Human Services
For Patriot PAWS Service Dogs, which provides service dogs to disabled American veterans, choosing the right CRM is about more than technology—it’s about building the relationships that fuel their mission. When Lauren Vaughan joined as Director of Development, her search for a new platform took an unexpected turn, but it ultimately led her to a partner that truly listened: Neon One.
The Challenge: A Need for Deeper Connection
When Lauren Vaughan joined as Director of Development, she immediately recognized the limits of their old system. It was used as little more than a “check log.”
Their old system:
- Couldn’t manage complex fundraising needs
- Struggled with tracking large corporate/community partners
- Lacked an intuitive interface for volunteers
Patriot PAWS needed a platform powerful enough for staff and simple enough for volunteers.
A Quick Detour with Bloomerang
The team narrowed its options down to Neon One and Bloomerang. Initially, they moved forward with Bloomerang—but within days, cracks appeared:
- Relationship tracking relied on custom fields that broke reporting
- Promised features didn’t match real functionality
- Urgent support wasn’t available during onboarding
Lauren realized quickly that Bloomerang was not going to be a long-term solution.
The Turning Point: Choosing Neon One
Once Bloomerang fell short, returning to Neon One became the clear path. Lauren admitted her initial hesitation had been based on misinformation. When she revisited Neon One, she found a team that already understood her needs.
“It fell apart,” Lauren said of her call back to the Neon One team. “I told you I would come back… you know what our expectations are. Let’s do this again.”
Results: The Right Fit for Growth
Switching to Neon One felt right from day one. With Neon CRM on board, they now had:
- Better relationship tracking: Layered donor and partner relationships are now easy to manage and report on.
- Aligned pricing: Fees based on revenue, not records, make budgeting predictable and sustainable.
- Expanded capacity: Neon One saves hours each week by streamlining data entry and reporting.
- Volunteer empowerment: A more intuitive system means volunteers can contribute without heavy training or oversight.
- Reliable partnership: Responsive support and ongoing product improvements give the team confidence to grow with the platform.
“The way you structure your fees being about revenue and not about records—nonprofits love that.”
“It’s like having another staff member, at a minimum,” Lauren says.
For Patriot PAWS, Neon One isn’t just software. It’s the trusted partner helping them build stronger relationships, scale their fundraising, and free up more time to focus on what matters most: serving veterans.
Ready to Grow Without the Growing Pains?
Neon One helps small nonprofits do big things—without breaking the bank or burning out your team. Want to see how it can work for you?
