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Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions About Crescendo Services

Crescendo Interactive, Inc. is the nation's leading service provider of planned giving software and marketing services. Crescendo has been in business for more than 30 years and works with thousands of nonprofits. Our clients include national charities; universities and colleges; hospital and medical foundations; community foundations; religious and faith-based charities; social service and civic-related charities; art institutes, museums and zoos; environmental and conservation-minded organizations; and more.

1. What is GiftLegacy?

Crescendo's GiftLegacy service is the only complete planned gifts marketing system available from a single company. GiftLegacy includes:

2. What is GiftCollege?

GiftCollege is Crescendo's online video education series for gift planning staff. There are 100 videos on various planned giving topics together with slides, outlines, quizzes and other educational materials. Each video is available for viewing for a nominal price. GiftCollege is a separate service.

3. Why do the GiftLegacy terms contain an auto-renewal provision?

This provision became a standard part of our contracts after many gift planners requested a method to avoid having to submit a contract for legal review each year. Gift planners also expressed concern about service disruption in the event their organization failed to send a renewal notice or the annual payment was late. In response to overwhelming client demand, we adopted the auto-renewal provision as the sole standard in our contracts. By adopting the same renewal standard in each GiftLegacy contract, we are able to keep our costs down and pass cost savings on to our clients.

4. Our organization is going to sign up for GiftLegacy; why are the software terms in a separate agreement?

Our software is based on a "seat" license, meaning a license allows use by only one user. As is customary with seat license software, the software license agreement is a "click-wrap" agreement. This means that a licensed user will agree to the terms of the software license agreement when they access the software.

5. Do the Crescendo services or software retain or store donors' "personal information" or "personally identifiable information" that would be protected by state law?

Under state privacy laws, the definition of personal information includes any information that identifies, relates to, describes, is capable of being associated with, or could reasonably be linked, directly or indirectly, with a particular person. Under this definition, Crescendo would process personal information. Crescendo offers two kinds of planned giving software: (1) desktop-based software (available as a web download) that is installed directly on to the licensed user's computer and (2) online, cloud-based software. Crescendo Admin is desktop-based software. With the desktop-based software, the user can save data records associated with planned gifts illustrations. Only the desktop-based software can save Social Security numbers as part of the data used in the creation of a charitable gift annuity agreement or administration. The online, cloud-based software will not save Social Security numbers as part of any data record. Accordingly, data records that retain Social Security numbers would be stored on the user's computer but not on any Crescendo server or equipment. Please see our privacy policy to find out more information on our collection and disclosure of personal information.

6. How did Crescendo develop the terms of your contracts?

Due to the nature of our online technology platform and software products, Crescendo needs each client that uses a given service to agree to the same set of terms. We have developed our terms based on years of feedback from our clients and prospects. If a client has suggested edits to Crescendo's standard terms that we would be willing to incorporate into the standard terms, we have done so. Accordingly, our terms are based on terms that have been agreed upon by thousands of charities and are fair and balanced. We are, however, unable to agree to changes that would affect the economics of our services or to changes in the technology upon which those services are based.

7. What are some examples of changes in economics that Crescendo cannot agree to?

Suggested changes to our contract that would constitute a "change in the economics" include:

  1. Terms that limit our ability to set the price for our services;
  2. Terms that require a prorated refund for unused services following a cancelation;
  3. Terms stating that our services are a "work for hire" (meaning legal ownership of Crescendo property will transfer to a client at any point); and
  4. Terms that require Crescendo to submit to audits of our books and records.

8. What are some examples of "changes in technology" that Crescendo cannot agree to?

Suggested changes to our contract that would constitute a "change in technology" include:

  1. Requiring modifications to Crescendo software or the CresManager;
  2. Changing reference in the GiftLegacy terms (Section 17) that states matters of privacy and technology will be governed by any state's law other than California law; and
  3. Requiring that Crescendo seek approval from any client before we can modify our technology or the Terms and Services.

9. What security arrangements are there for Crescendo's cloud-based systems?

Crescendo's cloud-based systems can be accessed through our proprietary website portal. Within that portal, clients can utilize our cloud-based software (including CresPro, CresEstate and CresLite). There are multiple layers of security for our cloud-based services. Crescendo uses Amazon Web Services (AWS) to provide infrastructure management of the GiftLegacy websites, CresManager, CresPro and related software systems. Our network is hosted in redundant and reliable data centers that include built-in backup and recovery systems. User data is encrypted through individual website SSL certificates and is then transmitted over a private network to segregated database servers behind the layered firewalls. This combination of SSL encryption and AWS security is similar to the system that protects millions of Americans who use online banking. All of our servers are based in the United States.

10. As part of our contracting process, our organization will require that Crescendo complete a "security review" that assesses Crescendo's online security measures. Can Crescendo accommodate this request?

Yes. In order to quickly provide your security team with answers to questions relevant to Crescendo's cloud-based software, Crescendo has developed a standard "Software Security Review Questionnaire" (or "SRQ") for our clients and prospective clients. We have created this document based on the security-related questions received from thousands of non-profits over the years. This document is also specific to Crescendo's software services so your security team will not have to spend time reviewing information that is not relevant to our services. This document should provide you with all of the relevant information that your security team needs to evaluate the security of our cloud-based software. Due to the overwhelming volume of requests that Crescendo receives each year, however, Crescendo is only able to provide this information by way of our standard document.

DOWNLOAD SOFTWARE SECURITY REVIEW QUESTIONNAIRE (PDF) »

11. As part of our contracting process, our organization will require that Crescendo complete a "vendor questionnaire" that provides certain information. Can Crescendo accommodate this request?

Yes. In order to quickly provide your finance office with answers to questions that your vendor questionnaire might include, Crescendo has developed a standard "Response" that we provide to our clients and prospective clients. We have created this document based on the business and finance-related questions received from thousands of non-profits over the years. This document should provide you with all of the relevant information that your finance team will need. Due to the overwhelming volume of requests that Crescendo receives each year, however, Crescendo is only able to provide the information by way of this standard document. To obtain a copy of this document, please call Crescendo's offices and ask to speak to Lisa in our Financial Department.

12. Our organization engages in marketing and fundraising activities in the European Union. We need to work with a vendor who understands GDPR privacy rules. What steps has Crescendo taken in relation to GDPR?

For clients that operate in the European Union (EU), Crescendo's standard contract terms incorporate by reference the terms of a Data Processing Addendum for Crescendo Services ("DPA") that includes terms related to GDPR. The DPA recognizes that, under GDPR, our clients are using our services as a Controller and that Crescendo is acting as a Processor. The DPA includes terms that we believe satisfy the requirements of GDPR. The DPA's terms: (1) demonstrate that Crescendo possesses "technical and organization expertise" to act as a Processor; (2) explain how certain privacy-related features of our services are designed to protect a data subject's personal information and to help a client meet its obligations as a Controller; (3) provide Crescendo with written data processing instructions, as required by GDPR; and (4) establish the process by which Crescendo will assist a client following a data subject request.

13. Who can I contact if I have other questions about Crescendo's contract terms?

Please call Crescendo at 800-858-9154 and ask to speak to a GiftLegacy Marketing Specialist.

Revised: 04.23.2024

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