crm

Many nonprofits use Classy or Bloomerang to manage their donor relationships and fundraising efforts. Both softwares offer a range of features to help nonprofits manage their fundraising campaigns. However, key differences make each platform preferable in distinct situations. Drawing on Pure Firefly’s background in nonprofit email marketing, we’re here to help you decide which software best suits your needs. 

What is Classy?

Classy is a fundraising platform designed to help nonprofits easily create and manage their fundraising campaigns. Classy offers various features, including donation processing, event registration, and peer-to-peer fundraising. Their platform is designed to help nonprofits increase their fundraising revenue and build stronger relationships with their donors. Classy’s nonprofit users can create custom donation pages, track their fundraising progress, and communicate simply with their donors.

Classy also integrates with Mailchimp. This integration enables users to sync audience data on Classy donors and fundraisers directly into Mailchimp. By integrating with Mailchimp, Classy users can extend their fundraising efforts using email marketing. Nonprofits who want to make the most of this integration may benefit from working with a Mailchimp Pro Partner. Contact Pure Firefly to learn more!

What is Bloomerang?

Similar to Classy, Bloomerang is a donor management software that is designed to help nonprofits build and maintain relationships with their donors. Bloomerang’s features include donor profiles, donation tracking, and email marketing tools. Bloomerang’s platform is designed to help nonprofits better understand their donors, communicate with them effectively, and ultimately increase their fundraising revenue. Compared to Classy, it places more emphasis on building a relationship with donors, rather than fundraising directly.

Bloomerang also maintains a direct integration with Mailchimp, which can merge audience fields across the two platforms. This can help nonprofits leverage Mailchimp’s email marketing tools to engage all their donors, potential donors, and other audience members. 

If you’re having trouble managing your Mailchimp/Bloomerang integration, consider working with email experts like those at Pure Firefly. Set up a training session with our team to go over the Mailchimp basics. Book a call here.

Classy’s Pros & Cons

Among its extensive range of features, Classy has several advantages for nonprofit organizations. Some of Classy’s major advantages include:

• User-friendly interface
• Customizable landing pages
• Event management (including in-person & virtual events)
• Peer-to-peer fundraising
• Recurring donations

However, there are some potential drawbacks to using Classy. One disadvantage is that Classy charges $299 per month for its services. This price may be prohibitive for smaller nonprofits with limited budgets. Classy also charges a small fee on all transactions. Additionally, while Classy’s platform is easy to use, the level of customization and flexibility is less in-depth than some other fundraising platforms.

Bloomerang’s Pros & Cons

When it comes to Bloomerang, one major advantage is its focus on donor relationship management. Bloomerang’s platform is designed to help nonprofits build stronger relationships with their donors. This strong relationship can help boost fundraising revenue over time. Additionally, Bloomerang’s email marketing tools are very robust, which can help nonprofits stay in touch with their donors and keep them engaged.

However, there are some potential drawbacks to using Bloomerang. Compared to Classy, its interface is somewhat more complex and difficult to use. Additionally, Bloomerang’s focus on donor relationship management presents a drawback when it comes to fundraising features. For nonprofits in search of an all-in-one fundraising platform, Bloomerang may not be the ideal choice.

Bloomerang offers pricing on a sliding scale depending on the number of contacts in a user’s account, as well as their organization’s annual fundraising income. For nonprofits making under $250k a year, plans start at $79 per month for up to 1,000 contacts.

Classy vs. Bloomerang: What’s the Best Fit?

Ultimately, the choice between Classy & Bloomerang depends on your organization’s needs. Both are well-rounded tools that can increase fundraising revenue, but here are some major guidelines to help you decide.

Classy may be right for you if…

• You’re willing to invest more for a wider range of features
• Your team needs something immediately easy to use
• Events are a key aspect of your fundraising strategy

Bloomerang may be right for you if…

• Engaging with donors is your #1 priority
• Your team is tech-savvy and open to learning a new tool
• You have a small budget and annual fundraising revenue under $250k

Overall, both Classy and Bloomerang are robust software programs with a range of fundraising and donor relationship management features. The choice is yours- but you can always contact Pure Firefly if you need an extra hand!

 

Reach Beyond the Software: Work with Pure Firefly

 

If you find that your fundraising tool isn’t engaging your audience effectively, it may be time to branch out into other marketing avenues. That’s where Pure Firefly comes in. 

Our team of Mailchimp-certified email specialists can help you develop effective email marketing campaigns to engage the donors you already have and reach the website visitors you hope to convert. We have proven experience working with nonprofits, and offer a range of email marketing services. 

Contact us today to elevate your nonprofit’s fundraising strategy!