The Best Fundraising Software for Schools & Nonprofits

Summary:

• FutureFund is a free fundraising platform tailored specifically for K–12 schools. It offers features for campaign management, volunteer coordination, and financial reporting while maximizing donor accessibility and impact.
• GoFundMe is ideal for grassroots or personal fundraising efforts. It provides simple tools for one-time campaigns but lacking features for schools or PTAs managing multiple fundraisers annually.
• Network for Good serves as a donor-advised fund, allowing nonprofits to increase visibility and credibility among donors through detailed profiles, although it does not offer active fundraising tools.
• Virtuous is a CRM platform for large nonprofits, providing advanced donor management, marketing automation, and analytics for complex, large-scale fundraising campaigns.
• Charity Navigator, an honorable mention, helps nonprofits improve discoverability and credibility by offering detailed ratings and insights to donors, complementing active fundraising efforts.

School groups and nonprofits are under constant pressure to raise the money they need for important projects and causes. Digital platforms can streamline these efforts and save valuable time for volunteers, but choosing the right software is critical if you want to achieve success.

We developed FutureFund as a free fundraising platform for K-12 schools, and we packed it full of features to solve the real challenges teachers and parent volunteers face every day. 

But for organizations we can’t help, we’ve curated a list of great platforms that might be just what you’re looking for! Read on to see our top recommendations and the features that make them invaluable for organizations like yours.

See Also: Best Fundraising Websites for Nonprofits and Individuals

FutureFund: the best fundraising platform for schools

We built FutureFund for one specific purpose: to streamline fundraising for K–12 schools.

Designed with parent-teacher associations (PTAs), booster clubs, and school administrators in mind, FutureFund’s free features let you create and manage different types of fundraising campaigns, track donations, manage volunteers, and generate accurate financial reports—all in one convenient place.

But that’s not all. FutureFund is also designed to encourage donations by maximizing their impact and improving accessibility. Easy corporate matching, automatic tax-deductible donation receipts, and AI translations for multiple languages make this the platform the best way to solve the fundraising challenges schools face every day.

Who it’s for

FutureFund is ideal for:

• K–12 schools looking for a single fundraising platform that does it all.
• Parent-teacher associations (PTAs) that run multiple campaigns and events each year.
• Booster clubs raising funds for sports, arts, or other extracurricular programs.

Why it’s different

FutureFund is uniquely designed for schools, providing features and workflows specifically suited to K-12 fundraising. Unlike platforms built for general nonprofits, FutureFund offers:

• Customizable campaign templates designed for popular school fundraisers.
• Easy one-click form and waiver templates for your school that seamlessly integrate with your FutureFund account
• Convenient volunteer sign-up forms and other management tools—including built-in messaging.
• Automatic dues apportionment to simplify fees for different PTA levels.
• Personalized support for optimizing campaigns and creating promotional materials.

How it helps with fundraising

Here’s how FutureFund drives more donors to participate in your fundraisers—and encourages them to maximize their contributions:

• Accepts multiple payment formats: Including credit, debit, Apple/Google Pay, cash, and check.
• Easy corporate matching: Effectively double each donor’s support by requesting the same amount from their employer.
• Support for multiple languages: Use AI translations to remove language barriers for potential donors and make it easier for them to support your fundraisers.
• Supports you every step of the way: From our hundreds of blog posts and walkthroughs about school fundraising ideas, to free one-on-one support with our US-based support team, FutureFund is your partner, not just your platform.

When to use it

If you’re a K–12 school group looking for a simple, intuitive platform to manage fundraising campaigns, FutureFund is your best option. Whether you’re selling spirit wear, planning a Fun Run, or collecting donations for a specific cause, our features can help you smash your fundraising goals.

GoFundMe: the go-to platform for individual and grassroots fundraising

GoFundMe is one of the most well-known crowdfunding platforms, designed to help individuals and small groups raise money for personal causes and community projects. Its user-friendly interface and widespread recognition make it a popular choice for fundraisers of all types.

Who it’s for

GoFundMe is ideal for:

• Individuals seeking help with personal expenses like medical bills or education.
• Small community groups looking to fund local initiatives.
• Organizations needing to fund specific projects or short-term goals.

Why it’s different from FutureFund

GoFundMe excels at crowdfunding for personal or one-time campaigns, but it doesn’t offer the specialized features schools or PTAs need for ongoing fundraising. Key differences include:

• No built-in tools for school-specific campaigns like Fun Runs or spirit wear sales.
• Limited options for donor engagement or corporate matching.
• Lacks volunteer coordination and financial tracking tools tailored for schools.

How it helps with fundraising

GoFundMe makes it easy to:

• Reach a wide audience with highly shareable campaign pages.
• Collect donations quickly, with funds transferred directly to your account.
• Share updates and messages with supporters throughout the campaign.

When to use it

GoFundMe is a great option for grassroots campaigns or personal fundraising. However, schools and PTAs running multiple fundraisers annually will find FutureFund’s comprehensive tools better suited to their needs.

Network for Good: a donor-friendly searchable database for nonprofits

Network for Good takes a different approach from the other platforms on this list when it comes to raising funds. Instead of focusing on ecommerce features or online donation forms, it operates as a “technology enabled donor-advised fund” that gives donors the tools to raise money for their own favorite charities.

Who it’s for

Network for Good is best for:

• Major corporations that want to give their customers opportunities to make charitable donations.
• Nonprofit organizations affiliated with businesses who are seeking support from their customers.

Why it’s different from FutureFund

Network for Good operates in a completely different way than FutureFund. Instead of a platform that provides fundraising features for schools, Network for Good functions as a database where nonprofits can register themselves. Those who do show up in a list of search results for donors who are looking for specific causes to support. Here’s how it works:

• Accepts donations from individuals and sends them to eligible nonprofits approved by the platform.
• Partners with companies like Google and Walmart to encourage donations from their customers.
• Does not provide nonprofits with tools they can actively use to run fundraisers.

How it helps with fundraising

Network for Good’s features include:

• Turnkey support: Network for Good works with its partners to match donors with appropriate nonprofits and streamline their giving.
• Reviewed for compliance: All nonprofits connected to Network for Good are carefully reviewed.
• Instant tax documentation: Donors get donation receipts as soon as they contribute.

When to use it

Network for Good is ideal for nonprofits who want a passive way to become more discoverable. If you’re a school or another type of group that needs to actively raise funds throughout the year, though, you’ll want to make sure you’re also using one of the appropriate platforms elsewhere on this list.

Virtuous: a CRM powerhouse for large nonprofits

Virtuous is a fundraising platform designed for nonprofits focused on brand-building and community relationships. Its advanced donor management and marketing automation tools make it a great choice for nonprofits operating at a larger scale than most K–12 schools or PTAs.

Who it’s for

Virtuous is best suited for mid-to-large-sized nonprofits that rely on donor relationships for ongoing funding. Specific examples include:

• Human services providers and environmental advocacy groups
• Cultural institutions like philharmonic orchestras
• Universities looking for alumni support

Why it’s different from FutureFund

Virtuous focuses on donor relationship management and large-scale marketing campaigns, whereas FutureFund is specifically built to simplify fundraising for K–12 schools and PTAs. While FutureFund solves fundraising challenges specific to education, Virtuous excels at:

• Advanced donor segmentation and analytics.
• Multi-channel marketing automation for email, SMS, and direct mail.
• Personalized donor engagement, driven by data insights.

These features make Virtuous more appropriate for nonprofits with complex donor needs, while FutureFund shines in its niche of streamlined, school-focused fundraising.

How it helps with fundraising

Virtuous’s standout features include:

• Virtuous BI: This “business intelligence” and analytics tool helps large nonprofits visualize high volumes of data clearly and make it easier to take action.
• Fundraising Automation: Create personalized campaigns using triggers like donations, volunteer sign-ups, or event participation.
• Wealth Data: Learn who and where your high-potential donors are so you can target them more effectively in your messaging.

When to use it

Virtuous is a great fit for nonprofits managing major donors, recurring gifts, or complex campaigns that span multiple channels. If your organization needs deep insights into donor behaviors and the ability to automate personalized outreach at scale, Virtuous is an excellent choice. However, K–12 schools looking for a simple and cost-effective solution will find FutureFund better suited to their needs.

Charity Navigator: a platform for discovering and evaluating nonprofits (honorable mention)

Charity Navigator isn’t really a platform, but it’s still worth listing here because it’s useful to make sure your nonprofit’s listing is up to date. This nonprofit evaluation tool helps donors find and support charities aligned with their values by offering detailed ratings and insights into nonprofit organizations.

Who it’s for

Charity Navigator is ideal for:

• Individual donors looking to support vetted nonprofits.
• Nonprofits wanting to showcase their transparency and effectiveness to potential donors.
• Corporations seeking credible organizations to support through employee giving programs.

Why it’s different from FutureFund

Charity Navigator operates as a discovery and evaluation platform rather than a fundraising tool. Here’s how it differs:

• It doesn’t provide tools for creating or managing fundraising campaigns.
• Focuses on nonprofit ratings, impact assessments, and financial transparency.
• Offers no school-specific features or tools for event coordination.

How it helps with fundraising

Charity Navigator helps nonprofits indirectly by:

• Improving their visibility to potential donors through detailed profiles and ratings.
• Showcasing their accountability and financial health to build trust.
• Providing tools for donors to research causes and contribute with confidence.

When to use it

You don’t really use Charity Navigator, but it’s helpful to make sure you’re listed in their database and that your information there is up to date. This can increase your discoverability and credibility among potential donors.

Choosing a fundraising platform that fits your goals

With so many different ways to raise funds, and so many worthy causes, there’s no such thing as a one-size-fits-all solution. Choosing the right fundraising platform means understanding your organization’s needs, goals, and audience, so that you can make the best use of available tools and resources and make meaningful progress towards your goals.

FutureFund is the only fundraising platform designed by—and exclusively for—K-12 educators. When you need help raising money for your school, PTA, booster club, or athletic fund, we’ve got your back. And if your nonprofit focuses on different work, the other recommendations on this list can help you work literal wonders for the causes you care about.

Ready to smash your school group’s fundraising targets? Get started today with a free trial of FutureFund here and let’s take the next step together.