Some of the most important tools for a nonprofit organization to use are the software programs that it help with accounting, fundraising, and communication within the organization and with donors and clients. Some of the most popular and effective cloud-based software applications that nonprofits can access to track and guide operations include QuickBooks Online, MailChimp and Google Docs.

QuickBooks Online

For a nonprofit to operate with maximum efficiency and effectiveness, it must accurately track and analyze donations and expenditures. Many nonprofit organizations utilize a cloud accounting software program to facilitate their business operations, and the one of the most popular is Intuit’s QuickBooks Online.

In the cloud-based accounting field, Quickbooks Online is easily the most dominating player. QuickBooks is especially significant for small businesses and nonprofits because of a comprehensive set of features that are specifically designed with small and moderately sized business organizations in mind. For Canadian nonprofits, QuickBooks has the distinct advantage of being one of only a few cloud-based programs offered in both English and French. QuickBooks’ standard version is easy to customize to track donors, expenses, volunteers and projects. For a slightly higher price, organizations can get QuickBooks Premier for Nonprofits, which is already set up for nonprofit organizations.

MailChimp

Many Canadian nonprofits choose MailChimp for mass email marketing campaigns and data analytics. In terms of price, this application is completely free if your organization has fewer than 2,000 subscribers, and all nonprofits receive a discount regardless of the size of their mailing list.

Because it is so key to maintain regular communication with your nonprofit’s donors, apprising them of new events and regular activities, and to provide notification of major milestones and achievements, an effective mass emailing software program is essential.

Customizable emails designed with MailChimp can showcase your organization’s progress and help to elicit regular and perhaps larger donations. MailChimp allows a nonprofit to communicate quickly and professionally with existing donors and add new contacts after fundraising events and e-campaigns. User-friendly drag-and-drop design tools and the ability to create and maintain multiple subscriber lists make MailChimp easy to use and efficient. MailChimp makes it possible to send customized newsletters that automatically optimize for mobile viewing. As of September 2015, more than 200,000 nonprofits have tapped into the many benefits MailChimp provides.

Google Docs

Google Docs is another important cloud-based application for nonprofits to consider. Google Docs, at no cost, allows for the creation and easy sharing of collaborative documents and data, which is vital to any nonprofit. 

This application features several software tools within its suite, including tools for document and data sheet creation that can easily be written and edited by multiple parties, and transferred from one individual to another without requiring each individual to download the documents. Google Docs provides an efficient and easy way to share donor lists and contact information, collaboratively write press releases, or take and share notes from phone calls or meetings.