For charities · A working directory

Tools for the work.

Find something that fits the job, the budget and the people who will maintain it.

These are external tools for fundraising, research and the daily work of an organization. Free software can still require time, hosting and support. A free account can still have transaction fees.

Listings summarize provider documentation checked on October 25, 2026. They are starting points, not endorsements or tested recommendations. Charitology has not independently tested these products. Editorial source review is still pending.

Looking for donated software or a discount? See nonprofit benefits. For tools made here, see Charitology’s tools.

15 listings

Alphabetical, with no scores or paid placements.

Donor managementOpen source

CiviCRM

Manage relationships, contributions, memberships and events in an open-source constituent relationship manager.

Free software; budget separately for hosting, setup and support.

Possible use
Organizations that want control over their donor and member records.
How it runs
Self-hosted or paid hosting
Before choosing it
Someone must maintain the installation, backups and updates. Hosted CiviCRM services have their own prices.
Explore the tool
Provider sources (2)

Source checked Oct 25, 2026 · Editorial review pending

OperationsFree tier

CryptPad

Collaborative documents, sheets and other office tools with end-to-end encryption.

Free public-instance accounts and self-hosting are available; additional services are paid.

Possible use
Teams that want collaborative documents with encryption built into the service.
How it runs
Hosted service or self-hosted
Before choosing it
Storage and support depend on the chosen instance or plan. Understand recovery and sharing before relying on it for essential records.
Explore the tool
Provider sources (2)

Source checked Oct 25, 2026 · Editorial review pending

ParticipationOpen source

Decidim

Run participation processes, proposals, meetings and collective decisions on an open-source platform.

Free software; deployment and facilitation require resources.

Possible use
Organizations inviting members or communities into decisions.
How it runs
Self-hosted or provider-hosted
Before choosing it
Someone must operate the platform and design a fair participation process. A public consultation also needs clear rules and a response to what people say.
Explore the tool
Provider sources (2)

Source checked Oct 25, 2026 · Editorial review pending

FundraisingPaid or usage fees

Donorbox

Donation forms, recurring giving, fundraising pages and donor management.

Platform and payment-processing fees apply; some features and plans add charges.

Possible use
Organizations that need embedded forms and recurring donations.
How it runs
Hosted service
Before choosing it
A free-to-start account does not make transactions free. Check the rate for each campaign type, processor, country and add-on.
Explore the tool
Provider sources (1)

Source checked Oct 25, 2026 · Editorial review pending

FundraisingFree with conditions

Givebutter

Donation forms, fundraising pages, donor management and events in one hosted service.

Core fundraising is free when optional donor tips are enabled. Paid Plus features are separate.

Possible use
Teams that want donation pages and supporter records together.
How it runs
Hosted service
Before choosing it
The pricing page lists a platform fee and standard processing charges when tips are disabled. Confirm eligibility, payment availability and the donor checkout experience.
Explore the tool
Provider sources (1)

Source checked Oct 25, 2026 · Editorial review pending

Data and researchFree tier

KoboToolbox

Collect and manage survey data for social impact work.

The Community Plan includes 5,000 submissions per month and 1 GB of file storage. Higher capacity is paid.

Possible use
Field teams collecting structured information.
How it runs
Hosted service or self-hosted
Before choosing it
The quota is an account limit. Choose the appropriate server and review consent, access controls and the data you actually need.
Explore the tool
Provider sources (2)

Source checked Oct 25, 2026 · Editorial review pending

Data and researchOpen source

LimeSurvey

Create surveys, collect responses and export results.

Community Edition is free to self-host. Cloud has a limited free plan and paid plans.

Possible use
Organizations running surveys or community feedback projects.
How it runs
Self-hosted or managed cloud
Before choosing it
Cloud response and storage quotas depend on the plan. Self-hosting requires maintenance; good survey design and informed consent still matter.
Explore the tool
Provider sources (2)

Source checked Oct 25, 2026 · Editorial review pending

PublishingOpen source

Matomo

Website analytics with self-hosted and managed cloud options.

The on-premise core can be downloaded free; cloud hosting and premium features are paid.

Possible use
Teams that want to understand website use and choose where analytics are hosted.
How it runs
Self-hosted or paid hosting
Before choosing it
Tracking configuration, consent decisions, hosting and updates remain your responsibility. Paid plugins and support can add cost.
Explore the tool
Provider sources (1)

Source checked Oct 25, 2026 · Editorial review pending

Data and researchOpen source

Metabase

Explore data and build shared dashboards with a query builder and SQL tools.

The open-source edition is free to self-host. Managed plans and additional features are paid.

Possible use
Organizations with an existing database and someone able to manage access.
How it runs
Self-hosted or paid hosting
Before choosing it
Hosting, database connections and permissions need maintenance. A dashboard does not establish that a program caused an outcome.
Explore the tool
Provider sources (1)

Source checked Oct 25, 2026 · Editorial review pending

OperationsOpen source

Nextcloud Files

Share and synchronize files through a workspace you can host or obtain from a provider.

Self-hosted software; hosting and enterprise services have separate costs.

Possible use
Organizations that need shared files with control over their infrastructure.
How it runs
Self-hosted or provider-hosted
Before choosing it
You need a maintained installation or a hosting provider. Review sharing permissions, backups and recovery before storing sensitive records.
Explore the tool
Provider sources (1)

Source checked Oct 25, 2026 · Editorial review pending

Data and researchOpen source

ODK

Build forms with branching, multiple languages and offline data collection.

Open-source software; managed ODK Cloud is a paid service.

Possible use
Teams collecting data where connectivity is unreliable.
How it runs
Self-hosted or paid hosting
Before choosing it
Plan for devices, data collection training and a maintained server or cloud subscription. Cloud capacity and support depend on the plan.
Explore the tool
Provider sources (1)

Source checked Oct 25, 2026 · Editorial review pending

Data and researchFree software

OpenRefine

Clean inconsistent names, categories and formats in a dataset before analyzing it.

Free, open-source desktop software.

Possible use
Teams cleaning exports, survey results or public data.
How it runs
Runs on your computer
Before choosing it
External reconciliation services can receive data you choose to send. Keep a backup and inspect changes before re-importing records.
Explore the tool
Provider sources (1)

Source checked Oct 25, 2026 · Editorial review pending

Data and researchOpen source

Uwazi

Organize documents and structured records, connect them and publish or search a collection.

Free open-source software and a limited free managed plan; larger managed plans and services are paid.

Possible use
Teams maintaining an evidence library or documentation project.
How it runs
Self-hosted or managed service
Before choosing it
Hosting and support depend on the arrangement. Configure permissions and retention around the needs of people represented in the records.
Explore the tool
Provider sources (2)

Source checked Oct 25, 2026 · Editorial review pending

PublishingOpen source

WordPress

An open-source publishing system for a charity website, news and public resources.

Free software; hosting, domains and some plugins or themes are separate.

Possible use
Teams maintaining a public website and regularly publishing material.
How it runs
Self-hosted or provider-hosted
Before choosing it
Choose maintained plugins, keep software updated and assign responsibility for backups and accessibility. WordPress.org is the software project.
Explore the tool
Provider sources (1)

Source checked Oct 25, 2026 · Editorial review pending

FundraisingFree with conditions

Zeffy

Hosted fundraising tools with a model funded by optional donor contributions to Zeffy.

The provider says it covers platform and transaction fees through optional donor contributions.

Possible use
Eligible nonprofits looking for fundraising without fees charged to the organization.
How it runs
Hosted service
Before choosing it
Eligibility and payment availability still apply. Review how the optional contribution appears to donors before choosing a service.
Explore the tool
Provider sources (1)

Source checked Oct 25, 2026 · Editorial review pending