Running a fraternal chapter or an on-campus student organization takes a lot of work. Chapter officers have their hands full planning fundraisers and activities, recruiting potential new members, providing current members with academic and leadership training, and collaborating with national advisors and university officials. Plus, 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 sorority and fraternity management software?
- Important Sorority and Fraternity Management Software Features
- Finding the Best Fraternity or Sorority Management Software
- Top Fraternity and Sorority Management Software Solutions for Chapters
- Top Management Software for Fraternal Corporate Headquarters
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 social relationships. A management solution can do the heavy lifting for you—let’s dive into how to choose the right one.
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What is sorority and fraternity management software?
Sorority and fraternity management software (or chapter 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, sorority and fraternity management software can empower chapter leaders to automate and manage member and alumni communication, financial management, data collection, recruitment, project coordination, and more in just a few clicks.
Software can also help national headquarters with 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.
Important Sorority and Fraternity Management Software Features
Chapters and student-run groups that choose to invest in chapter management software should look for solutions that include features for:
- 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. Sorority and fraternity management software helps everyone—from officers to regular members—stay organized, show up on time, and be prepared for the right activities. It also makes it easier for new members to find ways to get involved.
- Recruitment. Recruitment events involve 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 maintenance. 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 on all of these groups and store it securely.
- Taxes and financial reporting. Your organization needs to file forms with the IRS to maintain its tax-exempt status, and software is crucial to manage all of the necessary documentation effectively and complete it accurately.
- Task management tools. Officers need tools to assign tasks, create schedules, and track progress. You can customize workflows and boost collaboration with integrated task management tools.
- Communication tools. Effective communication is key to successfully running events, updating members, and engaging alumni. Look for software that offers built-in messaging, email templates, push notifications, or integrations with popular marketing platforms to streamline internal communication.
Finding the Best Fraternity or Sorority Management Software
Anytime a fraternal group considers integrating new technology into its regular operations, its officers and members should think through the solution’s benefits and challenges.
Here are six steps to help you make an informed decision before you sign on the dotted line.
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1. Define Chapter Needs
Between fellow chapter leaders, members, parents, and national advisors, you have a lot of perspectives to consider before making a buying decision. To assess your most pressing needs, gather everyone’s input about the following issues:
- What goals are we trying to accomplish?
- What software do other chapters like ours use?
- How much are we willing to spend on a new solution?
- 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?
Ask members, leaders, and important decision-makers for their thoughts by sending out a survey or interviewing them. Then, determine which responses you should prioritize based on how pressing or recurrent they are.
2. Research Options
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, consult the following resources and professionals:
- Google searches and reviews
- Software review websites, like Capterra
- Your national advisor
- Other campus chapters
- University fraternity and sorority leaders
- National consultants
As you research different solutions, consider the pros and cons that other users have experienced. Also, pay attention to situational analyses and draw accurate comparisons.
3. Evaluate Cost and Budgetary Restrictions
The best software options are those that provide value in the long run, not quick-fix tools. To ensure that you’re being 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 just financial costs to take into account. Consider these other factors:
- How much time will we have to spend setting up the software, including team training and data transfer?
- If your chosen platform requires significant time and effort to set up, it might not be worth it.
- Is the platform a good long-term solution?
- Investing in the right solution now means you won’t have to backtrack in a few years if your chapter outgrows your software.
- Does the platform integrate with our current tools?
- Integrated tools “talk” to each other with minimal intervention from your team and are less likely to make errors when sharing data.
To ensure your chapter’s unique situation is accounted for, work with your chapter-level leadership and national advisors. They can provide better insight into your future plans so you can pick the ideal solution that enables your growth.
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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 see it in action. Many of the top software providers offer demos or free trials for that very purpose. 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
- Limited collaboration tools
- Lack of features specifically for fraternities and sororities
You might need to try several demos that focus on different aspects or features of the software. Ensure you explore all of the main capabilities you’ll be working with daily so you aren’t surprised once you’ve actually purchased the software.
5. Choose Your Fraternity or Sorority Software
Once you’ve taken all of these factors into consideration, you can make a well-informed decision about purchasing fraternity management software! Just know that even once you make a decision, you’ll need to continue refining your use of the software over time. Be sure to remain as flexible as possible so you can quickly adapt if anything during the implementation process doesn’t go to plan.
Top Fraternity and Sorority Management Software Solutions for Chapters
If you’re ready to shop for a new solution for your chapter, 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.
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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. This fraternity management software 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 just a few of OmegaFi’s best-in-class features:
- Different modules dedicated to:
- Billing and payments
- Member engagement
- Recruitment
- Financial compliance (budgeting and tax reporting)
- 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 to reduce the 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
Alt text: OmegaFi’s solutions (as explained above)
Pricing
OmegaFi offers custom quotes for each chapter based on their needs and budget.
Best for Communication: Slack
What is Slack?
Slack is a messaging channel app that allows users to form and communicate with different groups. This free app is useful for chapters with different committees or sub-groups that want to communicate with each other through a unified platform.
Top Features
- Channel customization for different groups of users
- Integration with other management systems, including Salesforce
- AI-powered search features to quickly find information in chats
Pricing
Pricing starts at the free tier and goes up to the Business+ level, which is $9/user/month. Large organizations can use an Enterprise+ plan, which has custom pricing.
Best Productivity Tool: Google Workspace
What is Google Workspace?
Google Workspace is a collection of productivity tools designed with collaboration in mind. This user-friendly solution is perfect for officers to manage their responsibilities and work together seamlessly.
Top Features
- Share photos, PDFs, documents, and more with Google Drive
- Make easily-exportable spreadsheets with Google Sheets
- Complete written documents together with Google Docs
Pricing
Google Workspace starts at $7/user/month with a 1-year commitment and goes up to $22/user/month with the Plus plan. There’s also an Enterprise plan with custom pricing.
Best for Program Management: Asana
What is Asana?
Asana is a workflow management platform that allows users to seamlessly navigate through different tasks. Using Asana, your team of officers can create projects with subtasks, set goals, and report on progress, all from one solution.
Top Features
- Visualize your calendar or event timeline to avoid conflicts and ensure smooth planning
- Comment on tasks, tag members, upload files, and share updates
- Automate repetitive tasks like reminders and status updates to save time and reduce oversight
Pricing
Asana starts with a free plan and goes up to an Advanced plan, which is $24.99/user/month. There’s also an Enterprise plan for large chapters with custom pricing.
Best Fundraising Management Software: Givebutter
What is Givebutter?
Givebutter is an all‑in‑one fundraising and donor engagement platform designed to help nonprofits (including fraternities and sororities fundraising on behalf of a philanthropic partner) raise more with less hassle. It consolidates donation forms, fundraising pages, peer‑to‑peer campaigns, event ticketing, auctions, and donor management into a single modern interface.
Top Features
- All features are completely free of charge for nonprofits (with optional upgrades)
- Branded, embeddable forms and goal‑driven donation pages
- Easy event ticketing management with ability to accept and apply promo codes
Pricing
Givebutter is completely free of charge for its base platform. If you want more functionality and automation, you can pay $29/month for Givebutter Plus.
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
Smartwaiver’s pricing starts at $19/month and increases with the number of waivers needed.
Best 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. Most fraternal organization chapters have to submit their own forms to the IRS.
Top Features
- Carries over information from previous filing years
- Lets you view your form’s review status in a live tracker
- 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
These tools are more comprehensive and handle more technical activities. They’re made for professionals who specialize in big-picture management.
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
Pricing for Fonteva starts at $145/month and increases with the amount of members registered in the software.
Best Member Management Software for Microsoft Users: Protech
What is Protech?
Protech is member management software for 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 natively integrate 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: UpperCrust
What is Upper Crust?
UpperCrust Food Service 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 to easily manage 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 for UpperCrust are customized to each chapter’s needs and budgets.
Best Chapter Archive Software: Odyssey by HistoryIT
What is Odyssey by HistoryIT?
Odyssey is HistoryIT’s fraternity and sorority software offering 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
- Shareable digital interface
- Customizable solution specifically designed for fraternities
- Expert-led interviews and data collection from the HistoryIT team
Pricing
Odyssey starts at $600/user.
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.
About the Author: Dain Lewis
Marketing Manager at OmegaFi
Dain Lewis is the newest member of the OmegaFi team, bringing a unique blend of Higher Education and Marketing expertise. With over a decade of experience in both fields, he previously served as a Director of Housing and Residence Life for 10 years before transitioning into marketing, where he has worked for more than 10 years.
Now based in Northern Virginia with his family, when he’s not working, he can often be found playing chess and sharpening his strategic thinking. He is excited to bring his expertise to OmegaFi, bridging the gap between Higher Education and Marketing to create a meaningful impact.
