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GiveSmart

GiveSmart

Overview

What is GiveSmart?

GiveSmart, a Community Brands company, offers a full-service event management platform supporting event website, event registration, attendee tracking, donor management and data insights, and full customer service for entities wishing to raise funds via an auction or charity event. The…

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Recent Reviews
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Awards

Products that are considered exceptional by their customers based on a variety of criteria win TrustRadius awards. Learn more about the types of TrustRadius awards to make the best purchase decision. More about TrustRadius Awards

Reviewer Pros & Cons

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DB
Doug Belisle
Executive Director
Good Neighbor Homeless Shelter (Non-profit Organization Management, 11-50 employees)
Verified User
Executive in Other
Non-profit Organization Management Company, 1-10 employees
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Pricing

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GiveSmart

GiveSmart

N/A
Unavailable

What is GiveSmart?

GiveSmart, a Community Brands company, offers a full-service event management platform supporting event website, event registration, attendee tracking, donor management and data insights, and full customer service for entities wishing to raise funds via an auction or charity event. The platform…

Entry-level set up fee?

  • Setup fee optional
For the latest information on pricing, visithttps://www.givesmart.com/plans/

Offerings

  • Free Trial
  • Free/Freemium Version
  • Premium Consulting/Integration Services

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Product Demos

A Tour of GiveSmart

givesmart.wistia.com
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Product Details

What is GiveSmart?

GiveSmart is an online fundraising and donor management platform designed to elevate fundraisers. From mobile-friendly silent auctions to dynamic peer-to-peer events and guest management to donor engagement, the solution helps to turn mission into something that moves donors.

The vendor states that their software has helped thousands of nonprofits raise $6.2+ billion. The full GiveSmart suite of solutions and expert support helps exceed fundraising, event, and donor management goals, and helps users focus resources and make an impact all year round.

GiveSmart Screenshots

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GiveSmart Integrations

GiveSmart Competitors

GiveSmart Technical Details

Deployment TypesSoftware as a Service (SaaS), Cloud, or Web-Based
Operating SystemsUnspecified
Mobile ApplicationNo
Supported CountriesCanada, United States

Frequently Asked Questions

GiveSmart, a Community Brands company, offers a full-service event management platform supporting event website, event registration, attendee tracking, donor management and data insights, and full customer service for entities wishing to raise funds via an auction or charity event. The platform also integrates technology from Community Brands brand Gesture to provide a comprehensive suite of services. GiveSmart replaces the former 501 Auctions, a platform to support charity auctions, mobile bidding, and general event management with automation for nonprofit fundraising.

OneCause, Greater Giving, and Eventbrite are common alternatives for GiveSmart.

Reviewers rate Usability highest, with a score of 8.5.

The most common users of GiveSmart are from Small Businesses (1-50 employees).
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Comparisons

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Reviews and Ratings

(198)

Attribute Ratings

Reviews

(1-1 of 1)
Companies can't remove reviews or game the system. Here's why
May 28, 2021

GiveSmart is Great!

Verified User
Executive in Professional Services
Non-profit Organization Management Company, 51-200 employees
Score 9 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
Use Cases and Deployment Scope
We needed an online/mobile bidding software to handle our silent auction and other fundraising events. We created a special program that need remote users to access a silent auction instead of the traditional paper and pen. We also wanted to be able to open the auction to have as many possible eyes on our items we were auctioning off.
Pros and Cons
  • Mobile bidding.
  • Online donations.
  • Online ticketing.
  • You can't use items that have cents involved, only whole dollars. It needs to be able to handle cents but currently can't.
  • In kind data doesn't always copy over from one campaign to the other. You have to re-enter information when you have the same donor for multiple campaigns.
  • Adding or subtracting tickets to a company isn't possible once the initial purchase has been completed. To fix this is a pain and requires refunding the entire order and starting over. That is annoying.
Likelihood to Recommend
For most things, GiveSmart is an awesome software and company to work with. Creating campaigns, adding items and handling the mobile/online silent auction is very easy and doesn't require much training. Anyone with half a brain can pick it up really quickly. For ticketing it makes it really simple but still has some upgrades that are much needed like being able to add or subtract ticketed people once the ticket has been purchased. So many times at nonprofit events tickets need to be changed because life is busy. Currently GiveSmart doesn't allow that so you have to delete/cancel the entire ticket order and start that sale over.
Return on Investment
  • GiveSmart increased our Silent Auction revenues by 40% in our first year.
  • GiveSmart has allowed us to create unique fundraising events that didn't require actual attendance. This allowed us to create new events that raised over $100,000.
  • GiveSmart has a great function that allows for a great online visual for people to see silent auction items allowing us to market those easier via social media.
Alternatives Considered
We haven't used any other software besides GiveSmart. As I was trying to decide between three different online software platforms, I created a potential ROI and Cost/Benefit analysis to help me figure out which mobile bidding/online platform would give us the best overall value for our money. After I put all the information in and analyzed the data, the final difference between GiveSmart and the other top contender literally came down to $3 in total difference in costs over a period of 3 years. The way we made the ultimate choice to use GiveSmart is talking with one of our donors whom had used GiveSmart before and since that person was donating the first year cost of the software, we went with what this person was familiar and comfortable with. We believe that we made the right choice and have been thrilled with GiveSmart.
Usability
9
For the most part, GiveSmart is a great software to use. We just wish that some things like being able to change a ticket after purchase, using dollars and cents and not just dollars. These seem like easy fixes but haven't been upgraded so far.
Support Rating
10
I call, they answer and help me fix what went wrong. What more do you need?
Customization
I love the fact that GiveSmart allows us to completely customize the look and feel of our campaign based on what we are doing. We are able to change backgrounds, add videos, customize the layout, text and overall feel of each campaign. We customize each different campaign to evoke different emotions based on whom our attendees are while keep a consistent branding across all the campaigns we run on GiveSmart.
Other Software Used
Users and Roles
4
Development/Fundraising
Marketing
Executive Director
Bookkeeping
Support Headcount Required
1
We really use only our Development Officer as the principal person that uses GiveSmart. This person is responsible for creating the campaigns, maintaining the data base, reporting and executing the campaigns. This person also designs the look and feel of each campaign, entry of all the items and dealing with the customers when they have an issue. This is typical of a smaller nonprofit.
Business Processes Supported
  • Silent Auctions
  • Ticketing
  • Donor Management
Innovative Uses
  • We use this as a way to enter information for pledge drives
  • We have started using it to replace our CRM
Future Planned Uses
  • We'd like to use it to replace our current CRM but the full functionality of it isn't there yet
Likelihood to Renew
9
For the most part, we are very satisfied with GiveSmart. There are some additional functions we'd like to see it have and GiveSmart has been responsive in the past to add new features that nonprofits are looking for. Their support teams and account representatives are very friendly and helpful. The ease of their system allows a competent person to enter the data and create campaigns without having to have much technical knowledge.
Products Replaced
No
We reviewed and compared/contrasted two other mobile bidding software systems when we made the purchase.
Key Differentiators
  • Price
  • Product Features
  • Product Usability
  • Product Reputation
We compared and contrasted GiveSmart with another competitor when we made the purchasing decision. We did a complete ROI and it turned out the top two systems we compared (along with GiveSmart) came within $3 difference in a period of a year when all the known costs were figured into the equation. The functionality of each system were very similar and each had one or two "special features" that each claimed. However, in the end, for our needs, these "special features" really didn't matter. Our decision to go with GiveSmart literally came down to selecting the one that one of our top donors were used to using since we hadn't had a mobile bidding system before.
Evaluation Lessons Learned
We actually vetted each potential organization through a comprehensive ROI process. We also followed up with each organization's references that each supplied and they all checked out. For us, what it really came down to in our initial decision is we talked to all our stakeholders and the person that donated the purchase of this system was used to using GiveSmart so we went with GiveSmart. Honestly, we wouldn't change the way we evaluated the competing mobile bidding software systems as we were quite thorough.
Implementation Details / Implementation Partner
  • Implemented in-house
Implementation Phases
No
Change Management Lessons
Change management was minimal
We just made the change. We didn't have a mobile bidding software to begin with so there wasn't anything to change let alone managing the change.
Implementation Issues
  • None
Implementation Rating
9
We just made the change using the band-aid approach. In other words, we just went for it and taught the users how to do it at our first event and went from there. 90-95% of people haven't used a mobile bidding software so most everyone was on the same stage of knowledge so implementing it was easy as people didn't have to re-learn anything.
Training Types Used
  • Online training
Online Training
9
GiveSmart provides great training videos on their system. Not everything is covered with their videos but their support staff are very friendly and knowledgeable. I would have given them a ten but not everything is covered in their videos and sometimes you have to find the right word to search for in able to find the right training video.
Ease of GiveSmart Training
Yes, the training is very easy to learn without training. They use common words versus technical words so even a non-savvy tech person can figure out how to use their system. I'm sure that we are only utilizing less than 50% of GiveSmart's total functionality but that is fine with us as we are happy with our results. I'd recommend this as a way for a company to use.
Product Configurability
9
We didn't have to do anything to configure the software. It was already user ready so we just had to pay our invoice and go.
Configuration Lessons
We do not. We didn't have to configure GiveSmart.
UI Customization
No - we have not done any customization to the interface
Extensibility and Customization
No - we have not done any custom code
Additional Customization Considerations
None, sorry.
Premium Support
No. I didn't even know it was an option. However, even if it was an option we wouldn't have purchased it anyway as we are very satisfied with the level of support we get for free.
Bug Resolution
Yes
The issue was resolved within 24 hours which is very acceptable.
Exceptional Examples of GiveSmart Support
I tend to come up with some unique ideas for fundraising that tests the limits of their software functionality. GiveSmart has been very responsive and send the idea/issue up their change even to the VP level to get it figured out. That is impressive especially considering I never even had to escalate an issue or idea. They just solve the problem.
Easy Tasks
  • Creating/designing campaigns
  • Entering items
  • Reporting
Difficult Tasks
  • Changing a ticket once it's paid for
  • All thank you letters and statements come in one PDF for everyone versus for each person when you run the single report.
Mobile Interface Availability and Impressions
Yes
The mobile interface works excellently. You can't even tell the difference between the mobile and the computer based.
Scalability
10
For what GiveSmart is designed to do, the software works excellently. We haven't found something GiveSmart cannot do when it is used as designed. However, when GiveSmart is tried to be used as a total CRM, it doesn't do that but that is okay as it wasn't designed to be a total CRM but rather a mobile bidding software.
Reliability and Availability
10
We have had GiveSmart for over 2 years now and haven't had any instances where the program wasn't available during working/event hours.
Performance
10
We haven't had any issue regarding performance or reliability with GiveSmart. We don't integrate it with any other software so that issue isn't relevant. The pages load quickly and reports are completed almost as soon as you hit the "run" button. Overall, the system works as designed and is pretty quick when people use it.
Systems Integrated With
  • None
N/A
Future Integration Plans
  • None
N/A
Types of Integration
None
Ease of Integration
5
We haven't integrated GiveSmart with any other software.
Integration Lessons Learned
N/A
Pre-Sale Experience
10
When we were trying to decide which mobile bidding software to purchase, our sales rep took an hour and a half answering any and all my questions. He showed me the features and then as I had questions, he shared his screen and showed me how to do what I was wanting to do. He also recorded the entire session and then emailed me the recording so I could go back and compare that to their competitors.
Post-Sale Experience
10
Working with GiveSmart is great. We have our own dedicated account specialist who helps with any issues/questions that arise and if she can't answer my questions, she loops in her boss and both of them help me get to where I want to go. I haven't met one person at GiveSmart that isn't friendly, knowledgeable and responsive.
Key Negotiation Points
We didn't. We bought the package as is.
Dealing with Community Brands
Honestly, you don't need any tips, everyone at GiveSmart is very friendly, knowledgeable and accessible.
Upgrade Process
No
Upgrade Benefits
  • n/a
Anticipated Benefits from Future Upgrades
  • n/a
Future Edition Upgrade Plans
No
Migrating Between Editions
No
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