Though new in this role, many customers already know Rich. He’s a familiar face, having supported charities with everything from onboarding to tricky tech troubleshooting.
We chatted about his journey, his vision for the product and his thoughts on Donorfy’s acquisition by the Access Group.
Hey Rich! First off, congratulations on your new role as Product Manager! Before we dive into the details, can you tell me a bit about your journey to becoming PM?
Thanks, Lisa! I’m really excited about the role. I joined Donorfy back in 2019 and have spent most of my time in the customer success team, working closely with charities to help them get the most out of Donorfy day-to-day.
But I’ve always loved building things, and this move into product management felt like a chance to get more involved in the nuts and bolts of how Donorfy is developed. It feels like a natural next step to be solving real problems and helping people who are now doing the same kinds of jobs I used to do in charities.
You mentioned you worked in charities before joining Donorfy. How has that shaped your approach to product management?
I held a number of different roles in the sector, from junior digital comms to senior leadership. I was involved in fundraising campaigns, implementing CRMs, volunteer management, supporter comms - you name it. I still remember how frustrating it is when systems don’t work as they should, or as you need them to. Many of my colleagues at Donorfy have a charity or fundraising background, and I know they feel the same.
In terms of my approach though, it’s not just about building a product that functions. It’s about making people’s jobs easier so they can focus on what really matters.
My experience taught me the value of good tools and support in achieving that, and its why customer value is such a big priority for me. Overall, I hope my experience keeps me grounded in what matters most to the people that use Donorfy. And if anyone feels like I’ve lost that then I welcome being called out on it!
Charities have unique needs for their charity CRM. How are you planning to ensure that we're staying in tune with, and meeting those needs?
We’re not here to just throw in features for the sake of it. I want to understand the context behind what charities are asking for and make sure Donorfy is helping. For that reason, part of my role will be getting out there and talking to our customers, which is great, as I like talking to people!
Working in customer success gave me a great foundation there. I’ve seen so many different ways charities use Donorfy. Plus, I’ve met a lot of brilliant fundraisers from across the sector, whose brains I can still go back and pick! I’m also always happy to hear from anyone who uses Donorfy and wants to chat, too.
What’s your vision for Donorfy’s product development over the next year or so? Anything specific you’re particularly excited about?
At its best, Donorfy should be the hub of a charity’s digital ecosystem, pulling together all the useful data from across their systems and helping them make decisions that improve impact. That’s actually nothing new, but we want to maximise the benefits of that as much as possible.
Being part of Access now gives us more tools to do that, and integration is a key part. We're focused on making systems work more closely together, because that opens more possibilities for customers.
I know people have been worried that Donorfy won't continue to integrate with the many platforms it currently does, and that’s not the case. Integration with key platforms has always been a key part of our DNA, and that won’t change. We’re now just able to add in more integration possibilities with products from across the wider Access suite, giving more value and choice.
So, right now, among other things, we’re working on work that support that. Being part of the Access Evo ecosystem is one, which will make navigation easier and speed up everyday tasks. We’re even looking at cross-product AI across Evo, which means AI can look at, and learn from, the charity’s entire Access portfolio, rather than just their CRM. That will unlock exciting insights for charities.
Single sign-on, which will be immediately helpful for charities that use other Access tools, is in the works. Multi-currency is on the cards, too.
My goal isn’t just to make flashy changes, though. I’m most excited about the improvements that people barely notice because everything just works better. If we can do that, we’re on the right path.
You mentioned the move to Access - how does that influence your vision for Donorfy’s product development?
It opens so many new opportunities. Access brings more resources and bigger ambitions, which means we can deliver value faster than before. That’s genuinely exciting!
But I also think it’s important we don’t lose sight of who we are and who we serve. My role is about holding onto those threads - keeping Donorfy’s strong connection to the charity sector while using the extra resource to build even better tools for our users.
What would you say to any customers that feel uncertain about Donorfy joining Access?
Firstly, that I get it, because change is uncertain. But the heart of Donorfy hasn’t changed. We’re still the same team, just with more support behind us now. That means better development and ultimately a better product.
I know it’s easy to say that though, and the real proof will be in what we deliver. So, I’d just ask people to give us time to settle in until we can start showing the benefits. Whether Donorfy is independent or part of Access will hopefully become irrelevant, the value we deliver is what matters.
What advice would you give to charities looking to make the most of Donorfy’s features and upcoming developments?
Keep an eye on what’s coming up and make sure to stay in touch. Let us know what you think, what you need and where we can help. Get involved in the Donorfy community too, it’s always been a key part of the Donorfy experience.
And always ask for support when you need it. We want to make sure Donorfy is working hard for you and not the other way around.
And lastly, what’s one thing you would love to achieve in your role over the next 12 months?
I want to keep the focus on the things that genuinely add value for our users - no distractions, just solid improvements where they count. And I’d love to hear our customers say that Donorfy is still making their lives easier.
Ultimately though, my goal is that Donorfy becomes so intuitive, it just quietly does its job in the background, so charities can stay focused on raising funds and doing great work.