With Microsoft's announcement to sunset their Fundraising and Engagement (F&E) application, nonprofit organizations relying on this platform are faced with the crucial task of transitioning to a new solution. StratusLIVE, with its comprehensive suite of products built on the Microsoft commercial platform, stands out as an ideal replacement. Notably, StratusLIVE has been specifically tapped by Microsoft as a premier ISV for enterprise nonprofits, further solidifying its position as a trusted and strategic choice. Here's a guide on how to smoothly transition from Microsoft F&E to StratusLIVE, ensuring minimal disruption and maximum enhancement in your nonprofit operations.
Why StratusLIVE is the Optimal Choice
StratusLIVE offers a robust array of tools specifically designed for nonprofits, combining the familiarity of the Microsoft environment with advanced features tailored to the sector’s needs. Here are some key benefits:
Integrated CRM and Fundraising Solutions: StratusLIVE 365 CRM, built on Microsoft Dynamics 365, offers a comprehensive donor management system. It provides a 360° view of your constituents, seamless integration with engagement pages, and advanced data visualizations for informed decision-making. StratusLIVE is not a plugin to Microsoft’s CRM, it is a fully built platform, ready to take the daily challenges Nonprofits face head-on.
Enhanced Digital Engagement: The StratusLIVE Ignite platform enables nonprofits to create dynamic online fundraising pages, manage events, and engage volunteers with ease. Its AI-enabled content generation and multi-channel engagement tools significantly elevate donor interaction. Additionally, data gathered from Ignite seamlessly integrates back into our Dynamics 365 based CRM.
Comprehensive Volunteer and Event Management: StratusLIVE's volunteer management tools streamline the coordination of volunteer efforts and event logistics, ensuring efficient and effective engagement with supporters.
Advanced Analytics and Segmentation: With StratusLIVE IQ, nonprofits can leverage predictive analytics for data-driven marketing campaigns, optimizing outreach and increasing fundraising success.
Microsoft Endorsement: StratusLIVE’s position as a Microsoft premier ISV channel partner underscores its credibility and the strategic advantage it offers to nonprofits transitioning from F&E. This partnership ensures that StratusLIVE is continuously updated with the latest innovations from Microsoft, providing nonprofits with cutting-edge technology and support.
Solutions to Common Challenges
For many nonprofits, making another significant CRM investment by 2026 poses a considerable financial challenge. StratusLIVE offers several solutions to ease this burden:
Flexible Pricing Models: StratusLIVE provides various pricing plans and payment options tailored to meet the financial constraints of nonprofit organizations. These flexible pricing models ensure that even organizations with tight budgets can transition smoothly.
Value-Driven Features: The robust feature set of StratusLIVE products ensures that nonprofits receive significant value for their investment. By consolidating multiple functionalities into one platform, StratusLIVE reduces the need for additional software, thereby lowering overall costs.
Phased Implementation Approach: For organizations concerned about the immediate financial impact, StratusLIVE offers a phased implementation approach. This allows nonprofits to gradually adopt the new system, spreading out costs over time and minimizing financial strain.
The current landscape is already challenging for nonprofits, and the sunset of Microsoft F&E can exacerbate these difficulties, especially for those mid-implementation. StratusLIVE is committed to supporting nonprofits through this transition with the following solutions:
Dedicated Transition Support: StratusLIVE's in-house implementation team offers dedicated support throughout the transition process. This includes personalized assistance with data migration, system configuration, and user training, ensuring a smooth and efficient switch.
Mid-Implementation Flexibility: For nonprofits that are mid-implementation with another system, StratusLIVE provides flexible integration solutions. This ensures that any progress made with the current system is not lost, and the transition can continue without significant disruption.
Enhanced Efficiency and Impact: By adopting StratusLIVE’s integrated solutions, nonprofits can streamline operations, enhance donor engagement, and improve fundraising effectiveness. This increased efficiency translates to better resource utilization, allowing organizations to focus more on their mission and less on administrative tasks.
Steps to Transition Smoothly
Data Inventory: Catalog all the data currently stored in Microsoft F&E, including donor information, engagement history, and financial records.
Identify Key Processes: List out the critical processes and workflows that your organization relies on within F&E.
Set Milestones: Establish a clear timeline with key milestones for each phase of the transition, including data migration, staff training, and system testing.
Allocate Resources: Ensure you have the necessary resources, including budget and personnel, to manage the transition.
Data Mapping: Work with StratusLIVE's implementation team to map your existing data fields to the corresponding fields in StratusLIVE 365 CRM.
Data Cleansing: Cleanse your data to remove duplicates and outdated information, ensuring a smooth migration.
Migration Execution: Utilize StratusLIVE’s integration tools to facilitate a seamless data transfer from Microsoft F&E to StratusLIVE 365 CRM.
Customized Training Programs: StratusLIVE offers training programs tailored to your organization’s needs, ensuring that your team is well-versed in using the new platform.
Ongoing Support: Benefit from StratusLIVE’s exceptional customer support, which provides continuous assistance beyond the initial training phase.
User Acceptance Testing (UAT): Conduct thorough testing of the new system with a select group of users to identify any issues or gaps.
Iterative Improvements: Gather feedback and work with StratusLIVE’s support team to make necessary adjustments before full deployment.
Go Live: Once all testing is complete and feedback has been addressed, proceed with the full deployment of StratusLIVE.
Post-Deployment Review: Conduct a post-deployment review to ensure that all systems are functioning as expected and to address any outstanding issues.
Regular Check-ins: Schedule regular check-ins with your StratusLIVE account manager to review system performance and explore new features.
Staff Training Updates: Keep your staff updated with the latest features and best practices through ongoing training sessions.
Transitioning from Microsoft F&E to StratusLIVE doesn’t have to be daunting. With careful planning, the right support, and leveraging StratusLIVE’s superior features, your nonprofit can continue to thrive and expand its impact. Start the process now, and you'll be well-prepared for a seamless transition, positioning your organization for greater success in its mission-driven endeavors.
As more news is shared from our friends in the nonprofit space, we will update this blog so you have as much information as you need about the transition.
Nonprofit Times: "It’s worth noting that for many nonprofits, this announcement might be reasonably inconsequential. There are many more nonprofits, associations, and foundations that use Dynamics 365 but have not needed to use Fundraising and Engagement. There are potential solutions such as StratusLIVE, with significant market share among United Ways."
Heller Consulting: "Keep in mind that Microsoft is a world-class, highly secure technology option that provides significant discounts for nonprofits, remains invested in the nonprofit sector, and is a leader in artificial intelligence (AI) innovation. We often recommend that nonprofits build their technology stacks on Microsoft when it is the right fit, and the change with Fundraising and Engagement does not change the fundamentals that make Microsoft a strong technology choice for many nonprofits."
For more information and to begin your transition journey, contact StratusLIVE today.