New to the sector, our intrepid reporter gets the goods on ‘open’ and ‘open source’ technologies for nonprofit fundraising. Did you even know there was a difference?

By Melissa Busch

1. Think about your needs. Quinn says nonprofits need to know what their goals are before they choose any software.

2. Do some research. Keep your eyes and ears open. Packages that are generating a lot of positive buzz in the sector most likely would be good choices, Quinn says, suggesting nonprofits do Google searches to see what comes up about the packages that are being talked about the most, as well as visiting message boards: “If a lot of people are using it, it’s a good sign. Find out [user] experiences — what they like, what they don’t like. Word-of-mouth is important.”