Best Admission-Based Nonprofit Software

Admission-based nonprofit software can be thought of as specialized nonprofit CRM solutions that emphasize membership management and sales revenue tracking. In addition to fundraising and donor management features, these tools provide the functionality to manage membership programs, ticketing and event information, plus POS transactions from on-site shops and restaurants. Admission-based nonprofits depend on this software to provide stellar customer service to members and visitors, while supporting all philanthropic activities. These platforms provide well-rounded functionality to nonprofits that would otherwise need several different solutions to manage their activities.

Key Benefits of Admission-Based Nonprofit Software

• Integrate on-site sales from gift shops, cafes, and bars
• Process membership purchases and renewals
• Record donations from members, attendees, and supporters
• Manage event registration and ticket sales

From retail purchases to memberships, admission-based nonprofits must manage multiple actions beyond typical nonprofits. Specialized tools that integrate data from multiple departments ensures stronger communication and less administrative burden. Nonprofits rely on this software to track accurate data and minimize errors that create negative impressions for members and visitors. Admission-based nonprofit software benefits all staff, allowing everyone to have a holistic view of each individual who interacts with the organization. This insight allows for smart donor stewardship, targeted marketing campaigns for upcoming events and exhibits, and positive customer service. Additionally, all financial information captured, whether from donations or sales, can be consolidated and easily transferred to nonprofit accounting software.

Admission-based nonprofit software automates the membership renewal process, saving valuable staff time. Staff can utilize these tools to verify membership benefits, ensuring appropriate discounts are applied when purchasing food or gift shop items. These platforms allow nonprofits to market upcoming events and exhibits to members. Admission-based nonprofits that align their business and philanthropic activities should consider this software to optimize their daily work.

Admission-based nonprofit software provides tools for zoos, museums, theatres, botanical gardens, and more. Nearly all staff in these organizations utilize the software, including:

Customer service staff — Guest services and sales are important external functions that support admission-based nonprofits’ revenue generation. Those roles include concierge, visitor navigation, and sales. Users rely on software to process transactions, verify memberships, log reservations, and flag visitor feedback. Gift shop and food service staff rely on the POS integration to allow transactions to process in the same system. This function helps with monthly finance reconciliation.

Membership staff — Member satisfaction ensures a stable revenue source year over year. Membership staff reference member records to respond to inquiries and concerns regarding topics such as member benefits, renewals, cancellations, or updates to biographical information. Membership staff can process on-site membership purchases and renewals; these tools also allow online membership purchases. Staff members are tasked with growing membership as well; these tools analyze existing records to identify previous visitors and donors who have not yet purchased memberships.

Fundraising staff — Visitors and members are a prime source of donations, and fundraising staff can pull lists of these individuals who have not made donations to target for outreach. Other staff who interact with visitors can make notes in their records for certain affinities (ex: specific exhibits or events that individual liked) that help fundraisers tailor the pitch.

Event staff — Admission-based nonprofits offer events and exhibits throughout the year that require ticketing and reservations. Event staff track ticket sales, event registrations, and special reservation requests (ex: weddings and birthday parties) through this software. Some solutions allow for event page creation, while others integrate with other specialized tools. All online sales are processed in the software as well, and event staff can verify those tickets on-site during the event. Furthermore, this software tracks an attendee’s entire history of ticket purchases.

Marketing staff — Similar to fundraising staff, marketing staff rely on accurate visitor data to tailor their external communications. For example, visitors who prefer fossil exhibits at a history museum can receive extra promotional materials about those events. Also, communications can be segmented on a variety of attributes, such as membership level, donor or non-donor, and attendance history.

Operations staff — Admission-based nonprofits need to track a variety of metrics to assess their ongoing performance and stability. Operations staff rely on data tracked through this software to monitor visitor numbers, membership retention, exhibit and event attendance, fundraising, and cost-benefit of product sales. These tools help operations staff collaborate with other teams to correct underperforming metrics, as well as forecast based on year-over-year trends.