Where can I find information on fundraising and accounting software packages for my nonprofit organization?

While the Foundation Center does not track or evaluate software packages for nonprofits, there are some good Web sites that include this type of information:

• The Alliance for Nonprofit Management has several relevant FAQs regarding software for nonprofits, including "How do we select fundraising software?" and "What accounting software package should we buy?"

• Ebase, a free fundraising management software package, is available for download from the Internet.

• TechSoup.org has a section on Software that offers information about and reviews of nonprofit software products.

• eTapestry is a fundraising software package that is offered free to nonprofits with less than 500 donor records.

• United Way of New York City hosts "Fundraising and Grants," an article from Tech News on evaluating donor management software.

• Coyote Communication's Choosing Specialized Software offers a valuable overview of how to decide if your nonprofit needs specialized software, and if so, which one to buy.

• The Chronicle of Philanthropy has a listing of some Internet-based software suppliers.

• The Internet Nonprofit Center has a number of FAQs on Software.

• You may also want to refer to NonProfitExpert.com's nonprofit software listing.

Print resources include:

• "2005 Technology Guide for Nonprofits." Chronicle of Philanthropy 16 (20 January 2005) p. T1-12. An advertising supplement listing 43 companies that provide computer products and services. Also available online.

• Boice, Jacklyn P. "Fundraising Technology Directory." Advancing Philanthropy 12 (June 2005) p. 25-37. The listing is organized alphabetically by product or service name, and shows the typical uses of each application.

• Clolery, Paul. "Donor Management Software Has More Than One Use." NonProfit Times 18 (15 October 2004) p. 15-9. Explains that donor management software can serve other purposes such as tracking volunteers, merchandise sales, or event registrations. Sidebar contains a brief side-by-side comparison of 25 software packages from 19 companies. Also available online.

• Cohen, Todd. "Planned Giving Software Gets Answers to Donors." Exempt 3 (January-February 2005) p. 6-7, 18-9, 23. Nonprofits can invest in planned giving software that creates various scenarios for prospective donors. The author compares several products on the market.

• "Nonprofit Accounting Software: Accountability Rather Than Accounting?" NonProfit Times 19 (1 January 2005) p. 18-23. Discusses the latest trends in accounting software and provides a comparison chart for 20 products from 15 vendors. Also available online.

For a listing of other books and articles on this subject, try our Topical Resource List on Computer Software for Nonprofit Organizations or try searching the Catalog of Nonprofit Literature (CNL). You could start by searching on the subjects "Computer technology" or "Fundraising--computer aided".

Many of the books and articles found through CNL can be located in Center Libraries and some Cooperating Collections. It is best to call ahead to verify a specific library's holdings.

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