What software is actually used by the top nonprofits with revenue between $1m and $11M?
These data are from the Nonprofit Advertising Study by Whole Whale which analyzed advertising and fundraising spending trends from a sample of over 7,000 U.S. nonprofit organizations – including software. Learn more about the top consulting agencies from this study.
Nonprofit Software Information Table
Here is a table containing information about the top 30 software programs used by nonprofits, based on the unique counts from 990s:
| Software Name | Count of Use | Type of Software | Website | Estimated Cost Range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WordPress | 153 | Website Builder/CMS | wordpress.org | Free – $100,000+ per year (depending on hosting, plugins, and themes) |
| Microsoft Services | 73 | Productivity Suite (includes Office 365, Azure, etc.) | microsoft.com | $60 – $1,000+ per year (depending on plan and services) |
| Google Inc | 69 | Search Engine/Productivity Suite (includes Google Workspace, Ads, etc.) | google.com | Free – $100,000+ per year (depending on services and usage) |
| Mailchimp | 45 | Email Marketing | mailchimp.com | Free – $350+ per month (depending on features and subscriber count) |
| Squarespace | 42 | Website Builder | squarespace.com | $16 – $46+ per month (depending on plan and features) |
| Constant Contact | 39 | Email Marketing | constantcontact.com | $9.99 – $499+ per month (depending on features and contact count) |
| PayPal | 38 | Payment Processing | paypal.com | 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction (standard rate) |
| Eventbrite | 30 | Event Ticketing and Management | eventbrite.com | 3.75% + $1.59 per paid ticket (standard rate) |
| Blackbaud | 28 | Fundraising and CRM for Nonprofits | blackbaud.com | $1,000 – $100,000+ per year (depending on products and services) |
| Donorbox | 25 | Online Fundraising Platform | donorbox.org | 1.5% platform fee (standard rate); additional fees for payment processing may apply. |
| Network for Good | 23 | Fundraising Platform and Donor Management | networkforgood.com | $19 – $199+ per month (depending on features and organization size) |
| Stripe | 21 | Payment Processing | stripe.com | 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction (standard rate) |
| Amazon Inc | 20 | E-commerce and Cloud Services (includes Amazon Web Services) | amazon.com | Pricing varies widely depending on products and services. |
| Salesforce | 18 | CRM and Cloud-Based Platform | salesforce.com | $25 – $300+ per user per month (depending on edition and features) |
| DonorPerfect | 14 | Fundraising and Donor Management | donorperfect.com | $99 – $599+ per month (depending on features and number of records) |
| Drupal | 11 | Website Builder/CMS | drupal.org | Free – $100,000+ per year (depending on hosting and development) |
| Fundraise Up | 11 | Online Fundraising Platform | fundraiseup.com | Platform fees start at 0%; additional fees for payment processing apply. |
| Qgiv | 10 | Online Fundraising and Peer-to-Peer Platform | qgiv.com | $49 – $399+ per month (depending on features and transaction volume) |
| Neon One, LLC | 9 | Nonprofit Software Suite (includes fundraising, CRM, events, etc.) | neonone.com | Pricing varies based on products and services selected. |
| CliftonLarsonAllen LLP | 9 | Accounting Firm | claconnect.com | Pricing information not publicly available. |
| Little Green Light | 8 | Fundraising and Donor Management | littlegreenlight.com | $49 – $149+ per month (depending on features and number of records) |
| Salsa Labs | 8 | Digital Marketing and Fundraising for Nonprofits | salsalabs.com | $99 – $999+ per month (depending on features and organization size) |
| CiviCRM | 8 | Open Source CRM for Nonprofits | civicrm.org | Free – $10,000+ per year (depending on hosting, extensions, and support) |
| NGP Van Inc | 7 | Political Campaign Software and Technology | ngpvan.com | Pricing information not publicly available. |
| Bloomerang | 5 | Donor Management and Fundraising | bloomerang.co | $99 – $599+ per month (depending on features and number of constituents) |
Note: This data is based on software listed on 990s, not actual web technology scraping, data sourced from CauseIQ.com. Some information in the table, such as estimated cost range and type of software, is from AI based benchmarks. The table only considers software mentions, not their specific usage patterns.
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Findings about Nonprofit Software Use
Website and Content Management Dominate
The overwhelming popularity of WordPress (153 mentions) across all sources suggests that establishing a strong online presence through websites is paramount for these nonprofits. Squarespace (42 mentions) and Drupal (11 mentions) also support this observation, indicating a preference for website builders and content management systems (CMS).
Essential Business Operations
The frequent mention of Microsoft Services (73 mentions) across all sources, particularly its Office 365 suite, highlights the importance of basic productivity tools like email, document creation, and collaboration for nonprofit operations.
Marketing and Outreach
Mailchimp (45 mentions) emerges as the leading email marketing platform, suggesting a reliance on email for communication and outreach to donors and stakeholders. Constant Contact (39 mentions) is also well-represented, signifying a focus on maintaining regular contact with their audience.
Fundraising as a Core Function
A strong emphasis on fundraising is evident from the presence of various fundraising-focused software, including:
- Blackbaud (28 mentions) – a comprehensive platform
- Donorbox (25 mentions) – an online platform
- Network for Good (23 mentions) – another fundraising platform
Digital Transformation
The appearance of Salesforce (18 mentions), a leading customer relationship management (CRM) platform, suggests that nonprofits in this revenue range are likely adopting more sophisticated approaches to managing donor relationships and data.
Growth in Online Events
The inclusion of Eventbrite (30 mentions) indicates a possible trend towards online or hybrid event models, reflecting adaptations to changing circumstances and potentially broadening their reach.
Open Source Adoption
The presence of Drupal (11 mentions) and CiviCRM (8 mentions) suggests that some nonprofits are choosing open-source solutions, potentially for cost savings or customization options.
Limited Data on Specific Usage
While the sources provide insight into the types of software used, they lack detailed information about how these tools are employed within the nonprofit’s operations.
Focus on Vendors, Not Usage
The source material focuses primarily on vendor listings and service providers, rather than explicitly detailing software usage patterns or adoption rates.
