This page contains multiple useful tool that can be used to aid non-profits and businesses with their organizations needs


LastPass (free with paid premium version)
LastPass is a must have for absolutely everyone. Use this first before creating accounts with the other tools so you do it securely. We all know that we should use complex passwords and change them regularly but we don’t do it. Also we know that we should not use the same PW for every site we go to. Last pass solves both of these problems for FREE. NOTE: I use the paid version on my systems.

Mint (free ad supported)
Mint is a FREE tool that allows you to truly see how you earn and spend money. It runs in the background of your life and gets better and better over time especially after 3 years. I have used mint for years and the insights that it provides helps in creating conscious spending and catching bank problems before they get out of hand.

Credit Karma (free add supported)
Credit Karma actually gives you a FREE credit score and report from transunion. When I say free I mean it. At no time does it even ask you for a credit card so it is impossible to charge you. It uses the same model as Mint.com for income and serves you with information based on what it pulls. This is a great way to get your score and report alerts. You don’t really need all three reports this gets the job done.

Rescue Time (free with a paid premium version)
Rescue Time is another FREE tool that really tells you about yourself and how you spend your time. It is amazing once you get it set up. The only downside is that you may not be able to install this on your work computer. NOTE: I use the paid version on my systems.
Linkedin (free with a paid premium version)
Linkedin is a critical tool for managing contacts. Think of this as a proverbial online rolodex that tracks people instead of emails and phone numbers. A person’s data changes over time but if they are on Linkedin the connection remains. It also serves as an inspirational tool. You can look up the profiles of people in your extended network and see what education, classes, skills, and positions led them to that point. You can then start obtaining those things to get yourself on the same path. NOTE: I have the paid access to linkedin.com

Dragon Naturally Speaking ($200)
This is the most expensive and most controversial recommendation on my list. I have been using dragon naturally speaking for many years. I have a love and hate relationship with the product. Where I can use it (i.e. install it and have a quite place to write) it is amazing. I finished most of all my college papers with this and credit my fast competition to this tool. Also I am dyslexic and cannot spell. This software fixes both of these options. If I ever get a full office to myself and can use this at work the world needs to look out. I highly recommend this tool. NOTE: In the course of my use of this software I have spent around $1000 total for all version and microphones to increase accuracy.

Educational Sites for Everyone

iwillteachyoutoberich.com Best for automation and earning more

fourhourworkweek.com Another prime automation book and website
Tools for Non-Profits

Guidestar (free with paid options)
This charity provides profiles of nearly every charity in the world. It also provides an API that lets others check on the nonprofit status of any charity by name, EIN, or other metrics. Many of the charity for charity sites as well as indirect sites that provide discounts to nonprofits require a completed profile on Guide Star before giving free or discounted items to your organization. Create your profile and have it validated at the highest level possible here before seeking the other services.

Techsoup (Free to join, admin fees for most items offered)
My personal charity focused on bridging the gaps between the big players in the charity for charities section. Focus is on IT Project Management support and other business level support. Free For Charity leverages and simplifies the plethora of options each charity has to provide what is needed most by the individual organization.

Volunteer Match (Free basic account paid upgrades)
The best volunteer sourcing tool. Links with linkedin.com, your website, and many other sources creating a job board for your charities needs. Create a profile and post offers for all your needs.

FreeForCharity (No costs for anything we directly provide … really)
My personal charity focused on bridging the gaps between the big players in the charity for charities section. Focus is on IT Project Management support and other business level support. Free For Charity leverages and simplifies the plethora of options each charity has to provide what is needed most by the individual organization.

QuickBooks Online ($75 per year with 5 users)
If your accounting is not right a lot will suffer. Techsoup offers the discounts for QuickBooks the industry leader in accounting. Both online and offline versions are offered at the same price.

Google Workspace for non-profits (free with paid plans)
apps including Gmail and grant options for free AdWords advertisements. If you do not like or have not used outlook choose this for Gmail and free storage space with google drive.

Microsoft Office 365 enterprise for non-profits (free with paid packages)
NOTE: FFC Recomended — Incredible discounts for non profits at rates better than even students get for advanced enterprise features. This should be the first product you seek to get.

Salesforce (free to nonprofits up to 10 seats per year)
Worlds best CRM available. NOTE: Microsoft offer now includes CRM for an all in one solution.

GrantStation (199$ per year)
Best tool if you have a dedicated grant writer or a grant worthy type of charity.

MailChimp(offers multiple packages paid ones are 15% off for non-profits)
mailchimp is an always-on marketing platform for small businesses.
Tools for Businesses
Wave Accounting (free: add supported)
Wave is the basic accounting that you need as an ultra small business or a consultant. Use this first and if you outgrow it and have to move to the very expensive QuickBooks later then it is no problem. Wave gets better every year and adds more and more features. I use this for several of my small businesses

Shoeboxed (free with a paid premium version)
Shoeboxed is a North Carolina based document scanning company that takes basically any paper you get for your business and scans it with OCR and human oversight to ensure it is accurate. In the free version you have to upload the documents by tracking a picture but in the paid versions you can just put them in pre-paid envelopes and mail them in for processing. This is an amazing tool if you need more things scanned than just receipts and invoices like what is now included in the free wave accounting software. NOTE: I use the paid version of this for some of my businesses

Google Apps ($5 a month)
This product I have used because I use Google for the personal side. This is the business version. Now that Office 365 has come out I am starting to think of moving my services over to that and may change this recommendation for office productivity and email on a budget. Microsoft Office was always expected on top of this and that moved the needle to thinking Office 365 may overtake it.


Fiverr ($5 dollars minimum per gig)
Great site for dipping your feet into outsourcing tasks for your business. You can get almost any task done for $5 and many offer upgrades for larger projects. Streamlined billing with your business PayPal or standard credit card.

UpWork (Pay per job)
This is the full services solution to getting access to skills you don’t have. Freelancers of every type and price point are here and you really have to spend the time picking the right people for the right jobs. Be careful with these sites.
Educational Sites for Starting a Business

ittybiz.com Great site for ultra small business info

earn1k.com Program for earning your for $1000 on the side by Ramit

appsumo.com Another program for earning your first money online

100startup.com First book on starting a business
