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"Sage Fundraising 50 is the ultimate of fundraising software...
It's the most sophisticated yet affordable program out there.
Frankly, I don't see how any nonprofit could track donations without it."
Lisa Brock
Administrator
Scottish Rite Cathedral Foundation
Scottish Rite Cathedral is a Brighter Beacon With Sage Fundraising 50
If any building in the Midwest visually embodies the meaning and symbolism of
Freemasonry, it is surely the Scottish Rite Cathedral. Prominently situated in
downtown Indianapolis, the Tudor-period Gothic structure was built with
symbolism that exemplifi es the morals, virtue and good citizenship expected of
Masons. It has been named one of the ten most beautiful structures in the
world.
Constructed in 1929, the cathedral requires continual maintenance. Because the building is so unique, restoration is costly, and must be done to meet strict historic criteria. The Scottish Rite Cathedral Foundation was created to “preserve the cathedral’s past and ensure its future,” raising funds from Masons and soliciting grants. Since 1999, the Foundation has relied on Sage Fundraising 50 to manage all fundraising.
Better than Raiser’s Edge
“Before adopting Sage Fundraising 50, we did everything on spreadsheets like many non-profi ts still do,” says Lisa Brock, administrator. “But as we grew, it became necessary to perform more sophisticated reporting and donor tracking.
“We surveyed the market and selected Sage Fundraising 50 because it gave us a complete package for a very reasonable price, rather than requiring a la carte options and add-ons like with Raiser’s Edge,” she continues. “Since deploying Sage Fundraising 50, our full-time administrative staff dropped to just one instead of two, and we’re handling everything just fi ne, thanks to the software’s efficiencies.”
The wisdom of the Foundation’s choice was confirmed recently when a nonprofi t group across the street installed a very expensive custom software package and dumped it just nine months later. “They spent a fortune on a custom package, and couldn’t get it to do what they wanted,” says Brock, laughing. “So they sent their IT man to visit us. He looked at our Sage Fundraising 50 system, and grilled me on what we’re doing with it. He couldn’t believe how much we received with our original purchase.”
Terrific Tool for Campaigns
The Scottish Rite Cathedral Foundation uses Sage Fundraising 50 to automate practically everything. The software tracks donations for many different types of campaigns, including direct mail programs, capital fundraising, the master building solicitations and promotional mailings.
“We recently celebrated our 75th anniversary, and used Sage Fundraising 50 to send lapel pins to all members of the Masonic fraternity in this valley,” explains Brock. “Another year we distributed lovely decorative magnets with Masonic emblems for donors’ cars. Sage Fundraising 50 makes it easy to run programs like these, where we not only provide gifts for past donations but also request a subsequent contribution.
“Every donation, even if it’s only fifty cents, gets recorded in Sage Fundraising 50,” Brock elaborates. “Each donor has a profi le in the system. The software lets me note whether the donor has responded to a direct mail appeal, belongs to one of our giving societies, or has made a special onetime bequest.”
Benefi t for Bell Society
An example would be the Baxter Bell Society, which keeps the cathedral’s bells in working order. The carillon contains 54 bells played on a huge console, and their peals can be heard all across the city.
The bells chime every quarter hour, and tunes have been played for dignitaries or funeral processions.
“Members of the Bell Society sponsor a bell and have their names inscribed on a permanent plaque in the Hall of Honor,” says Brock. “People also make memorial donations to the Bell Society in memory of a loved one. All members and donors receive a magazine fi ve times a year. Once a year, we issue an appeal, which is featured in the magazine. Sage Fundraising 50 makes it easy for us to monitor donors and process acknowledgements.”
Easy to Use
“Our November publication lists donors in all the various categories throughout the year, by society and also by level of contribution,” says Brock. “It would be extremely difficult and time-consuming to produce the lists without Sage Fundraising 50, which automates all our reporting.”
The software proved to be user-friendly, too. “I had very little training on Sage Fundraising 50 when joining the Foundation, and was able to learn the system quickly,” notes Brock. “If I need assistance, one phone call to technical support is all it takes.” She also appreciates the fact that Sage incorporated some of her suggestions into upgrades.
“Sage Fundraising 50 is the ultimate in fundraising software,” says Brock. “I’ve spoken with lots of other organizations, and am convinced that it’s the most sophisticated yet affordable program out there. It grows with you, without forcing you to buy extra modules. Frankly, I don’t see how any nonprofi t could track donations without it.”
