Comments on: An Opinion About Raiser’s Edge http://www.todayicried.com/it/2006/10/an-opinion-about-raisers-edge.html Non-profit IT is technical social work Sun, 14 Mar 2010 02:15:30 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: Dave Boyce http://www.todayicried.com/it/2006/10/an-opinion-about-raisers-edge.html/comment-page-1#comment-129 Dave Boyce Tue, 12 Jan 2010 02:17:26 +0000 http://www.todayicried.com/it/2006/10/an-opinion-about-raisers-edge.html#comment-129 Has anyone looked at www.blue-swarm.com for non-profit fundraising? Has anyone looked at http://www.blue-swarm.com for non-profit fundraising?

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.todayicried.com/it/2006/10/an-opinion-about-raisers-edge.html/comment-page-1#comment-128 Anonymous Wed, 06 Jan 2010 04:14:59 +0000 http://www.todayicried.com/it/2006/10/an-opinion-about-raisers-edge.html#comment-128 We have Raiser's Edge and are looking for another organization to support in order to offset some of our costs. Approximately 20 hours per week available, telecommute support only. Please contact us at raisersedgesupport@gmail.com. We have Raiser's Edge and are looking for another organization to support in order to offset some of our costs. Approximately 20 hours per week available, telecommute support only. Please contact us at raisersedgesupport@gmail.com.

]]> By: Gordon http://www.todayicried.com/it/2006/10/an-opinion-about-raisers-edge.html/comment-page-1#comment-125 Gordon Sun, 27 Sep 2009 17:50:48 +0000 http://www.todayicried.com/it/2006/10/an-opinion-about-raisers-edge.html#comment-125 Most smaller organisations do not need a system as complex as RE. Its potentially easier to start out with a home written database written in access (provided it is storing the correct data) and then look at upgrading to RE or some other system later on. I have personally written two fundraising database systems in Access, while "on the job" and the current one does automatic thank you letter generation (and email generation) and rotates the letter texts so donors don't get the same one twice. Its also fully relational with relationships settable between donors/campaigns, donor to donor etc.<br /><br />It took me about a week to do the programming and its all properly annotated so if I leave anyone can use it or reprogram it. Most smaller organisations do not need a system as complex as RE. Its potentially easier to start out with a home written database written in access (provided it is storing the correct data) and then look at upgrading to RE or some other system later on. I have personally written two fundraising database systems in Access, while "on the job" and the current one does automatic thank you letter generation (and email generation) and rotates the letter texts so donors don't get the same one twice. Its also fully relational with relationships settable between donors/campaigns, donor to donor etc.

It took me about a week to do the programming and its all properly annotated so if I leave anyone can use it or reprogram it.

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.todayicried.com/it/2006/10/an-opinion-about-raisers-edge.html/comment-page-1#comment-124 Anonymous Wed, 02 Sep 2009 00:08:29 +0000 http://www.todayicried.com/it/2006/10/an-opinion-about-raisers-edge.html#comment-124 I've spent a huge amount of time dealing with RE, the organisation I worked for was Blackbauds largest client in our region. We had a full time development team of 5 staff with a total full time database team of 13.<br />I found Blackbaud to be painful to deal with at best, incompetant at worst. They offered lightweight bandaid solutions that don't actually fix problems (with regards to interesting data corruption). The VBA API is ok if not slightly unstable, but when used with .Net is subject to some strange errors.<br /><br />I think our database was just far too big for them to cope with. When I spoke to them on the phone and they'd ask me to 'email them a copy of our database', there would be silence on the other end when I told them just how big that file would be.<br /><br />Technically, they have a problem with bloating the procedure cache on SQL server, something that for us caused a crash every 1.5 weeks without fail until we scheduled a task to flush this cache daily. <br />This wouldn't be a problem for "normal" users, but if you're a big organisation who has a lot of supporter data, RE is not the way to go.<br /><br />I've spoken to smaller NGOs who don't drive their system as hard and don't have these problems. They spend all their time training staff to do things that should be configurable more easily without API development though. I've spent a huge amount of time dealing with RE, the organisation I worked for was Blackbauds largest client in our region. We had a full time development team of 5 staff with a total full time database team of 13.
I found Blackbaud to be painful to deal with at best, incompetant at worst. They offered lightweight bandaid solutions that don't actually fix problems (with regards to interesting data corruption). The VBA API is ok if not slightly unstable, but when used with .Net is subject to some strange errors.

I think our database was just far too big for them to cope with. When I spoke to them on the phone and they'd ask me to 'email them a copy of our database', there would be silence on the other end when I told them just how big that file would be.

Technically, they have a problem with bloating the procedure cache on SQL server, something that for us caused a crash every 1.5 weeks without fail until we scheduled a task to flush this cache daily.
This wouldn't be a problem for "normal" users, but if you're a big organisation who has a lot of supporter data, RE is not the way to go.

I've spoken to smaller NGOs who don't drive their system as hard and don't have these problems. They spend all their time training staff to do things that should be configurable more easily without API development though.

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.todayicried.com/it/2006/10/an-opinion-about-raisers-edge.html/comment-page-1#comment-122 Anonymous Fri, 10 Jul 2009 14:14:08 +0000 http://www.todayicried.com/it/2006/10/an-opinion-about-raisers-edge.html#comment-122 I work for a large non profit in Canada and we are trying to get away from RE. To put it nicely, in my opinion, their customer service is not up to par. It's very hard to get a straight answer out of them - no matter who you talk to. I work for a large non profit in Canada and we are trying to get away from RE. To put it nicely, in my opinion, their customer service is not up to par. It's very hard to get a straight answer out of them – no matter who you talk to.

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.todayicried.com/it/2006/10/an-opinion-about-raisers-edge.html/comment-page-1#comment-120 Anonymous Thu, 26 Mar 2009 16:32:00 +0000 http://www.todayicried.com/it/2006/10/an-opinion-about-raisers-edge.html#comment-120 Convio's new database product Common Ground will do everything RE does for less and it's open to other platforms for fundraising, accounting,etc. Worth checking out. Convio’s new database product Common Ground will do everything RE does for less and it’s open to other platforms for fundraising, accounting,etc. Worth checking out.

]]> By: Sharon http://www.todayicried.com/it/2006/10/an-opinion-about-raisers-edge.html/comment-page-1#comment-119 Sharon Fri, 06 Feb 2009 00:06:00 +0000 http://www.todayicried.com/it/2006/10/an-opinion-about-raisers-edge.html#comment-119 Look at civiCRM.org. It does not have all of the features of RE, but it does offer small nonprofits a viable option. Look at civiCRM.org. It does not have all of the features of RE, but it does offer small nonprofits a viable option.

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.todayicried.com/it/2006/10/an-opinion-about-raisers-edge.html/comment-page-1#comment-117 Anonymous Wed, 24 Sep 2008 20:40:00 +0000 http://www.todayicried.com/it/2006/10/an-opinion-about-raisers-edge.html#comment-117 As a past development professional, I think very highly of the Raiser's Edge and regard it as one of the best fundraising software products on the market.<br/><br/>With that said, I also understand that the product is expensive and because of general maintenance fees for support, that leaves little or no money for training. As we know, fundraising staff turns over ever 18-24 months in most capacities, and finding replacement staff with RE knowledge can be a challenge.<br/><br/>I empathize. That's why I do what I do now. <br/><br/>Bradford Consulting Group LLC offers customized and affordable training and consulting programs for RE users. Visit them on the web at www.bradfordllc.com for more information. As a past development professional, I think very highly of the Raiser’s Edge and regard it as one of the best fundraising software products on the market.

With that said, I also understand that the product is expensive and because of general maintenance fees for support, that leaves little or no money for training. As we know, fundraising staff turns over ever 18-24 months in most capacities, and finding replacement staff with RE knowledge can be a challenge.

I empathize. That’s why I do what I do now.

Bradford Consulting Group LLC offers customized and affordable training and consulting programs for RE users. Visit them on the web at http://www.bradfordllc.com for more information.

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.todayicried.com/it/2006/10/an-opinion-about-raisers-edge.html/comment-page-1#comment-108 Anonymous Wed, 22 Aug 2007 17:02:00 +0000 http://www.todayicried.com/it/2006/10/an-opinion-about-raisers-edge.html#comment-108 Blackbaud and Raiser's Edge, and all closed source software, counter the philosphies and missions of most non-profits. If only a viable open-source and free non-profit management suite were to be developed., Non-profits could free funds normally earmarked for expense bloat-ware and use them for their missions. Blackbaud and Raiser’s Edge, and all closed source software, counter the philosphies and missions of most non-profits. If only a viable open-source and free non-profit management suite were to be developed., Non-profits could free funds normally earmarked for expense bloat-ware and use them for their missions.

]]> By: Peter http://www.todayicried.com/it/2006/10/an-opinion-about-raisers-edge.html/comment-page-1#comment-69 Peter Fri, 17 Nov 2006 05:37:00 +0000 http://www.todayicried.com/it/2006/10/an-opinion-about-raisers-edge.html#comment-69 In my experience, the trick to getting value out of RE is deciding to get value out of it. There are free resources available, like the RE Users Forum (http://reusers.server-planet.com) that helps users of the software network with and support each other to get the most out of their investment. The best part - Blackbaud has nothing to do with it :) In my experience, the trick to getting value out of RE is deciding to get value out of it. There are free resources available, like the RE Users Forum (http://reusers.server-planet.com) that helps users of the software network with and support each other to get the most out of their investment. The best part – Blackbaud has nothing to do with it :)

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