Quick Overview
- 1#1: Blackbaud Raiser's Edge NXT - Enterprise fundraising CRM excelling in major gift pipeline management, prospect research, and donor stewardship.
- 2#2: Salesforce Nonprofit Cloud - Highly customizable cloud CRM with advanced tools for major donor cultivation, tracking, and personalized engagement.
- 3#3: DonorPerfect - Comprehensive fundraising software featuring major gift tracking, reporting, and relationship management for nonprofits.
- 4#4: Virtuous CRM - AI-driven fundraising platform optimizing major donor journeys with automation and insights.
- 5#5: Bloomerang - User-friendly donor management tool focused on building lasting relationships for major gift fundraising.
- 6#6: NeonCRM - Flexible nonprofit CRM with strong capabilities for major gift solicitation and donor portfolio management.
- 7#7: Bonterra - Integrated fundraising and donor engagement platform supporting major gift strategies and advocacy.
- 8#8: Classy - Online fundraising platform with tools for major donor campaigns and personalized giving experiences.
- 9#9: iWave - Prospect research software providing wealth screening and analytics essential for identifying major gift prospects.
- 10#10: WealthEngine - Data intelligence platform for donor prospecting and modeling to support major gift fundraising efforts.
Tools were rigorously evaluated based on key factors: robust features (including pipeline management, prospect research, and automation), user-friendly design, reliability, and overall value, ensuring they empower nonprofits to streamline processes and drive fundraising success.
Comparison Table
This comparison table evaluates top major gift software tools including Blackbaud Raiser's Edge NXT, Salesforce Nonprofit Cloud, DonorPerfect, Virtuous CRM, Bloomerang, and more, highlighting key features, usability, and target use cases. Readers will gain clarity on how each platform aligns with their organizational needs, from donor relationship management to campaign effectiveness, to make an informed selection.
| # | Tool | Category | Overall | Features | Ease of Use | Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Blackbaud Raiser's Edge NXT Enterprise fundraising CRM excelling in major gift pipeline management, prospect research, and donor stewardship. | enterprise | 9.3/10 | 9.6/10 | 7.8/10 | 8.5/10 |
| 2 | Salesforce Nonprofit Cloud Highly customizable cloud CRM with advanced tools for major donor cultivation, tracking, and personalized engagement. | enterprise | 9.2/10 | 9.8/10 | 7.4/10 | 8.1/10 |
| 3 | DonorPerfect Comprehensive fundraising software featuring major gift tracking, reporting, and relationship management for nonprofits. | specialized | 8.6/10 | 9.1/10 | 8.0/10 | 8.2/10 |
| 4 | Virtuous CRM AI-driven fundraising platform optimizing major donor journeys with automation and insights. | specialized | 8.7/10 | 9.2/10 | 8.4/10 | 8.1/10 |
| 5 | Bloomerang User-friendly donor management tool focused on building lasting relationships for major gift fundraising. | specialized | 8.1/10 | 7.7/10 | 9.2/10 | 8.4/10 |
| 6 | NeonCRM Flexible nonprofit CRM with strong capabilities for major gift solicitation and donor portfolio management. | specialized | 7.8/10 | 7.5/10 | 8.5/10 | 9.2/10 |
| 7 | Bonterra Integrated fundraising and donor engagement platform supporting major gift strategies and advocacy. | enterprise | 8.2/10 | 8.5/10 | 7.8/10 | 7.6/10 |
| 8 | Classy Online fundraising platform with tools for major donor campaigns and personalized giving experiences. | specialized | 7.1/10 | 6.7/10 | 8.2/10 | 6.4/10 |
| 9 | iWave Prospect research software providing wealth screening and analytics essential for identifying major gift prospects. | specialized | 8.4/10 | 9.2/10 | 7.8/10 | 8.0/10 |
| 10 | WealthEngine Data intelligence platform for donor prospecting and modeling to support major gift fundraising efforts. | specialized | 7.6/10 | 8.4/10 | 6.9/10 | 6.8/10 |
Enterprise fundraising CRM excelling in major gift pipeline management, prospect research, and donor stewardship.
Highly customizable cloud CRM with advanced tools for major donor cultivation, tracking, and personalized engagement.
Comprehensive fundraising software featuring major gift tracking, reporting, and relationship management for nonprofits.
AI-driven fundraising platform optimizing major donor journeys with automation and insights.
User-friendly donor management tool focused on building lasting relationships for major gift fundraising.
Flexible nonprofit CRM with strong capabilities for major gift solicitation and donor portfolio management.
Integrated fundraising and donor engagement platform supporting major gift strategies and advocacy.
Online fundraising platform with tools for major donor campaigns and personalized giving experiences.
Prospect research software providing wealth screening and analytics essential for identifying major gift prospects.
Data intelligence platform for donor prospecting and modeling to support major gift fundraising efforts.
Blackbaud Raiser's Edge NXT
enterpriseEnterprise fundraising CRM excelling in major gift pipeline management, prospect research, and donor stewardship.
The Bio File system, providing a 360-degree view of donor relationships, interactions, and giving history in one centralized profile
Blackbaud Raiser's Edge NXT is a premier cloud-based CRM platform tailored for nonprofit fundraising, excelling in major gift management with comprehensive donor profiles, prospecting tools, and relationship tracking. It enables organizations to identify high-value prospects through integrated wealth screening, manage solicitation pipelines, and deliver personalized stewardship experiences. With advanced reporting, analytics, and mobile accessibility, it supports complex fundraising strategies at scale.
Pros
- Exceptional donor database with unlimited relationships and householding for deep major gift insights
- Seamless integration with wealth screening services like WealthEngine for prospect identification
- Robust pipeline management, reporting, and analytics tailored to major gifts
Cons
- Steep learning curve and complex interface requiring training
- High implementation costs and time (often 6-12 months)
- Premium pricing that may not suit smaller organizations
Best For
Large nonprofits and universities with sophisticated major gift programs needing enterprise-level donor management.
Pricing
Custom quote-based pricing; typically $5,000-$20,000+ per month depending on user count, modules, and organization size.
Salesforce Nonprofit Cloud
enterpriseHighly customizable cloud CRM with advanced tools for major donor cultivation, tracking, and personalized engagement.
AI-powered Einstein Relationship Insights for predictive donor engagement and next-best-action recommendations
Salesforce Nonprofit Cloud is a robust CRM platform tailored for nonprofits, providing end-to-end donor management, fundraising automation, and relationship tracking optimized for major gift fundraising. It enables organizations to build personalized donor pipelines, conduct wealth screening, and execute targeted stewardship campaigns using AI-driven insights and customizable workflows. Built on the Salesforce ecosystem, it scales from mid-sized to enterprise-level nonprofits with seamless integrations for payments, events, and analytics.
Pros
- Highly customizable with unlimited scalability for complex donor pipelines
- Advanced AI analytics and wealth screening integrations for major gift identification
- Extensive ecosystem of apps and real-time collaboration tools
Cons
- Steep learning curve requiring training or consultants for setup
- Premium pricing can be prohibitive without nonprofit discounts
- Overkill for smaller teams without dedicated IT support
Best For
Mid-to-large nonprofits with sophisticated major gift programs needing enterprise-grade customization and integrations.
Pricing
Tiered nonprofit pricing starts with free NPSP for basics (up to 10 users), Growth at ~$36/user/month, Enterprise custom from $5,000+/year plus add-ons.
DonorPerfect
specializedComprehensive fundraising software featuring major gift tracking, reporting, and relationship management for nonprofits.
Built-in Fundraising Intelligence with automated scoring and prospecting alerts for major donor identification
DonorPerfect is a comprehensive cloud-based donor management CRM tailored for nonprofits, enabling organizations to track donor interactions, manage fundraising campaigns, and process online donations efficiently. It excels in centralizing donor data for relationship building, with robust tools for segmentation, reporting, and automation that support major gift fundraising. Key capabilities include prospect research integration, gift pipeline tracking, and personalized solicitation workflows, making it a solid choice for scaling major donor programs.
Pros
- Extensive donor database with advanced segmentation for major gift targeting
- Powerful reporting and analytics for tracking gift pipelines
- Seamless integrations with wealth screening tools like iWave
Cons
- Interface can feel dated and less intuitive for new users
- Pricing scales quickly with contact volume, challenging for smaller orgs
- Advanced customization often requires professional services
Best For
Mid-sized nonprofits with established donor bases looking to optimize major gift officer workflows and donor stewardship.
Pricing
Custom quotes starting at ~$115/month for basic plans, scaling with contacts (e.g., $200+/month for 5K+ records) plus add-ons.
Virtuous CRM
specializedAI-driven fundraising platform optimizing major donor journeys with automation and insights.
AI-powered 'Next Best Action' recommendations for personalized major donor engagement
Virtuous CRM is a cloud-based donor management platform designed specifically for nonprofits, with a strong emphasis on major gift fundraising and relationship cultivation. It offers comprehensive tools like 360-degree donor profiles, automated workflows, pipeline management, and engagement scoring to help teams identify and steward high-value donors. The platform integrates fundraising automation, reporting dashboards, and mobile accessibility to streamline major gift strategies from prospecting to solicitation.
Pros
- Advanced donor engagement scoring and pipeline visualization tailored for major gifts
- Robust automation for workflows, tasks, and stewardship plans
- Excellent reporting and analytics with customizable dashboards
Cons
- Pricing can be steep for smaller organizations
- Some advanced customizations require developer support
- Limited built-in prospect research compared to dedicated tools
Best For
Mid-sized nonprofits focused on scaling major gift programs through data-driven donor relationships.
Pricing
Custom pricing starting at around $600/month, scaling with organization size and features; annual contracts common.
Bloomerang
specializedUser-friendly donor management tool focused on building lasting relationships for major gift fundraising.
Donor Engagement Meter that automatically scores donor loyalty based on giving history and interactions
Bloomerang is a cloud-based donor management CRM tailored for nonprofits, emphasizing donor retention and relationship building through comprehensive tracking of interactions, gifts, and engagement. For major gift fundraising, it provides donor profiles, segmentation, task workflows, and integrations with wealth screening tools like iWave to identify and cultivate high-value prospects. While versatile for general fundraising, it supports major gift officers with pipeline management and reporting, though it's more generalized than specialized major gift platforms.
Pros
- Highly intuitive interface with minimal training required
- Strong focus on donor retention via engagement scoring
- Responsive customer support and onboarding
Cons
- Limited advanced pipeline customization for complex major gift strategies
- Reporting lacks depth for enterprise-level major donor analytics
- Wealth tools require paid integrations
Best For
Small to mid-sized nonprofits seeking user-friendly donor management with solid major gift cultivation capabilities without high complexity.
Pricing
Starts at $119/month (Starter, up to 500 contacts), $159/month (Growth), up to $429/month (Pro); volume-based pricing for larger lists, plus add-ons.
NeonCRM
specializedFlexible nonprofit CRM with strong capabilities for major gift solicitation and donor portfolio management.
Seamless household and relationship mapping for tracking complex donor networks
NeonCRM is a cloud-based CRM platform tailored for nonprofits, providing donor management, online fundraising, event registration, and membership tools. For major gift software, it offers donor segmentation, relationship tracking, pledge management, and basic pipeline reporting to support cultivation and stewardship efforts. While versatile for general fundraising, it excels in affordability and ease for smaller organizations but lacks some advanced prospecting features found in specialized tools.
Pros
- Highly affordable pricing scalable by contacts
- Intuitive interface with mobile app support
- Strong donor segmentation and reporting basics
Cons
- Limited native wealth screening and prospecting tools
- Reporting lacks depth for complex major gift pipelines
- Customization requires technical know-how
Best For
Small to mid-sized nonprofits seeking a budget-friendly, user-friendly CRM for basic major donor tracking and general fundraising.
Pricing
Starts at $99/month for up to 1,000 contacts, scaling with volume (e.g., $399/month for 10,000); custom enterprise quotes available.
Bonterra
enterpriseIntegrated fundraising and donor engagement platform supporting major gift strategies and advocacy.
AI-Guided Fundraising, which delivers personalized, data-backed recommendations for donor engagement and solicitation strategies
Bonterra is a cloud-based CRM platform tailored for nonprofits, offering specialized tools for major gift fundraising such as donor pipeline management, relationship tracking, and wealth screening integrations. It enables major gift officers to build personalized engagement plans, visualize giving pipelines, and leverage AI-driven insights to identify high-potential donors. The software supports collaborative workflows and reporting to optimize major gift strategies across teams.
Pros
- Robust pipeline visualization and management tools
- AI-powered donor insights and next-best-action recommendations
- Seamless integrations with wealth screening services like iWave
Cons
- Steep learning curve for advanced features
- Pricing can be high for smaller organizations
- Some reporting customization requires technical support
Best For
Mid-sized nonprofits with dedicated major gifts teams needing scalable CRM and data-driven donor strategies.
Pricing
Custom quote-based pricing; typically starts at $10,000-$20,000 annually depending on user count and modules.
Classy
specializedOnline fundraising platform with tools for major donor campaigns and personalized giving experiences.
Classy Live for real-time event fundraising displays that boost donor engagement during major gift cultivation events
Classy (classy.org) is a comprehensive digital fundraising platform tailored for nonprofits, specializing in online campaigns, peer-to-peer fundraising, events, and auctions. It includes donor management tools within its CRM to track giving history, segment donors, and generate reports, which can support basic major gift strategies. However, it is not a dedicated major gift solution, lacking advanced pipeline management, prospecting, and relationship-tracking features typical of specialized tools.
Pros
- Intuitive interface for quick campaign launches and donor tracking
- Strong analytics and reporting for fundraising performance
- Seamless integrations with popular CRMs like Salesforce and Blackbaud
Cons
- Limited specialized tools for major gift pipelines, wealth screening, or solicitor assignments
- Pricing can be steep for organizations not heavily relying on digital campaigns
- Overemphasis on transactional online giving rather than long-term donor cultivation
Best For
Mid-sized nonprofits blending digital campaigns and events with basic major donor management.
Pricing
Custom enterprise pricing, often 3-5% of gross revenue processed or annual subscriptions starting at $10,000-$50,000+ based on volume.
iWave
specializedProspect research software providing wealth screening and analytics essential for identifying major gift prospects.
Proprietary Philanthropy Research with affinity scoring to match prospects' giving history to your organization's cause
iWave is a specialized prospect research platform for nonprofits, focusing on wealth screening, philanthropy intelligence, and donor profiling to support major gift fundraising. It aggregates data from over 40 billion records, including verified wealth indicators like SEC filings, real estate, and political contributions, to help identify high-capacity prospects. The tool offers batch screening, individual profiles, and predictive scoring to prioritize outreach efforts effectively.
Pros
- Extensive, accurate wealth and philanthropy data from premium sources
- Powerful batch screening and predictive modeling for prospect prioritization
- Robust integrations with major CRMs like Salesforce and Blackbaud
Cons
- Steep learning curve for non-expert users due to data complexity
- Custom pricing often exceeds budgets for smaller organizations
- Primarily research-focused, lacking full pipeline management tools
Best For
Mid-to-large nonprofits with dedicated research teams focused on data-driven major donor identification.
Pricing
Quote-based pricing; entry-level plans start around $12,000-$20,000 annually, scaling with user count, screenings, and advanced features.
WealthEngine
specializedData intelligence platform for donor prospecting and modeling to support major gift fundraising efforts.
Proprietary AI Wealth Score that predicts donor capacity and affinity with precision
WealthEngine is a wealth intelligence platform specializing in donor prospecting and screening for nonprofits targeting major gifts. It aggregates vast data on over 500 million profiles, including assets, real estate, income, philanthropy, and political giving, to create detailed donor profiles. The tool uses AI-driven scoring and analytics to prioritize high-potential major donors and supports CRM integrations for streamlined workflows.
Pros
- Extensive database with real-time wealth and philanthropic data
- AI-powered Wealth Scores and predictive analytics for donor prioritization
- Strong integrations with CRMs like Salesforce and Blackbaud
Cons
- High pricing that may not suit smaller organizations
- Steep learning curve and complex interface for non-technical users
- Occasional data accuracy issues requiring manual verification
Best For
Mid-to-large nonprofits with dedicated development teams seeking advanced wealth screening for major gift pipelines.
Pricing
Custom quote-based pricing; one-time screenings start at $0.20-$1 per record, subscriptions from $5,000+/month for enterprise access.
Conclusion
The top three tools represent the pinnacle of major gift software, with Blackbaud Raiser's Edge NXT leading due to its standout enterprise features in pipeline management, prospect research, and donor stewardship. Salesforce Nonprofit Cloud and DonorPerfect follow, offering robust customization and comprehensive tracking, respectively, to suit varied organizational needs. Together, these tools demonstrate the power of modern software in enhancing major gift fundraising, whether through advanced CRM capabilities or tailored data insights.
Start maximizing your major gift efforts by exploring Blackbaud Raiser's Edge NXT—an investment in stronger donor relationships and greater impact.
Tools Reviewed
All tools were independently evaluated for this comparison