This week, we focus for the first time on donation software and what you need to be thinking about as you prepare to invest in it. I don’t think there’s anything that impedes productivity like a software that is hard to use when it comes time to start a fundraising campaign or produce reports about it. For new non-profits, this show will help you move away from your spreadsheets and use something more multi-dimensional. For emerging organizations, this show will help you think about how much more donor information you need to ramp up individual and major gifts fundraising.

My guest this week is Andrea Berry, director of partnerships and learning with Idealware, a nonprofit that provides thoroughly researched, impartial and accessible resources about software to help nonprofits make smart software decisions. Andrea oversees fundraising and training activities, including the Field Guide to Nonprofit Software, sponsorships, corporate and individual giving, grants management and online seminars. We discuss what kind of fundraising reports you need, who should be involved in choosing a software, and we even touch on integrating the separate volunteer, event and donor spreadsheets and databases your staff may be using.