For nonprofit teams, constant collaboration between geographically dispersed employees and allowing device remote access is required. As a manager working at a nonprofit organization, investing in remote work software would help your team optimize collaboration and bridge the gap between on-the-ground and in-office employees.
Remote work software can enable managers to communicate effectively with their team via built-in messaging functionality. Such solutions also help with remote training and development to enhance employee skills.
To help you make the right decision, this article highlights, in alphabetical order, the five top-rated remote work software solutions for nonprofits based on user reviews. For each product, we include overall user ratings along with the highest-rated parameter, review excerpts from industry professionals, and product pricing.
1. Asana
Trial/Free Version
- Free Trial
- Free Version
Highest-rated parameter
Commonly used by
Starting price
Billing cycle
Device compatibility
Here are some review excerpts from nonprofit organization professionals who have used Asana:
"I believe in it and want to use it even more at work but without the other staff using it, I can only use it as a task list for myself - still satisfied with that though, I love it! Overall, Asana is a great tool for planning and organizing, I will always support it!"
"Anyone who loves project management, timelines and keeping all of your work *very* organized will love Asana. I like the subtasks, custom fields, and timeline views. The My Tasks section is helpful in getting an overview of my assignments for the next day, week, or month."
"Other than the rainbow unicorns that pop up when you finish a task, my favorite features are the flexibility (multiple views), ease of use, and ability to plan and collaborate even complex iterated projects."
2. ClickUp
Trial/Free Version
- Free Trial
- Free Version
Highest-rated parameter
Commonly used by
Starting price
Billing cycle
Device compatibility
Here are some review excerpts from nonprofit organization professionals who have used ClickUp:
"I like this software has various ways of altering the product to accommodate your work process, and extraordinary method for keeping all assets required for a venture in one simple to-get to put, additional permits various visitors, which makes it simple to impart assets to clients."
"It is an easy way for us to document all our tasks into projects that relate to milestone goals. This helps us relate what we are working on to not only our department goals but our organizations goals."
"I've been using ClickUp for 2+ years, and am very pleased with the product, and for the features included at a very reasonable price. I look forward to some automation updates, but overall I'm so glad for this tool as my business hub."
Read all ClickUp reviews here.
3. monday.com
Trial/Free Version
- Free Trial
- Free Version
Highest-rated parameter
Commonly used by
Starting price
Billing cycle
Device compatibility
Here are some review excerpts from nonprofit organization professionals who have used monday.com:
"A fun, easy-to-use system of work planning. Of course, works best when you have buy-in from the wider team or team member - but the flexibility of set-up makes for personalisable tracking solutions!"
"In the midst of having a diverse team from all around the US working remotely, Monday.com has enabled us to work more efficiently together one projects. It has also helped us streamline task management."
"Monday.com is a great cloud application and collaboration tool that makes it possible for you and your remote worker to easily create and manage projects in a single spot together just like a round table conference."
Read all monday.com reviews here.
4. Smartsheet
Trial/Free Version
- Free Trial
- Free Version
Highest-rated parameter
Commonly used by
Starting price
Billing cycle
Device compatibility
Here are some review excerpts from nonprofit organization professionals who have used Smartsheet:
"I like that we can track our project contributions in real time. The variety of templates is the one best features and they are very detailed and professional. It’s worth the price for sure. However, I would need a bigger business to utilize the software at the price."
"I love having one central workspace location for all my projects, and having the ability to set dependencies - I used to spend so much time on Excel editing gantt charts when deadlines shifted, but Smartsheets makes it SO easy to update everything with dependencies on a remote desktop! At a nonprofit where deadlines flex every other week, this is a life saver."
"Smartsheet is the best remote work software. It has a very intuitive interface, and streamlined pricing and it provides a platform for managing projects, workflows and reporting dashboards. On Smartsheet I can access a lot of different templates which I customize to my needs and the needs of my remote employees."
Read all Smartsheet reviews here.
5. Zoom Meetings
Trial/Free Version
- Free Trial
- Free Version
Highest-rated parameter
Commonly used by
Starting price
Billing cycle
Device compatibility
Here are some review excerpts from nonprofit organization professionals who have used Zoom Meetings:
"What I like most about Zoom is that it gives us a platform to stay connected when face to pace meetings have been impossible due to covid. I also like that it seems that Zoom has quickly made improvements to features during the pandemic so that it continues to work and meet the needs of so many users.”
“Zoom, the remote working tool has allowed us to build and continue work even at a distance and when getting together in person is too risky or complicated. It's great to be able to see people, or to have videos off, or for folks to call in via phone. The screen share feature is also very helpful. One of the best things is hosting and participating in programs with people from a huge distance."
"The feature I like most about Zoom is being able to see many people on the same screen and accessing that computer with remote control. While doing this, it is a nice feature to be able to send both by using the invitation link and by sending an e-mail. Ease of access and use, the use of white screen, which had been an indispensable application in the pandemic. I'd say they stand out along with file sharing."
Read all Zoom Meetings reviews here.
What features do remote work tools offer?
Remote work software tools offer remote access/control as a core feature, which enables a remote employee to access and control their work devices or systems remotely. This feature allows individuals to securely connect to their office computers or servers, access files, and perform tasks efficiently and effectively.
All products listed in this report include remote access/control. Besides the core feature, remote working tools also commonly tend to offer:
Collaboration tools
Live chat
Meeting management
Remote support
Task management
Video chat
Time tracking
Team collaboration
Employee monitoring
Video conferencing
How to choose the right remote work software for nonprofits
Check for discounts and free plans with vendors. Nonprofits often operate on limited budgets, so finding affordable solutions is crucial. Many software providers offer discounted or free plans for nonprofit organizations. Look for options that provide the features you need within your budget constraints.
Look for software with features relevant to nonprofits. Nonprofits often rely on grants. Choose software that includes features for grant tracking, reporting, and compliance. This helps ensure that your organization meets the requirements of various grants and can provide accurate reporting to funders.
Consider the needs of diverse stakeholders, including staff, volunteers, donors, and beneficiaries. Choose software that is accessible and user-friendly for remote workers with varying levels of technical expertise and abilities. Many nonprofits rely on volunteers. The software should have an intuitive interface to ensure quick onboarding for volunteers, minimizing the learning curve.
Common questions to ask software vendors before purchasing nonprofit remote work software
What kind of integrational support do you offer?
The software should integrate with the fundraising and donor management systems that you have in place, allowing you to track donations, communicate with donors, and share information about fundraising campaigns efficiently.
What kind of reporting and compliance features do you offer?
The software should generate reports on grant-funded projects and their timelines, budgets, expenses, and outcomes. This supports compliance with grant requirements and provides transparency to funders.
Which security measures do you offer with the software?
Since nonprofits handle sensitive donor information, choosing software with robust security measures, including encryption and secure access control, is crucial to safeguarding confidential data.