Hey Reader,

You need this solution, the expert said.

Sales reps pitching “the best way to do it all” software.

Add this platform. Upgrade that module.

Make your CRM “smarter.” Automate everything.

Sound familiar?

An Executive Director I worked with recently bought into it. Over three years, she added 40+ tools to her nonprofit’s tech stack. Each one promised to increase donations, save time, and make her team more efficient.

At first, it made sense.

✅ A new CRM.

✅ Then email automation.

✅ Event tools.

✅ Social media schedulers.

✅ Donation widgets.

You name it. She bought it.

She wanted to prove her nonprofit could be modern and efficient. The right tech could expand her reach, raise more funds, and make a bigger impact, as they claimed.

But instead?

Her team was drowning in dashboards; budgets were tight. They were chasing tech support teams more than their donors.

All the while paying for overlapping features. Her tech stack turned into a tangled mess.

Today's edition of the Social Profit Stack will help you stay connected to your supporters, despite your tech stack. You only need a few tools that work well together, ease your donors’ giving experience, and automate the engagement process.

You Don’t Need All the Tools

You need the right ones that work together, ease the donor experience, and automate what matters.

So we started fresh. We audited the tools, one by one.

Our goals?

Continue meeting donor expectations, ensuring seamless connections between software systems, and specifying the best tool for the job.

We could easily see the tools that moved the donation needle upward.

When it comes to new software, we made sure they all played together in the sandbox.

Her donors needed a simple experience with less friction and a simplified tech stack.

The Roadmap

Tackling your tech stack doesn’t have to be intimidating, but taking it on as a special project can give the team new life.

Here’s a step-by-step approach to getting started:

• Confirm immediate and long-term goals without looking at any software
• List all your current software, contracts and timelines
• Review your budget as monthly payments can add up fast
• Understand what each tool does. What can it do more of? If the software performs more of the actions you need, keep it. If not, it’s time to let it go
• Choose a team member to begin research. Communicate with the team to ensure software compatibility and understand any areas of resistance. Record it

Smart and Informed Decisions Start Here

That ED’s team is no longer burnt out.

And their donations are on the upward swing.

Because more tools don’t equal more impact. Smart decisions about tools do.

If your tech stack feels more chaotic than your fundraising goals deserve, let’s clean it up together.

Hit reply, let’s get your tech working *for* your mission.

Link

Do you need more support figuring out the best tech stack for your nonprofit? Bloomerang has you covered. Check out their guide right here.

With so many shiny new AI tools, choosing the right one for your needs is challenging. If you write for your nonprofit, even the free version provides value, and I can't say enough about Grammarly.​

Have you ever wondered about using a tool to record a virtual meeting and get the transcript? Otter.ai is what you need.