Bloomerang For Non Profits: Donor Management Bloomerang Fundraising CRM
Watching donors give once and disappear, never to be heard from again? Bloomerang uses AI to predict which supporters are at risk of lapsing—before they go silent—and automatically suggests personalized engagement strategies that increase donor retention rates by 15-25% while reducing the manual work of tracking donor relationships.
What It Does (The Problem It Solves)
Losing 50-60% of your first-time donors because you can't keep track of who needs a thank-you call, who's overdue for an update, or who's showing signs of disengagement? Most nonprofits track donors in a chaotic mix of spreadsheets, email lists, and sticky notes—making it nearly impossible to spot patterns, identify at-risk relationships, or steward supporters consistently. The result? Donors feel forgotten and stop giving.
Bloomerang solves this by combining donor database management with AI-powered retention intelligence that acts like a full-time relationship manager for your entire donor file. The platform uses machine learning to:
- Predict donor churn risk by analyzing engagement patterns (email opens, event attendance, gift frequency) and flagging supporters likely to lapse in the next 90 days
- Calculate engagement scores that show exactly how connected each donor feels to your mission, updated automatically based on their interactions
- Suggest next-best actions for each donor relationship ("Call this major donor—they haven't been contacted in 6 months" or "Send impact update—engagement score dropping")
- Automate stewardship workflows with triggered thank-you emails, anniversary acknowledgments, and re-engagement campaigns based on donor behavior
Unlike generic CRM systems designed for sales teams, Bloomerang is built specifically for nonprofit donor retention. It doesn't just store contact information—it actively helps you keep donors engaged, recognized, and giving year after year. Think of it as a donor retention specialist who never sleeps, constantly monitoring your entire donor file and alerting you to relationship risks before they become lost supporters.
Best For
Organization Size
Small to mid-sized nonprofits managing 100-50,000 donors who want to improve retention without hiring additional development staff. The sweet spot is organizations with 500-5,000 active donors where tracking relationships manually becomes overwhelming but you can't afford enterprise CRM systems.
- Sweet spot: Organizations with 1-5 development staff managing multiple donor segments
- Also works for: Smaller organizations (100-500 donors) focused on building retention systems early
Best Use Cases
- Donor Retention Crisis: Organizations struggling with first-year donor retention below 40% who need systematic engagement tracking
- Major Donor Stewardship: Nonprofits with 50-500 major donors requiring personalized cultivation and consistent touchpoints
- Multi-Channel Campaigns: Organizations running coordinated outreach across events, direct mail, email, and personal visits who need unified donor tracking
- Annual Fund Management: Nonprofits with recurring annual giving programs that need to track donor upgrade paths and renewal timing
- Small Staff, Big Goals: Development teams of 1-3 people who need AI assistance to manage donor relationships at scale
Ideal For
Executive Directors, Development Directors, and Fundraising Coordinators who are measured on donor retention rates, annual fund growth, and relationship stewardship quality. Perfect for nonprofits transitioning from spreadsheets to a proper donor management system.
Key Features for Nonprofits
AI Retention Prediction & Risk Scoring
Machine learning analyzes donor behavior patterns to predict churn risk and identify supporters who need immediate attention.
- Automatically flags donors showing lapse warning signs (declining engagement, missed renewal, reduced email interaction)
- Provides "Next Best Action" recommendations for each at-risk donor (phone call, personal email, impact update)
- Prioritizes your daily work by surfacing the relationships that need immediate attention
Donor Engagement Scoring
Every donor receives a real-time engagement score (0-100) that measures relationship strength and commitment level.
- Scores automatically update based on email opens, event attendance, website visits, and donation frequency
- Identifies highly engaged supporters ready for major gift conversations (scores above 80)
- Alerts when engagement scores drop significantly, triggering re-engagement workflows
Intelligent Email Marketing & Automation
Built-in email platform with AI-powered send time optimization and automated donor communication workflows.
- Unlimited email sending included (no per-contact or per-send fees like Mailchimp)
- Automated thank-you sequences, lapsed donor win-back campaigns, and milestone acknowledgments
- Tracks all email engagement (opens, clicks) directly in donor records for complete interaction history
Smart Task Management & Reminders
AI suggests and schedules cultivation tasks, ensuring no donor relationship falls through the cracks.
- Automatically creates follow-up tasks after donations ("Send thank-you call within 48 hours")
- Reminds staff when major donors haven't been contacted in 30/60/90 days based on custom rules
- Prioritizes daily to-do list by donor value, engagement score, and relationship risk
Donor Journey Tracking
Visual timeline showing every interaction, donation, and touchpoint in each donor relationship.
- Complete interaction history (emails received, events attended, calls logged, gifts made)
- Identifies donor journey stages (prospect → first-time → repeat → lapsed → reactivated)
- Shows relationship velocity trends (engagement increasing or declining over time)
Retention Analytics & Benchmarking
Built-in retention dashboards that compare your performance to nonprofit industry benchmarks.
- Track first-year, second-year, and overall retention rates with automatic calculations
- Compare your retention to similar-sized nonprofits to identify improvement opportunities
- Cohort analysis showing how donor groups acquired in different years perform over time
Real-World Nonprofit Use Case
An animal rescue organization with 2,800 donors was hemorrhaging support. Despite bringing in 400 new donors annually through adoption events and social media campaigns, their overall donor count barely grew. Why? Their first-year donor retention rate was a dismal 23%—meaning 77% of new supporters gave once and disappeared.
The problem wasn't donor acquisition—it was relationship management. Their lone development coordinator was drowning in spreadsheets, unable to track who needed a thank-you call, who attended the annual gala, or who had been donating faithfully for five years but suddenly stopped. Critical relationships were slipping away simply because no one noticed.
After implementing Bloomerang, the transformation was systematic:
- First-year retention jumped from 23% to 47% within 12 months through automated thank-you workflows and AI-flagged engagement drops
- Lapsed donor recovery improved by 35% using AI alerts that identified at-risk supporters 60 days before they typically lapsed
- Major donor stewardship became consistent—the system automatically reminded staff when VIP donors hadn't been personally contacted in 45 days
- Development coordinator saved 10 hours per week previously spent manually tracking donor interactions in spreadsheets
- Overall donor base grew 28% because retention gains finally exceeded acquisition losses
The most valuable insight came from the engagement scores. The organization discovered that donors who attended educational events (not just fundraisers) had 3x higher retention rates. Armed with this data, they launched quarterly volunteer orientations and animal care workshops—intentionally designed to boost engagement scores for first-year donors. Within two years, their first-year retention rate hit 62%, exceeding the nonprofit industry average.
The AI didn't replace the development coordinator's relationship-building work—it made her incredibly efficient at knowing exactly which relationships needed attention today, this week, and this month. Instead of playing whack-a-mole with donor issues, she was proactively stewarding supporters before they ever thought about leaving.
Pricing
Transparent Tier-Based Pricing
Based on number of donor contacts in your database
Bloomerang uses straightforward tier-based pricing determined by the number of contacts in your database. All tiers include unlimited users, unlimited email sending, and access to core AI features.
| Tier | Contacts | Monthly Price | Annual Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starter | Up to 1,000 | $125/month | $1,500/year |
| Essential | Up to 2,500 | $175/month | $2,100/year |
| Plus | Up to 5,000 | $275/month | $3,300/year |
| Pro | Up to 10,000 | $425/month | $5,100/year |
| Enterprise | 10,000+ | Custom pricing | |
What's Included (All Tiers):
- Unlimited users (entire team can access the system)
- Unlimited email sending (no per-contact email fees)
- AI retention predictions and engagement scoring
- Online donation forms and payment processing
- Email support and training resources
Free Trial: 30 days, no credit card required. Import your data and test all features before committing.
Setup Fee: One-time $500 implementation fee (waived for annual subscriptions)
View Current Pricing Detailsđź’° Nonprofit Pricing
Good news: Bloomerang is built exclusively for nonprofits, so all pricing listed above is already nonprofit-specific. There's no "commercial" version with higher rates—the company serves only 501(c)(3) organizations and charitable entities.
Additional Savings Opportunities:
- Annual payment discount: Save ~17% by paying annually instead of monthly (2 months free)
- Waived setup fee: $500 implementation fee waived with annual subscription
- Educational pricing: Special rates available for schools and universities
Estimated Total Investment (Year 1): For a nonprofit with 2,500 contacts choosing annual billing: $2,100 (saves $600 vs. monthly + waives $500 setup fee) = Total $2,100 first year, $2,100/year ongoing.
ROI Perspective: If Bloomerang helps you retain just 20 additional donors who give an average of $200 annually, that's $4,000 in retained revenue—doubling your investment return in year one.
*Pricing information is subject to change. Please verify current pricing directly with Bloomerang.
Learning Curve
Beginner to Intermediate
Most staff can start using basic features within 2-4 hours; full proficiency takes 2-3 weeks
Time to First Value:
- Initial setup: 6-10 hours (data import, field mapping, basic configuration)
- First communication: 1-2 hours to create and send initial donor email
- Basic proficiency: 2-3 weeks of daily use to master donor entry, task management, reporting
- AI insights become accurate: 60-90 days after launch as algorithms learn your donor patterns
Technical Requirements:
- Comfort with Excel/Google Sheets for data cleanup and CSV import preparation
- Basic understanding of email marketing concepts (helpful but not required)
- No coding required—user interface designed for nonprofit staff, not developers
- Web browser access (Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge all supported)
Support Available:
- Dedicated onboarding specialist guides initial setup and data import
- Extensive knowledge base with 500+ articles and video tutorials
- Live weekly training webinars on specific features (retention strategies, email automation, reporting)
- Email and chat support (response within 24 hours typical)
- Active user community forum for peer advice and best practices
- Free 30-day trial includes full onboarding support to test implementation before committing
Common Pitfall:
Many nonprofits import messy donor data without cleaning it first, then wonder why AI engagement scores seem inaccurate. Spend 4-6 hours cleaning your data before import: remove duplicates, standardize name/address formatting, merge household records, and delete inactive contacts (people who haven't engaged in 5+ years). Clean data = accurate AI predictions. Garbage in = garbage out. If your current donor records are chaotic, consider hiring a data cleanup consultant for $500-$1,000 before implementation—it will dramatically improve your AI insights from day one.
Integration & Compatibility
Connects With:
Accounting Software:
QuickBooks Online, QuickBooks Desktop, Xero, Sage Intacct
Donation Platforms:
Stripe, PayPal, Classy, Donorbox, GiveWP, Network for Good, Double the Donation (matching gift integration)
Email Marketing (if not using built-in):
Mailchimp, Constant Contact, Campaign Monitor (though Bloomerang's built-in email is recommended for unified tracking)
Event Management:
Eventbrite, Greater Giving, Handbid, OneCause (auction software)
Website Platforms:
WordPress, Squarespace, Wix, Drupal (donation form embedding)
Wealth Screening:
iWave, DonorSearch, WealthEngine (major gift prospect research)
Platform Availability:
- Web-based: Works on all modern browsers (Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge)
- Mobile apps: iOS and Android apps for donor lookup and task management on the go
- Cloud-based: No software installation required; access from anywhere with internet
Data Portability:
- Full CSV export of all donor data, donation history, and interaction records
- Custom report exports (PDF, Excel, CSV)
- API access available for custom integrations and data synchronization
- You own your data—full export available anytime, no penalties for leaving
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Laser-focused on retention: AI features specifically designed to keep donors engaged—not just manage them—leading to measurable retention improvements
- Intuitive, nonprofit-friendly interface: Built for fundraisers, not database administrators—staff actually enjoy using it
- Unlimited email included: No additional costs for email marketing unlike separate CRM + Mailchimp setups
- Transparent, predictable pricing: No hidden fees or surprise upsells—clear tier-based pricing makes budgeting easy
- Excellent training and support: Comprehensive onboarding, weekly webinars, and responsive customer service tailored to nonprofits
- Strong nonprofit integrations: Connects with QuickBooks, donation platforms, and other nonprofit essentials
Cons
- Limited customization: Field customization and workflow flexibility less extensive than enterprise systems like Salesforce—works best if you adapt to their structure
- Not ideal for very small organizations: At $125/month minimum, may be cost-prohibitive for nonprofits with under 200 donors or minimal budgets
- Data import can be tedious: Initial setup requires careful CSV formatting and field mapping—expect 6-10 hours for first-time users
- Grant tracking is basic: If your organization relies heavily on grant funding (vs. individual donors), you may need supplemental grant management tools
- Mobile app has reduced functionality: Great for donor lookup but limited for full database management—expect to use desktop for heavy admin work
Alternatives to Consider
If Bloomerang doesn't feel like the right fit, consider:
Little Green Light
Affordable, customizable donor database for small nonprofits
More affordable (starts at $45/month) with strong customization options for unique workflows. Less sophisticated AI features than Bloomerang, but excellent value for very small organizations. Best if budget is extremely tight (under $2,000 annual revenue) and you need basic donor tracking without AI insights.
DonorPerfect
Established donor management system with strong reporting
Similar pricing tier (starts around $89/month), excellent reporting and customization capabilities. Interface feels more dated than Bloomerang, and AI features are less prominent. Best if you need deep custom reporting and are comfortable with a steeper learning curve.
NeonCRM
All-in-one platform with integrated event management
Comparable pricing (starts at $99/month), includes strong event registration and membership management features. AI donor retention features less developed than Bloomerang. Best if you run frequent events and membership programs requiring integrated ticketing and registration.
Salesforce Nonprofit Cloud
Enterprise-grade CRM with extensive customization
Free for qualifying nonprofits (10 licenses), but requires significant technical expertise or consultant support ($5,000-$20,000 implementation typical). Infinitely customizable but complex. Best for larger nonprofits (5+ development staff, $5M+ budget) with dedicated Salesforce administrators or consulting budget.
Why you might choose Bloomerang instead:
Best-in-class AI donor retention features, engagement score tracking, and intuitive interface specifically designed for small-to-midsize nonprofit fundraisers who need sophisticated insights without enterprise complexity. If donor retention is your #1 challenge and you want AI that actually helps you keep supporters engaged—not just tracks them—Bloomerang delivers measurable results with a user experience staff will actually adopt.
Getting Started
Your First 48 Hours with Bloomerang
Step 1: Start Free 30-Day Trial (15 minutes)
Visit Bloomerang's website and sign up for the no-credit-card-required free trial:
- Choose your organization size tier (estimate contacts—you can adjust later)
- Create account with organization email (avoid personal Gmail/Yahoo for admin access)
- Schedule onboarding call with their team (optional but recommended)
Pro tip: Use your full 30 days to test with real donor data. Don't rush—fully explore AI features, import sample data, send test emails, and ensure your team is comfortable before subscribing.
Step 2: Data Preparation and Import (4-8 hours)
Export your current donor data and prepare it for import (this is critical for AI accuracy):
- Export from current system (Excel, Google Sheets, old database) into CSV format
- Clean data: remove duplicates, standardize name formatting (First Name, Last Name in separate columns)
- Include all available fields: email, phone, address, donation history, last interaction date
- Use Bloomerang's CSV template to map your fields correctly (download from their import wizard)
Pro tip: If your donor data is messy (lots of duplicates, incomplete records, inconsistent formatting), spend an extra 2-4 hours cleaning it before import. The AI engagement scores are only as good as your data. Consider using a free tool like OpenRefine or hiring a freelancer on Upwork for $200-$400 to professionally clean your data file if it's really chaotic.
Step 3: Configure Basic Settings (2-3 hours)
Set up foundational elements before actively using the system:
- Connect payment processor (Stripe, PayPal) for online donation tracking
- Customize email templates (thank-you emails, receipts, newsletters)
- Set up user accounts for team members with appropriate permission levels
- Configure automated workflows (thank-you trigger after donation, lapsed donor alerts)
Pro tip: Start with Bloomerang's pre-built email templates and automation workflows rather than building from scratch. You can customize later once you're comfortable. Their defaults are nonprofit-tested and work well.
Step 4: Monitor AI Insights and Iterate (Weeks 2-4)
Let the AI learn your donor patterns and start acting on insights:
- Check engagement scores dashboard weekly to identify high-risk donors
- Review "Next Best Action" suggestions and complete 5-10 prioritized tasks daily
- Monitor retention reports to see how your rates compare to industry benchmarks
- Refine automated workflows based on actual donor response (adjust timing, messaging)
Pro tip: Give the AI 60-90 days to fully calibrate. Early engagement scores may seem off because the system is learning your specific donor behavior patterns. Don't make major strategic changes based on first-month data—let the algorithms mature. By month 3, AI predictions should be highly accurate.
Quick Win: Your First 24 Hours
Want to see immediate value from Bloomerang? Try this simple experiment during your free trial:
- Import your last 12 months of donor data (even if messy—just get it in) (2-3 hours)
- Let Bloomerang calculate engagement scores automatically (happens instantly)
- Filter for donors with scores below 30 who gave in the past year (2 minutes)
- Send a personalized "We miss you" email to this segment using a built-in template (30 minutes)
- Check results after 48 hours—how many opened? How many clicked? Any renewed gifts?
What you'll learn: Whether AI-driven engagement scoring actually identifies at-risk donors who respond to targeted outreach. Most nonprofits see 20-35% open rates on these re-engagement emails (vs. 10-15% on general blasts), with 5-10% of recipients making a new gift within 30 days.
Time invested: 3 hours
Potential insight: Identifies recoverable donors you didn't know were slipping away
🤝 Need Implementation Support?
Implementing Bloomerang isn't just about importing data—it's about cleaning donor records, mapping fields correctly, configuring retention workflows, training your team, and establishing sustainable stewardship practices. If you'd like expert guidance setting up Bloomerang for maximum donor retention impact, we're here to help.
One Hundred Nights offers Bloomerang implementation services including data cleanup and migration, custom workflow configuration, staff training, and retention strategy consulting.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is Bloomerang free for nonprofits?
Bloomerang is not free, but offers transparent nonprofit pricing starting at $125/month for up to 1,000 contacts. A 30-day free trial is available with no credit card required, and pricing includes unlimited users, email sending, and access to most features. Many nonprofits find the donor retention improvements (average 15-25% increase) quickly justify the investment.
How long does it take to implement Bloomerang?
Initial setup takes 6-10 hours for data import and basic configuration. You can send your first communication within 1-2 days. Full team proficiency typically takes 2-3 weeks of regular use, and the AI retention prediction algorithms become more accurate after 60-90 days of tracking donor engagement patterns in your specific organization.
Does Bloomerang integrate with QuickBooks and other accounting software?
Yes, Bloomerang has native integrations with QuickBooks Online, QuickBooks Desktop, and other popular accounting platforms. It also connects with major donation platforms (Classy, Donorbox, Stripe), email marketing tools (Mailchimp, Constant Contact), and website platforms (WordPress). Setup typically takes 1-2 hours with their integration support team.
What's the difference between Bloomerang and Little Green Light for small nonprofits?
Bloomerang offers more sophisticated AI-powered donor retention features and engagement score tracking, with a modern, intuitive interface. Little Green Light is slightly more affordable (starts at $45/month) with strong customization options but less AI functionality. Choose Bloomerang if donor retention is your priority and you want AI insights; choose Little Green Light if budget is tight and you need extensive customization.
Can Bloomerang help improve donor retention rates?
Yes, this is Bloomerang's core strength. The platform uses AI to predict which donors are at risk of lapsing and automatically suggests personalized engagement strategies. Most nonprofits using Bloomerang see donor retention rates improve by 15-25% within the first year through proactive outreach to at-risk donors and data-driven engagement timing.
Do I need technical skills to use Bloomerang?
No coding skills required. The interface is designed for nonprofit fundraisers and development staff, not developers. Comfort with tools like Excel and basic email marketing concepts is helpful. Bloomerang offers extensive training resources, weekly webinars, and responsive support to help non-technical users succeed. Data import requires CSV formatting skills or willingness to work with their onboarding team.
Ready to Improve Your Donor Retention?
Join thousands of nonprofits using Bloomerang to keep donors engaged, predict churn risk, and build lasting supporter relationships. Start your free 30-day trial—no credit card required—and experience AI-powered donor retention firsthand.