Salesforce Nonprofit Cloud for fundraising: features, benefits, and case studies
Fundraising poses significant challenges for nonprofits, with up to 87% struggling with donor fatigue, 85% facing difficulties maintaining donor involvement, and 83% finding recurring giving challenging. These issues can hinder nonprofits' missions and impacts.
To address these challenges, Salesforce introduced Nonprofit Cloud in 2023, offering powerful tools for donor management, engagement, and retention. As a result, nonprofits can enhance their operational sustainability and community impact by transforming their fundraising efforts.
Noltic has successfully implemented Salesforce Nonprofit Cloud for multiple organizations. In this article, we share our insights on using this fundraising solution efficiently.
Salesforce Nonprofit Cloud vs NPSP: what is the difference?
Salesforce Nonprofit Cloud is an integrated solution designed specifically for nonprofit organizations, offering tools to manage fundraising, program management, grant management, and more. It aims to improve efficiency, enhance donor engagement, and drive a more significant impact with advanced analytics, AI-driven insights, and a unified view of activities. On the other hand, the Nonprofit Success Pack (NPSP) is a free, open-source set of tools that helps tailor Salesforce for nonprofits. It features the original nonprofit data model for fundraising and program management and can be expanded with additional Salesforce apps for nonprofits and integrations.
Salesforce Nonprofit Cloud vs NPSP comparison
Benefits of using Salesforce Nonprofit Cloud for fundraising
Compared to other solutions, Salesforce Nonprofit Cloud provides you with more flexibility in managing your fundraising efforts. Here is why:
Increased donor engagement and retention
Salesforce Nonprofit Cloud helps nonprofits maintain strong relationships with their donors through personalized communication and targeted campaigns. Studies show nonprofits using Nonprofit Cloud saw a 24% increase in donor retention. The platform's automation tools allow nonprofits to send timely and relevant updates, keeping donors motivated to continue their support.
Improved campaign ROI
With Salesforce Nonprofit Cloud, you can optimize your fundraising campaigns by leveraging data and analytics to make informed decisions. Reports found that nonprofits experienced up to 307% campaign ROI. This improvement is due to the platform's ability to track and analyze donor interactions, helping nonprofits allocate resources more effectively.
Enhanced efficiency and productivity
Nonprofit Cloud facilitates various administrative tasks, allowing staff to focus more on mission-critical activities. The Salesforce report highlighted that nonprofits using the platform saw a 50% productivity lift. To boost efficiency, Nonprofit Cloud can automate routine tasks, such as data entry, reporting, and donor communications.
Stronger donor relationships
Building and maintaining strong donor relationships is crucial for long-term success. Salesforce Nonprofit Cloud provides tools to help nonprofits better understand donor behavior and preferences. According to the Salesforce report, organizations using the platform reported a 23% increase in donor satisfaction. By leveraging CRM capabilities, nonprofits can create personalized experiences that resonate with donors, fostering loyalty.
Data-driven decision making
Salesforce Nonprofit Cloud offers advanced analytics and reporting tools that empower nonprofits to make data-driven decisions. The platform provides real-time insights into fundraising performance, donor engagement, and overall operations. The Salesforce report indicated that most US nonprofits find AI data insights valuable in strategic planning and decision-making. This capability enables nonprofits to identify trends, measure impact, and adjust strategies to improve outcomes.
Key features of Salesforce Nonprofit Cloud for fundraising
Salesforce Nonprofit Cloud offers a comprehensive toolset to help organizations manage their fundraising efforts efficiently. These tools enhance donor engagement, streamline operations, and provide valuable insights through data analysis. Below are some tips on how to use Salesforce for nonprofits and leverage its functionality to the maximum:
Donor page
One of the standout features of Nonprofit Cloud for Fundraising is the ability to create donor-centric pages. These pages showcase the power of visual storytelling and provide a seamless experience for donors.
Here is how you can use it:
- Tailor communications based on donor interests and giving history.
- Send personalized thank-you notes and updates about the impact of their donations.
- Monitor the total contributions of each donor and identify major donors.
- Analyze donation trends to inform fundraising strategies.
- Identify and re-engage lapsed donors through targeted outreach.
- Use engagement scores to focus efforts on donors who need more attention.
- Segment donors for specific campaigns based on their giving history and interests.
- Observe campaign performance and make adjustments in real time.
- Keep track of donor participation in events and use this information to invite them to future events.
- Generate detailed reports on donor activities, donations, and engagement.
Action launcher
The Action Launcher is a flexible tool that allows organizations to trigger the specific functionalities they need. Salesforce for nonprofits enables you to tailor your approaches to suit your unique needs and objectives.
Main purposes:
- Quickly log interactions such as phone calls, emails, or meetings with donors.
- Send personalized follow-up emails directly from the Action Launcher.
- Add and update donation records with new information or changes.
- Schedule tasks for follow-ups, reminders, or any other actions needed.
- Plan and schedule events and send out invitations.
- Set up workflow triggers to initiate actions based on specific conditions, like sending reminders for upcoming events.
- Create and modify custom actions tailored to specific needs and add them to the launcher.
- Assign tasks and share updates with team members quickly.
Interest tags
Interest Tags offer a straightforward method of categorizing donors based on their preferences and interests, facilitating communication and engagement strategies.
What you can do with Interest Tags:
- Categorize donors by their interests and preferences and organize records for easy access.
- Share content and updates relevant to your donors' specific interests.
- Create targeted appeals for donations based on donor interests.
- Follow up with donors based on their interests to keep them engaged and involved.
- Plan activities and invite donors to events that align with their interests.
- Match volunteers with activities and opportunities they are interested in.
- Track metrics and KPIs related to donor interests to inform your strategies.
Action plans
Action Plans outline the tasks and steps required to complete critical business processes, assigning priority, deadlines, and accountable persons to each task.
Use cases:
- Create personalized action plans for engaging with specific donors or groups of donors.
- Ensure that essential processes are followed consistently across the organization.
- Automate task assignments and reminders.
- Coordinate efforts among team members by clearly defining roles and responsibilities.
- Share progress with your team with real-time updates.
- Measure progress towards goals and ensure that critical tasks are completed on time.
Donor giving summary
This feature provides calculated insights into partner donations, simplifying contribution tracking and enabling informed decisions based on real-time data.
Here is how you can use it:
- Track donations and contributions made by partners;
- Use the summary to identify donors who have made significant contributions and may be potential candidates for major gift programs.
- Analyze giving trends to understand donor behavior and forecast future contributions.
- Generate custom reports for board meetings, donor briefings, or internal strategy sessions.
- Implement retention campaigns targeting donors who have a lapse in their giving.
- Communicate the impact of donations through detailed reports and stories that show how the donor’s contributions have made a difference.
- Provide transparency to donors about how their funds are used and the outcomes achieved.
Interaction summaries
This tool allows users to oversee every aspect of client and partner interactions, offering structured note-taking and compliant, role-based data-sharing options.
How interaction summaries can help:
- Use the interaction history to tailor communications based on past engagements.
- Ensure timely follow-ups by creating tasks and setting reminders based on past interactions.
- Adjust communication and engagement strategies based on insights from interaction summaries.
- Coordinate efforts by providing team members with access to detailed interaction histories.
- Use interaction summaries to prepare for meetings or calls with donors, volunteers, or partners.
- Generate detailed reports on interactions for internal reviews, board meetings, or donor briefings.
Case studies: how nonprofits are using Salesforce Nonprofit Cloud
At Noltic, we have extensive experience implementing Salesforce Nonprofit Cloud to help organizations achieve their fundraising goals. Our team has successfully deployed this solution for various nonprofits, enabling them to enhance donor engagement, streamline operations, and drive impactful fundraising campaigns. Below are two case studies highlighting our work with Nonprofit Cloud.
Ukrainian Catholic University (UCU)
We at Noltic helped UCU to implement Salesforce Nonprofit Cloud. As a result, the client saw a significant rise in donations through personalized donor outreach and targeted campaigns. Salesforce Nonprofit Cloud enabled UCU to maintain detailed donor profiles and track engagement, leading to stronger relationships with donors. Additionally, the implementation provided UCU with advanced reporting tools, allowing for better analysis of fundraising efforts and more informed decision-making. Read the complete case study for more details.
Better Time Stories
Better Time Stories leveraged Salesforce Nonprofit Cloud with our help to effectively engage with donors through tailored communication strategies. The platform helped automate administrative tasks, freeing resources to focus on mission-critical activities. Furthermore, Better Time Stories utilized Salesforce Nonprofit Cloud's data analytics capabilities to gain insights into donor behavior and campaign performance, leading to optimized fundraising strategies. Explore more details in the full case study.
How to get started with Salesforce Nonprofit Cloud
Implementing Salesforce Nonprofit Cloud can significantly enhance your nonprofit's fundraising efforts and overall efficiency. Follow these steps to get started:
Assess your organization's needs
First, you need to conduct a stakeholder analysis by identifying key stakeholders, including internal members such as board members, staff, volunteers, and external parties such as donors, partners, and beneficiaries. Collect data on current processes and challenges and conduct interviews to explore specific issues more deeply.
Next, review current processes and systems. Map out your processes by visualizing current workflows and reviewing existing documentation. Evaluate the systems by listing all current software and tools and assess their performance and limitations.
Identify pain points and opportunities by analyzing challenges such as data entry errors and communication gaps and evaluating how these issues affect efficiency. Look for areas for improvement to facilitate processes and enhance communication. You can also consider new capabilities like advanced reporting and automation.
Choose the right Salesforce edition
Review each edition's Salesforce Nonprofit Cloud pricing and features to determine the best fit for your organization. Currently, there are four editions available:
Nonprofit Cloud - Enterprise
Nonprofit Cloud—Enterprise is the market-leading CRM designed with purpose-built functionality for nonprofits. It is priced at 60 USD per user per month and billed annually. This edition includes the Nonprofit Data Model, Nonprofit Toolkit, accounting Subledger Growth, and Nonprofit Copilot Actions.
Nonprofit Cloud - Unlimited
Nonprofit Cloud—Unlimited offers comprehensive CRM power and support for nonprofits. It costs 100 USD per user per month, billed annually. This version incorporates all the features of the Enterprise Edition, plus additional storage and automation, the Premier Success Plan, and a full sandbox. It also provides 24/7 toll-free support and expert coaching.
Nonprofit Cloud Einstein 1 for Sales
Nonprofit Cloud Einstein 1 for Sales builds on the Unlimited Edition by adding Einstein for Sales, Data Cloud, Nonprofit Cloud, Slack, and more. This edition costs 300 USD per user per month and is billed annually. It includes all Unlimited Edition features, Einstein for Sales, Data Cloud and Experience Cloud, Salesforce Maps, Scheduler, Enablement, Slack Enterprise Grid, and Slack Sales Elevate.
Nonprofit Cloud Einstein 1 for Service
Nonprofit Cloud Einstein 1 for Service also builds on the Unlimited Edition, focusing on enhancing service capabilities. It includes Einstein for Service, Data Cloud, Nonprofit Cloud, Slack, and more. This edition costs 300 USD per user per month, billed annually. It offers all features of the Unlimited Edition, plus Einstein for Service, Data Cloud and Experience Cloud, Service Cloud Voice, Digital Engagement, Einstein Conversation Insights, Salesforce Scheduler, and Slack Enterprise Grid.
Sign up for Salesforce Nonprofit Cloud
Visit the Salesforce website and sign up. You can also review the Power of Us Program, which provides eligible nonprofits with ten free licenses and discounts on additional services. To apply:
- Go to the Power of Us Program application page.
- Fill out the application form with your organization’s information, including your nonprofit’s mission, budget, and staffing details.
- Submit the required documentation to prove your nonprofit status.
Prepare your data
Organize and clean your existing data, ensuring accuracy and proper formatting for import into Salesforce. Preparation may include the following steps:
- Review current data for completeness and correctness.
- Remove duplicates, correct errors, and standardize formats.
- Map your existing data fields to Salesforce fields to ensure a smooth import.
Set up your Salesforce environment
Log in and customize the platform according to your needs. Define roles and set permissions for your team members to ensure proper access. Next, configure your security settings to protect sensitive information. Prepare your environment by customizing objects, fields, and page layouts to match your processes.Import your dataSalesforce offers special tools to migrate your data. You can use the Data Import Wizard for straightforward import or the Data Loader for more complex transfer. After migration, validate your imported data to ensure everything is correctly transferred and formatted.
Train your team
Leverage Salesforce’s training resources, like Trailhead and webinars, and provide team training.To begin with, we recommend the following trails:
- Nonprofit Cloud for Fundraising: Quick Look;
- Salesforce for Nonprofits Basics;
- Salesforce for Nonprofits Readiness.
Consider joining the Power of Us Hub, a community of Salesforce nonprofit users, to share experiences and get advice.
Implement key features
Ensure that your nonprofit organization fully leverages the platform’s capabilities. Here are the steps you need to take:
Set up donor profiles:
- Create custom fields to capture essential information such as contact details, giving history, and communication preferences.
- Import existing donor data into Salesforce using tools like the Data Import Wizard or Data Loader.
- Use segmentation features to group donors by attributes such as donation frequency, amount, and engagement level.
Track interactions:
- Log all interactions with donors, including calls, emails, meetings, and event participation.
- Set up reminders for follow-up activities to ensure timely engagement.
Campaign management:
- Set up fundraising campaigns in Salesforce, defining goals, target audience, and timelines.
- Monitor campaign performance in real time using dashboards and reports.
- Use Salesforce’s automation tools to streamline campaign tasks, such as sending emails and tracking responses.
Donation management:
- Integrate online donation forms with Salesforce to automatically capture donor information and donations.
- Set up and manage recurring donations, tracking them separately for reporting purposes.
- Implement matching gift programs and track employer contributions.
Personalized communications:
- Use Salesforce’s email marketing tools to create and send personalized emails to donors and supporters.
- Connect your social media accounts to Salesforce to track and engage with supporters across platforms.
Engagement tracking:
- Maintain a comprehensive history of all engagements with each donor or supporter.
- Use engagement scoring to identify highly engaged donors and tailor your strategies accordingly.
Program tracking:
- Create custom objects to track program-specific data, such as beneficiary information, service delivery, and outcomes.
- Use Salesforce’s reporting tools to measure and report on the impact of your programs.
Volunteer management:
- Set up volunteer profiles, capturing their skills, availability, and interests.
- Use scheduling tools to manage volunteer shifts and track participation.
Grant lifecycle:
- Set up tracking grant applications, including deadlines, status, and key documents.
- Manage grant reporting requirements by tracking deliverables and outcomes in Salesforce.
Reports:
- Use Salesforce’s Report Builder to generate customized reports on various aspects of your operations, such as fundraising performance, donor engagement, and program outcomes.
- Set up dashboards to visualize key metrics and track progress toward your goals.
Data analysis:
- Leverage Salesforce’s analytics tools to gain insights into donor behavior, campaign effectiveness, and program impact.
- Use these insights to make informed decisions and optimize your strategies.
Automate processes:
- Set up workflow rules to automate repetitive tasks, such as sending acknowledgment emails or updating donor records.
- Use Process Builder to create more complex automation workflows, such as multi-step approval processes.
Task management:
- Automatically allocate tasks to team members according to preferred criteria.
- Set up reminders and alerts to ensure tasks are completed on time.
Monitor and optimize
Regularly track performance using Salesforce’s reporting tools, gather feedback, and make necessary adjustments. Key activities include:
- Setting up and customizing reports and dashboards to monitor key metrics.
- Collecting users' feedback to identify areas for improvement.
- Making data-driven adjustments to processes and configurations.
Consult with experts
If challenges arise, consider seeking help from certified Salesforce architects. As a Salesforce Summit consultant partner, we have extensive expertise in Nonprofit Cloud implementation. Contact us for more information and support.
Conclusion
Fundraising is a significant challenge for nonprofits, with issues like donor fatigue, engagement, and recurring giving often hindering success. Salesforce Nonprofit Cloud offers solutions to these problems with its powerful features such as Donor Pages, Action Launcher, Interest Tags, Action Plans, and Donor Giving Summaries. These tools enable nonprofits to enhance donor engagement, streamline operations, and make data-driven decisions, ultimately improving fundraising outcomes.
At Noltic, we have extensive expertise in implementing Salesforce solutions. As a Salesforce Summit consultant partner, we have delivered more than 110 projects successfully. Our team is equipped to help your organization leverage Salesforce Nonprofit Cloud to achieve its fundraising goals and maximize impact.
FAQs
How much does Salesforce Nonprofit Cloud cost?
The cost can vary depending on your organization's specific needs and scale. Two pricing plans are available to accommodate budgets while providing access to powerful Salesforce CRM for nonprofits and engagement tools.
- Enterprise Edition. A single platform to fund, deliver, and measure impact. ($60/user/month).
- Unlimited Edition. Unlimited platform power and support for nonprofits. ($100/user/month).
Read more details on the Salesforce Nonprofit Cloud page.
Is Salesforce Nonprofit Cloud difficult to use?
Salesforce Nonprofit Cloud is designed to be user-friendly and intuitive, even for organizations with varying levels of technical expertise. It offers features that can be adapted to fit your nonprofit's specific workflows and goals. Additionally, Salesforce provides extensive training resources, including online tutorials and community support.
What if my nonprofit has limited resources or technical expertise?
Salesforce understands the diverse needs of nonprofits and offers support tailored to organizations with limited resources or technical expertise. They provide discounted or free licenses through the Power of Us program, which includes access to training, implementation support, and a community of nonprofit peers. Moreover, Salesforce partners and consultants like Noltic can offer specialized assistance to help your nonprofit optimize its use of Salesforce Nonprofit Cloud.
How can I learn more about Salesforce Nonprofit Cloud?
You can visit Salesforce's official website to learn more about Salesforce Nonprofit Cloud. They provide comprehensive information about the features, benefits, and success stories of nonprofits using the platform. You can also attend webinars, join online communities, or request a demo to see firsthand how Salesforce Nonprofit Cloud can support your organization's mission and growth.
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