The 23 Best Event Management Software for Nonprofits in 2023

Events are the lifeblood of nonprofits and associations.

Conferences offer an opportunity for an entire member base to get together, experience the best of what an association can offer, and give the organization a chance to drive non-dues revenue.

Fundraising events are an invaluable opportunity to drive revenue and build community, whether they’re online or in person.

Online communities and ongoing virtual events let members and attendees continue to drive a strong relationship with the organization from across the country, or even the world.

But without the right event management software for nonprofits, you risk:

  • Poor event ROI
  • Not having the right stats and analytics to prep for success
  • Reduced attendee engagement

And other key challenges that could compromise this crucial program.

The right event tech can reduce the burden on event planners, increase your return on investment, and make scaling your programming easy as pie.

How? That’s what we’ll cover in this article.

What Is Nonprofit Event Management Software?

Nonprofit event management software is a type of software used to organize nonprofit events. That might mean an annual conference for an association, ongoing workshops or continuing education, or nonprofit fundraising events.

Types of nonprofit event management software include:

  • End-to-end event management platform like EventMobi
  • Conference apps (we have one of those, too!)
  • Silent auction software
  • Donation processing software, whether online or through texting

The right event management software will cut administrative hours and minimize overwhelm as a part of the event planning process. You should be able to load your event information in bulk, use drag and drop functionality to minimize the need for a graphic designer, and get the key insights about your attendees that you need to attract sponsors.

Simplifying your workflow helps your team focus on making the best event possible. Find out how an all-in-one event management system can help you build and manage in-person, hybrid, and virtual events with ease. Learn about Experience Manager.

What Should I Consider When Purchasing Nonprofit Event Software?

Before spending your valuable funds on software you’re uncertain about, consider the following: 

1. Features

Many nonprofit event organizers need a solution that can help them:

  • Build event websites and event apps
  • Simplify event registration, ticketing and attendee check-in
  • Badge design, for in person events
  • Customize event branding
  • Run email marketing
  • Host event maps
  • Create agendas and schedules 
  • Facilitate networking
  • Run virtual, hybrid and/or in person events
  • Encourage in-session engagement
  • Keep event-goers up to date with notifications
  • Manage sponsor, attendee, and speaker data and pages
  • Get insights from event analytics and social media reports
  • Send surveys and get feedback
  • Share documents before, during and after the event
  • Support multi-language users

Then the next step is to think about which of these are must-have features for your organization, and which are nice-to-haves.

Along with your must-haves, make sure your choice is scalable over time, and can be extended with add-ons. Integration with third-party solutions can be a valuable feature too!

2. Budget

While it would be great to have the world’s best event management software…you’ve got an event budget to worry about. If your budget has restrictions, aim for must-have features over nice-to-have ones.

Moreover, make sure that you like the team at the software company that you’ll be working with. Choosing a more affordable software package from a company that doesn’t care about their customers will always be more expensive in the end. After all, you might go through the whole costly experience again in the future!

Really need to free up the dollars? Free event management software for nonprofits is there in a pinch.  

Whatever your budget is, ask for a demo, and if in doubt, test the trial before buying.

3. Customer onboarding

The best event management software for nonprofits comes with impeccable customer onboarding.

After you sign up for their product, the software vendor should support your transition. Look for a vendor with the enthusiasm and resources that will get you set up for success! They should give you clear, detailed instructions on how to use their platform.

Ideally, your selected vendor will offer a number of onboarding services, like:

  • Customer Support for pressing issues
  • Customer Success for ensuring event success
  • Account Executives who’ll check in and make sure you have what you need
  • Product tours & resources
  • An in-depth help center or knowledge base
  • An online user community

4. Customer support

You deserve awesome support. Your vendor’s team should be able to troubleshoot technical issues and quickly fix them. Even better: if it’s offered 24 hours a day, especially when you’re holding events.

When you’re in the demo process, make sure to ask your sales team for examples of how customer support has solved issues for existing customers.

5. Ease of use

The most intensive feature stack isn’t always the best fit. A less complex, super-useable platform will make it easier for your team to onboard, use, and be successful with your new nonprofit event software.

Make sure the people who’ll be using the platform are a part of the demo process. That way, they can give feedback on the useability before you make the purchase, and get their buy-in.

Need more evidence of ease of use? Check out online reviews, or ask to speak with an existing customer.

6. All in one

What’s worse than having no tools? Having too many tools, and none of them talk to one another!

No single tool will be able to do absolutely everything well. But look for a central tool that can handle most of your needs, and then compliment it with additional software.

For example, EventMobi is nonprofit event software that’s built to help your staff run annual conferences, ongoing workshops & webinars, and host an online community. The software isn’t prepped to accept donations, though, so you’d also need online fundraising software and/or silent auction software if you wanted to raise money!

Worst case, make sure that your disparate programs have an API, so you can hard code a connection between them.

7. In-person, virtual, or hybrid

Do you hold in-person, virtual, and hybrid events? Only hold one, but want the flexibility to do more? Look for a solution that can facilitate your events no matter which format they take, and comes with tools (like gamification, notifications, live streaming, or document storage) that give you the flexibility you need to thrive in a new era of event planning.

8. Great reviews

The most trustworthy opinions about any kind of software come from its users. Software review websites such as Capterra or G2 are a reliable source of reviews. 

For example, Eventmobi has a 4.7/5.0 Ease of Use and Customer Service rating, which contributes to its overall 4.8 rating on Capterra. Take the time to read through reviews as well as ratings to get a clear understanding of which options act as the best event management software for nonprofits. 

10 Reasons EventMobi Would Rock Your Next Nonprofit Or Association Event

We’ve told you about the reviews, but what exactly can EventMobi do for your event?

When it comes to making these decisions, the more information the better, so here are some key details about what EventMobi offers our users: 

  1. Drag and drop event websites and apps: No design skills needed! Use Page Designer to build custom event websites and apps with drag-and-drop tools.
  2. Custom registration forms: Create custom online registration forms with unlimited fields, drop-down menus, and multiple-choice questions. You can even manage multiticket and consecutive registrations!
  3. Segmented email marketing: Send branded, personalized emails to everyone involved in your event, segmenting by language, registration status, payments status, and other key data!
  4. Wow sponsors: Feature sponsors across your event with in-app banner ads, company pages, sponsored notifications, and set them up with lead capture. You’ll also have all the analytics you need to report on your success.
  5. Gamification: Up attendee engagement and drive more traffic to sponsors with gamification! Challenge your attendees to networking challenges, sponsor meetings and session check in challenges. (We even have a gamification design team!)
  6. Networking & conversations: Facilitate connections with moderated group discussions, appointment booking, 1:1 messaging and video calls, and customized profiles.
  7. In person, virtual, and hybrid events: The EventMobi experience manager is ready to host any event format, or all of them at the same time.
  8. Professional services to help you thrive: EventMobi’s professional services team helps hundreds of events welcome thousands of speakers, sponsors and attendees every year. We’re here for project management, consulting, and one-on-one support for any kind of event.
  9. 13+ Years of experience: Over more than a decade, we’ve supported tens of thousands of events around the world with easy-to-use software, award-winning customer support, and customer-centric product design.
  10. A+ Reviews: We won’t speak for ourselves. Check out the reviews our customers made to EventMobi tools and platforms on Capterra and G2!

Best Event Management Software for Nonprofits

We’ve gathered a list of solutions for you to consider before taking the plunge with a purchase. 

Remember: think about all the factors discussed above to make sure your choice matches your event goals and you’ll be on your way to success!

EventMobi

EventMobi is an end-to-end management platform to design, produce, and deliver in-person, virtual, and hybrid events.

Pricing: Single event, multi-event, and year-round subscriptions are available for event apps, virtual and hybrid event platforms, and our registration, website, and ticketing platform

Best for: companies of all sizes, associations and nonprofits, public administration organizations, higher-education institutions, and third-party event planning firms

Lumaverse

Lumaverse is an umbrella brand that provides event management solutions for scheduling, volunteer and member management, event planning, and fundraising.

Pricing: varies based on product 

Best for: clubs and member-based nonprofits who need to run events with many platforms

WildApricot

WildApricot is a cloud-based event management platform to automate and support membership tasks.

Pricing: $60–$900 USD per month depending on number of contacts

Best for: small associations, nonprofits, and chapter-based organizations

Accelevents

Accelevents is an event management solution to plan, execute, and analyze events at any scale.

Pricing: contact sales

Best for: in-person, virtual, and hybrid events of all types and sizes

CharityEngine

CharityEngine positions itself as a nonprofit CRM focused on managing donor data on top of events.

Pricing: 

  • Standard: $350–$700 USD per month
  • Professional: $700–$1500 USD per month
  • Enterprise: contact sales

Best for: medium to large nonprofits

Best Event Apps for Nonprofits

Mobile app builders are great for nonprofits that prioritize convenience in managing events.

EventMobi

EventMobi is an app builder to create branded mobile event apps.

Pricing: Packages for branded and unbranded apps

Best for: companies of all sizes, associations and nonprofits, public administration organizations, higher-education institutions, and third-party event planning firms

AppInstitute

AppInstitute is a no-code app maker not only for building mobile apps but also for promoting them.

Pricing:

  • Starter: $67 USD
  • Pro: $84 USD
  • Reseller: $280 USD

Best for: small and medium businesses, digital and creative agencies, and individuals

BuildFire

BuildFire is a no-code mobile app builder for iOS and Android with a developer SDK.

Pricing

  • BuildFire Plus Professional Services:
    • Premium—$5,000 USD for one month
    • Signature—$7,500 USD for two months
    • Enterprise—$15,000 USD for three months
  • BuildFire App Development Platform:
    • Growth: $159 USD per month
    • Starter: $299 USD per month
    • Standard: $424 USD per month

Best for: from small startups to mature enterprises

Best Event Registration Software for Nonprofits

Event registration is key to running a smooth event! Here’s some options to explore for your next event.

Doubleknot

Doubleknot offers integrated software solutions to manage ticketing, memberships, registrations, reservations, donations, and merchandise sales for nonprofits and cultural organizations.

Pricing: contact sales

Best for: nonprofits and cultural attractions, such as museums and science centers

RegFox

RegFox is a registration platform for events like conferences, camps, and classes.

Pricing: flat fee of $0.99 USD + 1% per paid registrant, plus a credit card processing fee of 2.99%, capped at $4.99 USD per registrant

Best for: all sorts of events that need registration

Mobilize

Mobilize is a platform to manage events and recruit volunteers.

Pricing: contact sales

Best for: mission-driven organizations

RSVPify

RSVPify is an end-to-end event solution with an emphasis on managing invitations containing RSVP links.

Pricing

  • Event Pricing:
    • Free—up to 100 RSVPs
    • Personal Events—$19 USD per month
    • Professional Events—$39 USD per month
    • Enterprise—contact sales
  • Selling Tickets: $0.90 per ticket, item, or donation + 1.95%

Best for: medium businesses and nonprofits

Tix

Tix is a cloud-based event ticketing platform for box office and online ticket sales.

Pricing:

  • Box Office Fee: $0.25 USD per ticket
  • Online Fee: $1.00–$1.50 USD per ticket
  • Call Center Fee: $3.50 USD per ticket

Best for: small to large venues, promoters, and event organizers

Best Free Event Management Software for Nonprofits

Not much room for software in the budget? You can consider these free options for managing nonprofit events:

Givebutter

Givebutter is an end-to-end fundraising platform that covers everything from auctions, fundraising events, and payment processing to donor engagement and management.

Pricing: free forever as donors pay optional tips (unless you prefer otherwise)

Best for: small and medium nonprofits

Eventbrite

Eventbrite is an all-in-one event management platform with a special focus on ticketing and event discovery.

Pricing: free forever as ticket buyers pay the fees (unless you prefer otherwise)

Best for: events of all kinds and sizes, such as concerts, festivals, meetups, conferences, and workshops

ClickUp

ClickUp is a project management solution with nonprofit and event management tools.

Pricing: free forever for personal use

Best for: nonprofit organizations and event planners

StreamYard

StreamYard is a Web-based professional live streaming and recording studio.

Pricing: free for individuals

Best for: companies of all sizes and nonprofits

Airmeet

Airmeet is a webinar and online-event hosting platform.

Pricing: free forever for small events with up to 50 attendees

Best for: B2B SaaS companies

Best Fundraising Event Management Software

Are you planning to collect donations at your event? Charity event software has dedicated fundraising functions to help support your cause!

OneCause

OneCause is an end-to-end solution to manage online fundraising events.

Pricing: contact sales

Best for: companies of all sizes and nonprofits

Silent Auction Pro

Silent Auction Pro is a fundraising platform to manage online auction catalogs and other aspects of fundraisers.

Pricing:

  • Mobile Pro: $899 USD per year + 2% of event proceeds
  • Mobile Plus: $749 USD per year + 2% of event proceeds
  • Bidsheet Pro: $649 USD per year + 2% of event proceeds
  • Bidsheet Plus: $449 USD per year + 2% of event proceeds

Best for: nonprofits of all sizes

Grassroots Unwired

Grassroots Unwired is a mobile platform for in-person or event-based fundraising and advocacy.

Pricing: contact sales

Best for: companies of all sizes and nonprofits

Handbid

Handbid is a mobile solution dedicated to bidding and auction management.

Pricing: $1,396 USD per year, plus a credit card processing fee of 3.5% + $0.30 USD

Best for: companies of all sizes and nonprofits

Snowball Fundraising

Snowball Fundraising is an all-in-one fundraising platform.

Pricing:

  • Essential: free, plus a transaction fee of 2.9% + $0.30 USD
  • Premium: $55 USD per month, plus a transaction fee of 2.9% + $0.30 USD
  • Professional: $85 USD per month, plus a transaction fee of 2.9% + $0.30 USD
  • Enterprise: $99 USD per month, plus a transaction fee of 2.9% + $0.30 USD

Best for: small and medium nonprofits

Double the Donation

Double the Donation provides a solution—360MatchPro—for corporate matching gift fundraising.

Pricing:

  • Standard: starts at $999 USD per year
  • Enterprise: starts at $1500 USD per year

Best for: nonprofits and higher-education institutions

Choose the Right Event Management Software for Your Next Event

Event management software is key to creating a smooth and engaging event experience for your event attendees. By simplifying the planning process, streamlining attendee registration and engagement, and providing key analytics to track ROI, the best event management software for nonprofits can help your organization host an amazing event, whether in-person, online, or both. 

If you’re ready to support your event with an all-in-one event management software solution, schedule a chat with our team about what Eventmobi can do for your next event!