Bi-directional texting consent sync with Raiser’s Edge NXT is now live. See how Almabase helps you stay compliant and campaign-ready in this blog.
Discover AI Summary
• Great news for your CRM data: You can now easily set up Almabase to automatically sync texting consent directly with Raiser’s Edge NXT, meaning no more manual uploads or second-guessing your outreach lists.
• This update tackles a big challenge for advancement teams by ensuring your alumni engagement efforts via text are always built on clean, up-to-date permissions, making your fundraising campaigns smoother and more effective.
• Say goodbye to the hidden friction of managing consent across systems; this integration means faster responses, higher engagement, and improved follow-through for your messaging.
• The sync works both ways, so any consent updates in Almabase (like event registrations or profile changes) flow to RE NXT, and changes in RE can also update Almabase, keeping everything aligned.
• You’ll gain a clear audit trail for all consent changes, which is fantastic for compliance checks and building trust with your constituents, all without any extra operational overhead.
• Ready to make your texting campaigns smarter? Enabling this feature is quick and easy – you just need to assign a solicit code in your Almabase Communication Preferences to get started.
If your institution uses texting to reach alumni, you already know how powerful the channel can be. Responses come in faster, engagement goes up, and follow-through improves.
But for teams that manage records in Raiser’s Edge NXT, one thing has always been tricky: keeping texting consent up to date.
Even though platforms like Almabase make it easy to collect consent during event registrations or through profile preferences, that information hasn’t always made its way back to Raiser’s Edge automatically.
That’s where things often break down.
Fundraising and engagement teams start second-guessing their outreach lists. Data teams get pulled in to verify opt-ins. Campaigns slow down, or texting gets paused altogether, just to play it safe.
A channel meant to speed things up starts creating friction instead.
That’s now changing.
We’re excited to share that texting consent captured on Almabase now syncs seamlessly to Raiser’s Edge NXT.
Whether it’s collected during an event registration or updated through a profile, consent can now flow into RE automatically or with admin review, based on how your team prefers to manage it.
No manual uploads. No second-guessing. Just clean, up-to-date consent where you need it most.
Consent management has always been more than a checkbox. It’s about trust, timing, and getting it right across systems.
When texting consent lives in one place but not another, it creates quiet inefficiencies that stack up over time:
What should be a fast, personal channel starts to feel riskier than it is, not because the tools don’t work, but because the data isn’t in sync.
The gap between where consent is collected and where it’s managed is finally closed.
You can now configure Almabase to sync texting consent directly to Raiser’s Edge NXT using a solicit code of your choice, for example, “Can Text.” The sync works both ways, so any updates in either system stay aligned automatically.
Here’s what that makes possible:
The entire workflow runs in the background once set up. No extra steps, no operational overhead.
It’s simple. You choose which solicit code in Raiser’s Edge NXT should track texting consent from Almabase.
As texting continues to drive faster engagement across alumni and donor communications, the margin for error narrows.
It’s no longer just about having texting enabled, but your systems staying in sync, whether your team can move quickly, and whether your outreach is built on clean, trustworthy data.
This update unlocks that confidence. You can now treat Almabase and Raiser’s Edge as one coordinated source of truth when it comes to texting consent and let your team focus on outreach, not admin.
If you’re already using Almabase texting alongside Raiser’s Edge NXT, you can enable this integration in just a few clicks.
Head to your Communication Preferences in Almabase and assign the solicit code you want to use for texting consent.
From there, every opt-in, opt-out, and update flows exactly where it needs to go — no workarounds required.
Your next campaign just got smarter, cleaner, and easier to launch.
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Over the past few years, it’s become clear—text messaging isn’t just for friends and family anymore. It's now a powerful communication channel for institutions that want to cut through the noise and connect with their communities in a way that’s timely, personal, and effective.
When every inbox is overflowing and attention spans are shrinking, SMS stands out. Text messaging drives 5 times more responses than emails, making it one of the most effective ways to spark action—whether it’s registering for an event, completing a donation, or simply staying in the loop.
So when our partner institutions told us that emails weren’t always getting the job done, especially for time-sensitive campaigns and updates, we listened.
“We need a faster way to get people to act.”
“Our email open rates are dropping.”
“We’re using a third-party text tool, but it’s disconnected from our data.”
The real problem wasn’t just about sending messages. It was about:
• Reaching the right people at the right time
• Avoiding fragmented tools that don’t talk to each other
• Staying compliant while collecting and managing consent
We set out to build a solution that would be powerful and seamless. A tool that lived inside your existing Almabase workflows, not outside them.
We’re thrilled to share that text messaging is now live on Almabase.
Whether you're organizing an event, running a giving campaign, or sending out general community updates, you can now do it all via SMS, directly from Almabase.
This feature is designed to fit naturally into the way you already work, while giving you the speed and reach of text-based communication.
Whether you're running a campaign, planning an event, or sharing general updates, text messaging on Almabase fits right into the way you already work:
Text messaging is even more powerful for events because it's built right into the event workflows. You don’t need to go to Data Studio—just access it directly from your event or sub-event page. Send registration reminders, confirm payments, or share last-minute updates like venue changes. You can also follow up after the event with thank-you messages or photo links.
Send donation appeals, nudge incomplete donations, or thank donors instantly with personalized texts that feel thoughtful and timely.
Share program updates, alumni news, or important reminders with your community quickly and effectively.
Here’s how Almabase text messaging helps you engage smarter:
Target any segment of your alumni or donor base directly through Data Studio, just like you would for email.
Use merge tags and segmented lists to send messages that feel personal and relevant—whether it’s addressing someone by name, following up after an event, sending a tailored giving appeal, sharing a personalized reunion itinerary or nudging them about an upcoming mentoring session.
Collect consent during event registration, from alumni profiles, or upload it via Excel using the new "Consent" tab under text communication.
Monitor delivery rates, replies, and unsubscribes from a central dashboard so you always know what’s working.
Ensure your messages look familiar and trustworthy by sending them from local phone numbers.
Want to understand how it can work for your unique workflows? Our team is here to walk you through it.
👉 Talk to an expert and see how SMS can elevate your engagement strategy—from giving to events and everything in between.
Introducing: Integrated Text Messaging on Almabase
With response rates 8x higher than email, text messaging is the fastest way to engage your alumni—whether it’s for events, fundraising, or updates. And now, you can do it all directly from Almabase.
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Text messaging has become an underrated channel for teams to connect with alumni and donors. With stacked mailboxes and email open rates proving a tricky problem, SMS provides a direct, personal alternative line to your community. But how do you use text messages strategically to maximize engagement and drive fundraising results?
In this blog, we’ll explain why text messaging works for donor engagement, offer best practices for using SMS in advancement and fundraising campaigns, and share actionable tips for integrating text into your advancement strategy.
Text messaging stands out for several reasons.
As alumni and donor management software evolve, features such as built-in compliance and text channel analytics are also making the channel easier to use than ever before.
Effective SMS fundraising goes far beyond sending a generic message blast. Advancement professionals should use text strategically to create meaningful engagement, inspire action, and foster ongoing relationships. Here’s how:
Every text you send should offer real value to the donor. Avoid sending generic updates or broadcasts that could be mistaken for spam. Segment your potential recipients and personalize your messages to deepen the relationship and provide value through your texting channel
While it’s tempting to use texts only for quick updates, they can be powerful tools for fundraising appeals when used with care and purpose. Craft concise asks that are donor-focused, and always include a clear, simple way to act.
“Anna, we’re $1,000 away from our goal! Will you help us reach it? Donate here [shortened link]”
Share real-time updates about fundraising events, upcoming initiatives, or important milestones. Donors want to feel included and informed.
“Reminder! Tonight is our virtual gala at 7pm. Join us live here [link]. Your ticket helps local students thrive!”
Text messages act as the perfect channel for reminders or urgent calls to action that don’t warrant a full email. Overflow content, last-minute changes, or quick nudges can keep participation high. A good example would be countdown texts and goal updates.
Donors care about progress and outcomes as they prove they are making a real impact. Use text messaging to broadcast campaign milestones, share tally updates, or announce when fundraising targets are reached.
“We did it! With your help, we raised $50,000 for new library books. Thank you for your incredible support!”
Personal gratitude goes a long way. Automatic or manual thank you texts delivered within minutes of a donation build loyalty and trust.
Text messaging doesn’t have to be a one-way channel. Encourage engagement by inviting questions or feedback. Two-way texting can streamline event RSVPs, volunteer signups, and more. Do keep in mind that this will require implementing the appropriate workflows. However, it can make your text channels truly valuable
Segment your contact lists by donor type, giving history, or area of interest to tailor messaging.
Texting works best as part of a broader, thoughtful communication strategy, not as a novelty or “cool factor” add-on. Poorly thought-out texts can lead to opt-outs or disengagement.
For example, avoid sending reminders that are better suited to email or phone calls, or repeated requests.
Text messages are a high-impact tool for advancement and fundraising, but its effectiveness depends on thoughtful strategy, personalization, and robust integration. As it has always been, the future of donor engagement belongs to those who meet their audience where they are, on their terms, with messages that truly resonate— and texting is one step forward in that direction.
For advancement and fundraising professionals seeking to modernize their engagement, integrating robust text messaging is essential. Platforms like Almabase’s integrated SMS tool deliver:
Want to see how integrated text messaging can amplify your institution's fundraising and engagement efforts? Check out what we bring to the table by getting in touch with us! 🔽
How to use text messaging for donor engagement & fundraising
Boost donor engagement and fundraising with text messaging. Learn strategies and best practices for advancement teams and nonprofits.
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For advancement teams, managing data isn't just about storing information—it's about harnessing it to drive meaningful alumni engagement and fundraising impact. Cohesive data workflows are crucial for seamless operations; many teams at universities and colleges struggle with fragmented systems, leading to inefficient manual work, inconsistent data, costly errors, and missed growth opportunities.
Unlocking growth starts with building efficient processes that streamline data flow across all platforms. By bringing all engagement and fundraising data into a single, cohesive view within your donor management platform, advancement teams can make data-driven decisions, reduce manual tasks, and make it a single source of truth.
In a bold step towards revolutionizing alumni engagement and fundraising, Almabase has launched TrueSync, a native integration with Blackbaud platforms like Raiser's Edge NXT. This update solves the data disconnect between systems that don't talk to one another, leading to duplicate records and missed opportunities. It's a game-changer that sets a new standard for data integration in the advancement industry.
”To be honest, the word integration has been abused by several software companies. Once you look beyond the marketing, you realize that the integration is exporting excel sheets and importing into your donor management platform. This is the reason we set out to create a truly seamless experience with TrueSync,” said Kalyan Varma, Co-founder and CEO of Almabase.
"Customers want their advancement donor management platform to be a single source of truth and don’t want to go through complex processes to make that happen. This allows them to be data-driven, save time, and grow their fundraising outcomes. TrueSync delivers on this promise.”
While many platforms claim to offer seamless integrations with Raiser's Edge NXT, these integrations often rely on third-party connectors, resulting in a patchwork of data flows that are prone to delays, errors, and duplicate data. These misleading promises can leave advancement teams in a frustrating cycle of constantly cleaning up messy data and manually transferring data across systems.
TrueSync is a direct native integration across Almabase and Raiser's Edge NXT. This approach ensures bi-directional syncing of data without relying on third-party connectors, reducing the risk of errors, duplication, or data silos. Advancement teams can now benefit from a real-time flow of information, enabling more informed decision-making and improved engagement strategies.
Key benefits of TrueSync include:
The launch of TrueSync reflects Almabase's ongoing commitment to innovation in the advancement sector. By providing a more streamlined, cost-effective solution, TrueSync enables teams at universities, colleges, and nonprofits to focus their resources on strategic goals rather than troubleshooting data integration issues.
“TrueSync will significantly improve how institutions manage their data,” added Sudip Datta, Chief Product Officer at Blackbaud . “With this kind of bi-directional native integration between Raiser’s Edge NXT and Almabase, advancement teams can operate with greater efficiency, improve the quality of their data, reduce costs, and ultimately deliver better outcomes for their organizations.”
Illinois Institue of Technology has transformed its alumni data management with TrueSync’s bi-directional sync capability allows the team to quickly push/pull out lists from Blackbaud Raiser’s Edge NXT, improving the team's overall administrative workflow.
The integration allows the university’s database team to configure data collection per their needs, ensuring they can structure information effectively and cleanly enrich the data between systems. This eliminates the need to enter data manually and saves the institution valuable time and resources.
Read their complete success story here.
With the launch of TrueSync, advancement teams can eliminate the roadblocks caused by disjointed systems, empower organizations to build stronger relationships with their alumni and donors, create more effective engagement strategies, and unlock new fundraising potential. TrueSync will expand to support Blackbaud CRM customers, too, helping them streamline how they manage their events and online fundraising campaigns.
To learn more about how TrueSync can transform your institution's data-management workflows, visit TrueSync webpage or connect with our team to see it makes managing programs seamless.
Introducing TrueSync: Industry's only two-way, native sync with Blackbaud Raiser's Edge NXT® to change the way you manage data, saving time and costs
Almabase has partnered with Blackbaud to launch TrueSync, a first-of-its-kind native integration with Blackbaud platforms like Raiser's Edge NXT.
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