Nonprofit Board Builder LLC

Fundraising Automation Roadmap

This roadmap guides nonprofit founders in automating repetitive fundraising tasks to ensure efficiency, consistency, and scalability. It identifies key areas for automation, recommends free or low-cost tools for startups, and provides steps to implement and monitor automation, freeing up time for relationship-building.


Areas for Automation:

1. Donor Communication:

  • Tasks: Thank-you emails, follow-up messages, impact updates.
  • Tool: Mailchimp (free for 500 contacts) or Constant Contact ($12/month).
  • Implementation: Set up workflows to send thank-you emails within 24 hours, monthly updates using the Donor Stewardship Journey Map, and follow-up emails after 5-7 days.

Example: A $100 donor receives an automated thank-you, followed by a quarterly impact video.

2. Donation Processing:

  • Tasks: Online donations, recurring gifts, payment confirmations.
  • Tool: Donorbox (free, 1.5% fee) or PayPal (free, 2.9% fee).
  • Implementation: Embed a donation form on your website, set up recurring gift options, and automate receipts.

Example: A Donorbox form processes $25 monthly gifts, sending automated receipts.

3. Prospect Tracking:

  • Tasks: Log donor interactions, flag follow-ups, track campaign progress.
  • Tool: Bloomerang (free for small nonprofits) or Salesforce Nonprofit Starter Pack (free for 10 users).
  • Implementation: Set up automated reminders for follow-ups and dashboards for campaign metrics.

Example: Bloomerang flags prospects for follow-up after 5 days of no response.

4. Event Invitations:

  • Tasks: Send invitations, track RSVPs, send reminders.
  • Tool: Eventbrite (free for free events) or Google Forms (free).
  • Implementation: Create an event page with automated RSVP tracking and reminders 48 hours before events.

Example: Eventbrite sends reminders for a non-fundraising awareness event, boosting attendance by 20%.

5. Social Media Outreach:

  • Tasks: Schedule posts to engage prospects and share impact.
  • Tool: Hootsuite (free for 2 accounts) or Buffer (free for 3 channels).
  • Implementation: Schedule weekly posts with Case for Support content and donor calls-to-action.

Example: Hootsuite posts a success story, driving 10% more website traffic.

6. Grant Tracking:

  • Tasks: Track grant deadlines, send follow-up reminders.
  • Tool: Trello (free) or Instrumentl ($49/month).
  • Implementation: Set up a Trello board with deadlines and automated reminders for proposal submissions.

Example: Trello alerts the team 7 days before a grant deadline.


Implementation Steps:

  • Identify Tasks (1 Week): List repetitive tasks (e.g., thank-you emails, donor tracking) suitable for automation.
  • Select Tools (1 Week): Choose free tools for startups (e.g., Mailchimp, Donorbox) or paid tools after raising $20,000.
  • Set Up Workflows (2 Weeks): Configure automation (e.g., Mailchimp email sequences, Donorbox forms).
  • Train Team (1 Week): Assign a tech-savvy volunteer to manage tools, train others on usage.
  • Monitor Performance (Ongoing): Review metrics monthly (e.g., email open rates, donation conversions) to optimize workflows.


Consistency Tips:

  • Test workflows (e.g., send test emails) to ensure reliability.
  • Review automation performance monthly in CRM dashboards.
  • Upgrade to paid tools (e.g., Mailchimp Premium at $20/month) as donor lists grow.

Volunteer Focus:

  • Assign a volunteer (2-3 hours/week) to set up and monitor automation tools.
  • Transition to a part-time tech coordinator ($25/hour) after raising $20,000.

Example Roadmap:

  • Week 1: Identify donor communication and donation processing for automation.
  • Week 2: Set up Mailchimp for thank-you emails and Donorbox for online gifts.
  • Week 3: Train volunteers to use tools and monitor via Bloomerang.
  • Ongoing: Review email open rates (target 30%) and donation form conversions monthly, raising $5,000 in automated gifts.

Action Steps:

  • Create a list of automatable tasks within 1 week.
  • Implement 2-3 tools within 2 weeks, training volunteers within 3 weeks.
  • Monitor and optimize automation monthly, upgrading tools as funds grow.