Book Preview: What Types of Software Could Assist Your Organization?

Looking for ways to streamline your nonprofit organization's processes? Many times, implementing software to automate certain processes can increase efficiency and even save money in the long-term. However, it can be a daunting endeavor that raises many questions. For instance, what types of software should your nonprofit be using? What products are available, and which would work best for your particular organization?

Idealware recently released "The Idealware 2010 Field Guide to Nonprofit Software: Fundraising, Communications and Outreach" in hopes of assisting nonprofits in addressing these and other related questions. According to the book's foreword, written by Idealware Founder and Executive Director Laura S. Quinn, the guide is a summary of more than four years of software-related research that included product reviews as well as interviews with hundreds of nonprofit staff members "to gather the impartial information that organizations need to make better decisions."

The book includes four main sections: Understanding What You Need, which recommends the types of software that every organization needs; Case Studies, which provides overviews of several "fictional, but realistic" organizations with varying staffs and budgets, and addresses how different types of nonprofits can effectively use software; Types of Software, which covers 35 different areas of software, ranging from blogs, event registration and photo editing to Web analytics, search engine optimization and mobile text messaging; and More Resources.

The 84-page paperback book is available for $19.95 at www.idealware.org/fieldguide