18 years helping Canadian businesses
choose better software

Bonterra Guided Fundraising Reviews

About Bonterra Guided Fundraising

Thousands of small nonprofits rely on Guided Fundraising's simple and smart fundraising software to cultivate relationships with donors

Learn more about Bonterra Guided Fundraising

Pros:

And this system adjusts the profile should a donor unsubscribe. We are saving money and enjoying using this CRM - and I cannot say enough about their attentive customer service.

Cons:

I'll let you know once I figure this out because I haven't encountered a problem yet.

Bonterra Guided Fundraising ratings

Average score

Ease of Use
4.4
Customer Service
4.6
Features
4.4
Value for Money
4.4

Likelihood to recommend

8.7/ 10

Bonterra Guided Fundraising has an overall rating of 4.6 out 5 stars based on 928 user reviews on Capterra.

Have you used Bonterra Guided Fundraising before?

Share your experiences with other software buyers.

Filter reviews (928)

Aiden
Aiden
Director of Emerging Composers and Diversity in US
Verified LinkedIn User
Performing Arts, 2–10 Employees
Used the Software for: 1+ year
Reviewer Source

Fantastic for Nonprofits

5.0 4 years ago

Comments: It's been a really positive experience. The customer service is quick and friendly. They're constantly updating the software for the better. It's really easy to use, even for the least tech-savvy people.

Pros:

The CRM works really well -- it's easy to keep track of donors, real-time donations, and events. It lets you stay in contact with donors and see their patterns of giving. It's also easy to see which events brought in the most donations, and lets you easily email groups of donors, either by event or by giving patterns.

Cons:

The forms (surveys) are too limited. I can't collect data in the way I want, so it makes surveying donors difficult.

Judy
Founder and CEO in US
Nonprofit Organization Management, 2–10 Employees
Used the Software for: 1+ year
Reviewer Source

Bonterra Guided Fundraising will earn you money and sanity.

5.0 last year

Comments: Our experience has been great from onboarding until today. All staff members were able to figure out Bonterra with little to no questions from their moment of first log-in. Questions were answered as needed. No complaints.

Pros:

We love this CRM. It is so much more than we expected. We are now moving more and more of our functions onto the platform. It has been user-friendly from the start and, as they add more features, it gets even better. We believe that Bonterra will be the software that is used most often now matter what the position in our organization.

Cons:

We found nothing to dislike from day one.

Bonterra Response

11 months ago

Hi Judy! Wow - can you ever really put a price on sanity?! We're thrilled to hear about your seamless experience with Bonterra Guided Fundraising, and we're beaming with gratitude for your affinity towards our platform. It's rewarding to see your entire team benefit from its user-friendliness and continuously evolving features. Thank you for entrusting your important work to us. Here's to making an even bigger impact together!

Carolyn
Fundraising Coordinator in Canada
Nonprofit Organization Management, 2–10 Employees
Used the Software for: 2+ years
Reviewer Source
Source: SoftwareAdvice

Poor customer service

1.0 4 months ago

Comments: Bonterra's product works ok, it's difficult to pull accurate data because of the lack of options for soft-credit management, and there are not reporting options. In general you can't do global changes and the options for custom fields are not robust. There are MANY better, cheaper options out there right now for a CRM if the main thing you need is quality data management and reporting. That said, the main reason for this review is Bonterra as a company seems to be going for the buying up all the small companies to weed out competition strategy instead of actually improving their product or user experience. Since they bought out Network for Good we went from having an account representative who we could get on the phone to having to beg to get in the faceless cue of a ticketing system whenever I have any issue. The customer service is now gone and no apologies made, we are just a number.

Pros:

features: email management and donation pages in one product

Cons:

bad reporting options few options for customizing fields poor customer service

Bonterra Response

4 months ago

Hello Carolyn, first off - thank you for trusting Bonterra with your fundraising needs to help fuel your mission. While we're genuinely sorry to hear about your experience, we appreciate your candid feedback. We hear your frustration, and we want to address these concerns. We'd love to connect directly to understand your specific needs and explore solutions. Can you please reach out to [email protected] to discuss your situation in detail? We're eager to make this right and help you leverage Bonterra to its full potential for your mission.

Michelle
Operations and Finance Specialist in US
Fund-Raising, 2–10 Employees
Used the Software for: 1-5 months
Reviewer Source

Donation's World

5.0 3 months ago

Comments: It has taught me more about the destination of donations, the ways to make them, their effectiveness.

Pros:

What I like most is that you are very clear, transparent and you carry out different courses to understand and learn more about you and the different ways of making donations.

Cons:

I actually have no complaints against you, you are wonderful.

Bonterra Response

2 months ago

Hi Michelle, thank you for this wonderful feedback! We're thrilled that our transparent approach and educational resources are helping you better understand the impact of giving, and we're committed to keeping up this level of service for amazing partners like you.

Donna
Fundraising Chair in US
Performing Arts, Self Employed
Used the Software for: 2+ years
Reviewer Source

Satisfied Fundraiser

5.0 last year

Comments: We appreciated the coach at the beginning of our joining Network for Good and now the customer representatives who help when we have a question. Overall, the different aspects of the Fundraising platform meet our needs and give us a clear picture of our fundraising efforts.

Pros:

We like the ease of entering donations with the various campaigns.

Cons:

The annual cost of the program is difficult for a small nonprofit.

Carolina
Executive Director in US
Nonprofit Organization Management, 2–10 Employees
Used the Software for: 2+ years
Reviewer Source

Our Valentine's Day message - we love you!

5.0 12 months ago

Comments: We LOVE Network for Good! It has simplifed things by putting data all in one place! No more moving data from the event reservation platform, the credit card processor, and the newsletter service! And the platform is easy to use and generates great-looking newsletters.

Pros:

It has simplifed things by putting data all in one place! No more moving data from the event reservation platform, the credit card processor, and the newsletter service! And the platform is easy to use and generates great-looking newsletters.

Cons:

We wish it had a grant tracking platform as we were told that Salesforce had one.

Bonterra Response

11 months ago

We're thrilled our paths crossed and that you've fallen in love with the ease of Bonterra Guided Fundraising! Just like you've united all your data, we feel united in our mission by your enthusiasm and trust. Sending loads of love back for making everything more efficient and your newsletters more captivating. Although grant tracking isn't currently within this product, we value your feedback and will be sure to take this into account. Here's to more joy and less juggling in all your future fundraising activities!

Ashley
Managing Director in US
Fund-Raising, Self Employed
Used the Software for: 2+ years
Reviewer Source

Alternatives Considered:

Great CRM program

5.0 last year

Comments: Great CRM, easy online giving, customer service is friendly and quick, help catalog is easy to search and understand.

Pros:

I really like that this CRM is very user-friendly. Point and click is so easy. And if I have a question I can ask by phone, email, or chat and get answers quickly.

Cons:

When exporting sponsor information, the contact name is not included with organizations. After export, I have to add the contact name to the spreadsheet. It would be great if the contact name came over with the company name.

Bonterra Response

11 months ago

Wow, thank you so much for your glowing feedback! We're thrilled beyond words that you find our CRM user-friendly and our customer service responsive. Your input is so valuable - knowing the sponsor information in exports can improve is incredibly useful as we constantly enhance our features. Thank you again for your positivity and please reach out if we can assist you further!

sandra
Chair in US
Nonprofit Organization Management, 2–10 Employees
Used the Software for: 1+ year
Reviewer Source

Love Network for Good

5.0 9 months ago

Comments: It has been a grat experience. I get quick answers to questions and problems but the software itself is very easy to use. It is not the cheapest choice in town, but compared to others it is the best,

Pros:

I love the galleries with ideas for email templates and I love the ease of Events light.

Cons:

I don;t like always being prompted to use the more expensive options.

Bonterra Response

9 months ago

Hi Sandra, thank you for your kind words and detailed feedback! We're thrilled to hear that you love our email template galleries and the ease of using Events light. We appreciate your insights and will keep working to improve your experience with our software.

Lynn
Artistic Director in US
Performing Arts, 2–10 Employees
Used the Software for: 1-5 months
Reviewer Source

Alternatives Considered:

Worth every penny!

5.0 5 months ago

Comments: Thus far it is working to allow us to streamline 20 years of donor data.

Pros:

Streamline. Streamline. Streamline. This helps our team be SO much more efficient in communicating with our donor base.

Cons:

We are still within our first year using the platform, so we are still learning a lot!

Bonterra Response

5 months ago

Lynn, we're thrilled to hear Bonterra is helping you streamline your donor communications and manage 20 years of data! Your efficiency gains are music to our ears. As you continue learning the platform, remember we're here to support you every step of the way. Keep up the fantastic work in the arts - your creativity and our technology make a powerful combination for positive change!

Michael
Finance Assistant in US
Education Management, 11–50 Employees
Used the Software for: 1+ year
Reviewer Source

Alternatives Considered:

Simplified Our Fundraising

5.0 8 months ago

Comments: Overall, we are very satisfied with Bonterra Guided Fundraising.

Pros:

We like the full integration of donation tracking. The system flags duplicates which makes administration easier. The system reminds us to send acknowledgments. Auction integrates with donation module.

Cons:

Reporting is sometimes awkward and not very intuitive. Data must be exported to an outside worksheet and then re-arranged in meaningful ways.

Elizabeth
Board Member and Volunteer in US
Nonprofit Organization Management, 2–10 Employees
Used the Software for: 2+ years
Reviewer Source

An Affordable Solution to Fundraising and Marketing for Small NonProfit

4.0 12 months ago

Comments: Our relationship with NfG has made the whole process of managing donor communications, tracking giving patterns, and monitoring financial fluctuations so much easier. In addition, we have learned so much already from working with them over the past couple of years. We are exciting to be entering a new level of support with our Fundraising Coach!

Pros:

As a small nonprofit providing a critical service to our city's homeless and economically insecure population, we have struggled to develop an affordable fundraising/marketing plan. Our budget has not allowed us to hire either a FT or PT marketing specialist. We learned that Bonterra could match us with a Fundraising Coach who is helping us develop our strategies, prioritize tasks, monitor success, and adjust our planning. They do all this for a fraction of what it would cost us to hire a specialist. This is a win-win for us, as it is boosting our donor base while educating Board members with no background in this critical area. We explored purchasing similar services from competitors in the field, and found Bonterra's package and personal to be more accessible and affordable. In addition, NfG responds quickly to inquiries and requests. Their service personnel are both professional and personal.

Cons:

The amount of resources available on their site can be overwhelming to navigate. The number of options is impressive, but sometimes we need more guidance on using them. Again, however, this is where our coach will be invaluable.

Denise
Development Director in US
Human Resources, 2–10 Employees
Used the Software for: 1+ year
Reviewer Source

Great product and would recommend this product to all organizations

5.0 12 months ago

Comments: Overall, my experience has been enjoyable and kill building. The help desk and customer service have been a wonderful resource for me with any question that I have. They are responsive and quick to resolve any issue that I have.

Pros:

Overall, this is a really simple software to use. As a new fundraiser and beginning of my career, this software has given me skills surrounding best practices in fundraising which I am immensely grateful for.

Cons:

Some of the areas of the software are not as streamlined as I wish they could be and can often lead to duplicative work. I would like to see improvements to the in-kind feature of the program as it is very difficult to track these donations.

Bonterra Response

11 months ago

Denise, your kind words and hearing that you chose us at the start of your rewarding fundraising career are so appreciated! We hear you on the in-kind feature and I'll be sure it gets into the right hands for potential future product improvements. Empowering your success is what drives us every day, and we're thrilled to be part of your growth!

Kenneth
Development Director in US
Hospitality, 2–10 Employees
Used the Software for: 2+ years
Reviewer Source

Garden Terrace Senior Living

5.0 last year

Comments: Our experience has been wonderful. We have had all we need when we needed it. We went from zero donations 8 years ago to now having raised over one quarter of a million dollars to date.

Pros:

It was a perfect fit for the development of our entire fundraising program. There was nothing formal before we began tracking with BGF.

Cons:

I don't have any criticism. I know that I still don't use all the features available, but we are a small organization with only one site.

Bonterra Response

11 months ago

Hi Kenneth, wow - this review is so inspiring! We're so happy to hear how Guided Fundraising has supported you in your exponential growth for Garden Terrace Senior Living. Thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts with us.

Corinne
Chief Development Officer in US
Program Development, 11–50 Employees
Used the Software for: 2+ years
Reviewer Source

Chief Development Officer

4.0 9 months ago

Comments: I would give NFG a 5. Need to have more seamless online experience and let people purchase 100% online. I do not want to have to speak with someone multiple times to set up a new system especially since I have been using for years. You should have a fast track to set up for existing users and please do not send so many emails.

Pros:

Like that this system is online and I can run campaigns and manage individual donors and also do events.

Cons:

I did not like that it took more than a day to set up. Set up should be seamless and instant. Also, I wanted set up to be online. Like you pay and you are set up with tutorials. Also, way, way too many emails. I do not have time for all these emails. Please only reach out when necessary.

Maria
Executive and Office Assistant in US
Individual & Family Services, 51–200 Employees
Used the Software for: 1+ year
Reviewer Source

Excellent Robust Software

5.0 11 months ago

Comments: I can’t recommend Salsa enough. Let the capabilities speak for itself! The options for donor management are endless

Pros:

Salsa has everything you need. So many options and capabilities. Unfortunately we moved from it and wish we wouldn’t have because the software is simply so good and includes everything you need

Cons:

The only problem is their event capabilities. They don’t have the best event software to handle all aspects of an event

Lisa
CEO in US
Nonprofit Organization Management, 2–10 Employees
Used the Software for: 2+ years
Reviewer Source

Great for Midsize or volunteer run nonprofit

5.0 12 months ago

Comments: It’s been a good tool for all of our operations. We have had to purchase additional services from other companies. This allows us to use our cram in one platform.

Pros:

Ease of use and support for set up transitioning from another service.

Cons:

Inability to customize the contact types. You must select from the chosen types.

Judi
Deputy Director in US
Nonprofit Organization Management, 2–10 Employees
Used the Software for: 2+ years
Reviewer Source

Bonterra is easy to use!

5.0 last year

Pros:

Very easy to use! Menu options and tasks are straight forward. Offers reporting features, easy to set up campaigns and track fundraising.

Cons:

It would be nice to have more sophisticated reporting. I don't like that it put's couples together.

Leslie
Director of Development in US
Nonprofit Organization Management, 2–10 Employees
Used the Software for: 2+ years
Reviewer Source

Bonterra Makes Tracking Dollars Easy

5.0 9 months ago

Pros:

Bonterra Guided Fundraising helps us to track all aspects of our fundraising efforts. It makes it so easy!

Cons:

We have experienced no problems with Bonterra Guided Fundraising.

Jessica
Program Manager in US
Writing & Editing, 2–10 Employees
Used the Software for: 2+ years
Reviewer Source

the right choice for us

5.0 12 months ago

Comments: Overall all we've had a positive experience over the past four years. This was our first DMS, so anything was going to be an improvement!

Pros:

Easy to use the product, easy to manage data. Responsive support.

Cons:

Some aspects of the user interface is clunky and unintuitive. Also lacks some functionality that we have discovered would be useful. Lacks social media integration for emails, which is a feature that was actually mentioned in our demo, but does not actually exist.

Andrea
Assistant Director of Partner Relations in US
Religious Institutions, 2–10 Employees
Used the Software for: 1+ year
Reviewer Source

User-Friendly Product with Great Support

5.0 last year

Comments: Network for Good helps our team organize and manage our donor and fundraising communications and activities. It has a wide variety of features that we use on a daily basis to help advance the mission of our ministry. I am grateful for the wonderful customer support I have received every time I call in. Keep up the great work!

Pros:

Simplicity and ease of use; user interface is fairly straightforward; the ability to create donor/user-specific tasks is helpful; it's great how Network for Good integrates with our website to allow the creation of fundraising pages. I also like sending email blasts and sometimes personalized videos.

Cons:

It would be nice to be able to update donor credit card information directly - this would also save time for your team because I have to call and have them do it every time. I have submitted ideas for other features, like a messaging capability in NFG to communicate with other team members about specific donors, and unlinking duplicated forms so that changes made to one do not affect the other.

Bonterra Response

last year

Hey Andrea, thanks for the review! It's awesome to hear how our software has helped your nonprofit become more organized and efficient, and achieve its goals. As for updating donor payment information, did you know it's possible for your donors to do this through the donor portal? You can check that out here: https://www.networkforgood.org/profile/login.aspx. I've forwarded your product improvement recommendations to our product team. We appreciate your feedback and we're always looking for ways to improve our software. Thanks again for being a Network for Good customer!

James
Grant Coordinator in US
Health, Wellness & Fitness, 2–10 Employees
Used the Software for: 2+ years
Reviewer Source

Great Product

5.0 last year

Comments: Out of my organization, I probably use it the least. But we have had nothing but an outstanding experience with it. It is very easy to use and keep everything organized in one central location.

Pros:

Everything is easy to locate and find. All of the categories are clear and easy to navigate.

Cons:

It take a little longer than expected to log into the website.

Bonterra Response

last year

Thank you for taking the time to leave us a review! We're so glad to hear that you're finding our product to be easy to use and organized. We appreciate your feedback on the login time, and I'll forward this to our product team. Thanks again for being a Network for Good customer!

Paul
President Founder in US
Nonprofit Organization Management, 51–200 Employees
Used the Software for: 1+ year
Reviewer Source

RocDog Review

5.0 last year

Comments: The software has done everything we had wanted and more.

Pros:

Ease of use has been very important to us. Plus having custom fields for the database allows us to customize for our efforts.

Cons:

The price seemed a bit high, but the features have been great.

David
Treasurer in US
Arts & Crafts, 2–10 Employees
Used the Software for: 1-5 months
Reviewer Source

NETWORK FOR GOOD MEETS USER NEEDS

5.0 last year

Comments: Network for Good solved a record keeping need for our non-profit. The coaching during the first year was very helpful.

Pros:

Initially our utility benefited by coaching sessions, After the first year we dropped that feature. Being able to send email blasts to selected donors was utilized frequently.

Cons:

Learning a new system is always a challenge. Sometimes accessing staff for assistance caused delays.

Melissa
Marketing & Development Director in US
Nonprofit Organization Management, 201–500 Employees
Used the Software for: 1+ year
Reviewer Source

Great for Nonprofits

4.0 last year

Comments: easy to learn and get used to, super helpful in all of our work.

Pros:

All of our contacts are in one place and the entire team, regardless of what department can have permissions to view and edit. This allows us all to know our donors the way we want and acknowledge their support.

Cons:

Extra, necessary features are add-on costs.

Bonterra Response

last year

Hi Melissa, thank you for the review! We appreciate the positive feedback on team collaboration and are honored to support your mission. Your insights are invaluable - these comments help us improve! Thanks so much for being a Network for Good customer.

Anne-Marie
Board Vice Chair in US
Individual & Family Services, 2–10 Employees
Used the Software for: 2+ years
Reviewer Source

Save time and money with Bonterra

5.0 last year

Pros:

Staff support has been excellent. Also e-blasts and group texting are easy.

Cons:

It takes too long for funds to appear - a month