Glossary
CRM Basics

Category

By: Alec Hollingsworth
Updated:  
July 2, 2025

Definition:

A 'Category' is a label used to group and organize records in your nonprofit CRM for better tracking and reporting.
In nonprofit CRM systems, a 'Category' is a label or classification used to group contacts, donations, activities, or other records based on shared characteristics or purposes. Categories help organizations segment their data for easier tracking, reporting, and communication. For example, contacts can be categorized by donor type, volunteer role, or program involvement. Accurate categorization streamlines workflows, enables targeted outreach, and supports more meaningful analytics. The flexibility to create and assign custom categories allows organizations to tailor their CRM to fit their unique operational needs, ensuring that information is organized in a way that aligns with their strategic objectives and reporting requirements.

Key Takeaways

  • Categories organize CRM data for easy access.
  • They enable targeted communications and reporting.
  • Custom categories can reflect your nonprofit’s unique needs.
  • Accurate categorization leads to better insights.

Why It Matters

Categories make it easy to organize, search, and report on your CRM data efficiently.

Real World Example

A local animal shelter uses Keela’s CRM to manage supporters. To streamline communications, they create categories such as 'Monthly Donors,' 'Volunteers,' and 'Adopters.' When planning a fundraising campaign, staff can quickly filter contacts by these categories to send targeted messages. For example, a volunteer appreciation event invitation is sent only to those in the 'Volunteers' category. This ensures each group receives relevant information, improves engagement, and makes reporting on campaign outcomes much easier by analyzing actions and responses by category.

How Keela Helps

Within Keela, you can create and assign categories to contacts, donations, and activities to streamline segmentation and reporting. This feature helps users organize their records efficiently, enabling targeted communications and more effective data analysis tailored to their nonprofit’s objectives.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a category in a nonprofit CRM?

A category is a label or grouping used to organize records such as contacts, donations, or activities within your CRM for easy tracking and reporting.

How do categories benefit my nonprofit?

Categories help streamline communication, enable targeted outreach, and make it easier to analyze and report on various segments of your data.

Can I create custom categories in Keela?

Yes, Keela allows you to create custom categories that fit your organization’s unique needs for effective data segmentation and management.

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