HubSpot FAQs

This FAQ is designed to support volunteers utilizing HubSpot and to reinforce key concepts from the HubSpot Rollout presentation and Training Guide. It focuses on practical, real‑world questions and common points of confusion.

What is HubSpot, and why is SCORE using it?

HubSpot is SCORE’s new shared system for tracking and managing fundraising relationships in one centralized place. It replaces informal, disconnected methods of tracking donor and sponsor relationships and provides clear visibility into who is engaging which donors, what conversations have occurred, and what opportunities are active.

Using HubSpot helps SCORE:

Avoid duplicate or conflicting outreach
Preserve institutional knowledge when volunteers transition
Present one coordinated SCORE voice to donors
Maintain a shared, accurate view of the fundraising pipeline

Who is HubSpot for?

HubSpot is used by volunteers and staff involved in fundraising activities.

It is for:

Corporate sponsors and sponsorship prospects
Donors and funding partners
Active fundraising opportunities and renewals

It is not for:

General volunteer or mentor tracking
Program delivery notes unrelated to fundraising
One‑time transactional or non‑fundraising interactions

What is a “managed donor”?

A managed donor is any organization or individual that is actively engaged, or expected to be engaged, in fundraising activity with SCORE.

In general, this includes:

Field donors and prospects at $500 or greater
HQ donors and prospects at $2,500 or greater
Sponsors, partners, and organizations requiring ongoing stewardship

Only managed donor information should be entered into HubSpot.

What does it mean that HubSpot is the “single system of record”?

HubSpot is the authoritative place to document fundraising relationships, engagement history, ownership, and opportunities. If it is not logged in HubSpot, it is not visible to others and cannot support coordination across chapters, regions, and HQ.

How are donors initially aligned?

Donors are initially aligned based on the location of their headquarters unless the account is designated as a National Account.

The aligned chapter:

Holds the first right and responsibility to engage the donor
Is expected to initiate and document meaningful engagement

For organizations with branches or subsidiaries, local engagement may occur when donor intent supports localized giving, and pre‑existing local relationships are honored and documented.

What is the difference between alignment and ownership?

Alignment determines where a donor relationship starts under policy.

Ownership reflects who is actively stewarding the relationship at a given time. Ownership is visible in HubSpot and may evolve as engagement grows locally, regionally, or nationally.

What happens if a donor is added but not engaged?

Chapters are expected to document meaningful engagement within one year of a donor being added to HubSpot. If meaningful engagement is not documented, stewardship may be reassigned at the district or regional level to prevent missed opportunities.

Escalation exists to support success, not to penalize inactivity.

How is fundraising information organized in HubSpot?

HubSpot organizes fundraising into four connected parts:

Companies – the organization
Contacts – the people at that organization
Deals – the fundraising opportunity (ask, sponsorship, or renewal)
Activities – notes, emails, meetings, and tasks that document the work

These four elements work together to create a complete picture of each relationship and opportunity.

When should I create a deal?

Create a deal when there is a real fundraising opportunity, such as:

A sponsorship conversation
A donation ask
A renewal discussion

Do not create deals for general networking or exploratory conversations with no defined opportunity.

What are activities, and why are they important?

Activities are how you document the work you are doing. This includes notes, emails, meetings, and tasks.

Logging activities:

Prevents duplicate outreach
Preserves relationship history
Makes handoffs and transitions easier
Ensures follow‑ups are not missed

If an activity is not logged, others cannot see it.

What does “good use” of HubSpot look like?

Good use means:

Searching before creating records
Keeping information reasonably current
Logging meaningful conversations and decisions
Updating deals as conversations progress

This level of use supports coordination without requiring perfection or excessive data entry.

How do I get access to HubSpot?

There are two account types:

Chapter full‑access account: One per chapter, with editing privileges, paid for by HQ
View‑only account: Free access to view information without making changes

Access is requested using the HubSpot account request form. After approval, you will receive an email invitation.

How do I log in?

SCORE uses Google single sign‑on (SSO).

You log in by:

Selecting “Sign in with Google”
Using your [email protected] email

If you can access your SCORE Google email, you can access HubSpot.

Where can I find step‑by‑step instructions?

The HubSpot Training Guide is available in the Support Center and includes:

How to log in and navigate HubSpot
Data standards and naming conventions
Examples for companies, contacts, deals, and activities
Guidance on tasks, notes, and reporting

Who do I contact for help?

For HubSpot platform or technical issues, contact HubSpot Technical Support directly through the Help icon in HubSpot.

For questions about how SCORE uses HubSpot, donor alignment, ownership, or fundraising processes, contact [email protected].

Please do not contact the SCORE Tech team for HubSpot questions.