Integration with CiviCRM for Independent Donation Management
Client
NDA
Industry
Charity
Technologies
DrupalMain benefit
Full control over the donation process and system development, without reliance on external vendors
The Challenge
The client relied on an external CRM system and SaaS-based donation form providers, resulting in high maintenance costs and limited development. The forms were embedded on the website as third-party components, while adding new features required purchasing additional services from the provider.
The client wanted to reduce their dependence on external systems and gain full control over donor management processes. We therefore needed to find an alternative to the existing solution.
The Solution
Instead of relying on a closed form with limited development possibilities, we implemented CiviCRM – a free, open-source system. It requires no licensing fees and integrates natively with Drupal. We connected it to the website forms so that donor data is automatically saved in the CRM as contact records.
CiviCRM already provided some of the required functionality, including integration with PayPal and Stripe. However, the system still needed to be tailored to the client’s processes and the markets they operate in.
We managed to do it by:
- integrating the donation forms with payment providers, allowing donors to choose from multiple methods;
- enabling both one-time and recurring payments via Stripe;
- extending the solution to support donations in multiple currencies.
In addition, the client can create custom forms with a choice of beneficiary, payment methods, and the personal data collected or consents obtained. For all these features, the organization pays only transaction fees charged directly by payment providers.
Benefits for the Client
The organization gained a flexible solution that can be developed further without paying subscription fees to an external provider. Currently, the only costs are the transaction fees charged by Stripe, PayPal, and Micropayment.
The client can also freely adapt the form’s structure, design, and functionality to their needs, and add new extensions, including donation-related features.
Importantly, all donor data transfers directly to the organization’s own database, allowing it to manage donor relationships more effectively and further develop its retention activities.
Expert commentary
This project is a great example of how open source can be a better choice than a closed SaaS system. You don’t need to pay monthly subscription fees to external providers to have a professional donation management solution. As a free, open-source platform, CiviCRM gave the client full control over their data and forms, allowing the system to grow alongside the organization’s needs.
When Is It Worth Implementing Such a Solution?
When you want to become independent of external providers and gain full control over your data.
When you receive donations from multiple countries and need a solution to manage different payment methods and currencies.
When your organization collects donations regularly and needs a flexible system that can be adapted to various fundraising goals.
Need more control over your processes?