Membership is often a key fundraising and strategic component of nonprofits. Member-dues can provide a source of income, while the community fostered by groups of members can be central to the structure or mission of the organization.
So, as a nonprofit, what is the best way to maximize your memberships? How can your staff balance their time and resources to find a system that is the perfect Goldilocks solution for your needs: so that it’s just enough, but not too much?
Let us dig through the pile of Association Membership Software (AMS) and other CRM tools available, and compile a short-list to help make your decision a little less painful. The problem is that AMS don’t always integrate with your website, provide a user-friendly front-end experience, and jealously guard their proprietary tools from 3rd party collaborations.
Here’s the low-down on what you can expect from these top contenders in the nonprofit market:
Tendenci:
Both a CMS + AMS, event management, donations, directories, media tools, job board, reporting, etc
CONS
- limited plugins available, build on Python and Django, to have corporate memberships must pay at least $399/month (Gold Pkg)
PROS
- open-source software, also has some CRM tools such as newsletter generator, mobile-friendly (Bootstrap), mega-menus, doesn’t have per-member or per-user costs, both themes and custom templates available
COST
- $169/mo (Bronze Pkg)–> for up to 1000 members; $7499 + $999 + $169/month hosting for website + membership set-up (Jump Start Package)
Raiser’s Edge:
Blackbaud product for both donations, membership management, event management, directories, reporting, and CRM solutions
CONS
- more focused on donor and not specifically member management, proprietary software + hosting, few integrations with other tools, relatively expensive, charges to drop/change service, learning curve/difficult user experience, best taken advantage of by medium-large nonprofits, per-user cost, extra charges for membership tools + modules
PROS
- member profiles + log-ins, automatic emails, personalized member-only website content, directories, single-vendor solution
COST
- Enterprise (to include membership programs), $6,000+ (depends on number of users, modules required)
Wild Apricot:
CMS + AMS, membership management, event registration software, CRM tools
CONS
- Limited templates + widgets, to customize calendar events or registration fees must pay at least $50/month, limited site file storage (1600 MB max), doesn’t offer data transfer or customized widgets or templates
- Email + newsletter templates, tracks email opens/clicks, automatic emails + reminders, membership auto-renewal option, integrates with variety of payment processors, member log-ins, no set-up/transaction/training fees, includes regular upgrades, organizations with chapters/regions can receive volume-pricing discounts
COST
- $25/month (250 members) up to $200/month (15,000 members)
z2Systems (Neon CRM):
CRM + membership management software, donation management, directories, etc.
CONS
- only 5 options for payment processor, group trainings cost $50/month (Standard package), data transfer not included
PROS
- can integrate with your website via iframe webforms customizable with CSS , iframe pages for events, news, surveys, e-commerce and DDB items, secure SSL pages, RSS feeds for events/news, responsive forms, unlimited membership types, auto-renewal membership option, Quickbooks integration, unlimited trainings (All-in-One Package), email tracking, free online support
COST
- All-in-One (includes 10 users) $695 (webforms) + $99/month (fewer than 1,000 members) up to $449 (up to 50,000 members) + $300 data analysis + $450 set-up consultation
MemberNation (for Salesforce):
HTML5 websites + AMS tool for use with Salesforce CRM tool, membership management, event management, donations, directories, e-commerce, community forums + committee/member groups, reporting
CONS
- not able to integrate with Quickbooks, per-user cost
PROS
- customizations without custom coding, user log-in from anywhere, private vs. public directories, multiple membership types, auto-renew membership option, no extra transaction fees for event registrations/tickets, iframe forms customizable with CSS, increases member interaction with communities (ideal for chapters/boards), social member profiles + log-ins, customizable member dashboard, built-in accounting tool, view member donation history, mobile-friendly user access to AMS, can import LMS information for members/contacts
COST:
- $145/month per user + implementation package begins at $19,999
Abila netFORUM (formerly Sage):
AMS, membership management, event mangement, e-commerce, payment processing, social community tool, reporting, CRM tools
CONS
- only 2 payment processors: Sage Payment Solutions and Vantiv, learning curve, difficult-to-use database
PROS
- social member profiles, integrates with Peach New Media’s Freestone LMS, social share buttons, integrates with most major accounting software, allows for remote access to AMS data
COST
- NetFORUM Pro or NetFORUM Enterprise (available upon consultation)
Memberclicks:
CMS + AMS, membership management, event management, donations, directories, forum, social community tool, reporting
CONS
- only includes 5 webforms, minimal customization of templates
PROS
- Member profiles + log-ins, includes training, social share buttons, includes training + DDB upload, auto-renew membership option + reminders, includes email and print templates
COST
- $2,495 website set-up + $995 (Total package) + $65/pg of content and/or $1,995 (Premier package, includes 2 rounds of design edits + add. HTML elements)
CiviCRM:
CRM tools, membership management, event management, directories, donations, reporting, etc.
CONS
- data transfer at $0.10 per contact
PROS
- member profiles + log-ins, auto-renew membership option + reminders, available to integrate with Joomla + Drupal CMS
COST
- $400 set-up + $99/month support (for 3 users, under 15,000 contacts)
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Intrigued? Want to discuss how your membership needs can affect your website with one of our experts? Give us a call at 800-475-4590 or tell us what you’re thinking on our website.
