Raiser's Edge

Raiser's Edge is very similar to other database programs I've worked with and I wouldn't say it is better or worse. I wasn't involved with our organization's selection of Raiser's Edge, but I believe this decision was made because it is a popular tool with good customer support. Raiser's Edge allows us to take care of most of our data needs.

Raiser's Edge is probably the highest functioning database that I've used and it has many positive qualities. I think overall it is a very useful and accurate product, though it could use several updates that other, newer CMS and databases have already instituted.

Raiser's Edge has very strong tracking capabilities that allow deep segmentation. It is also very flexible in adding and removing fields and tables.

We have used several of Blackbaud’s products and have found Raiser’s Edge NXT to ultimately be the best option for our organization. Upgrading to Blackbaud’s raisers Edge from our previous constituent management database was a huge improvement for our entire organization and offered much more advancement opportunities for our staff.

In the non- profit sector, there aren't many other options aside from The Raisers Edge.

Raisers Edge was robust enough to be able to handle all of our data. It also helped that they came out with NXT, the web-based version to all our Major Gift Officers to work on the road. They used to have to keep personal notes and enter them when they were back in the office, but with the web-based version they could enter them in real-time allowing notes to be more accurate.

I used Advance at another institution before my arrival at UCA. I would easily rate The Raisers Edge higher than Advance. However, the prior institution may have updated the CRM to better compete with The Raisers Edge. Yet, I have found The Raisers Edge to be more user-friendly and functional than Advance.

I have only used FundMaster and that is nowhere near Blackbaud's Raiser's Edge Enterprise plus it no longer exists.

Raiser's Edge is the Cadillac of fundraising software. I really don't believe it can be beat. It is a heavy database, but I think it is still fairly intuitive to navigate. There is a web view (NXT), which is an expensive add-on, but looks much nicer (though has limited functionality) for people who need to access, but not necessarily swim in the data.

Blackbaud CRM is an enterprise solution that adds more features, better reporting using the SSRS platform, and is web-based vs thin client. Salesforce, meanwhile, is a robust application where expanding the functionality is done via configurations vs full code, while allowing developers to assist with complex customizations. Salesforce does not have a robust sub-ledger journal, which makes fundraising more challenging for Finance.

Our university already was using Raisers Edge before I started here five years ago. However, I have used Kindful in the past and thought their system was more user-friendly.

We made a transition to Raisers Edge from Donor drive 6 years ago and considered a Salesforce solution at the time. We found RE to be the most suitable for our overall needs.

Raiser’s Edge is by far the most powerful tool in its price range. With constant development, partners with plug-in options and multiple consultant alternatives, there is nothing else available in the same price range. It has good support, customer success managers to aid you in your specific needs, and great training tools and help materials with easy online access.

It provides a complete package without any needs missing. We are able to do everything we need to do within one database.

I've used GiftMakerPro and Salesforce, and two custom built databases. Raisers Edge is by far the most sophisticated. Salesforce was far less expensive, and though it didn't provide as much space for complexity, it was well suited to small offices. GiftMakerPro was better at grant management. Custom databases are a consistent disaster because the people who designed them didn't understand the nature of the work, and then they leave the organization and no one knows how to continue adding features to their creation.

Raisers Edge was the system used when I started at the organization. We recently explored other software solutions to allow the entire institution (gift shop, cafe, guest services, hospitality, education) to use the same database, but none of the alternatives had the same kind of fundraising support that Raisers Edge has.

The Raisers Edge stores information in a more organized fashion and prompts you to do action items. The Raisers Edge is also much more friendly to outputting data and easily searchable.

Salesforce has a more modern feel and I felt that it was easier to perform functions beyond the basics, such as running reports for analysis, on Salesforce. But The Raisers Edge already existed at my company and given that I only needed it for basic functions and did not need much training to do those, I decided to use The Raisers Edge.

I have only used Salesforce in the past and I feel you get the most for your money with Raisers especially if you invest a little more in NXT. We currently use Blackbaud website hosting along with target analytics. I feel Blackbaud has a vast group of tools to add to benefits of Raisers including target gift range and other tools to track giving capacity. Salesforce is a little more user friendly and has a more modern look however NXT is the new Raisers update.

I have extensively evaluated Salesforce and I think RE is a dinosaur comparatively. It just doesn't have the customizations available to make it work as seamlessly as Salesforce.

I have used Banner, Colleague, and more DIY solutions like FileMakerPro and Excel as databases. While I did not personally selected RE as the database for my organization, compared to other database solutions that I have used it is exceptionally functional and user-friendly. The level of detail that RE is able to capture in an organized manner, the ability to easily create custom queries and exports, as well as new advances in integrated payments, mobile solution, and integration with other internal (NetCommunity) and external (Salesforce) software, make it stand out.

Tessitura has a fully integrated ticketing system and the ability to be notified when a donor walks into your space. It is much better at predicting donor behavior because it is able to track full engagement with your organization not just donor-specific engagement such as events and donations. However, Raisers Edge is a better fundraising database and is more nuanced in its ability to track donor specific information.

Raiser's Edge is far superior to eTapestry in terms of queries, reporting, depth of data, analytics, and ease of use. eTapestry is a great product for small shops but our organization simply out grew it as our need to enhance our fundraising efforts, increase the channels through which we fundraise, and our our need for increased major donor support became a reality for us.

Top product with great customer service.

We have not used or evaluated other products as we are happy with the value Raiser's Edge provides us with.