How switching from Raiser's Edge to Bloomerang maximized a $6M portfolio
Key Nonprofit Highlights
The Frances Mahon Deaconess Hospital Foundation faced significant challenges with their outdated Blackbaud Raiser’s Edge 7 (Database View), which was clunky, difficult to navigate, and offered little to no support. They found their solution in Bloomerang’s Giving Platform, praising its user-friendliness, affordability, and exceptional customer support, with stress-free onboarding and dedicated team assistance. The results were transformative: streamlined donor and event management, enhanced online fundraising, and the introduction of features like GiftAssist—ultimately resulting in more recurring monthly donations. Year-end reporting became effortless with Bloomerang coaching sessions. The Bloomerang team made FMDH Foundation’s one-person show feel like she gained a team of 50, enabling less focus on administrative burdens and more on impact.
Challenge
Difficulty growing past Blackbaud’s clunky nonprofit CRM
Located in Glasgow, Montana, the Frances Mahon Deaconess Hospital Foundation (FMDH) battled against Blackbaud’s clunky, outdated CRM system that didn’t feel like a modern nonprofit management tool. Blackbaud Raiser’s Edge Database View was not only difficult to navigate but also plagued with technical issues and an unsupportive customer service experience.
“What wasn’t a struggle? Their support team could never answer my questions, and I felt like I was using software from the 1990s, which I probably was. Raiser’s Edge is incredibly expensive for the lack of help and resources they offer. Nothing about it felt streamlined,” explained Taylor Hohlen, Foundation Coordinator. “I felt like I was lied to. I had two products that weren’t working for me, and I had absolutely no support. None of my constituent records would load, it was hard to run reports, and there was no option for newsletters. For a lot of our online donations, I was running them myself because they wouldn’t integrate with our hospital’s website, so I was really frustrated.”
Inefficiencies in the installed Raiser’s Edge system were draining resources and time necessary to manage the foundation’s $6 million portfolio. As a one-woman team managing marketing, donor engagement, and event coordination, Hohlen knew she needed a better solution—one that was intuitive, budget-friendly, and reliable for a nonprofit of their size.
Solution
Finding the easy-to-use partner for success in Bloomerang
After searching for databases tailored to the needs of the FMDH Foundation, Bloomerang’s Giving Platform stood out. “From the moment I met with someone at Bloomerang, I knew it was the right fit,” Hohlen explained. “It’s within our price range, customer support is wonderful, and it’s a really user-friendly platform that has everything I was looking for.”
The onboarding process was quick, stress-free for the FMDH Foundation. Unlike Hohlen’s prior experience with Raiser’s Edge, Bloomerang’s team stayed engaged every step of the way. “It’s quite a process to switch to a new CRM, get converted, and then receive training. I feel from start to finish, the process was as seamless as it could be.”
Hohlen also noted how Bloomerang’s team members went beyond expectations. “Blake still keeps in touch, even though he was my sales rep!” she said. “Haley guided me through the data migration. And John tailored my coaching sessions to what he knew would be helpful, like helping me set up year-end tax statements.”
Results
Switching to Bloomerang increased recurring donors and unlocked fundraising tools
The impact of Bloomerang’s Giving Platform was immediate and measurable. One of the most notable shifts came in donor engagement. Streamlined processes for recurring donations allowed supporters to manage their own giving independently, freeing Hohlen from time-consuming manual tasks. “We’ve had more people sign up for monthly giving, because now they are able to sign up themselves,” said Hohlen. “We’ve added three new recurring donors, which might not seem like a lot but we only had five before so it nearly doubled! I was actually manually doing all that before, so that uptick has been nice.”
Bloomerang’s GiftAssist feature also improved online fundraising by allowing donors to cover credit card fees—something Raiser’s Edge never even offered. “For this year’s event, 119 guests paid online, and 80% of them used GiftAssist. With our GiftAssist set at 3.5%, we made roughly $335 more this year compared to previous years!”
Flexible tools like customizable event forms and online donation features allowed the FMDH Foundation’s operations to become streamlined and efficient. Online ticket sales for their gala also improved, with automated features ensuring a smooth experience for attendees and a boost to funds raised. “We sold out of all 200 tickets two weeks in advance of the event. In the past, we’ve sold out, but typically only a day or two before,” explained Hohlen. “I credit selling out so far in advance to the ease of buying tickets online! Before, if people wanted to pay online, they had to call me and I manually processed their credit card, or they had to find someone selling a physical ticket. This year it was so easy!”
Even administrative tasks and donor communication became simpler. Year-end donor statements are dramatically less time-consuming with Bloomerang. Giving statements turn what used to take months into minutes. “It saves so much time and stress,” Hohlen added. “And I’ve always wanted to do a newsletter but our old platform wouldn’t let me, so I’m pumped about that! If you want a platform that is a lot more intuitive to use, and you’re looking to spend less time working on the business side of things, Bloomerang is it.”
But what stands out most to Hohlen is the people behind the platform. “Running the foundation is a one-person show, so it’s been invaluable to feel like I always have people to answer my questions every step of the way. It felt like gaining a team of 50, even though I’m a team of one.”
