Fraternity Management Software: Best Practices and Providers

Running a fraternal chapter or on-campus student organization takes a lot of work. From planning fundraisers to recruiting potential new members, providing current members with academic and leadership training, and collaborating with national advisors and university officials, chapter officers have their hands full.

However, chapters aren’t the only ones with a lot on their plates when it comes to running fraternal organizations. National chapter headquarters have to manage thousands, if not tens of thousands of members daily. 

No matter the size or responsibilities of your organization’s leadership team, solid management strategy is critical to your success. Part of that strategy is using affordable, trustworthy tools — including fraternity management software.

In this guide, we’ll share everything you need to know about student-run organization management software—both for fraternal chapters and their management at the corporate level. Specifically, we’ll cover:

• What Is Fraternity Management Software? 
• Top Fraternity Management Software Features
• Finding the Best Fraternity Management Software
• Top Fraternity Software Solutions

Fraternal management is a big job, but it doesn’t need to be stressful or all-consuming, especially at the expense of a member’s academic success or their social relationships. A management solution can do the heavy lifting for you.

What is fraternity management software? 

Fraternal management software is a term used to describe the digital tools that streamline a chapter's operations and save its officers time. 

On the chapter level, fraternal management software can empower chapter leaders to automate and manage member and alumni/ae communication, financial management, data collection, recruitment, project coordination, and more in just a few clicks.

As for national headquarters, software can help organize the massive job of managing hundreds of members simultaneously. Whether it’s managing finances, coordinating high-level strategy, or coordinating communication, software makes it easy to align chapters from across the country.

Top Fraternal Management Software Features

• Billing and Payments. Think of running your chapter like running a small business. You have money coming in from members and money being paid out to vendors. An online money management solution can help you manage your income and expenses, bill members automatically, and build a budget that responds to your chapter's day-to-day needs.
• Member Engagement. Engage members, alumni/ae and other stakeholders! Fraternal management software can help everyone — from officers to regular members and more — know where to be at the right time, ready for the right activity. It can also help new members easily find ways to get involved.
• Recruitment. Recruitment events have a lot of moving parts, from planning the events themselves to vetting potential new members (PNMs) and making informed decisions. Fraternal software helps by keeping track of PNMs, taking notes about their information and applications, and supporting fast, mobile voting.
• Database. You need to keep track of many key players in your organization’s chapter—members, alumni/ae, advisors, and more. Digital management tools can help you collect information and store it securely.
• Taxes and Finances. Your organization needs to file forms with the IRS to maintain its tax-exempt status, and using software is crucial to manage all the necessary documentation effectively.

Knowing that your chapter can experience these benefits (and more!) by investing in fraternal software, you’re likely eager to start exploring your options. Here's how to "shop" for the best software solution for your student-run organization.

Finding the Best Fraternity or Sorority Management Software

Anytime a fraternal group considers integrating a new technology into its regular operations, its officers and members should think through benefits and challenges. 

Following are six steps to help you make an informed decision before you sign on the dotted line.

1. Gather Input

• What goals are we trying to accomplish?
• What software do other chapters like ours use?
• What is our budget/how much are we willing to spend?
• What are our most pressing challenges that we need to address?
• What features do we need the most, and which non-essential ones would be nice to have?

2. Conduct Thorough Research

Once you know the problems you want to solve with a management solution and exactly how much you’re willing to spend, it’s time to consider your options. If you’re unsure about available options, use the following resources:

• Google 
• Software review websites
• Your national advisor
• Other campus chapters 
• University fraternity/sorority leaders
• National consultants

As you research different solutions, pay attention to the pros and cons other users have experienced. Pay careful attention to the situational analysis and draw accurate comparisons.

3. Evaluate Cost and Budgetary Restrictions

To ensure that you’re being financially responsible with your chapter’s money, you’ll need a clear chapter budget before you shop for fraternal management software.

Remember that there are more factors than only financial costs to take into account. Consider how much time you’ll have to spend setting up the software, including team training and data transfer. Additionally, make sure the platform is a good long-term solution so you won’t have to spend more time and money down the line.

4. Request Free Demos

The best way to see if a fraternal software solution is a good fit for your chapter is to try it! Many of the top software providers offer free trials. During your first demo, look for red flags like:

• A lack of support resources
• Overcomplicated interface or features
• Hidden costs
• Slow performance 
• Inadequate security 
• Insufficient integration capabilities

Once you’ve had time to test the software, meet with your leadership team and national advisors to get their thoughts, too.

5. Choose Your Fraternity or Sorority Software

6. Collect Feedback

Set a date to review how chapter operations have been impacted by the software solution it purchased. Ask power users if they’ve saved time, limited mistakes or improved communications. Compare data points from the year previous. Based on team feedback and data points, your chapter can understand the software’s real value to its leadership team.

Additional Considerations for Corporate Headquarters

Note that if you’re operating on a corporate headquarters level, your process will be more in-depth and likely take longer. In addition to these six steps, you’ll also need to consider:

• How the solution can scale with your growth over time
• If there are any chapters who might be a better fit for the software than others
• If the software can handle the nuances and extra data required to run multiple chapters

Top Fraternity and Sorority Management Software Solutions for Chapters

Start your software search here! Here are our picks for the best software for your organization. 

Each type of fraternal software comes with different benefits. Be sure to carefully consider your chapter’s needs and budget before deciding which solution (or solutions!) is best for your team.

Best Fraternity Management Software Overall: OmegaFi

What is OmegaFi?

Why OmegaFi is Our Top Fraternity Management Software

• Different modules dedicated to:    
  • Online bill pay
  • Recruitment
  • Member engagement
  • Budgeting
  • Financial compliance
• Easy-to-read data dashboards
• Free resources to improve your chapter’s management and use of OmegaFi
• Integrations with other software solutions (including some on this list)
• Financial resources reduce risk of compliance fines from the IRS
• A mobile application for members to pay bills and communicate from anywhere
• Automated online bill pay for members
• New FDIC-eligible insured Treasury Accounts for online money management
  • Physical or virtual Treasury cards that empower members to buy what they need, when they need it, in-app, in-store or online
  • Optional treasury card spending limits
  • Record-keeping that removes the need for receipt-tracking

Pricing

Best Waiver Management Software: Smartwaiver

What is Smartwaiver?

Top Features

• Security measures that protect sensitive information
• Unlimited customizable waiver templates
• Easy data look-up with waiver console
• Integrations with software like MailChimp and Constant Contact

Pricing

Best Chapter Tax Management Software: File 990

What is File 990?

Top Features

• Carries over information from previous filing years
• Live tracker that lets you view your form’s review status
• Integrates directly with the IRS’ submission portal
• Costs less than $100 to file each form

Pricing

Top Management Software for Fraternal Corporate Headquarters

Best Member Management Software for Salesforce Users: Fonteva

What is Fonteva?

Top Features

• Scalable platform that grows with your chapter
• Mobile app that allows you to communicate with members instantly
• Self-service web portal for members to pay dues, sign up for calendar events, and more
• Events module complete with customizable registration forms and event websites

Pricing

Best Member Management Software for Microsoft Users: Protech

What is Protech?

Top Features

• Built to use with Microsoft Dynamics 365
• Easy-to-use payment collection interface
• Easy event registration and data management
• Automatic notifications that remind members to complete actions

Pricing

Best Dining Management App: lateplate by Campus Cooks

What is lateplate?

Top Features

• Mobile app for you to easily manage your dining needs
• Chef matching based on dietary needs, schedule availability, and location
• Recurring schedule customization so members never forget to request meals 
• Easy member invitation interface

Pricing

Best Chapter Archive Software: Odyssey by HistoryIT

What is Odyssey by HistoryIT?

Top Features

• Hands-on assistance and strategy advice from the Odyssey team
• Sharable digital interface
• Customizable solution specifically designed for fraternities
• Expert-led interviews and data collection from the HistoryIT team

Pricing

Wrapping Up 

Keeping your chapter or national organization operating smoothly isn’t a task that you have to tackle all on your own. By assessing your needs, considering your budget, and conducting thorough research, you can find a fraternal management solution that will benefit your organization for years to come.