Why board members need a personal CRM
Most nonprofit boards ask members to give, get and open doors. The hard part isn’t the ask, it’s remembering who you talked to, what you promised and when to follow up. The friend who was interested at the gala, the colleague you said you’d introduce to the executive director, the donor you meant to thank in person: those threads slip between quarterly board meetings. A personal CRM keeps the people and the follow-ups in one place on your iPhone.
What board members keep in BlackBook
- Friends, colleagues and neighbors who might care about the mission, and what they care about
- Introductions you offered to make for staff, and a reminder to make them
- People you met at events, tours and site visits and meant to follow up with
- Thank-you notes you owe, so they go out while the moment still matters
- Birthdays and milestones for the people you’re staying close to
- Pulse, which suggests who to reach out to next from your notes, history and reminders
Next to your donor database, not instead of it
BlackBook isn’t built for gift records, pledges, receipts or appeals. Keep those in your organization’s donor management system, and keep confidential donor information where your nonprofit’s policies require. Use BlackBook for your own relationship notes and follow-ups.
Private by design
There’s no account or login. Your notes live on your iPhone and in your own private iCloud, there are no ad SDKs, and your data is never sold. Start free with the 25 people you most want to bring closer to the cause.
More on this: a personal CRM for fundraisers, a personal CRM for pastors and ministry leaders, and how to keep in touch with people.
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: optional subscription with 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 lives on your iPhone and in your private iCloud, no account, no ad SDKs, data never sold
- Developer: Preston Earnest / Earnestly Studios LLC
Frequently asked questions
Does BlackBook replace our donor database?
No. BlackBook doesn’t record gifts, pledges, receipts or campaigns, and it doesn’t send appeals or email. Keep your organization’s donor management system as the record of giving. BlackBook is your own list of the people you know and the follow-ups you promised.
What should I keep out of BlackBook?
Keep giving history, financial details and anything your organization treats as confidential donor information in the systems your nonprofit approves, and follow its donor privacy policy. BlackBook works best for your own relationship notes, like how you know someone, what they care about and when to check in.
What do board members use a personal CRM for?
Keeping a short list of friends and colleagues who might support the mission; remembering introductions you offered to make for staff; following up after events and site visits; sending thank-you notes on time; and remembering birthdays and milestones for the people you’re cultivating.
Is my data private?
BlackBook needs no account. Your people and notes live on your iPhone and in your own private iCloud, not on a BlackBook server. There are no ad SDKs, and your data is never sold.
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: 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.
Keep every promised introduction and thank-you on track.
BlackBook is free to download for iPhone (iOS 17.6+). Start with 25 people, no account needed.
Get BlackBook – Personal CRM