CSR Software Buyer’s Guide
Use this guide to help gather key information and requirements from your stakeholders to make an informed decision when selecting a software solution.
Whether you’re looking for a CSR platform for the first time or considering switching vendors, this guide provides a step-by-step approach to conducting your vendor evaluation process. CSR leaders can use this guide to match their program’s unique needs and goals to the right software solution.
Contents:
- Assembling Stakeholders
- Gathering Requirements
- Defining Priorities
- Discovery Preparation
Read an excerpt from the guide below to learn more about defining priorities for choosing a CSR software.
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Defining Priorities for Buying CSR Software
You don’t want to pick a platform that only meets your needs for today. Defining what’s in scope and what your future goals are lets you clearly see what you need from a solution and how you can leverage it for future growth.
If you looked at CSR software 10 years ago, you would have noticed there were limited companies offering solutions. Since we launched our CSR platforms 15 years ago, there has been a rise in CSR technology platforms which can vary greatly in cost and functionality. You also have to consider the people behind the product and if they are going to provide the support your team needs to be successful.
Corporate philanthropy was more traditionally known as how companies give back to their community, i.e. external stakeholders. Today, companies are shifting to a more holistic view of CSR and how their programs support their employees, their community and the planet. All stakeholders including consumers, investors, employees and the community want to know a brand’s purpose and how that business stands up for social and environmental issues. You can checkout our Building the Business Case Series for a compilation of stats on the importance of CSR and ESG from each stakeholder point of view.
What to keep in mind when evaluating CSR software
It connects your various programs to provide centralized impact.
Your employee engagement goals may incorporate giving, volunteering, fundraising and connecting DEI with CSR initiatives. On top of that you may have community investment grants, disaster relief, employee relief grants, scholarships, etc. with various program needs and requirements. All of these initiatives need reporting and data on how these programs make an impact towards your goals that fall under the S in ESG. Even if you don’t have quite this many initiatives, you can select a solution that has flexible functionality to meet your unique needs.
Related Resource
Checkout Realized Worth Institute Corporate Volunteering Giving, and Grants Technology Review. This report offers a vendor agnostic deep dive into what functionality each platform offers.
It meets your needs and budget.
Organize your list of requirements in buckets that are a must-have, nice to-have, and not needed at this time. This will help you prioritize what capabilities are critical. Does the vendor let you pick and choose features or package things together under one price with features that you aren’t using?
You’re prepped for success.
Your software vendor should include excellent product documentation and self-help resources. Understand what customer support looks like not only for the administrators running the programs with the software, but also the end users like the employees and your nonprofit partners.
You’re confident in the nonprofit vetting and funds disbursement process.
One massive benefit to partnering with a CSR vendor when it comes to facilitating giving programs is having access to their donation disbursement process. Having a trusted partner to help you navigate the regulatory landscape, ensure that charities are compliant and reputable, and manage the ins and outs of checks vs electronic payments can save you a TON of time and headache.
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