Finding the ideal community-based membership and event management software is a pivotal decision for non-profit organizations that aim to streamline their operations, enhance member engagement and increase community turnout to your big events. In the pursuit of an effective solution, the focus revolves around finding a balance between affordability, robust features, and a simplified, yet customizable experience that aligns with the needs of your organization. Finding the perfect solution takes time - that’s why we’re here! Below, we’ll touch on important factors to consider when evaluating low-cost community management tools and provide a succinct breakdown of 6 software solutions to get your non-profit on track for simple membership management, event registration, program planning & more.
Factors to Consider
Ease of Use
Paramount to any piece of software worth its weight is user experience and simple setup. Imagine you find a perfect solution with all the bells and whistles, but the learning curve is so steep that it takes weeks to get started. You need to look for non-cluttered interfaces, simple navigation and built-in tools for easy event planning. A pick-up-and-play software ensures that your team can hit the ground running as you plan for the year ahead.
Pricing
With rising costs not only in our personal lives, but professional as well, flexible and adaptive pricing solutions are crucial when choosing the right non-profit management platform. Offering a combination of tiered and feature-based pricing models allows services like Communal to diversify their offerings and cater towards a variety of non-profits. From local community associations and recreation centres to Federations and parent organizations, identify a plan that fits your budget. If you’re a smaller organization under 250 members, it’s best to look for services that don’t come pre-loaded with features that may not be required.
Support Channels
Does your preferred software solution have real humans ready to help if needed? In 2024, companies are transitioning strictly to AI-powered chat bots, but honestly we’re not quite satisfied with all of its problem solving skills. A well-structured support system not only addresses issues promptly but also serves as a testament to the software provider's commitment to client satisfaction. At Communal, we believe in leveraging straightforward solutions, backed by genuine human support. To show you that we’re not joking, book a call with one of the co-founders here.
Scalability
Scaling harmoniously and building chemistry with the right management software is crucial for your non-profit. Management software businesses that prioritize scaling alongside their clients not only stay relevant but become indispensable partners in their growth stories. Anticipating evolving needs, understanding requirements to expand operations and delivering updates and new features are all part of the journey you build together.
Top 6 Low-Cost Community Management Software Solutions
Now, for a breakdown of our Top 6 Low-Cost Community Management Software Solutions for managing programs & event registration
Communal: https://getcommunal.com
Communal boasts an easy setup, all-in-one management solution designed for non-profits to increase member engagement, streamline community events & facilities rentals and simplify admin tasks. Built with a community-first focus, Communal implements adaptive integrations for calendar synchronization and payment processing to streamline operational tasks.
Whether you’re planning unique or recurring events for your community, Communal excels in providing a seamless and intuitive platform for crafting, promoting, and managing events. Communal's strength lies in its emphasis on simplicity and flexibility, allowing organizations to generate reports, offer incentivized volunteering or discounts to membership tiers.
Undoubtedly, one of Communal’s strongest aspects is it’s pricing options. Adopting both bundle packages and a pick-and-choose system allows customers to only pay for what they need. The Member Essentials package starts at $50/month
Wild Apricot: https://wildapricot.org
Wild Apricot is a membership management software that provides a range of features for non-profit organizations, associations, and clubs. The platform offers tools to handle membership registration, renewals, and communication through an online portal. Users can leverage its event management capabilities to plan and track both virtual and in-person gatherings
While it may not be the only solution on the market, it serves as an option for those seeking a comprehensive suite of tools for managing memberships, events, and donations within a non-profit context.
Pricing: Starting at $60/month with a 100 member limit, Wild Apricot isn’t as flexible as other options on the market.
NeonOne: https://neonone.com
Neon One is a software suite designed for non-profit organizations, encompassing various tools to support their operational needs. The platform offers solutions for fundraising, donor management, and event planning. Users can utilize its donor management system to track and engage with supporters and the software provides features for online fundraising campaigns. Neon One also facilitates event planning and management, allowing organizations to create and promote events. Additionally, it offers financial tools to assist with accounting and reporting.
Unfortunately, Neon One isn’t the most cost effective solution for community-centric non-profits as their starter package starts at $109/mo and does not offer the flexibility of only paying for what you need.
Aplos: https://aplos.com
Aplos is a non-profit accounting and management software designed to cater to the specific needs of churches, charities, and other non-profits. Aplos facilitates simple and efficient bookkeeping, ensuring compliance with non-profit accounting standards. Users can manage donor contributions, generate financial statements, and track expenses within their online portal. While Aplos provides a suite of features for non-profits, organizations should assess their unique requirements to determine if this software aligns with their operational needs.
If you’re a religious/church based organization that requires financial reporting support, this software may be a great pick for you!
Their Lite package starts at $39.50/month and is primarily focused around financial reporting, bookkeeping and donation tracking.
Little Green Light: https://www.littlegreenlight.com
Little Green Light is a donor management and fundraising software designed to assist non-profit organizations in efficiently managing their donor relationships. The platform offers a range of features, including donor tracking, online donation processing, and communication tools. Users can create and customize donation forms, track donor contributions, and generate reports to gain insights into their fundraising efforts. Little Green Light emphasizes ease of use and provides a user-friendly interface for managing donor data and communications. After exploring their software, it’s apparent that LGL is a more specialized tool rather than an all-in-one solution. However, for donation-based support, this may be a great choice
Priced at $40.50/month, Little Green Light is looking to expand their features to wider non-profit management solutions.
Tendenci: https://www.tendenci.com
Geared towards high revenue generating organizations, Tendenci is an open-source management software designed to meet the unique needs of non-profits. The platform offers a variety of features, including membership management, event planning, and content management. Tendenci provides tools for creating and customizing membership directories, managing events, and handling online payments.
Forewarning, the nature of open-source software requires a high level of technical expertise to manage and extract the most value - Tendenci is not geared towards community associations, resident networks or local recreation centres.
Bronze tier starting at $249/month, Tendenci is designed for large scale operations and custom management
Closing thoughts:
Numerous membership management and event planning software solutions exist to cater to the diverse needs of non-profit organizations which makes the selection process an arduous task. At Communal, we’ve prioritized building a feature rich platform based directly from our conversations with hundreds of non-profit organizations. With over 2000 associated partners, we’re quickly becoming the go to solution across North America for non-profit organizations.