10 Fundraising Tools for Small Nonprofits (Most Are Free)
Many small nonprofits have a systems problem.
Here are a few we see all the time:
Paying full price for software they could get for free
Signing up for the wrong tools
Or losing donors from hidden fees in their giving platforms
Most of the best fundraising tools are either free for 501(c)(3) organizations or steeply discounted. The rest don't cost much when you're picky about what you really need.
I've spent enough time testing, reviewing demos, and struggling with various tools to have strong opinions about what's worth using. To save you that same time and stress, I’ve curated a list of my favorite free and low-cost tools.
They all have 3 things in common:
Transparent, donor-friendly pricing
Aligned with a systems-first approach to fundraising
Reasonable setup process that doesn't require a consultant
This is the toolkit I’d use if I were starting a new development office today.
Small Nonprofit Resource Toolkit
1. TechSoup: Free & Discounted Subscriptions for Nonprofits
What it is: A platform that unlocks discounts across dozens of software companies.
Cost: Free to join. Most discounted products have small admin fees.
Many small nonprofits don’t have a TechSoup account, which means they pay full price for tools when they don’t have to. With an account, you’ll get access to free and low-cost subscriptions to Microsoft, Google, Adobe, QuickBooks, and many others.
How to set it up:
Have your IRS determination letter and EIN ready before applying
Create an account at techsoup.org
Once verified, use TechSoup as the gateway to apply for common subscription services
Set it up once and keep the savings for as long as your 501(c)(3) status is active.
2. Canva for Nonprofits: Design Software
What it is: A design platform that gives verified nonprofits free access to all the premium features of Canva Pro.
Cost: Free for one team of up to 50 users. Additional seats are 50% off on Canva Enterprise.
What's included:
Premium templates for social posts, presentations, infographics, posters, flyers, and reports
Over 100 million premium images and videos
Thousands of fonts and designer-made templates
Team collaboration tools and shared brand kits
Access to Affinity for advanced photo editing and layout
You can even design and schedule your social media content directly from Canva.
How to set it up:
Apply at canva.com/canva-for-nonprofits (approval usually takes about 72 hours)
Build a brand kit with your logo, colors, and fonts so everything you create stays consistent
Set up reusable templates for appeal letters, social posts, newsletters, and event flyers.
Design is one of the biggest bottlenecks I see for small teams. A fundraiser shouldn't have to wait 3 weeks for a board member's nephew to finish the event flyer. Canva empowers the fundraising team to build what they need on their own timeline.
3. Donorbox: Transparent, Low-Cost Online Giving
What it is: A donation form platform that drops into any website and pairs with any donor database.
Cost:
Standard tier: no monthly fee, 1.5% platform fee on donations (plus standard payment processing)
Higher tiers add advanced features for a predictable monthly cost
Donorbox provides:
Simple donation forms
Recurring giving
Event ticketing
It also plays nicely with any CRM, so you're not locked into one system.
And if you’re not ready for a CRM, but you need an affordable online donation tool, give Donorbox a try.
A quick note on "free" online giving platforms:
Many of the most popular "free" platforms run on a so-called tipping model. The donor is prompted to add a tip, often pre-selected at 15% to 20% of their gift, to cover the platform's costs. The platform looks free to the nonprofit, but the cost gets shifted to the donor on top of standard transaction fees.
This can erode donor trust, which is foundational to donor retention. Donorbox is upfront about its pricing. The nonprofit pays a small, predictable platform fee, and the donor pays only what they intended to give.
How to use it:
Use Donorbox for your primary website donation form and recurring giving program
Add it to event pages when you need ticketing
Ensure donor data flows cleanly from Donorbox into your CRM
Skip the temptation of a "free" tipping platform to preserve donor relationships
The online giving experience is one of the most important touch points you have with a donor. When it feels honest, it strengthens the relationship. When it feels misleading, donors notice and may not return.
4. Candid: Nonprofit Profile for Donors
What it is: The nonprofit information hub formed by the merger of GuideStar and Foundation Center. It's the data source DAF managers, donors, and funders use to research organizations.
Cost: Free to claim and update your nonprofit profile. Paid Foundation Directory subscriptions are available for grant research, with discounted access for small nonprofits that earn a Gold Seal.
Donor-Advised Funds (DAFs) are one of the largest sources of charitable giving in the country, and Candid is the database behind that ecosystem.
Fidelity Charitable, the largest DAF sponsor in the U.S., facilitated almost $18.3 billion in grants to nearly 227,000 charitable organizations in 2025. Their donors can search for charities to support by tax ID or name, and the profile they see comes from Candid.
If your Candid profile is empty, outdated, or unclaimed, a donor researching where to send their DAF grant has nothing to read.
What claiming your profile gets you:
A complete, updated record that DAF donors, foundations, and individual prospects see when they search for you
Eligibility for a Seal of Transparency (Bronze, Silver, Gold, or Platinum), which signals credibility to funders
A 2026 Bronze Seal makes you eligible to receive donations through Apple Pay
Small nonprofits earning a Gold Seal qualify for free Candid Premium for a year, including access to the Foundation Directory for grant research
Candid's own research shows Seal holders earn an average of 62% more in contributions
How to set it up:
Claim your organization at candid.org
Complete every section: mission, programs, financials, leadership, and demographics
Add your EIN to your website so DAF donors can find you faster
Aim for a Bronze or Silver Seal in your first year, and Gold when you're ready
For something that's free and takes a couple hours to set up, the return is hard to beat. Donors are already searching for organizations to support. Give them something worth reading when they land on your page.
5. FreeWill: Planned Giving Without a Planned Giving Officer
What it is: A platform that gives donors free online estate planning tools and helps nonprofits accept bequests, stock gifts, IRA gifts, and DAF donations.
Cost: Free for donors. Nonprofit partners pay an annual subscription based on organization size and chosen products.
Why it matters for small nonprofits:
Gifts made through FreeWill estate plans are nearly 5 times larger than typical bequests
Small nonprofits without a dedicated planned giving officer can still build a real legacy giving program
How to use it:
Book a consultation if your organization is ready to start a planned giving program
Even without a paid partnership, your donors can use FreeWill and choose your organization as a beneficiary
Consider promoting this tool in August as part of National Make-A-Will Month
Make sure your team knows how to record and steward bequest intentions when they come in. The gift may not arrive for years, but the relationship starts the day a donor tells you about it.
Planned giving is one of the most overlooked revenue streams for small nonprofits, usually because no one has the time or expertise to start a program. FreeWill makes the entry point easier.
The harder part comes after, when you have to actually steward the donor in the years between intent and gift. Most organizations let that relationship cool, and the legacy program never takes root.
6. Bloomerang: A Donor Database Built for Retention
What it is: A nonprofit CRM focused on donor retention and engagement, with integrated fundraising tools and a built-in AI assistant called Penny.
Many CRMs do a fine job of storing donor records. But Bloomerang helps you keep your donors. Their engagement meters, retention dashboards, and data hygiene tools are built around what happens after a gift comes in.
What's included:
Unlimited users on every plan
Nightly NCOA updates, deceased donor suppression, and duplicate detection (the kind of data hygiene work that usually happens manually)
Engagement meters that show donor relationship health at a glance
Custom fields for moves management and major-donor workflows
Penny, the built-in AI assistant, for data analysis and donor strategy
A retention-focused dashboard built around the metrics that matters most
Bloomerang isn't the cheapest tool on this list, but it’s one of my go-to resources for growing organizations. I’ve been a Bloomerang user since the company started. It’s hands down the most user-friendly, easy-to-learn, and adaptable system out there.
Sprout Tools Built for Small Teams
The next several tools are ones we built for small nonprofits using a systems-first approach.
7. SproutTable: A Donor Database for Small Nonprofits
What it is: Sprout's donor database built for small teams with under 300 individual donors, who aren’t ready for a full CRM like Bloomerang.
Best for: Startups and early-stage nonprofits who need a home for donor tracking but aren't yet running a complex development program.
A lot of small organizations start with a spreadsheet that they quickly outgrow, then jump into a CRM that's bigger than they need. SproutTable bridges that gap.
What's included:
Consolidated donor and giving history in one searchable database
Automated tagging and welcome workflows
Lapsed donor and monthly giving prospect views
Clean integration with your email platform
A done-in-a-day VIP setup option for teams who want it built for them
If your donor data is scattered across spreadsheets, email lists, and inboxes, SproutTable pulls it into one place that's actually usable.
Pair SproutTable with these free tools:
A masterclass that teaches you how to use data to fundraise more
A Data Cleanup Checklist for getting organized fast
8. Fundraising Focus Planner: An All-In-One Digital Planning Tool
What it is: Sprout's all-in-one digital planner for streamlining fundraising. You can use it in any notetaking app (my favorite is Goodnotes), or print it out if you prefer a paper feel.
Best for: Development Directors who want to be more intentional with their time.
A planner sounds simple, but for many fundraisers, it’s the piece that's missing between strategy and execution. You can know what needs to happen and still lose track of it across emails, board meetings, and donor calls.
What's included:
Monthly planning pages for donors, stewardship, deadlines, and campaign milestones
Weekly pages built around the 6 priorities that matter most
Note templates, lined pages, checklists, and flexible layouts
A planning system designed to flex with your role and goals
9. Sprout Playbooks: Free Nonprofit Guides
Fundraising Roadmap eBook: A step-by-step guide for building a solid fundraising foundation and consistent revenue.
Email Marketing eBook: A practical playbook for creating high-impact email campaigns, mini-campaigns, and new donor journeys.
Direct Mail eBook: A complete guide to direct mail fundraising for organizations who want to invest in traditional channels without wasting money.
30 Smart Prompts for Bloomerang’s Penny: Ready-to-use AI prompts that turn Bloomerang's built-in AI assistant into a strategic tool.
10. Sprout Consulting Call: 30 Minutes of Strategic Planning
What it is: A free 30-minute consultation with our team at Sprout Fundraising & Consulting.
Best for: Leaders who've read this list and want help getting started with the right tools.
How to Know You're Ready for Infrastructure Growth
Tools alone don’t make fundraising sustainable. A platform without a system is just one more headache. Use this list to choose the right tools for your organization.
Need help with setup? At Sprout, we function as your Integrated Development Team, building systems that empower your nonprofit to fundraise more long term.
Without a strong fundraising foundation, even the best fundraisers will eventually walk away. Our goal is to keep that from ever happening to you.
