Blackbaud Fundraiser Performance Management vs. Classy

I think there are better charitable relationship management platforms out there. BFPM serves a purpose, but it is an incomplete product for the hefty price tag it comes with. Certain aspects are billed as proprietary, like the MG EVI ratings, but they are inconsistent and often incorrect. BFPM has barely been updated in the decade I have been a user, which leads me to believe that the Blackbaud team is not innovating or devoting resources to enhancing/improving this product. It could stand a refresh to bring the entire product into the year 2022.

Incentivized

Well suited for organizations with large fundraising programs or many recurring donors, especially those who have the staffing to devote to reporting and fundraising data analysis. Variety of payment options is good for mobile-first or younger audiences who may be taking more frequent advantage of payment methods like Venmo and Apple Pay. Most useful if it is used in tandem as an event registration/event hosting platform (Classy Event Registration or Classy Live) as attendee data and fundraising is kept in a single place. Less appropriate for smaller organizations, or folks that will not be doing crowdfunding/peer-to-peer/events. There are other platforms that do standard donation pages well that have fewer bells and whistles but are accordingly cheaper.

Incentivized

• User-friendly interface
• Accessible from anywhere
• Multi-level search and query functions
• Streamlined prospect data pages

Incentivized

• The Classy platform is easy to use, both for the staff and our volunteer fundraisers
• It's easy to build a great looking fundraising page
• Classy support (particularly chat and phone) are attentive and responsive. Every one there is smart and nice!

Incentivized

• "MG EVI" scores are a sham
• Doesn't seamlessly translate over to Banner in certain areas
• Clunky 'new tab' functionality quickly floods entire browser window.

Incentivized

• Campaigns lack customization options which can be limiting- while you can add code to make some changes, there is a basic framework that you can't always override.
• Slow to roll out some donor payment options like Venmo.
• Not inexpensive price point and on an annual contract, so the software is definitely an investment.

Incentivized

VERY easy to use, but lacks flexibility. But very easy to learn and master, even for someone with technical skills. They offer live chat which is a great help for on-demand support. At higher call volumes, you may wait 10 minutes, but I’ve never waited for more than that and the support if 90% of the time very helpful.

Incentivized

Classy's team was very helpful as we transitioned over, and helped us get everything set up quite easily. The few times we've had issues or questions, their online chat feature has been a quick way to get answers. On Giving Tuesday last year, the site went down, but Classy was quick with communication to its clients and had the problem resolved in about an hour. I know that if we have any problems or questions, the company and its team will be responsive and helpful. That makes a difference to me and our small team. We don't have time to troubleshoot or stay on hold for a long time waiting for support.

Incentivized

BFPM has the advantage because it is designed to be user-facing and user-friendly. It is a simple website to learn to use and navigate, but that does not mean it is flawless. It helps me and my colleagues engage with the database in a more straightforward manner, without having to learn and remember various codes and queries.

Incentivized

I have not used any other platforms like Classy. Given I came into this organization after Classy was already chosen, I was pleased with how easy it was to learn the platform and how user-friendly the entire thing is. Although I haven't used any other platforms like it, I would highly recommend it.

• MG EVI is not the end-all-be-all it was sold as
• Still requires use of Banner for certain info
• Helps streamline data entry by allowing gift officers to enter their own contacts.

Incentivized

• This has been nothing but positive. We use the basic version so there is no fee associated with it other than a percentage of each transaction. So everything that comes in is added revenue where the only investment is staff time, but there is no monetary investment.

Incentivized