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 fraternal 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:
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.
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What is fraternal 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
Chapters and student-run groups that choose to invest in chapter management software experience many benefits, such as:
- 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 Fraternal 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
Between fellow chapter leaders, members, parents, and national advisors, you have a lot of perspectives to consider before making a buying decision. Gather everyone’s input about the following issues:- 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:
- 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.
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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 Fraternal Software
Once your chapter has found the solution it wants, it’s time to get started. Make sure your chapter officers, members and advisors are aware of the change. Be prepared to provide the reasons why the chapter opted to buy the product.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 Fraternal 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?
OmegaFi is a comprehensive management solution that allows fraternities and sororities to reach their full potential. It’s the top fraternity management software that is custom-built for chapters like yours, taking your unique needs into account to manage all of your operations with less hassle.Why OmegaFi is Our Top Fraternity Management Software
Here are only a few of OmegaFi’s best-in-class features:- 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
OmegaFi customizes its quotes for each chapter based on their needs and budget.Best Waiver Management Software: Smartwaiver
What is Smartwaiver?
Smartwaiver is a software solution for waiver creation and management, which can be useful when planning events.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
Starts at $19/month and increases with the number of waivers neededBest Chapter Tax Management Software: File 990
What is File 990?
File 990 is an IRS-authorized e-file provider that helps tax-exempt organizations complete their tax forms with ease. As fraternal organizations, you likely have to submit your own forms to the IRS.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
Form 990-N costs $54.99 per filing and Form 990-EZ costs $84.99 per filing.Top Management Software for Fraternal Corporate Headquarters
Best Member Management Software for Salesforce Users: Fonteva
What is Fonteva?
Fonteva is a software solution serving member-based organizations. As a Salesforce-powered solution, Fonteva has everything your fraternal organization needs to take your chapter to the next level.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
Starts at $145/month and increases with the amount of members registered in the softwareBest Member Management Software for Microsoft Users: Protech
What is Protech?
Protech is member management software serving organizations that use Microsoft. Protech offers best-in-class features to help fraternal corporate headquarters keep track of and serve their members better.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
Reach out to the Protech team to get a custom quote for your fraternal organization.Best Dining Management App: lateplate by Campus Cooks
What is lateplate?
lateplate by Campus Cooks connects chapter houses with the best chefs who can plan and cook meals for the house. This takes the stress out of meal planning while providing your members with delicious food.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
Quotes are customized to the chapter’s needs and budgetsBest Chapter Archive Software: Odyssey by HistoryIT
What is Odyssey by HistoryIT?
Odyssey is HistoryIT’s software that helps your chapter create and share interactive digital exhibits of its history. This can be an invaluable recruitment resource, allowing you to showcase your chapter’s history and values in a unique way.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
Starts at $600/userWrapping 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.
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