A core system is the internal system a community foundation uses to manage its:

• Donor and prospect information
• Accounting (recordkeeping, transactions, fund accounting, disbursements, expenses, etc)
• Grants processing

The importance of a core system lies in its centrality to our work--it is the engine AND the data AND the functionality that drives how we do our work every day. Many people incorrectly think of this as the ‘accounting system.'  The Technology Initiative agreed to focus attention on improvements to these aspects of core systems:

• API and Internet interfaces to donors, advisors and nonprofits; improved access to data and enhanced workflow efficiencies
• Robust customer relationship management (CRM) functionality
• Seamless processing capacity linking the core system to investment managers and custodians; automating pool accounting and reconciliation
• 'Next generation' software to fully replace current core systems (such as FIMS, FoundationPower and Blackbaud) with flexible, open architecture.