Why fundraisers need a personal CRM
Fundraising runs on relationships, and relationships run on remembering. A donor mentions a grandchild’s graduation, a prospect says to call back after the board meeting, a volunteer is ready to give more time. Your donor database holds the gifts; the personal follow-ups are easy to lose between events, email and memory.
What fundraisers keep in BlackBook
- A short note after a visit or call, with a reminder to follow up when you said you would
- Prospects you met at an event and want to see again soon
- Board members, volunteers and community partners you want to keep close
- Birthdays and other dates worth a card or a call
- Pulse, which suggests who to reach out to next from your notes, history and reminders
Prepared in a minute
Before a donor visit, open the person in BlackBook and see what you talked about last time. Right after, add a quick note while it’s fresh, then log the official details in your organization’s system.
Private by design
There’s no account or login. Your notes stay on your iPhone and private iCloud, there are no ad SDKs, and your data is never sold. Keep notes to what helps you build the relationship, and follow your organization’s rules on donor information. Start free with the 25 people you most want to keep up with.
More on this: how to remember details about people, how to follow up after a networking event, and a personal CRM for pastors and ministry leaders.
BlackBook facts
- Platform: iPhone, iOS 17.6 or later
- Price: free download; optional BlackBook Pro subscription (prices shown in the app)
- Free plan: 25 people, 2 notes per person, 30 days of interaction history
- Pro: unlimited people and full history, VIP reminders and insights, relationship notes with tags, duplicate detection, BlackBook AI
- AI: on-device via Apple Intelligence (Pro, iOS 26, compatible iPhone)
- Privacy: data on your device and private iCloud, no account, no ad SDKs, data never sold
- Developer: Preston Earnest / Earnestly Studios LLC
Frequently asked questions
Is BlackBook a donor database or fundraising CRM?
No. BlackBook is a personal CRM for one person on iPhone. It doesn’t track gifts, pledges, campaigns or receipts, and it has no team features. Keep your organization’s donor database as the official record; BlackBook is for your own notes and follow-ups.
What do fundraisers use a personal CRM for?
Mostly relationship follow-up: remembering what a donor or prospect told you and checking back when you said you would, keeping up with volunteers and board members, and not missing birthdays and other dates worth a note.
Is my data private?
BlackBook needs no account. Your people and notes stay on your iPhone and in your private iCloud. There are no ad SDKs, and your data is never sold. Follow your organization’s policies about donor information and where it can be stored.
Is BlackBook free?
BlackBook is free to download with a free plan of 25 people, two notes per person and 30 days of interaction history. BlackBook Pro is an optional subscription for unlimited people and full history: in the US it’s $4.99 a month or $29.99 a year, and the annual plan includes a 1-week free trial. Prices are shown in the app.
What iPhones does it run on?
BlackBook requires iOS 17.6 or later. On iOS 26 with a compatible iPhone, BlackBook Pro adds on-device Apple Intelligence features.
Remember every donor conversation.
BlackBook is free to download for iPhone (iOS 17.6+). Start with 25 people, no account needed.
Get BlackBook – Personal CRM