Tech for Operational Efficiency

Most tech systems today assume a very different world. It is one with stable internet, surplus budgets, a maze of tools and a centralised team of engineers on standby. But that’s not the world nonprofits live in. Donor reports still sit in colour-coded sheets maintained through grit, not infrastructure.

We’re changing that, starting with the Fundraising Management System.

What 380 nonprofits taught us

We launched FOSSFwd, our open-source enablement program, with a goal of supporting 40 nonprofits in a year. Within 8 months, we were swamped with 380+ requests, ranging from data migration, tool selection, tech audits to total system rip and rebuilds. From cities to grassroots, these nonprofits reflect the full spectrum of our realities addressing urgent challenges at every level.

What we found was both sobering and clarifying: almost 50% of them centered around fundraising operations.

Fundraising systems are the core to how nonprofits run, and they need to flex with each of their unique mission and workflows.

That is where our open source philosophy came to play. It called for a more modular, interoperable, and user-led approach.

Instead of jumping straight into big bespoke builds, we have taken a partnership first model, grounded in listening, co-creating solutions, and keeping the systems flexible enough to grow.

Co-designed with 20+ incredible nonprofits, this Fundraising Management System brings structure, surface what's been hiding, streamlines reporting and helps processes flow seamlessly.

The Builders

Meet the dream team behind the powering of our open source Fundraising Management System

We’re a quirky team of code wizards, problem solvers, and caffeine-fueled optimizers on a mission to build nonprofits the ultimate fundraising toolkit. From backend ninjas to strategy gurus, we bring smarts, heart, and laughs daily, crafting people first systems that help teams punch above their weight. Get ready to meet the juggernaut making fundraising simpler, efficient, and way more fun.

Praveen

Builds backends and banquets

Our head of engineering and the calm backbone of FMS, Praveen pairs deep foresight with quiet brilliance. He’s a mentor who codes with clarity, leads with humility, and celebrates like a chef, feeding minds and stomachs alike. When he smiles mid-silence, you know a tricky problem just met its match.

Akhila

Builds systems, lifts teams (and actual weights)

She is the engine behind our Fundraising Management System.She’s a ruthless optimizer, sharp project manager, and team amplifier rolled into one. A powerlifter at the gym and a people-first tech advocate at work, she balances strategy with care, making sure no task (or teammate) slips through the cracks.

Akanksha

Pops up like a meerkat at the word “product”

She has a knack for turning chaos into clean, intuitive design. With energy that fizzes and insight that cuts, she helps nonprofits cut through the noise and see what matters. A Swiftie, a design nerd, and a no-nonsense navigator, she spots the magic (and the mess) in the details most overlook.

Ajith

Code wizard by day, screenwriter by night

He brings wit and velocity to our codebase, solving the tough stuff without breaking a sweat. He’s the one who hums while debugging and drafts thrillers after hours, balancing a master’s, full-time engineering, and the occasional punchline with effortless cool.

Abhiram

Like Dexter’s brainy little cousin, but nicer

Fresh out of college and already making waves, Abhiram dives into problems headfirst. Quick to learn and quicker to help, he blends curiosity with hustle and isn’t afraid to ask the hard questions. New to the team but already essential, he’s building his path one sharp line of code (and one perfect cup of coffee) at a time.

Hazel

The gentle force behind the first step

She is often the first person nonprofits speak to and the reason they decide to begin. She listens deeply, moves calmly, and zeroes in on who needs the system most. Under her quiet demeanor is a fierce commitment to getting the right tools to the right teams, often with misty eyes and a full heart.

Varshini

Banyan-hearted, Yoda-minded

Rooted in experience and shaped by practice, Varshini connects ideas, people, and purpose with ease. She builds unlikely partnerships, navigates uncertainty with grace, and keeps the mission front and center, always steady, always curious, always game for the next “why not?”

Chandru

Dances through servers and clouds

From intern to infrastructure lead, Chandru makes tech hum behind the scenes. He keeps our systems light, fast, and battle-ready-juggling servers and cloud stacks with the ease of a seasoned performer. When he’s not working tech magic, he’s scoring goals on the field, same rhythm, different arena.

How We Build

Open-source by default:

Modular, license-free and self-hostable, ensuring teams can customize tools without vendor lock-in or hidden costs. Infrastructure for public good belongs in the commons.

Field-embedded and integrative:

We build by shadowing daily workflows and listening to common bottlenecks. Instead of adding to the tool sprawl, we build bridges, connecting data flows from tracking to reporting, fundraising to strategy.

Pace-aware and intuitive:

The systems are designed to ease day-to-day friction: helping nonprofits track what matters, share what’s useful, and build continuity over time.

We focus not on what features were requested most, but on what pain points were repeated quietly: the cognitive load of switching systems, the uncertainty of where data lives, and discrete knowledge among teams.

Fundraising Management
System

The system support core fundraising operations- like donor and fund management, budget planning, compliance tracking, and grant reporting, bringing consistency to how nonprofits collect, track and use their data.

By connecting data across different functions, organizations can now:

Plan smarter by anticipating funding gaps and manage budgets proactively
Stay compliant with timely reminders and clear visibility to fund disbursements
Fundraise strategically using real data beyond assumptions

What the system is designed for:

Enabling flexible data storage and search, across donor types and funding cycles

Ensuring knowledge continuity within teams

Supporting data-powered storytelling, helping nonprofits make their finances and impact transparent to funders

This system is available both as a self-hosted platform and through a low-cost, cloud-based model.

Want a peek into the hood? We'll bring the demo, you bring the questions. Hit us up, we're just a message away.

To build collective capacity to address the complexities of fundraising through smarter systems, sustainable practices, and sector-wide collaboration, we host virtual and in-person meetups called 'Fundshui: Turning Chaos Into Cashflow.'

A T4GC event series where nonprofits can come together to untangle their fundraising challenges, and imagine better, tech-enabled ways to solve them.

Orange Pink and Yellow Bold and Bright Animated Alternative News Event and Special Announc

In these peer-led conversations and spontaneous jams, new possibilities begin to take shape.

We’ve seen these moments spark change management strategies that help organizations navigate the real and messy internal practical shifts required to adopt new systems.

This is our approach to capacity building; not through one way training, but by creating nooks where people shape the very systems built for them. It’s how collective confidence, and lasting change, take root.

Over 100 organizations have been a part of our Fundshui community and this space continues to grow.

Sarang, Social Media and Communications Manager, Solidarity Foundation

"What resonated with me most was how, as part of the Social Impact Sector, every participant stepped up to brainstorm solutions for each other’s challenges around technology and fundraising. It was heartwarming to witness such a generous and thoughtful exchange of ideas."

Tech for Operational Efficiency

What 380 nonprofits taught us

The Builders