We are a small rural non-profit serving at-risk populations, including vulnerable seniors, tribal members and underserved youth. Since 2015, we have worked to identify and meet unmet community needs. Simultaneously, we work to build economic opportunities and workforce development. A recent grant award enabled the hiring of our first PT ED who is working to implement crucial programs and build sustainability. The need for our services continues to grow as we try to build capacity and resources while finding alliances to help fill needs.
We need a CRM to communicate with the various audiences we serve and those that help us to serve.
We have several contact lists in various digital formats from prior volunteers and board members; the list needs to be integrated into in an efficient system for the non-profit now and into the future. It needs to be relatively easy to use and maintain/update, and pass on to new users.
We’ve done initial research work, and seek a professional to vet our needs and confirm or recommend and help establish the best structure, system and practices for our organization.
The current recommendation is rather than one taxonomy, to establish 4-5 independent tag facets. Every contact receives one or more values from each facet, and segments/lists are built by combining facets (an AND/OR filter) rather than by picking a single category.
It was recommended that we use GiveButter for our CRM which we are very open to. We need advice as to whether this is the best CRM for us, how to segment the audiences, etc. Equally important whether we build and maintain a contact list outside of our CRM and continue to update GiveButter or the chosen platform. For instance, would it be better to build and maintain a separate Excel or Google Sheet master list and then regularly update that into a CRM or just build solely in the CRM?
Additionally, we seek help building that structure, testing for intended outcomes and user training before final hand-off.
1. Recommendation for best platforms, tools and management for CRM and contact list.
2. The template to build it.
3. Population of existing lists (relatively small lists), so it is ready for us to maintain going forward.
4. Testing and verification that the system works as needed.
5. End use training for use and maintenance to ED and Board Chair before final hand-off.
Success looks like the NP has a easy to use and maintain system for contacts that is capable of communicating with diverse audiences to find and build alliances to address community needs and build economic development.
