Cloud-based fundraising software for nonprofit organizations
4.26/5 (25 reviews)
I love this product!
Pros
- The Customer Service is #1! They really do answer within three rings and they will walk you through any issues, big or small.
- The interface is simple, clean, and pretty easy to use after a few tutorials/instructions.
Cons
- It's not cloud based, but do your really need it? Only consider a cloud system if you REALLY need it. Otherwise you paying for something you barely use.
Trail Blazer is a cloud based client-server software package. Your donor data is stored securely in the cloud on our servers. You access your data using the Trail Blazer client application that runs on your PC. If you are using a non-Windows machine (i.e. phone, tablet, Mac) our application is served using Remote Desktop Connection. Plus, Trail Blazer gives you a web app that allows you to access portions of the database from any devices connected to the internet.
Rating breakdown
Likelihood to recommend: 9/10
Pros
Customer support, particularly during the training and start-up phase, has been excellent. They are quick and responsive. And their solutions have nearly always been positive -- almost never a "Sorry we can't do that" or "It doesn't work that way" or "We don't have that feature."
Cons
It was not clear to me before I signed on -- and I can't say whether it should have been clear -- that as a Mac user, Trail Blazer is "non-native" in the sense that I have to use Microsoft Remote Connection to access the Trailblazer server and then use a Windows interface. It's reasonably fast. There's almost no lag time with this setup, and it's not as clunky as it could be. But it makes the experience of using Trailblazer a lot less pleasant. I frankly hate the way Windows looks, acts, and feels, and the remote connection is a couple extra steps each time I use the database. The whole reason I use a Mac is so as not to use Windows!
Rating breakdown
Likelihood to recommend: 8/10
We use Trail Blazer much different than the intent for the software just because we think it works better the way we have it set up. We have adapted how the software currently functions to our needs. Therefore, we cannot go to Trail Blazer staff to do training on everything. When there are updates, our staff that aren't very tech-savvy sometimes have a tough time. When we do not have a lot of time for database maintenance in the first place due to budget constraints, it can be quite frustrating. Customer support is great, but we kind of have to bend a database to our needs and there is also a learning curve, mostly because nonprofits have to train not only staff who struggle with technology but also volunteers and interns. We appreciate that Trail Blazer is constantly striving to improve, but I would love to see a personalized email or call go out with big updates.
At Trail Blazer, we are committed to the long-term development and refinement of our product. Our goal is to be nothing less than the software product of choice in the non-profit arena. Yes, the ongoing changes can at times be frustrating, but after the adjustments are made, the net result is a tool that allows you to be even more productive.
The particular issue that presented a problem for NCPTC was the change in our attribute (aka groups or flags) facility. The original design allowed for any number of attributes within nine (9) folders. For many organizations, as their list of attributes within a specific folder grew longer, this eventually grew cumbersome. We enhanced this system so that now the data is stored and presented hierarchically where a folder can contain any number of folders or attributes, and those folders can contain any number of folders or attributes, ad infinitum. It's a far more flexible, logical, and powerful structure.
Rating breakdown
Pros
Amazing tech support from incredibly patient people - can't say enough how important this is. Seamless integration with FEC for super easy electronic filing.
Cons
I can't compare it to other software that does the same thing, but increased user-friendliness would be greatly appreciated by all. YouTube videos are helpful, but they, along with the knowledge base, don't make it easy to find what you need. Fortunately, tech support goes above and beyond. They could definitely use more developers to work on improvements or known issues.
Rating breakdown
Likelihood to recommend: 8/10
Pros
We are a small staff, and I am the only one with any experience (limited) with software like Trail Blazer. Trail Blazer is intuitive to use, and if I get stuck, I have software support at my fingertips through the support team at Trail Blazer, but also through step-by-step instructions on the site. The staff has been very helpful, and they get back to me right away, so I'm never stuck for long.
Cons
The software is a perfect fit for us, so I have not had a negative feeling toward anything specific. We have not yet rolled out all the functionality (web and event modules), but that is primarily because we are taking our time in learning one part of the software before moving to the next.
Rating breakdown
Likelihood to recommend: 10/10
$100 per user per month
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