Customer story: Working Families

A charity with complexity and purpose

Working Families isn’t a typical charity. Their free legal advice service, managed  by qualified employment solicitors, helps people retain their jobs and secure flexible working arrangements. According to feedback, 9 in 10 people felt their situation was resolved within three months of using their service.  

Donorfy supports the charity’s employer engagement, donor stewardship, and event management. With a team of 28 staff members and a large contact database, the team needed a system that could support remote collaboration and operational agility.

Jane van Zyl, CEO, inherited Donorfy when she joined the charity. “We’d had three CRMs in four years,” she recalls. “It was hideous. But Donorfy was cloud-based, well-priced, and flexible, it gave us a chance to reset.”

From fragmentation to functionality

When Jane arrived, Donorfy was being implemented by someone with no formal training, yet they did a remarkable job. The charity began using Donorfy to keep track of conversations with employer members, who play a key role in supporting their work.

Email logging became a lifeline for continuity. “Anyone can pick up a conversation at any point,” says Jane. “That’s invaluable in a part-time team.”

• Xero integration saved time by uploading income directly into Donorfy.
• Tags and lists helped evaluate programme success and manage events — though Jane admits they’ve accumulated too many lists over time.
• Mailchimp and Enthuse integrations supported communication and event management, especially for employer-focused webinars and best practice awards.

Events, employers, and engagement

Most of Working Families’ events are for employers, sharing best practice, policy updates, and benchmarking insights. Donorfy helps manage these relationships, track engagement, and support communications.

“We use Enthuse for event registration and Mailchimp for newsletters,” Jane explains. “The Donorfy integrations are great.”

The system has helped the charity stay agile. “We all work remotely, and Donorfy supports that. It’s cloud-based, flexible, and it grows with us.”

Looking ahead: Smarter stewardship and CRM evolution

Looking ahead, Jane says, “We’ll probably move to a B2B CRM for employer engagement next year,” she says. “But we’ll keep Donorfy for individual giving. It’s a good system.”

Her advice to other charities? “Donorfy is only as good as the training you give people. Build your SOPs, train your team, and use every feature. Until you’ve exhausted what Donorfy can do, there’s no point switching.”

Why Working Families recommends Donorfy

• Cloud-based and scalable, supporting remote work and flexible operations.
• Email integration ensures seamless communication and handover.
• Good value for money, especially for small charities with complex needs.
• Community support helps troubleshoot and share best practice.
• Flexible integrations with finance and marketing tools like Xero, Mailchimp, and Enthuse.
• Supports hybrid fundraising models, including B2B and individual giving.

Top tips for CRM success from Working Families

• Invest in training: A CRM is only as good as the people using it. Make sure your team knows how to get the most from the system.
• Build clear processes: SOPs and naming conventions help maintain consistency and reduce confusion.
• Use integrations wisely: Connect your CRM with tools like Mailchimp and Xero to save time and improve accuracy.
• Keep your data clean: Regularly review and archive outdated contacts and lists to keep your CRM lean and effective.
• Engage with the community: Donorfy’s user community is a great resource for troubleshooting and sharing ideas.
• Start small, scale smart: Focus on core features first, then expand usage as your team becomes more confident.