When I first developed the Fundraising Report Card (FRC), it was born out of a desire to help nonprofits—especially smaller ones—that too often lack the tools and resources to fully realize their fundraising potential. My other product and service duo, MarketSmart, serves organizations generating around $10 million or more annually, and primarily within the U.S. While MarketSmart has been transformative for larger nonprofits, it left out the millions of smaller organizations that also need help—desperately.
The Challenge for Smaller Nonprofits
Through conversations with leaders, board members, and consultants working with these smaller nonprofits, one recurring theme became clear: most lacked even a basic understanding of their fundraising metrics.
They couldn’t visualize their data in a meaningful way—or at all—which made it nearly impossible to develop effective strategies for improvement. And, they couldn’t compare their fundraising performance with other organizations just like theirs.
These insights led me to seek out Bill Levis, the “grandfather” of fundraising metrics and analytics, and founder of the Fundraising Effectiveness Project. Bill (whose full name is Wilson C. Levis) lived just a few minutes from my office in College Park, Maryland, and over the years, we developed a close relationship. We met frequently—sometimes monthly—for lunches where we discussed the pressing challenges nonprofits faced with analytics.
The Birth of the Fundraising Report Card
One day, inspired by these conversations, I offered to help Bill build an application to address the sector’s needs. However, as the Fundraising Effectiveness Project transitioned to new leadership, I was told my technology support was no longer needed. By that point, I had already begun building the application, so I decided to finish it.
Initially, I sought to charge a small fee to recoup the investment, but ultimately, I gave it away for free for the next seven years.
During that time, the Fundraising Report Card helped nonprofits around the world. It allowed smaller organizations to visualize their data, understand their metrics, and make smarter decisions—all without cost. Watching these nonprofits use the tool and grow was incredibly fulfilling and aligned with my goal to do more for the sector.
The Need for Change
However, as technology evolved, the app began to show its age. That’s the reality of software—over time, new systems and integrations can outpace old tech, making it harder to keep everything functioning smoothly.
By the end of 2023, it became clear that the Fundraising Report Card needed to be rebuilt from the ground up.
That brings us to today. After months of hard work and thoughtful redesign, we’re ready to take the next step.
The app is being transformed into something even more powerful and flexible, with exciting new features, including highly specific comparative benchmarking, that will help nonprofits fundraise smarter and more effectively. While we remain committed to keeping the base model free, we’ll be introducing a paid version to help sustain the platform and offer advanced tools for those who want even deeper insights.
Why Your Feedback Matters
Now, as we begin to rebuild this new version, your input is more important than ever. That’s why we’re inviting you to join our User Experience Feedback Group. This is your chance to shape the next generation of the Fundraising Report Card and ensure it continues to meet the real-world needs of fundraisers everywhere.
As part of this group, you’ll have the opportunity to:
- Participate in focus group calls with our design and engineering teams.
- Share your insights during one-on-one feedback sessions.
- Get early access to test the updated app and its features.
Your voice will help make the Fundraising Report Card even better, ensuring it remains a vital tool for nonprofits of all sizes.
Join Us in Building the Future
I’m proud of what the Fundraising Report Card has accomplished so far, but I’m even more excited about what’s ahead. Together, we can create a tool that not only empowers nonprofits to succeed but also helps make the world a better place—one donation, one campaign, and one strategy at a time.
If you’d like to be part of this journey, click the link below to sign up for the User Experience Feedback Group. Let’s build the ultimate Fundraising Report Card together.
Thank you for being part of this community and for your commitment to making a difference.
