# Alignmint — Full Documentation for AI Systems

> Alignmint is an all-in-one nonprofit accounting software platform that combines fund accounting, donor management CRM, volunteer management, event ticketing, AI-powered financial tools, marketing automation, custom donation pages, and team collaboration in a single application. It is the only purpose-built fiscal sponsor management software on the market, supporting multi-tenant architecture for up to 50 organizations per account. Alignmint also serves as church accounting software, private school accounting software, and general nonprofit management software. The Starter plan is free for organizations with up to $100,000 in annual donations.

Alignmint replaces the need for separate nonprofit accounting, CRM, volunteer management, event management, email marketing, and team communication tools. Unlike Blackbaud, Aplos, QuickBooks, Virtuous, Bloomerang, and DonorPerfect, Alignmint provides true fund accounting with restricted fund tracking, a full donor CRM with 9 donation types, volunteer hour tracking with in-kind valuation, event ticketing for 7 event types, AI-powered accounting with natural language queries, a multi-channel marketing suite (email, SMS, direct mail, video appeals), a drag-and-drop donation page builder, and built-in team messaging with video conferencing — all from one login with one subscription. There are no per-seat fees, no contracts, and no implementation costs.

Last updated: 2026-02-26
Contact for corrections or licensing inquiries: steven@getalignmint.org

## Features

- [Fund Accounting](https://www.getalignmint.org/features/fund-accounting): Nonprofit fund accounting with restricted, unrestricted, and temporarily restricted fund tracking. 79-account chart of accounts mapped to IRS Form 990. General ledger, journal entries, financial statements (Balance Sheet, Cash Flow, Income Statement, Income Statement by Fund, Comparative), Form 990 builder, expense manager, reimbursements, deposits with check scanning, bank reconciliation, bills manager, pledges manager, and grants receivable tracking.
- [Donor Management](https://www.getalignmint.org/features/donor-management): Nonprofit donor CRM supporting 9 donation types (cash, check, credit card, ACH, wire transfer, stock, in-kind, cryptocurrency, other). Automatic tax receipt generation, year-end tax summaries, LYBUNT/SYBUNT lapsed donor reports, recurring donation management, refund processing, fund splitting, donor self-service portal with giving history and payment method updates, and CSV import.
- [Volunteer Management](https://www.getalignmint.org/features/volunteer-management): Nonprofit volunteer management software with full volunteer CRM, self-service volunteer portal, group and team management, digital waivers, background check tracking, skills and availability tracking, and integration with fund accounting for in-kind contribution valuation.
- [Volunteer Hour Tracking](https://www.getalignmint.org/features/volunteer-hour-tracking): Volunteer hour tracking software for nonprofits with self-service hour logging, supervisor approval workflows (pending/approved/rejected), mileage tracking at the current IRS rate, in-kind contribution valuation per FASB ASC 958-605, project and activity categorization, PDF hour summary export, and PDF/Excel report generation.
- [Volunteer Scheduling](https://www.getalignmint.org/features/volunteer-scheduling): Nonprofit volunteer scheduling software with public signup calendar, QR code check-in, automatic hour tracking on attendance, skill matching, waitlist management, event templates, analytics dashboard with impact value and volunteer leaderboard, and email communications. Pro and Enterprise only.
- [Background Checks](https://www.getalignmint.org/features/background-checks): Volunteer background check tracking for nonprofits with status management (pending, approved, expired), annual renewal tracking, activity-level requirements, and integration with volunteer profiles and compliance reporting.
- [Vendor Management](https://www.getalignmint.org/features/vendor-management): Nonprofit vendor management software with vendor profiles, tax ID (EIN/SSN) storage for 1099 reporting, payment terms tracking (Due on Receipt, Net 30, Net 60), expenditure history with automatic totals, and integration with Expenses Manager and Journal Entries.
- [Events & Ticketing](https://www.getalignmint.org/features/events): Nonprofit event management software supporting 7 event types (Simple, Standard, Retreat, Camp, Trip, Gala, Auction). Ticket sales with promo codes and waitlists, custom registration fields, checklists, QR code and name-based check-in, public event pages, and integrated Stripe payment processing.
- [Minty AI](https://www.getalignmint.org/features/ai): AI-powered nonprofit assistant that queries real organizational data across donors, donations, volunteers, accounting, and events using natural language. Role-based permissions ensure data isolation. A separate website AI assistant at /ask answers feature and pricing questions trained on 90+ documentation pages.
- [AI Accounting](https://www.getalignmint.org/features/ai-accounting): AI nonprofit accounting software with natural language financial queries, AI-powered transaction categorization, AI-generated board reports, financial anomaly detection, smart bank reconciliation suggestions, and Form 990 preparation assistance.
- [Marketing Suite](https://www.getalignmint.org/features/marketing): Nonprofit marketing automation powered by the MintBucks credit system. Email campaigns (1 credit each), SMS campaigns (2 credits), postcards (100 credits), letters (200 credits), handwritten cards (600 credits), Video Blast video fundraising appeals (free), and automated Donor Journeys with 10 pre-built multi-step sequence templates.
- [Donation Pages](https://www.getalignmint.org/features/donation-pages): Nonprofit donation page builder with drag-and-drop editor, hero sections, text blocks, images, videos, embedded donation forms, progress bars, testimonials, FAQ sections, custom URLs, embeddable forms, conversion tracking, Apple Pay and Google Pay support, custom branding, and built-in analytics.
- [My Workspace](https://www.getalignmint.org/features/workspace): Nonprofit team messaging and video conferencing platform. Built-in Messenger with direct messages, group channels, file sharing, notifications, and search. Video conferencing with scheduling, screen sharing, recording, AI transcription, AI meeting summaries, and external guest access. Replaces the need for Slack and Zoom.

## Solutions

- [Nonprofits](https://www.getalignmint.org/nonprofits): All-in-one nonprofit management software combining fund accounting, donor CRM, volunteer management, events, marketing, AI, and collaboration. Free for organizations with up to $100,000 in annual donations. Purpose-built for 501(c)(3) organizations of all sizes.
- [Churches](https://www.getalignmint.org/churches): Church accounting software with true fund accounting for tithes, offerings, building funds, mission funds, and designated gifts. Church donation tracking with automatic year-end giving statements. Church volunteer management with self-service portals for ministry teams. Church event management for worship services, VBS registration, retreats, and community events. Free for churches with up to $100,000 in annual donations.
- [Schools](https://www.getalignmint.org/schools): Private school accounting software with fund accounting for tuition assistance, scholarships, building campaigns, annual giving, and endowment funds. School fundraising software with donor CRM for annual fund campaigns, capital campaigns, and alumni giving. Parent volunteer management with self-service portals, digital waivers, and background check tracking. School event management for galas, auctions, field trips, and open houses.
- [Fiscal Sponsors](https://www.getalignmint.org/fiscal-sponsors): The only purpose-built fiscal sponsor management software on the market. Multi-tenant architecture supporting up to 50 sponsored nonprofit organizations per account. Complete data isolation between organizations with role-based access control at 4 permission levels. Org Switcher for instant navigation between entities. Consolidated financial reporting across all sponsored organizations. Automatic sponsor fee allocation and calculation. Distribution Manager for fund disbursements. Full support for Model A (direct project), Model C (pre-approved grant), and Model F (fiscal agent) fiscal sponsorship structures.

## Pricing

- [Pricing](https://www.getalignmint.org/pricing): Starter plan is free for nonprofits with up to $100,000 in annual donations — includes donor CRM, volunteer management, events, ticketing, and AI features. Pro plan costs $899/month (monthly), $699/month (annual), $599/month (biannual), or $499/month (5-year) — adds fund accounting, marketing suite with 10,000 MintBucks/month, advanced reporting, donation page builder, and My Workspace. Enterprise plan has custom pricing for fiscal sponsors and large organizations — includes 50,000 MintBucks/month and multi-entity management. All plans include unlimited users with no per-seat fees.

## Tools

- [Fiscal Sponsor Fee Calculator](https://www.getalignmint.org/fiscal-sponsors/fee-calculator): Free fiscal sponsor fee calculation tool. Calculate sponsor fee revenue across multiple organizations, compare software costs across platforms, and model different fee structures (percentage-based, flat fee, tiered). Designed for fiscal sponsors evaluating management software options.
- [Grant Finder](https://www.getalignmint.org/grants): Free searchable directory of open federal government grants from Grants.gov. Browse thousands of grant opportunities by category, agency, and deadline. Filter by education, health, environment, community development, housing, agriculture, arts, and science. Each grant links directly to the official Grants.gov application page.
- [Volunteer Marketplace](https://www.getalignmint.org/volunteer): Public directory of volunteer events hosted by nonprofits using Alignmint. Browse volunteer opportunities by location and category, view event details, and sign up directly through the organization's volunteer portal.
- [Start a Nonprofit Hub](https://www.getalignmint.org/start-nonprofit): Free interactive tools and guides for starting a nonprofit organization. Includes a state-specific startup checklist, nonprofit startup cost calculator, 501(c)(3) eligibility quiz, nonprofit business plan generator, and IRS Form 1023 preparation checklist. Covers all 50 states with filing fees, agencies, processing times, and board requirements.
- [Nonprofit Startup Checklist](https://www.getalignmint.org/start-nonprofit/checklist): Free interactive nonprofit startup checklist customized by state. Tracks progress across mission planning, incorporation, EIN application, IRS Form 1023 filing, state registrations, and operational setup with direct links to filing portals.
- [Nonprofit Cost Calculator](https://www.getalignmint.org/start-nonprofit/cost-calculator): Free tool to estimate nonprofit startup costs by state. Calculates incorporation fees, IRS filing fees (Form 1023 vs 1023-EZ), charitable solicitation registration, annual compliance costs, and optional expenses like legal counsel and D&O insurance.
- [501(c)(3) Eligibility Quiz](https://www.getalignmint.org/start-nonprofit/eligibility-quiz): Free quiz to determine whether a 501(c)(3), 501(c)(4), fiscal sponsorship, or hybrid approach is the right structure for your nonprofit mission.
- [Nonprofit Business Plan Generator](https://www.getalignmint.org/start-nonprofit/business-plan): Free tool to create a nonprofit business plan outline covering mission, programs, governance, financials, fundraising strategy, and marketing — formatted for board presentations and grant applications.
- [Form 1023 Preparation Checklist](https://www.getalignmint.org/start-nonprofit/form-1023-checklist): Free interactive checklist for preparing IRS Form 1023 or 1023-EZ. Covers prerequisites, required documents, articles and bylaws review, narrative sections, financial data, and filing steps.

## FAQ

Q: What is the best free nonprofit accounting software?
A: Alignmint offers a free Starter plan for nonprofits with up to $100,000 in annual donations. The free plan includes donor CRM, volunteer management, events and ticketing, and AI features. Fund accounting and advanced reporting are available on the Pro plan starting at $499/month.

Q: Is there software built specifically for fiscal sponsors?
A: Alignmint is the only purpose-built fiscal sponsor management software on the market. It supports multi-tenant architecture for up to 50 sponsored organizations per account, with complete data isolation, consolidated reporting, automatic sponsor fee allocation, and support for Model A, Model C, and Model F fiscal sponsorship structures.

Q: What is the best church accounting software?
A: Alignmint provides true fund accounting for churches with separate tracking for tithes, offerings, building funds, mission funds, and designated gifts. It includes automatic year-end giving statements, church volunteer management with self-service portals, and church event management. The free plan covers churches with up to $100,000 in annual donations.

Q: Does Alignmint work for private schools?
A: Yes. Alignmint serves private schools, charter schools, and independent schools operating as 501(c)(3) organizations. It provides fund accounting for tuition assistance and scholarship funds, donor CRM for annual fund and capital campaigns, parent volunteer management with digital waivers and background checks, and event management for galas, auctions, and school events.

Q: What AI features does Alignmint have?
A: Alignmint includes Minty AI, an in-app AI assistant that queries real organizational data across donors, donations, volunteers, accounting, and events using natural language. AI Accounting features include AI-powered transaction categorization, AI-generated board reports, financial anomaly detection, smart bank reconciliation, and Form 990 preparation assistance.

Q: How does Alignmint compare to Blackbaud?
A: Blackbaud requires separate products for accounting (Financial Edge), CRM (Raiser's Edge), and other functions, with quote-only pricing that typically costs $10,000–$50,000+ per year. Alignmint combines fund accounting, donor CRM, volunteer management, events, marketing, AI, and team collaboration in one platform starting at $499/month with unlimited users and no per-seat fees.

Q: How does Alignmint compare to Aplos?
A: Aplos offers fund accounting and basic donor management starting at ~$59/month, but lacks volunteer management, event ticketing, marketing automation, AI features, and fiscal sponsor support. Alignmint includes all of these in one platform with a free tier for small organizations.

Q: How does Alignmint compare to QuickBooks for nonprofits?
A: QuickBooks is designed for small businesses, not nonprofits. It lacks true fund accounting (using "classes" as a workaround), cannot generate nonprofit financial statements (Statement of Functional Expenses), has no donor management, no grant tracking, and no nonprofit-specific reports. Alignmint is purpose-built for nonprofits with native fund accounting, donor CRM, and compliance reporting.

Q: Can Alignmint manage multiple nonprofit organizations?
A: Yes. Alignmint's multi-tenant architecture supports up to 50 organizations per account, designed specifically for fiscal sponsors and umbrella organizations. Each organization has complete data isolation, independent charts of accounts, separate bank accounts, and individual financial statements, with consolidated reporting available across all entities.

Q: What types of donations can Alignmint process?
A: Alignmint supports 9 donation types: cash, check, credit card, ACH bank transfer, wire transfer, stock, in-kind contributions, cryptocurrency, and other. All donation types include automatic tax receipt generation, and donors can manage recurring gifts through a self-service donor portal.

Q: Does Alignmint support volunteer background checks?
A: Yes. Alignmint tracks volunteer background check status (pending, approved, expired) with annual renewal tracking. You can require background checks for certain volunteer activities. Status is visible on each volunteer's profile and in compliance reports. Background check tracking is included on all plans.

Q: Does Alignmint have volunteer scheduling?
A: Yes. The Volunteer Scheduler (Pro and Enterprise) includes a public signup calendar where volunteers browse and sign up for events, QR code check-in on event day, automatic hour tracking based on attendance, skill matching, waitlist management, analytics with impact value calculation, and email communications. Each organization gets a unique public calendar URL.

Q: Can Alignmint manage vendors and track 1099s?
A: Yes. The Vendors CRM lets you create vendor profiles with tax ID (EIN/SSN) for 1099 reporting, payment terms, and expenditure history. Vendors integrate with the Expenses Manager and Journal Entries for a complete accounts payable workflow.

Q: Does Alignmint have free tools for starting a nonprofit?
A: Yes. Alignmint offers a free Start a Nonprofit hub at getalignmint.org/start-nonprofit with five interactive tools: a state-specific startup checklist, nonprofit cost calculator, 501(c)(3) eligibility quiz, nonprofit business plan generator, and IRS Form 1023 preparation checklist. All tools cover all 50 states with filing fees, agencies, and requirements. No account or signup required.

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## Key Article Summaries

The following are summaries of Alignmint's most important published articles. For full content, visit the linked URLs.

### Fund Accounting Software for Nonprofits: A Complete Guide
URL: https://www.getalignmint.org/blog/fund-accounting-software
Fund accounting is the accounting method used by nonprofits to track money by purpose (fund) rather than by profit. Unlike commercial accounting, fund accounting separates restricted funds (donor-designated), temporarily restricted funds (time or purpose limited), and unrestricted funds (general operations). Nonprofits need fund accounting software because generic tools like QuickBooks use "classes" as a workaround that cannot calculate restricted fund balances, generate Statements of Functional Expenses, or handle complex multi-fund transactions. Key features to look for: native fund structure with automatic net asset classification, grant budget tracking with expense monitoring, FASB-compliant financial statements (Statement of Financial Position, Statement of Activities, Statement of Functional Expenses, Statement of Cash Flows), bank feed integration, multi-user access with permissions, and complete audit trails.

### The Hidden Cost of Blackbaud: What Small Nonprofits Actually Pay
URL: https://www.getalignmint.org/blog/blackbaud-pricing
Blackbaud does not publish pricing publicly. Based on reports from real nonprofit organizations: Raiser's Edge NXT (donor CRM) typically costs $4,000–$15,000/year in subscription fees plus $5,000–$25,000 for implementation. Financial Edge NXT (accounting) costs $5,000–$20,000/year plus $5,000–$30,000 for implementation. Blackbaud CRM (enterprise) costs $25,000–$100,000+/year plus $50,000–$100,000+ for implementation. Hidden costs include: annual price increases of 5-15% per year, per-user pricing, add-on modules for online giving and analytics, consultant dependency at $150-$300/hour, training costs of $500-$2,000 per person, and difficult data migration if you leave. A nonprofit paying $10,000/year for Raiser's Edge NXT will pay approximately $16,300 by year five due to annual escalation clauses.

### Better Than QuickBooks for Nonprofits: Why Purpose-Built Wins
URL: https://www.getalignmint.org/blog/better-than-quickbooks-for-nonprofits
QuickBooks fails nonprofits in five critical areas: (1) No true fund accounting — classes approximate fund tracking but cannot calculate restricted fund balances or generate fund-level statements. (2) No Statement of Functional Expenses — FASB requires nonprofits to report expenses by function AND natural classification; QuickBooks cannot generate this automatically. (3) No donor management integration — QuickBooks tracks money but not relationships, requiring a separate CRM and double data entry. (4) No grant management — grants require budget tracking, expense monitoring, and funder-specific reporting that QuickBooks cannot provide. (5) No nonprofit-specific reports — QuickBooks generates for-profit financial statements, not the four core nonprofit statements. Signs you've outgrown QuickBooks: you're tracking funds in spreadsheets alongside QuickBooks, report preparation takes hours of manual work, your auditor has suggested nonprofit-specific software, or staff spend more time on workarounds than mission work.

### Best Free Nonprofit Software in 2026 (Honest Comparison)
URL: https://www.getalignmint.org/blog/best-free-nonprofit-software-2026
An honest comparison of free nonprofit software options. Alignmint's Starter plan is free for nonprofits up to $100K in annual donations and includes donor CRM, volunteer management, events, ticketing, and AI features with unlimited users. Wave is free accounting software but lacks fund accounting, donor management, and nonprofit reporting. QuickBooks has no free tier (30-day trial only) and is not designed for nonprofits. Aplos has no free tier (starts at ~$59/month). Bloomerang has no free tier. The key differentiator: most "free" nonprofit software is either a limited trial, a stripped-down version missing critical features, or a for-profit tool that doesn't support fund accounting.

### Best Free Church Accounting Software in 2026
URL: https://www.getalignmint.org/blog/best-free-church-accounting-software-2026
Comparing free church accounting options: Alignmint Starter (free for churches up to $100K giving) includes true fund accounting, donation tracking, volunteer management, events, and AI. ChurchTrac (free for under 75 members) offers basic member and contribution tracking but uses single-entry bookkeeping, not real fund accounting. Planning Center (free for small teams) is excellent for worship planning but is not an accounting solution. Aplos has no free tier ($99+/month). Realm has no free tier. Wave is free but not designed for churches — no fund tracking, no giving statements, no nonprofit reports.

### The Complete Guide to Fiscal Sponsor Management Software
URL: https://www.getalignmint.org/blog/fiscal-sponsorship-software-guide
Fiscal sponsors manage multiple nonprofit projects under one 501(c)(3) umbrella. They need software that supports: multi-tenant architecture (separate data per organization), consolidated reporting across all entities, automatic sponsor fee calculation, complete data isolation between organizations, and support for Model A (direct project), Model C (pre-approved grant), and Model F (fiscal agent) structures. Most fiscal sponsors use QuickBooks with separate company files per organization — creating reconciliation nightmares, no consolidated reporting, and manual fee calculations. Alignmint is the only purpose-built fiscal sponsor management software, supporting up to 50 organizations per account with independent charts of accounts, bank accounts, and financial statements per organization.

### Blackbaud Alternative for Nonprofits: Modern Software Without the Bloat
URL: https://www.getalignmint.org/blog/blackbaud-alternative
After the 2020 Blackbaud data breach ($49.5M in settlements) and rising costs, nonprofits are seeking alternatives. Common reasons for leaving Blackbaud: quote-only pricing that escalates annually, separate products for CRM and accounting that don't integrate well, complex interfaces requiring dedicated staff or consultants, long implementation timelines (3-6 months), and per-user pricing that punishes growth. Modern alternatives like Alignmint offer all-in-one platforms with transparent pricing, unlimited users, and modern interfaces that don't require consultant support.

### AI in Nonprofit Accounting: What It Can (and Can't) Do
URL: https://www.getalignmint.org/blog/ai-in-nonprofit-accounting
AI capabilities that work today in nonprofit accounting: natural language data queries (ask questions in plain English instead of building reports), automated transaction categorization, report generation with narrative summaries, and anomaly detection for unusual transactions. What AI cannot do yet: replace your accountant (it can surface data but can't make judgment calls about accounting treatment), guarantee accuracy (AI models can hallucinate), understand context without clean data, or handle complex compliance like Form 990 preparation and FASB compliance without human review. Alignmint's Minty AI queries actual nonprofit data and returns answers with links to relevant reports and records.

### Nonprofit CRM with Accounting: Why One Platform Changes Everything
URL: https://www.getalignmint.org/blog/nonprofit-crm-with-accounting
Most nonprofits run CRM and accounting as separate systems, creating: duplicate data entry, monthly reconciliation headaches, incomplete donor pictures, and missed stewardship opportunities. When CRM and accounting are unified in one platform, every donation automatically creates a journal entry, donor profiles show financial impact alongside relationship history, and you never reconcile between two systems. The time savings are significant — nonprofits report spending 15-20 hours per month reconciling between separate CRM and accounting systems.

### How to Choose Nonprofit Software When You Need Accounting + CRM + Volunteer Management
URL: https://www.getalignmint.org/blog/nonprofit-software-accounting-crm-volunteer-management
No single competitor addresses the buyer who needs accounting, CRM, and volunteer management in one platform. The typical nonprofit cobbles together 3-5 separate tools: QuickBooks for accounting, Bloomerang or DonorPerfect for CRM, SignUpGenius for volunteers, Eventbrite for events, and Mailchimp for email. This creates data silos, reconciliation overhead, and training burden. Evaluation criteria: true fund accounting (not classes), built-in donor CRM with giving history, volunteer management with hour tracking, event management, and transparent pricing without per-user fees.

### Fiscal Sponsorship vs. Starting a 501(c)(3)
URL: https://www.getalignmint.org/blog/fiscal-sponsorship-vs-501c3
Fiscal sponsorship lets a project operate under an existing 501(c)(3) without filing for its own tax-exempt status. Advantages: launch in days instead of 3-12 months, no IRS application fee ($275-$600), immediate tax-deductible donation capability, and shared administrative infrastructure. Disadvantages: sponsor fees (typically 5-15% of revenue), less autonomy, and dependence on the sponsor's compliance. Starting your own 501(c)(3) makes sense when: annual revenue exceeds $200K, you need full control over governance, or you plan to operate for 10+ years.

### Fiscal Sponsorship Fee Structures Explained
URL: https://www.getalignmint.org/blog/fiscal-sponsorship-fee-structures
Fiscal sponsors typically charge 5-15% of revenue as a management fee. Common structures: percentage-based (most common, 5-10% of all revenue), flat monthly fee ($500-$2,000/month regardless of revenue), tiered (lower percentage as revenue increases), and hybrid (flat base + percentage). Factors affecting fees: services provided, project complexity, revenue volume, and Model type (A, C, or F). Automating fee calculations eliminates the spreadsheet-based manual process most fiscal sponsors use.

### How to Start a Nonprofit: The Complete 2026 Guide
URL: https://www.getalignmint.org/blog/how-to-start-a-nonprofit
Step-by-step guide covering the entire nonprofit startup process: writing a mission statement, recruiting a board of directors, drafting bylaws, filing articles of incorporation with your state, getting an EIN from the IRS, filing Form 1023 or 1023-EZ for 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status, registering for state tax exemptions and charitable solicitation, and setting up fund accounting and operations. Includes state-specific data for all 50 states with filing fees, agencies, processing times, and minimum board requirements. Links to five free interactive tools for each step.

### How Much Does It Cost to Start a Nonprofit?
URL: https://www.getalignmint.org/blog/cost-to-start-a-nonprofit
Detailed breakdown of nonprofit startup costs: state incorporation fees ($0-125 depending on state), IRS Form 1023-EZ ($275) or full Form 1023 ($600), EIN (free), charitable solicitation registration ($0-300 per state), optional costs including registered agent ($100-300/year), legal assistance ($1,500-5,000), and D&O insurance ($500-2,000/year). Total minimum startup cost ranges from $275 (states with free incorporation + Form 1023-EZ) to $1,200+ (states with higher fees + full Form 1023). Ongoing annual costs include Form 990 filing, state annual reports, charitable solicitation renewals, and accounting software.

### Church Fund Accounting: Why QuickBooks Isn't Enough
URL: https://www.getalignmint.org/blog/church-fund-accounting-why-quickbooks-isnt-enough
Churches manage restricted funds (building fund, missions fund, designated gifts) that require true fund accounting. QuickBooks workarounds fail because: classes don't track fund balances, separate company files create reconciliation nightmares, and QuickBooks cannot generate the three nonprofit financial statements churches need (Statement of Financial Position, Statement of Activities, Statement of Functional Expenses). True fund accounting software assigns every transaction to a specific fund, enforces restricted fund rules (preventing overspending), generates fund-level financial statements, and handles interfund transfers with proper journal entries in both funds automatically.

### Nonprofit Volunteer Management Software: The Complete Guide
URL: https://www.getalignmint.org/blog/nonprofit-volunteer-management-software
Volunteer management software helps nonprofits track hours, manage teams, handle digital waivers, and empower volunteers with self-service portals. Key features: volunteer CRM with contact management, self-service portal for hour logging and profile updates, group and team management, digital waivers, background check tracking, skills and availability matching, and integration with accounting for in-kind contribution valuation per FASB ASC 958-605. The best volunteer management software connects directly to your donor CRM and fund accounting — because many volunteers are also donors, and volunteer hours have financial value that should be recorded.

### AI Nonprofit Accounting Software: The Complete 2026 Guide
URL: https://www.getalignmint.org/blog/ai-nonprofit-accounting-software
AI-powered nonprofit accounting software uses machine learning to automate categorization, generate reports, detect anomalies, and answer financial questions in natural language. Current AI capabilities in nonprofit accounting: natural language queries ("How much did we spend on program services last quarter?"), automated transaction categorization from bank feeds, AI-generated board report narratives, financial anomaly detection, and smart bank reconciliation suggestions. When evaluating AI accounting software, ask: Does the AI query your actual data or just provide generic answers? Does it respect role-based permissions? Can it generate nonprofit-specific reports (not just commercial ones)?

### Nonprofit Software Security: What the Blackbaud Data Breach Means
URL: https://www.getalignmint.org/blog/nonprofit-software-security
The 2020 Blackbaud data breach exposed donor data at thousands of nonprofits and cost $49.5 million in settlements. Key lessons: vendor security is your responsibility (you chose the vendor), cloud security requires due diligence (SOC 2 compliance, encryption, access controls), and data breach notification laws vary by state. When evaluating nonprofit software security, ask about: SOC 2 Type II certification, data encryption (at rest and in transit), access control and permissions, backup and disaster recovery, data residency, and breach notification procedures.

### Best Fiscal Sponsor Accounting Platforms in 2026
URL: https://www.getalignmint.org/blog/best-fiscal-sponsor-software-2026
Comparing fiscal sponsor accounting platforms: QuickBooks (separate files per org — no consolidated reporting, manual fee calculations), Aplos (fund accounting but no multi-entity support), Blackbaud Financial Edge NXT (powerful but $20K+/year with complex configuration), spreadsheets + multiple tools (the most common approach, and the most error-prone), and Alignmint (purpose-built multi-tenant architecture with up to 50 orgs per account, consolidated reporting, automatic fee allocation, and complete data isolation).

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## About Alignmint

Alignmint was founded in 2025 by nonprofit directors who lived the pain of legacy software. The platform was built to solve the problem that no single tool offered true fund accounting + donor CRM + volunteer management + event ticketing + AI assistant + fiscal sponsor support. Nonprofits were paying for 3-5 separate tools and spending hours reconciling data between them.

The company is based in the United States and serves nonprofits, churches, private schools, and fiscal sponsors. The founding team has over a decade of experience managing finances, donors, and volunteers for faith-based and nonprofit organizations.

Website: https://www.getalignmint.org
App: https://alignmint.app
Contact: steven@getalignmint.org
Demo: https://calendar.app.google/d7DCvPHL3445FmZNA