons
The report features are very robust but not always intuitive to set up and run. Fortunately if you get stuck, DonorSnap's support team is fabulous and will help you to figure it out.
Pros
DonorSnap is an affordable and easy to use program. Input is simple, and you can extract data to use for a variety of needs ... letters of acknowledgement, mailings, etc. It also interfaces with other programs (eg Constant Contact). And, there are links to "help" or "instructions" on every screen should you need it. There are also free instruction live sessions offered, which I have taken advantage of.
Cons
There is a little bit of a learning curve involved to get up and going with some of the tools (eg reporting). But, as I mentioned in the "pros" area, there are many "help" and instructional tools on every screen.
We are a small fundraising organization/alumni association that had previously been working with Access and Excel spreadsheets to keep track of people and donations. It was a nightmare just to keep names straight let alone finances!
The DonorSnap program has consolidated all of our information into one spot with standardized formatting. We're now able to enter and search our data with ease. The reporting system makes sense and we're finding trends with our donors and their giving patterns that help us to better understand our fundraising methods and how to improve them.
When searching for a system to fit our needs, we found that DonorSnap had as many features as much more expensive systems. And they claimed that there were no hidden fees. I was a bit skeptic about this, but it's TRUE! Free webinars, free support, free conversations when you just feel the need to run an idea by someone "in the know".
A great product that's helping our organization to serve and grow!
Pros
Ease of set-up.
No hidden costs.
Screens work basically the same throughout the program so it's easy to learn.
Able to customize screens to fit our needs.
Report system easy to understand and manipulate.
Importing original data was a smooth transition.
Can report on and export anything in database.
Help screens have complete information.
Webinars are thorough with timely information for the fiscal cycle - having tips that one might not otherwise think of.
Support staff are friendly, knowledgeable, and respond quickly to answer your questions.
Cons
The only con I can think of involves "In-Kind" donations. I would like to have them entered differently so that they don't look like regular, dollar donations in reports.
This is the 3rd CMS/database program we have used. Donorsnap is by far the best. Their pricing is reasonable. The ability to customize is almost limitless. Help is always just a mouse click away no matter where you are in the program. Support always responds quickly and the staff is very knowledgeable and helpful. With their past recorded training webinars listed in the help section, it's a simple matter to get immediate training on anything in the program. And they always have new training classes scheduled you can sign up for. As a NonProfit Volunteer Fire Dept, we have some unique requirements that other nonprofits may not have. The ability to add custom fields allows Donorsnap to meet these requirements with ease. It works very well with Microsoft Word for mail merge operations and or email communications. Also works well with Excel for importing and exporting information for mass updates. Since we started using Donorsnap we have seen an approximate 10 % increase in our donations in the first year vs the other program we were using. I highly recommend giving Donorsnap a try.
Pros
Ability to customize to our unique needs.
Cons
No Cons
Pros
We are a midsize nonprofit and find that DonorSnap provides all the functionality we need. We purchased it when we were small and as we have grown and needed more functionality, DonorSnap had what we needed. The customer service is amazing and the online video tutorials have been extremely helpful. I know DonorSnap will be able to take us well into the future. Lastly, it is easy to use and new staff can quickly get up to speed.
Cons
Nothing comes to mind other than I wish they had more standard reports so that non-techies like me could more easily get relational data easily.
Opening Doors operates two homeless shelters for women and children in Dubuque, Iowa. In our search for a new donor software package, we asked around and DonorSnap was highly recommended by two local nonprofits. After the initial demo, it was clear to us that the software was affordable, and it had the reporting functions and ease of use that we were seeking. We love how easy it is to send out donor thank you letters quickly and efficiently which saves us so much time. Every week our staff is learning more and more about all of the features that are available to us. DonorSnap's sales and technical support staff are also top notch. We would highly recommend DonorSnap to nonprofits of any size!
Pros
Ease of use, rich reporting features, mail merge for thank you letters, search features
Cons
Nothing!
DonorSanp is super. We selected it instead of trying to develop our own DBMS. Everyone at DonorSnap has been great to deal with, starting with sales to technical support. I have recommended DonorSnap to other affiliates and non-profits.
I recommend it enthusiastically.
Pros
1. Web-based platform, so can be accessed from any place with browser
2. User friendly, tailorable inteface
3. Packed with features for contact management: basic contact information, donor tracking, reporting, acknowledgements, etc.
4. User added and defined lists allow easy tailoring to a specific organization.
5. Import/Export with Excel allow easy spreadsheet content import and export.
6. Super support. They did the first import from my spreadsheet and have worked with me to customize DonorSnap to my needs. Excellent video tutorials and responsive live help.
Cons
Learning curve as a result of feature richness, although basic use is straightforward.
These would be nice to have:
1. Forms for data entry.
2. A way to easily roll back to prior state in case of inadvertent errors in data entry without calling support. (This is available for Import/Export but not for manually entered data.)
Online Forms are now available at no extra charge for all DonorSnap users. The system allows the user to create and edit an unlimited number of forms without going through DonorSnap staff.
I really don't know if it is worth the cost, one could easily do the same thing in Excel, but having it in the cloud or online does help. I am not sure if it is worth over money for that capability and the ability to know which are your most recent donors.
Pros
Database software that allows you to track donations. It is all online, so multiple people can check donor numbers, input new donors or donations as well as look at yearly performance.
Cons
Too cumbersome and not very user friendly. It takes a while to navigate, so there is definitely a steep learning curve to make it easier fro you. Another weakness is it is difficult to just send email thank you letters to individuals. This would greatly improve the services they provide.
Pros
This cloud-based software provides the tools we need, but takes time to learn and was, by far, the least expensive. The program lets us manage all of our donor information in one spot. We are able to attach documents, such as grant applications and submitted grants. Using DataMiner Platinum, we can develop sophisticated report criteria. We can also show all recent donor information on the Dashboard. It has proven invaluable to our organization. Many training videos and help pages are available to help you every step of the process and the emailed help response is excellent and personalized.
Cons
The appearance needs to be more attractive, updated, but that doesn't affect performance. I have found DataMiner Platinum to be difficult to learn, but pre-built reports are included and helpful.
I've been using DonorSnap since June and I just want to say how AWESOME this database is! I used GiftWorks for 4 years and DonorSnap is so much more simplified and easy to use. I was able to train my employee who is computer illiterate and she caught right on.
The conversion was easily taken care of by a DonorSnap specialist and they made any adjustments I required.
Pros
It is well organized. Each contact is accessible by multiple tabs at the top so you don't have to leave the screen and go back and forth. Everything is right in front of you.
Cons
The interaction with Constant Contact. It would be easier if they were synced so when a contact is added to the database it automatically gets added to Constant Contact. The way it is setup now, you have to "push" all the contacts to Constant Contact and setup a category. It is not able to just add to their current selection.
If you haven't used donor management systems before, you are in for a steep learning curve. This vendor rushed us to complete our training (must have needed to get it off their status report), and we've been playing catch up ever since. That "training" was essentially useless.
There are weekly group training sessions conducted online, however, they rarely touch on the things that we need, when we need them. It's hard to say a product contains great features or is a good value when you aren't able to use it in the ways that you'd like to and you're largely left to fend for yourself to get real value out of the system.
It's a shame we didn't have a better start-up experience, because that might have changed a lot for the better. We've been told, "We can offer you additional training - for an additional cost." Not really an option when a small non-profit is on a tight budget as it is - getting nickled and dimed to death in order to make basic use of a product is a problem.
If someone is already used to a similar product, it would probably be much easier to get up to speed. Unfortunately, that is not the case for our organization and the lack of adequate support in the early going has created ongoing issues for us. Meanwhile, we pay our monthly "maintenance" fee every month.
I could recommend this product with reservations - just have reasonable expectations for what you're getting. In my experience, they will over-promise and under-deliver.
Pros
Online access
Cons
Support staff only available by email; start-up training is inadequate for inexperienced users
Coordinated Thank You/receipt response along with keeping accurate records. Set up merchant banking for online donations. Easier annual report writing due to queries ability. Able to more efficiently coordinate snail mail campaigns due to label making based on quires.
Pros
I feel it is targeted to exactly what we are, a small non-profit, that wants to stay organized, legal, and grow using electronic transfer of funds coordinated with a website.
Cons
I would more standardization of use between types of things I might want to do, for example a printed thank you versus a emailed thank you.
Hi Marlane,
Thank you for the great review!
DonorSnap
This is a blessing! Without a previous database (everything was exclusively on Excel ) we had data in all sorts of Excel files. They helped us consolidate files for a VERY reasonable fee, and have been a constant professional, knowledgeable, clear, and pleasant to deal with source of support for any question.
From running reports, to generating letters, categorizing donors, tracking volunteer assignments and pledges and reminder notices, etc.- such a huge help for my one-person office.
The price is a dream. At first, I thought there was a catch(!), but it is genuinely what is claims to be, and we are very grateful for it!
Definitely recommend it. I can't imagine where I would be without this. Yes, as someone mentioned, there are a variety of updates, but that is good - they are always adding new features and abilities based on user requests, suggestions to make it easier and more efficient. So, while it is a great product, it continues to get better and better.
Pros
Price point
Customer support
User friendly
We maintain ownership of our list
Helpful, easy to understand tutorial videos
Cons
If you are not familiar with building queries, it take a little time, but that is more of MY con rather than Donor Snap's.
I really recommend this program. I think it would work great for small business as well as bigger corporations.
Pros
I switched over to Donor Snap from a another program that had basically the same functions, but Donor Snap is much more user friendly. I love the fact that it is completely web based as we run on Mac computers and that eliminates any compatibility issues. I also love the fact that the fee is a basic fee and you can use all the Donor Snap functions for the same price. Also, Donor Snap only charges a monthly fee based on how many donors you have, but you have unlimited amount of users that have simultaneous access to the program. I also like the fact that Donor Snap imports all your data for you and that is very helpful. Their customer service is superior and they really care about making it easier for you to use their program. I really like the program and I am looking forward to working with the program.
Cons
I have not found anything that I dislike about the program.
Pros
Remote access (although not mobile); Low cost compared to other products.
Cons
We purchased DonorSnap, but from the half-hour of the first training, I regretted the purchase. There were many more "No, you can't do that"s in the training than I expected knowing that it is a low-budget database, and reports promised during sales pitches were not available once the contract was signed. In one instance, when I recommended a work-around for pulling reports that show gifts AND pledges, I was rudely instructed that "a decision like that would have to go to the ~board~"... ?
The fact that you cannot call a number to talk to a person frustrates me; you have to send an email and they will reply to you within four hours during business hours. They were unable to provide very basic reports (such as, gifts and pledges between x and y dates by persons/households with a specific attribute--because why on earth would you want to know what your board members have contributed within a year); unable to handle soft credits; unable to sync ticklers and interactions. This is far too simplistic to be of any use; I regret the purchase and, within three weeks, was searching again for a new database.