A practical approach for small charities 

Choosing your CRM is not just about software. For a growing UK charity, it is a governance, compliance and sustainability decision. The tools you use should strengthen your mission, not take you away from it. Look for a provider who has sector experience.

This guide draws on our experience as well as guidance from trusted organisations including, The Charity Commission for England and Wales, Information Commissioner's Office.

Here is how to approach your CRM decision with confidence...

Align with your digital maturity

Technology should match your organisational capacity. So before selecting a CRM, assess what workflows exist already and what workflows are essential. Can the new CRM be configured to do your essential charity activities easily? 

Digital Sovereignty

How much control and ownership do you have over any parts of the system? With global uncertainty and increasing cyber attacks, we need to think even more about security but also ask these questions:

  • Do you own your data?
  • Do you own your code?
  • What jurisdiction does the data sit in?

If you don't get on with the system of the people operating it for any reason, can you take it away and install it all somewhere else? If you are on a proprietary system, you often can't take your data in that format and just move to another provider.

Start with governance, not features

The Charity Commission is clear: trustees are responsible for ensuring proper oversight of charity resources, including data and digital systems.

Your CRM underpins:

  • Financial reporting
  • Donor records
  • Communication consent
  • Membership or beneficiary data

Can trustees easily receive accurate reports and does the system support audit trails? Can your financial data be reconciled clearly? A CRM should strengthen board confidence, not create uncertainty.

Ensure GDPR compliance by design

The Information Commissioner’s Office sets clear expectations around:

  • Lawful basis for processing
  • Data minimisation
  • Secure storage
  • Clear consent management
  • Subject access requests

Your CRM must make it easy to record consent properly and manage communication preferences. Is it easy to export data if required and remove or anonymise records when necessary? If GDPR feels like an afterthought in the product, it will become a headache later.

Confirm Gift Aid and fundraising compliance

HM Revenue & Customs provides detailed guidance on Gift Aid eligibility and record-keeping requirements.

A suitable CRM should track Gift Aid declarations and record eligibility status. A Charity CRM can produce Gift Aid reports for you, as annual spreadsheets increase risk. Automation reduces error.

Understand total cost, not just monthly price

Sustainable budgeting for small charities means you need to know how costs will grow. Look beyond the headline fee and check:

  • Are there per-user or per contact charges?
  • Are email volumes capped?
  • What does support cost?
  • Is onboarding included?

What will it look like in 3-5 years time? Free sign ups are tempting but once you add 5 people how does it look? CRM pricing is often designed for sales pipelines not third-sector scenarios. Think about Open Source and licence free options to keep costs under control.

Prioritise usability and adoption

Digital transformation fails when systems are not used so tools must support frontline delivery. Ask for:

  • A live demonstration to see if it fits your workflows
  • Real reporting examples
  • Integration of elements with your existing website

Can a non-technical team member run a basic report without fear? Does this system manage donors, events and mailings? Does it enable service delivery or will these all become extras?

Protect your data ownership

Sector guidance consistently stresses sustainability and resilience. Ensure:

  • You can export your data in a usable format
  • You retain ownership
  • The system is not closed or proprietary without flexibility
  • Integrations with your website and finance tools are possible

You should never feel trapped, we have clients who transfer in who are locked in to long contracts and can't leave easily. 

Final considerations

The right CRM will help you reduce your admin burden and make fundraising accuracy easier. Powerful reporting enables you to measure your impact and be accountable to your trustees.

The decision is not about having the most features. It is about having the right foundations. Choosing well now will save significant time, cost and stress later. 

Speak to us if you are thinking about which CRM is the right one for you, we would love to talk to you about your challenges and plans.