eSignature
Legally binding electronic signatures with configurable signing roles, support for typed, drawn, and uploaded signatures, and a clear audit trail for each completed agreement to meet U.S. standards.
Electronic signatures from compliant providers meet ESIGN and UETA requirements in the United States; using an eSignature platform reduces paper handling, accelerates approvals, and centralizes records for audit and donor management purposes.
Administrators manage account settings, user provisioning, and security policies. They configure organization-level templates, control role assignments, set retention rules, and oversee API credentials used to integrate with donor and finance systems.
Program managers and case workers handle day-to-day document workflows such as distributing consent forms, tracking signatures for volunteer onboarding, and ensuring completed forms are linked to constituent records in the CRM.
Legally binding electronic signatures with configurable signing roles, support for typed, drawn, and uploaded signatures, and a clear audit trail for each completed agreement to meet U.S. standards.
Create and reuse templates for donations, waivers, and volunteer forms with merge fields that populate CRM records and reduce manual entry for recurring workflows.
Send the same document to many recipients in one job while tracking responses individually, useful for consent requests and mass acknowledgments.
Prebuilt connectors and Zapier-compatible webhooks to sync signed documents and form data to CRMs, cloud storage, and Google Workspace applications.
Automatic timestamping, IP capture, and signer authentication records for every transaction, producing a tamper-evident history for compliance and reporting.
Features designed to help meet ESIGN and UETA requirements, optional HIPAA support for protected health information, and configurable retention policies for records management.
Two-way integration allows templates to be created from Google Docs and final signed PDFs to be saved back to Google Drive, preserving folder structure and sharing permissions for collaborative nonprofit teams.
Direct or middleware-based connectors map signer data and custom fields into Close CRM contact records, opportunities, and activities to keep donor and volunteer records up to date automatically.
Built-in connectors for Dropbox and Google Drive store completed documents in designated folders with consistent naming, aiding audit access and retention schedules for compliance.
Team templates with preplaced fields and role assignments save time across recurring campaigns, support localization, and include variable merge fields for personalization and reporting.
| Setting Name | Default Configuration |
|---|---|
| Signing Order | Sequential or Parallel |
| Reminder Frequency | 48 hours |
| Field Mapping Rules | CRM field mapping |
| Webhook Delivery | Enabled with retries |
| Access Expiration | 30 days |
Both signNow and Close CRM support modern browsers on desktop, tablet, and mobile platforms; functionality varies by device and by integration depth with CRM systems.
For the best nonprofit workflows, combine signNow's cross-platform signing with Close CRM's contact management on desktop; use native mobile apps for field teams and verify API endpoints when automating data syncs.
Create a standardized donor pledge template that captures donor details and payment intent for recurring gifts
Resulting in faster acknowledgment letters, improved donor data accuracy, and clearer audit trails for fundraising compliance.
Use a volunteer agreement template with role-specific fields and background-check consent
Leading to consistent onboarding, faster placement, and centralized recordkeeping for compliance and incident response.
| Feature and Compliance Criteria for Nonprofits | signNow (Recommended) | Close CRM |
|---|---|---|
| Legal compliance: ESIGN and UETA | Limited | |
| HIPAA applicability for nonprofit data | Optional HIPAA support | |
| Templates and Bulk Send capability | Advanced templates and Bulk Send | Basic template support |
| API accessibility and protocol support | REST API with webhooks | REST API with limited endpoints |
Retain signed donor agreements for at least seven years
Keep volunteer agreements for three to seven years
Daily backups of signed documents
Store audit trails for a minimum of seven years
Review retention policies annually
| Plan tiers and vendor names | signNow (Recommended) | Close CRM | DocuSign | HelloSign | Adobe Sign |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nonprofit discount availability | Yes, verified nonprofit pricing via application | Yes, partner discounts for charities | Yes, volume-based nonprofit rates available | Yes, case-by-case nonprofit pricing | Yes, enterprise nonprofit licensing available |
| Free trial or free tier | Limited free trial available for new accounts | Trial on request | Free trial with limited sends | Free trial available | Free trial available |
| API access included | Included on paid plans with API keys | API on paid tiers | API available on paid plans | API available on business plans | API included with enterprise licensing |
| Minimum users or seats | No strict minimum for basic business plans | Typically 1+ seats | No strict minimum for individual plans | No strict minimum for individual use | Enterprise-focused minimums may apply |
| Support and onboarding | Email and chat support, paid onboarding options | Email support and documentation | Tiered support with paid onboarding | Email support and help center resources | Enterprise support and onboarding services |