For any non-profit organization to run smoothly, the role of the HR department is indispensable. To help them fulfill their growing responsibilities efficiently, HR professionals resort to HR software that manages various organizational aspects. From hiring to managing incentives, payrolls, and certifications, HR management solutions show their presence everywhere. There are many software programs available in the market, but choosing the best HR software for nonprofits can be complicated.
Let’s find out more about how you can get the best HR software for nonprofits.
What Is HR Management Software?
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HR management software plays a crucial role in managing the records of employees and volunteers in nonprofits. This can be done using a web browser, desktop application, or an app installed on a smartphone. Some software solutions let you integrate with other management tools to track your employees and volunteers round the clock.
These days, many companies are looking forward to using Software as a Service (SaaS) solutions that offer advanced HR management capabilities. Apart from being cost-effective alternatives, these are easy-to-use top-grade solutions integrated with other tools like Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) and accounting.
Before selecting the perfect solution, contemplate the requirements of your company. List the features that you expect the software tool to have. Should the user interface be simple, is the solution scalable, etc., some of the questions need clear answers. You can then zero in on a tool that meets your requirements.
Best HR software for nonprofits.
PartnerHR
HR software for nonprofits has to work in ways different from other tools. Developed and designed by Silent Partner Software, PartnerHR has constantly worked with educational institutions, charities, and the like for many years. This is how it has gained experience in working with nonprofits by understanding their challenges.
Non-profits usually have employees and volunteers whose data has to be managed by the HR software. Fortunately, PartnerHR is custom-made for exactly this purpose. It is a software as a Service (SaaS) that ensures that the secure application manages the people-centric data of nonprofits.
PartnerHR is a very easy-to-use application that can be used by administrators and users effortlessly. The HR teams can access the reports that contain the skills and abilities of the team members and can assign training for the staff as and when required.
Employees and volunteers can submit leave requests and view what pieces of training are awaiting them for upskilling. They can even save their records, like resumes and training certificate,s using the software.
If an organization works with differently-abled people or the elderly, it is vital to do background checks in specific intervals. The software can track this, and reports can be stored for future reference. PartnerHR will notify you when the time comes to renew the checks. It is one of the best HR software for nonprofits and social service organizations.
BreezyHR
This is also one of the best HR software programs for nonprofits, which acts as a recruiting and applicant tracking system. They have something called the “Bootstrap” service that is free and helps search for suitable candidates from more than 50 job sites.
The BreezyHR Business Edition works closely with non-profits like church organizations to interview candidates online, manage scorecards of candidates, and integrate with other HR applications that the organization works with. Background screening and automated reference checking are two major functions supported by this software.
It is a good idea to incorporate BreezyHR with software like PartnerHR for maximum benefits. BreezyHR is suitable for small, medium, or big organizations and nonprofits.
Zoho People
This cloud-based HR software offers much more functionalities, including core HR services. Though Zoho People is mainly intended for industries like healthcare, education, finance, IT, and media, it is also beneficial for non-profits given its pricing and features.
Zoho People has a large number of features and modules that cater to different needs. If you want a service that offers features like reporting, analytics, performance tracking, time/attendance tracking, and document repository, the Premium service option can be chosen.
The software is popular because it is easy to use and also the best HR software for nonprofits. The organizations that can benefit from Zoho People include NGOs as well as small & medium businesses.
BambooHR
Organizations use BambooHR software for time tracking, employee records, new hire onboarding, employee satisfaction surveys, applicant tracking, and online applications, performance tracking, and HR reporting and analytics.
The software was not primarily developed for non-profits but for small, medium, and large businesses. But some of the functionalities offered are compatible with the requirements of nonprofits. This is why it is on our list of best HR software for nonprofits.
BambooHR offers two pricing tiers, and the companies can choose what they want. The two tiers differ in features like integration with other applications, hiring/onboarding functionality, and custom tabs and fields only available in one.
The feature that supports employee management cannot be used to manage volunteers in the case of non-profits. For this, the higher-end advantage edition may have to be selected that has more modules for employee performance reports and reminder alerts.
ADP Workforce
This popular HR software caters to the needs of social service organizations, businesses, government institutions, and nonprofits. It helps manage recruiting and hiring, payroll, onboarding, analytics, time and attendance tracking, and performance management.
This SaaS service can be a little complicated as the implementation of the applications may not be as simple as the others. But one great advantage is its amazing features. It is built on legacy architecture, and having too many upgrades is a problem faced by the organizations using it.
Larger organizations in the government and healthcare sectors are the main users of ADP. But non-profits can also opt for this software if they have a large number of requirements.
Key Takeaways
- Nonprofit HR Needs Are Distinctive: Standard HR software often falls short. Nonprofits require solutions adept at handling both paid staff and volunteers, managing specific compliance needs (like recurring background checks for vulnerable populations), tracking diverse certifications, and often operating within tighter budget constraints. Software must be flexible enough to accommodate unique organizational structures and mission-driven priorities, not just profit-centric metrics.
- Core Functionality is Paramount, But Specialization Matters: Essential features include centralized employee/volunteer records, payroll integration (often complex due to various funding sources), time and attendance tracking, benefits administration, onboarding, and performance management. However, specialized needs like robust volunteer management modules, skills/training databases for diverse roles, compliance tracking for grants and regulations (e.g., recurring background checks), and integration capabilities with nonprofit-specific systems (like donor databases or program management tools) are crucial differentiators. A simple user interface for diverse users (staff, volunteers, administrators) and scalability are non-negotiable.
- PartnerHR Stands Out as the Purpose-Built Nonprofit Solution: Developed specifically for nonprofits through extensive collaboration with charities, educational institutions, and social service organizations, PartnerHR (SaaS) deeply understands sector challenges. Its core strengths lie in its seamless management of both employees and volunteers within a secure platform. Key features include easy leave requests, training assignment/visibility (including certificate storage), critical background check tracking with renewal alerts, skills/ability reporting, and an intuitive interface. It represents the gold standard for nonprofits seeking software designed explicitly around their operational realities and compliance burdens.
- BreezyHR Excels in Recruitment for Nonprofits: While not exclusively nonprofit-focused, BreezyHR offers a powerful, accessible recruiting and applicant tracking system (ATS) highly beneficial for nonprofits. Its “Bootstrap” tier provides free access to post jobs across 50+ sites, a significant advantage for budget-conscious organizations. The Business Edition supports online interviews, candidate scorecards, background screening, automated reference checks, and integration with other HR tools. It’s particularly suitable for nonprofits needing to efficiently source and manage candidates of all types (staff and volunteer) and scales well from small to large organizations. Integrating BreezyHR with a core HRIS like PartnerHR is a recommended strategy.
- Zoho People Offers Feature-Rich Value: As a comprehensive cloud-based HR platform, Zoho People provides extensive functionality (core HR, performance tracking, time/attendance, reporting/analytics, document management) at competitive pricing points. While targeting industries like healthcare and education, its flexibility, ease of use, and rich feature set (especially in the Premium tier) make it a viable and cost-effective option for many nonprofits, particularly NGOs and SMBs within the sector needing a broad suite of tools without a nonprofit-specific label.
- BambooHR Provides Strong Core HR for Growing Orgs: Primarily designed for SMBs and enterprises, BambooHR offers an excellent user experience and robust core HR features (employee records, onboarding, time tracking, performance management, reporting). Its limitation for nonprofits is the lack of inherent volunteer management in its base tiers. Managing volunteers effectively often requires upgrading to the higher-end “Advantage” edition for features like custom fields/tabs and enhanced reporting/reminders. It’s a strong contender for nonprofits whose primary focus is employee management and who can potentially manage volunteers through workarounds or supplementary tools.
- ADP Workforce is Powerful but Complex for Large-Scale Needs: ADP is a heavyweight in the HRIS space, catering to large enterprises, including government and healthcare. It offers a vast suite of features (recruiting, payroll, onboarding, analytics, time tracking, performance). While it serves nonprofits, its implementation can be complex, its legacy architecture sometimes cumbersome, and its pricing model often geared towards larger organizations with significant resources and dedicated IT support. It’s best suited for very large nonprofits or those already embedded in the ADP ecosystem needing enterprise-grade power and compliance support, accepting the associated complexity and potential cost.
Selection is Driven by Specific Needs & Scale: There is no universal “best” software. The optimal choice hinges on a clear assessment of:
- Primary Needs: Is core HR + volunteer management paramount (PartnerHR)? Is recruitment the biggest pain point (BreezyHR)? Is a broad feature set at value pricing key (Zoho People)? Is streamlined employee HR for a growing team the focus (BambooHR)? Is enterprise-scale power necessary (ADP)?
- Organization Size & Budget: Solutions range from free tiers (BreezyHR Bootstrap) to complex enterprise pricing (ADP). Scalability is crucial.
- Volunteer Reliance: Software must effectively manage volunteer data, scheduling, training, and compliance if volunteers are integral. PartnerHR leads here inherently.
- Compliance Requirements: Stringent needs (e.g., frequent background checks) demand robust tracking and alerting features (a strength of PartnerHR and BreezyHR).
- Integration Needs: Compatibility with existing accounting (especially fund accounting), donor management, or program tracking software is essential for operational efficiency.
- Ease of Use & Support: Consider the technical capacity of staff and volunteers. Intuitive interfaces and accessible support are vital for adoption.
Bottom Line: Best HR Software for Nonprofits
All five HR software solutions work fine with non-profits if you know what you expect from the software. If you are particular that you need more features to take care of different processes, BreezyHR and ADP Workforce can work for you.
But if you need a service particularly customized for non-profits, it is going to be PartnerHR. At the end of the day, whichever software you choose from the above list of the 5 best HR software for nonprofits, your employees and volunteers have to be taken care of in the best way.
