I’ve had lots of inquiries lately as to which apps, programs, and tools I recommend to nonprofits and social entrepreneurs so I thought I would put together my first 100 Degrees Must-Have Resources to share with you all. I certainly don’t claim to be the first to adopt the latest app (e.g. I have no plans to join SnapChat!), but I have personally used and can vouch for these tools.
Accounting software:
Freshbooks – Super inexpensive and easy to use accounting software for the beginning entrepreneur. Their mobile app makes it easy to invoice clients, enter expenses, and get a quick picture of your financials. Freshbooks is not the best choice for nonprofits with more complicated charts of accounts or income streams. Price: $
Intuit Quickbooks – The most well-known accounting software for small to mid-sized businesses of all types. Intuit offers Quickbooks Online or Desktop versions and can be as simple or complex as your business needs. The reporting capabilities are limited but you can generally get all of the info you need. It’s also compatible with dozens of other apps and programs. Price: $$
Abila MIP Fund Accounting – A much more complex, robust accounting system designed specifically for nonprofits. It’s a multi-cost center accounting system with deep chart of accounts capabilities and extensive reporting. If you have no idea what any of that means, contact me! The only downside is that you need an MIP-licensed consultant to help set it up. Price: $$$
Payroll:
Gusto – Simple to use payroll software to pay W2 employees and 1099 consultants. Gusto has a simple online platform to enter payroll and it’s great for organizations with a handful of employees.
Have more than a handful of employees? There are too many options out there to list but I can help you vet the choices if you’re looking to make a change!
Expense Reporting:
Expensify – Allows your employees to submit expense reports or credit card receipts remotely with an easy to use platform that allows for direct import into Quickbooks or other accounting software. They don’t have phone-accessible customer service (just email) so probably not a good choice if you expect to need a lot of hand-holding.
Mile IQ – The perfect app for tracking mileage. A couple taps and swipes and you’re set up to track all your business mileage for reimbursement or just simple tracking for taxes.
Other:
Salesforce.com – Probably the most popular CRM (Constituent Relationship Management) software on the market right now and for good reason. It’s highly customizable – in fact, I work with three different organizations who all use Salesforce and each instance looks completely different – and you can use it not only for donor/donation management, but also to track and report on any metrics you follow. Licenses aren’t cheap but Salesforce is robust enough to give you the data return on your investment.
TechSoup – Calling all 501(c)(3) nonprofits! If you aren’t registered with TechSoup and taking advantage of their software discounts (and refurbished hardware too!), YOU ARE MISSING OUT! They offer tons of discounts (Like, 90% off retail! Like, $10 MS Office licenses!) that can help set you up for success.
Auditor – I know of a handful of auditors that I’ve worked with over the years who specialize in nonprofits, do great work, and truly care about helping the organizations they work with to be best-in-class. Reach out and I’m happy to share!
I hope this helped you get started! If you know of another must-have tool that’s not included on this list, please let me know. I’d love to vet it and add it to my next resource list.
