THE PEER-TO-PEER FUNDRAISING TECHNOLOGY LANDSCAPE:An Introductory Guide for Nonprofits
Version 1.1: November 2016
INSIDEAn overview of leading
peer-to-peer fundraising software platforms and
their functionality!
© Copyright 2016 Cathexis Partners
ABOUT THIS GUIDEThis guide was created for nonprofits as an introduction to some of the leading software platforms available today for peer-to-peer fundraising. It provides an overview of 18 products and their functionality in six areas:
• Design capabilities• Engagement capabilities• User interface• Administrative interface• Integration with CRM systems/databases of record
• Pricing
The guide also covers nine additional tools worth mentioning that Cathexis Partners did not have the opportunity to review in detail.
Important NotesThis guide covers many of the leading platforms available for peer-to-peer fundraising as of the guide’s writing. The world of peer-to-peer fundraising technology is continually changing; vendors are continually updating and enhancing their platforms and introducing new features. This guide offers an introduction to each platform, and does not attempt to include every detail about every feature included in each platform.
Cathexis Partners strongly recommends that organizations review their specific requirements to support their campaign(s), mission, and audience; request software demos; and closely review any contracts with software platform vendors before making a software purchase.
Cathexis Partners has not received compensation for including any product or information in this guide.
© Copyright 2016 Cathexis Partners The Peer-to-Peer Fundraising Technology Landscape 2
• Artez by Frontstream
• Charity Engine® by BIS Global
• Classy
• Click & Pledge® Connect
• DonorDrive® by Global Cloud
• Engaging Networks
• everydayhero by Blackbaud®
• FirstGiving by FrontStream
• Fundly
• Giving Spirit
• Great Feats®
• Kimbia®
• NeonCRM by Z2 Systems, Inc.
• Qgiv
• raisin® by A.K.A. New Media
• RallyBound
• Salsa
• TeamRaiser by Blackbaud®
© Copyright 2016 Cathexis Partners The Peer-to-Peer Fundraising Technology Landscape 3
Software Platforms Highlighted:
Fundraising Tools Also Mentioned:• CauseVox
• CrowdRise
• Crowdster
• Flipcause
• FundRazr
• Generosity by Indiegogo
• Giveffect
• iDonate
• Razoo
CONTENTSForeword
Types of Peer-to-Peer Campaigns
Design Capabilities
Engagement Capabilities
User Interface
Administrative Interface
Integration with CRM Systems/Databases of Record
Platform Pricing
Additional Details About the Vendors/Platforms
Additional Tools
Additional Resources
© Copyright 2016 Cathexis Partners The Peer-to-Peer Fundraising Technology Landscape 4
5
6
11
13
15
17
19
21
22
31
33
FOREWORD
My introduction to peer-to-peer fundraising was similar to many others: I lost a loved one — my mother — to cancer. I was 16.
So when the Susan G. Komen 3-Day® came through Chicago a decade or so later, I wanted to be involved. I volunteered for the next few years, helping with anything the event production team, Pallotta TeamWorks, asked me to do. Over those years, I was impressed with how hard the Komen and Pallotta teams, and later, the event production company Event 360, worked. And, seeing the looks on the walkers’ faces, and the bandages on their feet, inspired me.
A few years later, I was working in corporate IT project management when I was laid off with over 200 people, ironically, due to efficiencies that resulted from a project we were working on. I visited the Susan G. Komen 3-Day website thinking I’d look for volunteer opportunities, and noticed that Event 360 was hiring a CRM Project Manager. Kismet, I thought. I joined Event 360, where I worked for over four years. I’ve been supporting nonprofits, their CRM systems, and their fundraising and advocacy programs ever since; and my passion for peer-to-peer fundraising has only grown stronger. It has been exciting to watch peer-to-peer campaigns become more sophisticated as the Internet and technology continue to evolve. And, while I haven’t worked for any of the vendors/platforms included in this guide, I’ve worked with crazy-smart people at many of these companies and hundreds of nonprofits. At the same time, I’ve watched as companies like Kintera, Convio, and Artez have come and gone, and some of the crazy-smart people there have joined companies including Blackbaud and FrontStream, or have created new tools, like Great Feats and Kimbia — to name a few. Plus, nonprofit staffers, such as Jeff Gordy, former IT director at the Kidney Cancer Association, didn’t see what he was looking for in available tools and went on to co-found NeonCRM by Z2 Systems, Inc.
Today, there are so many peer-to-peer fundraising software platforms out there, presenting nonprofits with both more choice and the challenge of finding the right tool for their organization. That’s why I created this guide — to provide insight into today’s world of peer-to-peer tools. I spoke with companies/platforms and their clients, and spent many hours sitting through demos, reviewing software sandboxes, and clicking through campaigns to better understand each tool. I want to thank both the companies and the nonprofits served by them for their input. I couldn’t have created this guide without their support.
I find it important to mention that Cathexis Partners, the company I founded in 2008, has partnerships with a few of the platform vendors, and informal relationships with others. Some tools are new to us. Also, much of our work for nonprofits to date has been with Blackbaud’s TeamRaiser. But, our goal is to provide an unbiased overview of tools available today — offering facts, not preferences or opinions. Let me know if you think we succeeded (or not).
Whether you’re just getting started with peer-to-peer fundraising, or you’re looking to take your peer-to-peer fundraising campaigns to a new level, I hope this guide helps you to narrow the list of tools so you can dig into demos, negotiate contracts, and find the tool that best supports your team, your participants, your donors and, most importantly, your mission.
Sincerely,
Mark Becker, Founding PartnerCathexis Partners, LLC773-274-0769 | [email protected]
© Copyright 2016 Cathexis Partners The Peer-to-Peer Fundraising Technology Landscape 5
Proprietary Physical EventsProprietary physical events are nonprofit-hosted events in which participants sometimes pay a fee to sign up and also raise additional funds from their friends and family. This campaign type includes standard walks, 5ks, and bike rides, and also unique campaigns like stair climbs, rappelling, and other campaigns that are coordinated by the nonprofit. They require the ability to collect registration information and potentially a registration fee, have participants sign a waiver, and ask additional questions about the participant (see Event Registration in the User Interface section on page 15). Some also may require the ability to sell additional optional items, like t-shirts, jerseys, or other campaign-related items, during the registration process.
Examples include:
• Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure
• American Foundation for Suicide Prevention’s Out of the DarknessSM Walks
• Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center’s Cycle for Survival
• Kelly Brush Foundation’s Kelly Brush Ride
Note: The examples provided may be seasonal campaigns, and links may not work in the future.
© Copyright 2016 Cathexis Partners 6The Peer-to-Peer Fundraising Technology Landscape
TYPES OF PEER-TO-PEER CAMPAIGNSPeer-to-peer fundraising has been a powerful tool in the fundraiser’s toolbox for years. It’s all about engaging supporters to raise funds on your nonprofit’s behalf. It lets your supporters translate their enthusiasm for your mission into dollars to help your organization thrive, and it can be associated with anything from a large event — like a walk-a-thon, to a year-round campaign — like a tribute or memorial campaign.
Before selecting a product, it’s important to have a clear definition of the type of campaign(s) your organization is looking to support so you can keep in mind what functionality you will need in an online peer-to-peer fundraising platform. Following are descriptions of five campaign types and some of the functionality they may require.
Challenge/Endurance/Destination EventsChallenge/endurance/destination events (for example, the Chicago Marathon or any of the Run Disney events) are hosted by an entity other than a nonprofit, with potentially multiple beneficiaries. These campaigns sometimes require participants to register for the event directly and then fundraise, while other events provide nonprofits with a set number of hard-to-get registrations that the organization can then offer to their constituents in exchange for a commitment to raise funds for the nonprofit.
These campaigns may require the ability to process a credit card — either during the registration process or leading up to the event itself — as a way of allowing participants who haven’t reached their fundraising minimum to continue soliciting donations. That way, they can attend the event based on their commitment to raise a minimum amount or be charged the difference at a set time (see Credit Card Guarantee in User Interface section beginning on page 15). Note that other campaign types sometimes use this feature as well.
Examples include: • Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s Team In Training
• Team Fisher House’s Athletic Events
• American Brain Tumor Association’s Team Breakthrough
• Girl Power 2 Cure’s Disney Princess Race Weekend
Note: The examples provided may be seasonal campaigns, and links may not work in the future.
© Copyright 2016 Cathexis Partners 7The Peer-to-Peer Fundraising Technology Landscape
TYPES OF PEER-TO-PEER CAMPAIGNS
Virtual CampaignsVirtual campaigns are organized by the nonprofit — but without the porta-potties and logistics of physical events. With these campaigns, an organization provides an online environment for supporters to set up their own fundraising page in support of a campaign created by the nonprofit. The organization often will establish fundraising categories such as “workplace giving,” “athletic,” “in memory/honor,” or “special occasion” to help participants get started. The campaigns can be seasonal, annual, or “evergreen” (with no specific end date). These campaigns have a common brand and often a specific fundraising goal. Registration fees typically are not charged.
Because these types of campaigns do not require the same level of investment required for a physical event, organizations sometimes forget to allow for the proper resources, time, and money to market their campaign. These types of campaigns require the ability to motivate participants using coaching emails, as well as use social media and email functionality for a complete multi-channel marketing approach (see Engagement Capabilities section beginning on page 13).
Examples include: • Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida’s Virtual Food Drive
• ProjectWHOI
• Alzheimer Association’s The Longest Day
Note: The examples provided may be seasonal campaigns, and links may not work in the future.
© Copyright 2016 Cathexis Partners 8The Peer-to-Peer Fundraising Technology Landscape
TYPES OF PEER-TO-PEER CAMPAIGNS
Independent FundraisingIndependent fundraising campaigns allow participants to host their own events and invite their friends and family to the events. While different from virtual campaigns (which are organized by the nonprofit), independent fundraising campaigns require much of the same capabilities, including the ability to market the campaign and motivate participants to fundraise. Some campaigns even dynamically promote third-party events through advertising on the organization’s website, and display events on maps and/or via ZIP code look-ups.
A tip: It is important to provide your individual event organizers the tools and support they need to be successful. They have a connection to your mission and want to take on the extra work of coordinating an event. Help them by providing event kits that include things like poster templates, brand guidelines, donation sheets, and a clear process for how to send in/drop off offline donations. These tools can be shared on the campaign website (either via secure/participant-only areas or to the general public), in email communications, or both.
Examples include: • Well Aware’s Donate Your Birthday Campaign
• Give Kids the World’s DIY Campaign
Note: The examples provided may be seasonal campaigns, and links may not work in the future.
© Copyright 2016 Cathexis Partners 9The Peer-to-Peer Fundraising Technology Landscape
TYPES OF PEER-TO-PEER CAMPAIGNSTYPES OF PEER-TO-PEER CAMPAIGNS
Tribute and Memorial CampaignsTribute and memorial campaigns often are found in the “cause and cure” and “animal welfare” verticals of the nonprofit space, but are not limited to these missions. Any organization that has a mission tied to supporting the fallen, injured, or lost due to disease, disorder, injustice, or war should consider equipping their constituents with the ability to raise funds in the name of someone who has touched their life. Registration fees normally are not charged for setting up tributes or memorial pages.
Some campaigns may focus less on a registration process and more on sharing information about the subject of the individual fundraiser’s reason for joining the campaign. These campaigns rely heavily on the functionality highlighted in the Engagement Capabilities section starting on page 13. Organizations must remember that just making these campaigns available won’t automatically bring in hundreds of participants and thousands of dollars — it takes work to market and support all campaigns. Examples include: • American Brain Tumor Association’s Breathrough Your Way
• Lupus Foundation of America’s In Tribute
Note: The examples provided may be seasonal campaigns, and links may not work
in the future.
© Copyright 2016 Cathexis Partners 10The Peer-to-Peer Fundraising Technology Landscape
TYPES OF PEER-TO-PEER CAMPAIGNSTYPES OF PEER-TO-PEER CAMPAIGNS
DESIGN CAPABILITIESRegardless of the type of campaign you’re running, the tone and branding of the online elements of the campaign should be in line with your organization’s mission and branding as well as the tone of the campaign itself. Depending on your organization’s staff capabilities and budget, you may want a peer-to-peer fundraising platform that offers easy-to-use templates, or you may want as much flexibility as possible to create your own designs.
© Copyright 2016 Cathexis Partners The Peer-to-Peer Fundraising Technology Landscape 11
The chart on the next page shows the design capabilities each platform supports:
• Logo — What do site visitors see first when they get to your campaign’s microsite: your logo or the platform’s logo? Your campaign isn’t intended to further the platform’s name recognition, but rather your campaign and the mission it supports. So, it’s important that you are able to “white label” your microsite or, in other words, use your own logo on your site, versus the vendor’s logo. Vendor-branded sites also often advertise their other clients’ sites within the same environment. This is an important consideration because your constituents may get distracted with navigation or ads by other campaigns run by other organizations or corporations.
• Custom coding — Does the platform allow more advanced administrators to take further control and customize the environment via code such as CSS, HTML, JavaScript, etc.?
• Vendor-editable design — Does the vendor (and/or their certified/approved partners) offer custom design services?
• Domain — Does the product have product-specific (e.g., http://npo.platform.com) website domains, or nonprofit-specific website domains (e.g., http://support.nonprofit.org)? The latter allows you to brand your event or campaign in the website address.
All of the tools in the following chart support responsive design and out-of-the-box templates to simplify implementation. They also all offer varying degrees of “click-and-configure” and/or What You See Is What You Get (WYSIWYG) editors that allow a nonprofit’s non-technical staffers to customize content and design without knowing code.
NOTE:
© Copyright 2016 Cathexis Partners The Peer-to-Peer Fundraising Technology Landscape 12
*
LOGO
Either vendor branding or white label (nonprofit) logo option; white label may cost extra
Vendor branding prominent
White label (nonprofit) branding
Customization of design is restricted to specific parameters
W
V
VW
CUSTOM CODING
VENDOR-EDITABLE DESIGN
Customization available via partnersP
DOMAIN
Either vendor domain or white label (nonprofit) domain available; white label may cost extra
Vendor’s name appears in domains
White label (nonprofit) domain or subdomain W
V
VW
*
*
*
P
P
P
PRODUCT LOGO CUSTOM CODING VENDOR-EDITABLE DESIGN DOMAIN
Artez by Frontstream
Charity Engine by BIS Global
Classy
Click & Pledge Connect
DonorDrive by Global Cloud
Engaging Networks
everydayhero by Blackbaud
FirstGiving by FrontStream
Fundly
Giving Spirit
Great Feats
Kimbia
NeonCRM by Z2 Systems, Inc.
Qgiv
raisin by A.K.A. New Media
RallyBound
Salsa
TeamRaiser by Blackbaud
VW
W
W
V
W
W
W
V
VW
W
VW
W
W
W
W
W
W
W
W
VW
VW
VW
W
W
V
V
VW
VW
VW
W
VW
VW
VW
VW
V
W
KEY
DESIGN CAPABILITIES
*
ENGAGEMENT CAPABILITIESEmail marketing is a vital part of an organization’s multi-channel communication strategy, but it can be time-consuming to manage. Automating as much of this type of communication as possible frees your team to focus on other aspects of an event or campaign. At the sametime, it’s apparent that social media is becoming a more important piece of the overall multi-channel communication strategy. The platform you select should help ease the administration of engaging with your constituents, participants, and donors based on your specific communication strategy.
© Copyright 2016 Cathexis Partners The Peer-to-Peer Fundraising Technology Landscape 13
The chart on the next page shows which key email and social media automation capabilities each product supports:
• Participant emails — Can participants upload their contact lists and send emails from the platform? (Social media is becoming a main point of contact between friends and family, but it is still good to give your participants options on how they want to spread the word.)
• Sample emails — Does the platform support providing sample fundraising emails for your participants to send? (You’re asking your participants to fundraise on your organization’s behalf, and the more you can help your participants by providing them with tools like sample emails that they can then customize and send to their friends and family, the more likely they are to raise funds.)
• Organizational emails — Does the platform allow you to upload email addresses for campaign invitations, plus allow you to send registered participants fundraising tips, tools, mission information, event logistics, and post-event follow up?
• Third-party email tools — What email tools does the platform integrate with, if any? (This is important if the built-in email tools allow only basic auto-responder functionality and not proactive/on-demand emailing.)
• Social media sign-up — Does the platform allow participants to sign up using their social media credentials to make it more convenient for them to register? (This feature streamlines the registration process by a one-click registration process or by auto-filling biographical information.)
• Team functionality — Does the platform support team creation? (This is particularly important because members of teams typically raise more than individual participants. In fact, a DonorDrive report found “Team captains raise 54% more and team members raise 17% more than individual participants.” 1 )
NOTE:All of the tools in the following chart support email autoresponders to, at minimum, provide transaction receipts with a client-editable message. They also all support either built-in, or the availability to embed, social media widgets.
1 State of Peer-to-Peer Fundraising Report 2015. http://thirdsectortoday.com/2015/03/19/five-fascinating-stats-state-peer-peer-fundraising-report-2015/
© Copyright 2016 Cathexis Partners The Peer-to-Peer Fundraising Technology Landscape 14
KEY
PRODUCT PARTICIPANTEMAILS
SAMPLEEMAILS
ORGANIZATIONALEMAILS
THIRD-PARTYEMAIL TOOLS
SOCIAL MEDIASIGN-UP
TEAMFUNCTIONALITY
+
*
CC, KO, MC
CC, iC, PR, MC
SFMC
SFMC
OLX
MC
MC
KO, MC
CC, CM, KO, MC
MC
CC, MC
**
***
*
PARTICIPANT EMAILS
Uses participant’s local email tool to send participant emails
Available via Blackbaud’s Online Express
P
ORGANIZATIONAL EMAILS
THIRD PARTY EMAIL TOOLS
CC Constant ContactCM Campaign MonitoriC iContactKO KlaviyoMC MailChimpOLX Blackbaud’s Online ExpressPR Predictive ResponseSFMC Salesforce Marketing Cloud
+
+
+
SOCIAL MEDIA SIGN-ON
Via free JanRain integration
Allows for teams, but not team pages
Platform also supports additional parent groups above teams, such as “companies”
TEAM FUNCTIONALITY
***+
**
ENGAGEMENT CAPABILITIES
Artez by Frontstream
Charity Engine by BIS Global
Classy
Click & Pledge Connect
DonorDrive by Global Cloud
Engaging Networks
everydayhero by Blackbaud
FirstGiving by FrontStream
Fundly
Giving Spirit
Great Feats
Kimbia
NeonCRM by Z2 Systems, Inc.
Qgiv
raisin by A.K.A. New Media
RallyBound
Salsa
TeamRaiser by Blackbaud
P
P
P
P
USER INTERFACEMillennials and participants of all ages expect more these days from their online experience. They compare peer-to-peer fundraising experiences not only between peer-to-peer platforms, but also with other online experiences, like those of Facebook, Amazon, Etsy, and other familiar websites.
© Copyright 2016 Cathexis Partners The Peer-to-Peer Fundraising Technology Landscape 15
The chart on the next page outlines some of the user interface features that are included with each platform:
• Event registration — Does the platform offer the ability to have participants pay a registration fee, ask additional questions during registration, and electronically review and accept a waiver before completing registration?
• Ability to re-join campaign — Does the platform allow you to make returning participants’ experience easier by giving them the ability to “reclaim” their team from last year, or allow individual participants to look at who they sent emails to and who supported them last year? (In some cases, they can even reclaim their previous year’s personal fundraising page with text and images/videos and a list of who supported them previously. If this is an important capability to your organization, be sure to ask to see this in a product demo, as this is a nuanced feature that evolves often.)
• Gamification — Does the platform provide visual ways, such as engagement badges, of showing competition and achievements throughout a campaign? (People like to be acknowledged for their work, and this type of recognition helps ensure that people who earn it get recognition.)
• Multi-registration — Does the platform allow participants to register multiple people in a single transaction?
• Credit card guarantee — Does the platform allow you to securely capture credit card information to hold for later charging if a participant does not meet an agreed upon minimum fundraising goal? (This functionality is popular for endurance or destination campaigns where there are extra expenses for the organization to produce the event or get participants to the event. The participant commits to raise a minimum amount to cover these expenses, and their credit card is charged only if they fail to meet this minimum commitment.)
• Offline gift recording — Does the platform allow participants to enter offline (cash or check) gifts that they can then send in to the organization or hand in the day of the event? (This also can allow participants’ progress meters to reflect donations even if the donations haven’t been processed by the organization yet.)
NOTE:
All of the tools in the following chart allow participants to customize their personal page’s text and add multimedia like photos or videos. The tools also all offer progress meters and top fundraiser and donor lists.
© Copyright 2016 Cathexis Partners The Peer-to-Peer Fundraising Technology Landscape 16
KEY
USER INTERFACE CAPABILITIESPRODUCT EVENT
REGISTRATIONABILITY TO RE-JOIN
CAMPAIGNGAMIFICATION MULTI-
REGISTRATIONCREDIT CARDGUARANTEE
OFFLINE GIFTRECORDING
+
*
+
+
*****
***
***$+
Offers integration with Blackbaud’s Online Express and Event Brite for event registration
Ability to pre-register and charge later, but not the ability to charge a calculated amount at a later date
Administrators only, not participants
Available for extra fee
Also allows for purchase of optional items (e.g., t-shirts or jerseys) during registration process
Artez by Frontstream
Charity Engine by BIS Global
Classy
Click & Pledge Connect
DonorDrive by Global Cloud
Engaging Networks
everydayhero by Blackbaud
FirstGiving by FrontStream
Fundly
Giving Spirit
Great Feats
Kimbia
NeonCRM by Z2 Systems, Inc.
Qgiv
raisin by A.K.A. New Media
RallyBound
Salsa
TeamRaiser by Blackbaud
+
ADMINISTRATIVE INTERFACEIn addition to keeping your participants, supporters, and constituents happy, it’s important to provide your staffers with tools that allow them to do their jobs as efficiently as possible.
© Copyright 2016 Cathexis Partners The Peer-to-Peer Fundraising Technology Landscape 17
The chart on the next page shows some of the administrative interface features that are included with each platform:
• Custom reports — Does the platform support creating custom/adhoc reports as needed based on filter criteria defined by your administrator? (All of the following tools provide some level of pre-defined reports and/or dashboards.)
• Event coordinator access — Does the platform offer the ability to provide remote event coordinators, staff, or volunteers with limited administrative access to one or more campaigns so they can access only the information they need for their specific campaign(s) and not the rest of the organization’s constituent data?
• Currencies supported — Which currencies does the system support? While merchant vendors can accept credit cards based on different currencies, it is important to know what currency(s) the platform can report on and track. We list specific countries where that information was provided. Several platforms claimed to support any currency, so we marked these as “OD” (organizationally directed currency). Be sure to verify that the platform will support your specific requirements.
• Canadian tax receipting — Does the platform support the CRA’s (Canada Revenue Agency) specific tax receipting requirements that Canadian nonprofits must adhere to? Always consult your organization’s legal resources to ensure a platform supports their specific requirements.
© Copyright 2016 Cathexis Partners The Peer-to-Peer Fundraising Technology Landscape 18
KEYADMINISTRATIVE INTERFACE CAPABILITIES
PRODUCT CUSTOM REPORTS EVENT COORDINATORACCESS
CURRENCIES SUPPORTED CANADIAN TAXRECEIPTING
CUSTOM REPORTS
Available for extra fee
CURRENCIES SUPPORTED
AUD, CAD, EUR, GBP, NZD, USD
USD
CAD, EUR, GBP, USD
CAD, EUR, GBP, HKD, USD
OD
OD
AUD, EUR, GBP, NZD, USD
USD
OD
USD
CAD, USD
OD
CAD, USD
USD
OD
OD
USD
CAD, EUR, GBP, USD
$
$ AUD Australian Dollar
CAD Canadian Dollar
EUR Euro
GBP British Pound
HKD Hong Kong Dollar
NZD New Zealand Dollar
OD Transactions can be tracked in any currency the organization designates
USD U.S. Dollar
Artez by Frontstream
Charity Engine by BIS Global
Classy
Click & Pledge Connect
DonorDrive by Global Cloud
Engaging Networks
everydayhero by Blackbaud
FirstGiving by FrontStream
Fundly
Giving Spirit
Great Feats
Kimbia
NeonCRM by Z2 Systems, Inc.
Qgiv
raisin by A.K.A. New Media
RallyBound
Salsa
TeamRaiser by Blackbaud
INTEGRATION WITH CRM SYSTEMS/DATABASES OF RECORDGetting an overall picture of how your constituents interact with your organization and how your organization interacts with your constituents is vital in the age of Big Data, and therefore it’s important to consider how (and if) your peer-to-peer fundraising platform interacts with your constituent relationship management (CRM) system, donor database, and/or database of record.
© Copyright 2016 Cathexis Partners The Peer-to-Peer Fundraising Technology Landscape 19
The chart on the next page shows which CRM systems/databases of record each peer-to-peer fundraising platform integrates with:
• The Raiser’s Edge — Does the platform integrate with the prolific donor management system, Blackbaud’s The Raiser’s Edge?
• Salesforce CRM for nonprofits — Does the platform integrate with Salesforce? (Salesforce continues to gain momentum with its recently rebranded Nonprofit Success Pack (NPSP).)
• Enterprise toolset — Is the platform part of a larger enterprise toolset? (For example, TeamRaiser is a module within Blackbaud’s Luminate Online, which can then integrate with The Raiser’s Edge via a custom sync called the “Integrator,” or with Salesforce via Blackbaud’s Luminate CRM and its custom service bus. In contrast, Charty Engine, NeonCRM, and others are intended to be self-contained, all-in-one solutions with peer-to-peer, online fundraising, email marketing, and their own CRM solutions.
• Merchant services — What merchant services/payment gateways does the platform support? (Some, like Click & Pledge, act as the merchant service while others work with one or more merchant services.)
• APIs — Does the platform offer application programming interfaces (APIs), which can make it easier to develop custom programs that interact with the peer-to-peer platform?
• Other integration — Does the platform offer other integrations? (Many of the platform vendors have worked with clients and other companies to create integrations, and then turned the integrations into products that are available to other clients. Examples include HEPdata for corporate matching gift programs, and WealthEngine for wealth screening.)
Third-party tools/service providers, such as Frakture, JMG Solutions, Omatic Solutions, ROI Solutions, and Ziedman Development offer batch import/export into The Raiser’s Edge, Salesforce, or a number of other systems to provide organizations with an overall picture of their constituents. The following chart points out if there are established integration packages available for specific tools.
NOTE:
© Copyright 2016 Cathexis Partners The Peer-to-Peer Fundraising Technology Landscape 20
INTEGRATION WITH CRM SYSTEMS/DATABASES OF RECORDKEY
PRODUCT THE RAISER’SEDGE
OTHER INTEGRATION
O
O, Z
O
O, J, R, F
O
O
F
O, J
*
HEPdata
Twilio and multiple ecommerce tools
HEPdata, Double the Donation
ROI Solutions & Engaging Networks Services (ENS)
MapMyRun, Strava, VolunteerMatch
HEPdata
Bloomerang
HEPdata
Qgiv, Double the Donation, WealthEngine, DonorSearch
Klaviyo, Telosa, MatchMaker, NeonCRM, Bloomerang
DonorPerfect
NationBuilder
SALESFORCE ENTERPRISETOOLSET
MERCHANTSERVICES
API’S
**
THE RAISER’S EDGE
F Frakture Integration package available
J JMG Integration package available
O Omatic integration package available
R ROI Solutions integration package available
Z Zeidman integration package available
M Multiple merchant services options
V Vendor acts as merchant service
M
M
V, M
V
M
M
Braintree
V
Stripe & WePay
M
M
V, M
M
M
M
M
V
V, M
MERCHANT SERVICESSALESFORCE
Salesforce integration via Luminate CRM*
** Online Express, eTapestry and The Raiser’s Edge
ENTERPRISE TOOLSET
API’S
Follow link to publicly-published APIs
Artez by Frontstream
Charity Engine by BIS Global
Classy
Click & Pledge Connect
DonorDrive by Global Cloud
Engaging Networks
everydayhero by Blackbaud
FirstGiving by FrontStream
Fundly
Giving Spirit
Great Feats
Kimbia
NeonCRM by Z2 Systems, Inc.
Qgiv
raisin by A.K.A. New Media
RallyBound
Salsa
TeamRaiser by Blackbaud
© Copyright 2016 Cathexis Partners The Peer-to-Peer Fundraising Technology Landscape 21
PLATFORM PRICING
PRODUCT IMPLEMENTATIONCOSTS
FEES TRANSACTIONFEES
CONTRACT TERMS
none
$2,500+
none
none
$7,500+
none
$0 - $2,000
none
none
$2,000
none
$7,500+
$900+
none
$500-$2,000
none
$0+
$3,000+
$1,000 - $5,000 / year
n/a
$0-$1,500+ / month
$0 - $25 month**
$4,800+ / year
$4,000 / year additional
$99 / month
$500 / year
none
none
$500+ / month
$499+ / month
$110 - $1,300 (record size)
$149+ / month
$2,000 - $3,500 / year ***
$2,000 - $3,500 / year
$179 /month + $.01 per supporter E
$4,500 / year ***
3-5%
2.5-3.25%
0-5%
3.75% or less**
4%
2%
5%
5%
4.9%
3.5%
0-3.5%
1.5%
0%
2.95%
4%***
1 - 4.5%
2%
2-5.5%***
1 year
1, 2 or 3 years
1, 2 or 3 years
none
3 years
2 years
3 years
1 year
none
none
monthly, or annual****
3 years
1 year
quarterly
1, 2 or 3 years
1 year
3 years
3 years
Some of the vendors of the peer-to-peer fundraising platforms included in this guide offer pricing on their websites for all to see, while many vendors have pricing based on custom client needs, funds raised, number of participants, etc.
E
E
E
E
E
KEY
FEES/TRANSACTION FEES
Sold as an enterprise solution or
with additional functionality beyond
peer-to-peer fundraising
Monthly fee waived, and trans-
action fees reduced if working
through a Click & Pledge partner
such as Cathexis Partners
Fees and rates negotiable based
on campaign fundraising history
E
**
***
CONTRACT TERMS
**** 30-day free trial and 10% off annual
agreements
NOTE:The following chart presents sample pricing available as of the printing of this document. All products listed also charge a credit card/merchant fee per transaction. Please verify any pricing and contract terms with the platform vendor before entering into any agreement. Rates and terms often are negotiable and subject to change.
Artez by Frontstream
Charity Engine by BIS Global
Classy
Click & Pledge Connect
DonorDrive by Global Cloud
Engaging Networks
everydayhero by Blackbaud
FirstGiving by FrontStream
Fundly
Giving Spirit
Great Feats
Kimbia
NeonCRM by Z2 Systems, Inc.
Qgiv
raisin by A.K.A. New Media
RallyBound
Salsa
TeamRaiser by Blackbaud
Artez by FrontStreamFrontStream acquired Artez in 2013. Artez was a Canadian company offering a robust peer-to-peer fundraising experience. Some of the product highlights include:
• Option for donors to cover the transaction fee — and the “fee” can be set by the charity as a set amount, a percentage of the donation, or both.
• Option for donors to see if their employer participates in a corporate gift matching opportunity while making a donation.
• Donors can choose to split a donation across team members.
Sample campaigns: • Canadian Mental Health Association’s RideDon’tHide
• Leukemia Foundation’s World’s Greatest Shave
• Blue Sea Philanthropy’s Ride for Refuge
Charity Engine by BIS GlobalCharity Engine launched in 2012 with an all-in-one solution, including donation forms, email marketing, event management, ecommerce, and peer-to-peer fundraising to help create an overall view of constituents. This integration allows for a more holistic approach to engaging your constituents, participants, and donors through real-time reporting and analysis.
Sample campaigns: • Girl Power 2 Cure’s Disney Princess Race Weekend
• Second Chance Center for Animals’ Do It Yourself Fundraising Campaigns
Note: The examples provided may be seasonal campaigns, and links may not work in the future.
© Copyright 2016 Cathexis Partners 22The Peer-to-Peer Fundraising Technology Landscape
ADDITIONAL DETAILS ABOUT THE VENDORS/PLATFORMSIn addition to which features and capabilities each platform offers, each platform is unique in how it offers those features and capabilities. Following are some additional details about each vendor/platform that would not fit neatly into the charts provided in this guide.
ClassyFounded in 2011 as Stay Classy, Classy has become a marketing machine providing lots of useful content to the nonprofit space, probably due in large part to a substantial investment by Salesforce in September of 2014.
Classy has open APIs and solid integration with Salesforce, MailChimp, and Constant Contact. It offers a fair amount of great content to help organizations improve their campaign results. Members of Classy’s advisory board include nonprofit organization founders.
Sample campaigns: • Barbells for Boobs
• Team John Wayne’s OC Marathon
Click & Pledge ConnectClick & Pledge Connect puts an emphasis on learning as much as possible about the constituent’s engagement with the organization and the organization’s engagement with constituents. The company’s partnership with Predictive Response helps show interactions in easy-to-read dashboards and metrics. The “GiveBig” version of Click & Pledge Connect is intended for affiliate model or other organizations with layers of involvement. Click & Pledge launched Connect 2.0 in October 2016 with several product enhancements.
Live campaigns viewable at:• http://connect.clickandpledge.com/
Note: The examples provided may be seasonal campaigns, and links may not work in the future.
© Copyright 2016 Cathexis Partners 23The Peer-to-Peer Fundraising Technology Landscape
ADDITIONAL DETAILS ABOUT THE VENDORS/PLATFORMS
DonorDrive by Global CloudGlobal Cloud’s DonorDrive platform is a modern enterprise peer-to-peer fundraising platform that has been in the marketplace for over a decade and adds updates on a weekly basis. A few highlights:
• Event Insights — Year-over-year analytics and real-time event health intelligence dashboard
• Salesforce integration with custom configuration features
• FastPassTM — Automated repeat registration and fundraising
• Participant behavior messaging and conversion tracking
• Corporate Engagement — Exclusive user experiences for the workplace and sponsorship support
Sample campaigns: • The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia’s Parkway Run & Walk
• Extra Life
• World Vision’s My Cause
• JDRF Canada
Engaging NetworksEngaging Networks was founded in the UK in 2000 as Advocacy Online, and their peer-to-peer tool was released in 2015 as a co-development project with Zuri Group. Having an international start has helped ensure the ability to support any currency and any language. Peer-to-peer 2.0 was released in late September 2016.
Sample campaign: • Rethink Breast Cancer’s Raise Funds 4 Rethink
Note: The examples provided may be seasonal campaigns, and links may not work in the future.
© Copyright 2016 Cathexis Partners 24The Peer-to-Peer Fundraising Technology Landscape
ADDITIONAL DETAILS ABOUT THE VENDORS/PLATFORMS
everydayhero by Blackbaudeverydayhero was started in Australia in 2007 and purchased by Blackbaud in 2011. It offers unique integration with the MapMyFitness app allowing athletic-based campaign participants to share their training results with supporters dynamically via their normal fitness routine. It also asks if the donor would like to cover the cost of processing the transaction, resulting in 100% of the donation level selected going to the mission.
Now that everydayhero is a Blackbaud product, it integrates with The Raiser’s Edge, Online Express, and eTapestry.
Sample campaign: • Cooper River Bridge Run
FirstGiving by FrontStreamFrontStream acquired FirstGiving in 2012 for a low cost peer-to-peer fundraising option. It is an entry-level product for individual fundraisers and nonprofits. Nonprofits receive event registration, donation and registration reporting, and the ability to allow donors to cover the processing fee. FirstGiving also supports custom registration questions and integration with GiftWorks and HEPdata for corporate matching.
Sample campaign: • Ronald McDonald House Houston
Note: The examples provided may be seasonal campaigns, and links may not work in the future.
© Copyright 2016 Cathexis Partners 25The Peer-to-Peer Fundraising Technology Landscape
ADDITIONAL DETAILS ABOUT THE VENDORS/PLATFORMS
FundlyNonProfitEasy acquired Fundly in 2015, but kept the Fundly name. The Fundly tool has historically provided integration with Salesforce, and NonProfitEasy intends to revive that integration in the fourth quarter of 2016. The Fundly peer-to-peer platform integrates with Bloomerang CRM as well as Fundly CRM. It has a deep integration with Facebook. Organizations can embed an entire campaign into a Facebook page, which means that donors can finish their donation process right on a nonprofit’s Facebook page without having to go elsewhere. Fundly also provides integration with Spreadshirt. This feature allows nonprofits to select different “swag” items, customize the color and logos on those items, and attach them to different giving levels — with Spreadshirt handling fulfillment for the organization.
Sample campaign: • Habitat for Humanity Global Village
Giving SpiritA startup, Giving Spirit has been around for a few years, and just began marketing in the spring of 2016. It offers data and analytics services. It also identifies opportunities for matching funds, and automatically enriches donor data with demographic data such as household income and composition. The company’s team of in-house developers provides no-cost custom development for organizations with unique needs.
Sample campaigns: • Bowling to Fight Hunger
• Canine Assisted Therapy’s Best Furry Friend
Note: The examples provided may be seasonal campaigns, and links may not work in the future.
© Copyright 2016 Cathexis Partners 26The Peer-to-Peer Fundraising Technology Landscape
ADDITIONAL DETAILS ABOUT THE VENDORS/PLATFORMS
Great FeatsCTO and Co-Founder of Great Feats, Dave Hart, was previously the Chief Technology Officer at Convio (now Blackbaud), the original creators of TeamRaiser. Great Feats is a very user-friendly peer-to-peer platform with a primary focus on end user experience and engagement. Social media is heavily integrated into the platform to include two-way social media integration.
Sample campaigns: • Texas Autism Bike Ride and Fun Run
• Shower Strike
KimbiaFounded in Austin, TX in 2007 by a pair of nonprofit technology veterans, Kimbia’s platform was built around a core focus on the donor and participant’s user experience. The peer-to-peer module is just a portion of the overall suite of tools that comes with a subscription. A few key features of Kimbia include Salesforce integration, the ability to embed forms and widgets into an organization’s site, and a broad level of multi-currency support.
Sample campaign: • The YMCA Houston
Note: The examples provided may be seasonal campaigns, and links may not work in the future.
© Copyright 2016 Cathexis Partners 27The Peer-to-Peer Fundraising Technology Landscape
ADDITIONAL DETAILS ABOUT THE VENDORS/PLATFORMS
NeonCRM by Z2 Systems, Inc.NeonCRM was founded in 2004 by Jeff Gordy, former IT director at the Kidney Cancer Association, when he looked around and didn’t see the features he needed in existing offerings. The NeonCRM peer-to-peer platform is just a portion of the overall suite of tools that comes with a subscription. NeonCRM has recently partnered with QGiv to allow NeonCRM’s clients an alternative peer-to-peer fundraising option.
Sample campaign: • 4 K for Cancer
QgivQgiv has been expanding their reach by recently engaging in partnerships with Bloomerang and Z2Systems (NeonCRM). Qgiv integrates with Salesforce CRM for nonprofits and a variety of other platforms. The product continues to get a lot of developer attention with frequent enhancements and continued integration with third-party tools.
Sample campaigns: • Jewish Federation of Cleveland’s 18 for Good
• Junior Achievement Rocky Mountain Bowl-A-Thon
• Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northern New Jersey’s Bowl for Kids’ Sake
• Team Samaritan House’s Ride the Rockies
• NuPath’s Walk the Walk
© Copyright 2016 Cathexis Partners 28The Peer-to-Peer Fundraising Technology Landscape
ADDITIONAL DETAILS ABOUT THE VENDORS/PLATFORMS
raisin by A.K.A. New MediaGus Klemos, Business Development Manager, with A.K.A. New Media Inc., says raisin’s mantra is “More mobile, more social and more open”. They offer an array of participant fundraising tools that are fully mobile-optimized. Social media is integrated throughout. Their open API directly integrates with DonorPerfect, Salesforce, and JMG for integration with The Raiser’s Edge. As a product of A.K.A. New Media Inc., an interactive agency, they also pay attention to out-of-the-box usability for end users, ease in setting up events for event managers, and flexible templates for designers. In early 2016, A.K.A. New Media partnered with DonorPerfect to integrate their products. raisin has a suite of modules available: Peer-to-Peer, General Donations, Gala, Golf, Direct Mail, and Personal Fundraising/Tribute pages.
Sample campaign: • Kelly Brush Foundation’s Kelly Brush Ride
RallyBoundRallyBound provides a customizable peer-to-peer fundraising platform for organizations of all sizes to create and manage events or campaigns. It integrates with more than 30 applications, including MailChimp and WordPress, and offers real-time syncing with Salesforce. It can be embedded into a nonprofit’s existing website to create a seamless fundraising experience. RallyBound supports standard events, such as bike rides and walk-a-thons, campaigns honoring loved ones or fundraising for a birthday, custom donation pages, and ticketed events like galas and golf tournaments.
Sample campaigns: • Crop Hunger Walk
• The Max Cure Foundation
• Community Music Center
• Team Lifeline
Note: The examples provided may be seasonal campaigns, and links may not work in the future.
© Copyright 2016 Cathexis Partners 29The Peer-to-Peer Fundraising Technology Landscape
ADDITIONAL DETAILS ABOUT THE VENDORS/PLATFORMS
SalsaSalsa acquired Givezooks! in 2014 and DonorPro in 2015. The company’s peer-to-peer fundraising platform is based on the Givezooks! functionality, and currently is sold as part of the overall integrated suite of products that Salsa offers.
Sample campaign: • Los Gatos Rowing Club Junior Capital Campaign
TeamRaiserThis Blackbaud product is considered by many to be the leading peer-to-peer fundraising platform. Blackbaud acquired Convio in 2012, and along with it the Luminate Online, Luminate CRM (based on the Salesforce platform) and TeamRaiser products. TeamRaiser has consistently had the most campaigns in the Peer to Peer Professional Forum’s Top 30 since its inception. While TeamRaiser offers the bells and whistles required to support multi-million dollar campaigns, it also is accessible to small and mid-size organizations.
Sample campaigns: • Big Brothers Big Sisters Columbia Northwest’s Bowl for Kids’ Sake
• Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center’s Cycle for Survival
• Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida’s Summer Hope for Kids
© Copyright 2016 Cathexis Partners 30The Peer-to-Peer Fundraising Technology Landscape
ADDITIONAL DETAILS ABOUT THE VENDORS/PLATFORMS
ADDITIONAL TOOLSThe following tools are some additional options worth mentioning that we didn’t have the opportunity to review in detail. Organizations with more complex peer-to-peer campaigns likely will find that these tools do not meet their needs, as activities such as the ability to run advanced reports, email directly from the system, and look at overall constituent engagement are not available or are limited in these tools. However, if you’re looking for basic online fundraising capabilities, these tools just might meet your needs.
No fees for individuals or organizations to set up a campaign or fundraising page. Monthly pricing packages are pay-as-you-go, with monthly fees from $0-$129, and transaction fees from 2.5%-4%. CauseVox uses WePay and PayPal for transaction processing. It has social media integration and an easy-to-configure campaign site with click-and-configure type configuration.
© Copyright 2016 Cathexis Partners The Peer-to-Peer Fundraising Technology Landscape 31
CauseVox
CrowdRise was founded by actor Edward Norton and others in 2010. Active.com has partnered with CrowdRise for their endurance fundraising campaigns. Email, live chat with, or call CrowdRise to set up an account. 5% with no monthly fees or 3% and $50/month, and this is their Pricing Guarantee. The platform asks the supporter to cover the transaction fee, and CrowdRise cuts the organization a check for any shortcoming.
CrowdRise
Crowdster was founded in 2007 as Karma411. Create a fundraising campaign from the Get Started button on the Crowdster site. Pricing packages are a rolling 3 month pay-as-you-go starting from $199-$1,999/month + transaction fees of 4% + credit card fees. Crowdster offers event registration, team creation with leaderboards, social media integration, and administrative dashboards and reporting.
Crowdster
Pricing starts at $60/month for volunteer-run organizations. Flipcause advertises a 1.5% transaction fee. This is accomplished by offering supporters the option to cover the fee during the transaction. Flipcause will credit on a quarterly basis for any difference.
FlipCause
FundRazr has a button on their site to start creating your organization’s campaign with no set-up fees. Transaction fees are 5-7% + credit card fees of 2.9% + $.30. FundRazr supports WePay and PayPal for processing transactions, and the ability to raise money in multiple currencies including USD, British Pounds, CAD, EUR, and Australian dollars. FundRazr offers social media integration and widgets to allow nonprofits to embed campaigns into their websites.
© Copyright 2016 Cathexis Partners The Peer-to-Peer Fundraising Technology Landscape 32
FundRazr
Click their Start Raising Funds! link to create your page within five minutes. They advertise no start-up fees, with transaction fees of 3% plus $.30 credit card fee, while asking donors to opt in to cover transaction fees during check-out. Generosity offers single sign-on via Facebook to ease the fundraising transaction. Tools like this are a good way for small, volunteer-driven organizations to dip a toe into the peer-to-peer fundraising world.
Generosity by Indigogo
Offers a step-by-step online process to request an account that includes the entire suite of tools. Suite of tools includes online giving, events, auctions, peer-to-peer fundraising, volunteer system, donor database, membership and major gift management, CMS, and email marketing. This all-in-one system is marketed to replace several different point solutions to provide a more holistic view of constituent engagement. There is an implementation fee of $3,000, and data migration services are available. Monthly pricing starts at $499/month, 1.9-3% transaction fee, and 2.2% + $.30 credit card fees.
Giveffect
Online, mobile, social, events, text, and peer-to-peer giving cash or noncash gifts are all part of this single platform. iDonate’s peer-to-peer tools provide a variety of easy-to-launch fundraising templates. iDonate also integrates with Salesforce. Pricing was not available at the time of publishing of this guide.
iDonate
RazooCreate a campaign on their site for inexpensive Razoo-branded campaigns. There is no cost to create a campaign, with transaction fees of 4.9%, and 2% + $.30 credit card fees. Razoo offers the donor the option to cover transaction fees by adding the calculated fees to the donation at check-out.
ADDITIONAL TOOLS
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
TAKE YOUR PEER-TO-PEER CAMPAIGNS TO NEW HEIGHTSAt Cathexis Partners, we help nonprofits like yours to implement and use technology to raise funds and spread the word about their mission more effectively and more efficiently. Our services include peer-to-peer fundraising software implementation and strategy.
Let’s talk about how you can take your peer-to-peer fundraising to new heights:
www.cathexispartners.com | 773-274-0769
There’s virtually no limit to the number of ways an organization can use the peer-to-peer model to raise funds and engage supporters. With a little inspiration, some time, and the right peer-to-peer tools for the job, you can take your campaigns in exciting new directions.
In addition to the information in this guide, take a look at these resources, which include tips and insights on creating your next peer-to-peer campaign:
• Visit www.peertopeerworld.com to view recorded sessions from the virtual conference, It’s a Peer-to Peer World. You’ll learn tips and tricks on everything peer-to-peer.
• Download Peer-to-Peer Fundraising Made Easy: A Step-by-Step Workbook. It’s a free resource for nonprofits, published by Cathexis Partners and idealware.
• Download Coloring Outside the Lines: Creative Approaches to Peer-to-Peer Fundraising and learn how organizations are finding new ways to raise money and engage supporters
Cathexis Partners and the Cathexis Partners logo are trademarks of Cathexis Partners, LLC. All other names are trademarks, registered trademarks, or service marks of their respective owners.