Industry guide
Charities and NGOs: spend less time on administration, and handle people's trust carefully.
Non-profits run on small teams, volunteers and tight budgets, and on the trust of donors and the people they serve. Good software saves staff time and strengthens that trust. Poor software, or a rushed purchase, wastes both. This page looks at where custom work helps, and where an existing tool is the better answer.
Start with buy, not build
Many established tools handle donations, supporter records, volunteer rotas and email well, and some offer non-profit pricing. For most organisations they are the right first move. Custom work makes sense around them:
- joining supporter, donation and event records that live in different places;
- a programme or case-tracking process particular to your work;
- a partner or beneficiary portal;
- reporting to funders in the exact format they require.
If an existing product covers your needs, we will say so. Budgets are better spent on your mission than on duplicating software.
Where the time goes
What tends to help
Hong Kong realities
- Supporter data is personal data. Fundraising and appeals are direct marketing, which has notice, consent and opt-out rules. Record consent properly and honour requests to stop. See the PDPO guide.
- Beneficiary information can be very sensitive. Health, family, immigration or financial details need strict access control, minimal collection and a clear retention rule.
- Donation receipts and tax. Receipts for donations follow Inland Revenue requirements for approved charities. Check what applies to your organisation and your auditors.
- Public fundraising rules. Some fundraising activities need permission from the relevant authorities. That is for you to confirm; we do not advise on it.
- Several languages. Supporters and the communities you serve may read Chinese, English or other languages. Plan accessible, plain-language forms and messages.
- Small teams and turnover. Choose software that a volunteer or a new coordinator can learn, with documentation and accounts owned by the organisation.
An illustration: a mid-sized community charity
Imagine a charity with a few staff, two hundred volunteers and supporters recorded in three spreadsheets and a mailing tool. (An illustrative scenario, not a client.)
The first release brings supporters into a single record with their consent and communication choices, lets volunteers sign up for sessions and receive reminders, and produces a monthly summary of donations and volunteer hours for the board. The existing donation platform stays; the new piece connects to it. Programme case tracking, with tighter access controls, comes later.
Frequently asked questions
Do you offer discounted rates for non-profits?
We do not publish rates, and cannot promise a discount here. Tell us your budget and what you need, and we will propose a scope that fits it, including cheaper options such as configuring an existing tool.
Can we start with something very small?
Yes, and we would encourage it. A single useful change, such as one joined-up supporter list, is worth more than a large plan that never gets funded. See planning a first release.
How do you handle sensitive beneficiary data?
By collecting less, restricting access by role, recording who views what, and agreeing retention and storage up front. Where the data is especially sensitive, take professional advice too.
Can volunteers use it on their phones?
Yes. A phone-friendly page for sign-up and shift changes reaches people without asking them to install anything.
Other industries
Similar patterns appear elsewhere: see Events and exhibitions, Education and training, Clinics and wellness, or the full list of sectors.
Running a non-profit on spreadsheets and goodwill?
Tell us what takes up the most staff time. We will help you decide what to buy, what to connect and what, if anything, to build.
Request a project quote