The best Salesforce apps and Clouds for nonprofits we recommend implement

Nonprofits often face the challenge of managing donor relationships, tracking donations, and outdated systems. Without a modern solution, these organizations risk losing valuable support and failing to achieve their missions. This leads to decreased funding and diminished community impact.

This is where Salesforce steps in with a comprehensive suite of applications tailored to the unique needs of nonprofits. Such tools can empower organizations to optimize fundraising efforts, improve donor engagement, and drive remarkable social change. Many users share positive reviews about using Salesforce for nonprofits. As one Reddit user put it, “Salesforce is like Legos,” allowing for customization to meet the specific goals of your nonprofit. 

According to reports, nonprofits using their tools have seen up to 29% faster decision-making and increased team collaboration. These numbers demonstrate just how impactful the right tools can be in transforming nonprofit operations.

By implementing Salesforce solutions for nonprofits since 2017, our team has learned a lot along the way. In this article, we’ll dive into the Salesforce products that can make a difference for your organization, share real-life examples, and explain when and how to implement each solution to maximize your impact.

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Salesforce Clouds for nonprofits: 3 inspiring case studies from our team

There is no one-size-fits-all solution for every organization and mission. That’s the advantage of Salesforce—it lets you choose only the products your nonprofit needs and fully customize them to meet your goals.

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How Better Time Stories raised €41,130 with Salesforce Nonprofit Cloud

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Better Time Stories, a nonprofit organization focused on providing emotional support to children affected by war, faced significant operational challenges. They are one of the many nonprofits that use Salesforce to optimize their operations and enhance donor engagement. However, their initial manual system for processing requests was prone to errors and inefficiencies, hampering their ability to meet the urgent needs of families. 

As their services grew, they encountered even more difficulties. Their existing Salesforce setup could not handle the increased demand, leading to issues like incorrect package deliveries and delays in support. Realizing that they needed a solution that could scale with their operations, Better Time Stories turned to us.

We implemented Salesforce Nonprofit Cloud, which allowed them to automate workflows and optimize their data management. This solution included real-time tracking of requests, improved communication with families, and the ability to scale operations efficiently.

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Thanks to a customized Salesforce setup, Better Time Stories achieved great results. Donations increased by €41,130, enabling the distribution of:

• 2,400 packages in Germany
• 190 packages in Belgium
• 130 packages in the Netherlands

Previously, only 1,000 packages were sent with a 70% success rate. What’s more, personalized communication strategies enhanced donor relationships, ensuring continued support for their mission.

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How Freedom ID leveraged Salesforce Experience Cloud for rapid host verification

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Freedom ID was created to address the urgent issue of human trafficking among refugees fleeing the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The organization faced significant challenges in establishing a reliable verification process for potential hosts, a crucial step to ensure the safety and well-being of vulnerable individuals.

As the project developed, the need for a swift and efficient system became apparent. Delays in processing host verifications could expose refugees to unsafe situations, underscoring the urgency of implementing a solution.

We helped Freedom ID implement Salesforce Experience Cloud and built a comprehensive system to handle host verifications. By developing an Experience View website with Lightning Web Components (LWC), we ensured that both the nonprofit’s administrators and potential hosts could easily manage and track verification requests.

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Key features of the system included:

• Real-time tracking of hosts registered and verified daily, along with automated notifications to NGO admins;
• A seamless connection with regulated FinTech providers for backend document verification;
• Manual verification option for cases where automated methods weren’t sufficient;
• Automated notifications for potential hosts regarding their verification status.

This solution led to a remarkable result: within the first month, the organization successfully verified 500 potential hosts. The system’s scalability allowed Freedom ID to manage a high volume of requests, ensuring timely and effective responses for refugees.

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How Nova Ukraine used Salesforce Sales Cloud to raise over $85 million for humanitarian aid by March 2023

Founded in 2014, Nova Ukraine aimed to support a stable democratic society in Ukraine. However, with the onset of the full-scale war in 2022, the organization faced a surge in demand for donations and grant requests, overwhelming their existing manual systems.

Their previous tools were insufficient for managing the influx of support, leading to inefficiencies and processing errors. They needed a solution that could automate key processes and effectively handle a high volume of requests.

By implementing Salesforce Sales Cloud, we automated critical functions for Nova Ukraine, including verifying donation requests with anti-duplicate safeguards and streamlining application processes. The integration of Sales Cloud also introduced case validation rules and an automated end-to-end testing system to improve feature delivery and reduce defects.

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In just one year, Nova Ukraine achieved these results:

• 205,000 donations processed
• 5,000 requests handled via Salesforce CRM
• 1,400 partner organizations onboarded by March 2023
• Over $78 million worth of aid distributed by March 2023, growing to $112 million by 2024.

The integration of Salesforce enabled them to onboard multiple payment methods and add 160 new features to optimize operations. Nova Ukraine joins the ranks of successful nonprofits using Salesforce, achieving remarkable donations and operational efficiency growth.

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Seven best Salesforce Clouds and solutions for nonprofits

Salesforce is deeply committed to corporate social responsibility, striving to make a real difference through social initiatives and enhancing the quality of life in communities. By supporting nonprofits, the company helps create lasting change and shows its dedication to sustainability and social progress.

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As our Chief Revenue Officer, Vlad Petrovych, puts it: "This support goes beyond words. Salesforce offers nonprofits The Power of Us program, providing access to its products and resources while considering their limited budgets. Through this program, over 32,000 nonprofits worldwide benefit from free subscriptions and generous discounts on additional services and products."

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Let’s take a detailed look at Salesforce Clouds that can help your organization achieve its mission:

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Salesforce Nonprofit Cloud

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Salesforce Nonprofit Cloud is a comprehensive suite designed specifically for nonprofit organizations. It provides tools for managing programs, tracking donations, and engaging with supporters—all in one platform. For example, if your organization is running a charity campaign, you can easily raise funds online, see who’s supporting you, and track how much you’ve raised. The platform also helps you monitor how your programs are running, so you can provide better support and keep improving your impact.

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Salesforce Nonprofit Cloud features:

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Use cases:

Nonprofits can use fundraising management tools to create online donation forms, track donors, and manage their interactions. Nonprofit Cloud helps organizations to raise funds and maintain strong relationships with donors effectively.

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Why do we recommend it?

Salesforce Nonprofit Cloud offers a specialized set of tools that cater specifically to the needs of nonprofits. Compared to other solutions, such as Google Workspace for Nonprofits, which primarily focuses on communication and collaboration, Salesforce provides a comprehensive suite that helps organizations manage donors, programs, and fundraising with ease.

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“The flexibility and advanced analytics within NPC allow nonprofits to make data-driven decisions, build stronger relationships, and increase operational efficiency,” says Vlad Petrovych.

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Salesforce Nonprofit Success Pack (NPSP)

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Salesforce Nonprofit Success Pack is an extension of the Salesforce platform specifically designed to cater to the needs of nonprofits. NPSP helps nonprofits manage relationships with donors, track contributions, and maintain communication with supporters all in one place. For example, if your organization relies on donations from different people, NPSP makes it easy to keep track of donor information, see who donated and how much, and plan fundraising campaigns. It streamlines your work and helps you connect better with your supporters.

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NPSP features:

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Use cases:

Nonprofits use NPSP to keep track of their donor base, create segmented lists for targeted outreach, and measure campaign success. It’s perfect for small to mid-sized organizations looking to manage their operations more effectively.

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Why do we recommend it?

NPSP is a strong recommendation for nonprofits because it integrates seamlessly with Salesforce’s broader platform.

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“The customization options within NPSP give nonprofits the flexibility to adjust processes to their unique needs, something that most generic CRM tools can't offer,” explains Vlad Petrovych.

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When compared to other CRM tools, NPSP stands out for its nonprofit-specific features and ease of integration.

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Salesforce Marketing Cloud

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Marketing Cloud helps nonprofits connect with their audience and engage donors through targeted campaigns and personalized messaging. By using this tool, you can build deeper relationships with supporters and manage multi-channel marketing efforts from one platform. For example, with Marketing Cloud, your organization can automatically send updates about projects or events based on your donors’ interests, making communication more personal and impactful. This allows your team to focus on bigger priorities, like strengthening donor relationships, instead of spending time on routine tasks.

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Marketing Cloud features:

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Use cases:

Nonprofits can use Marketing Cloud to create automated email campaigns, track donor engagement, and promote fundraising events. With the ability to segment audiences based on donation history or engagement level, organizations can send personalized messages that resonate with supporters.

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Why do we recommend it?

Salesforce Marketing Cloud is an excellent tool for nonprofit organizations looking to boost their marketing efforts.

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“It allows nonprofits to automate and optimize their communication strategies, ultimately increasing donor engagement,” says Vlad Petrovych.

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This tool’s advanced segmentation and analytics capabilities make it more effective than other platforms like Mailchimp for nonprofits.

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Einstein Analytics

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Einstein Analytics offers advanced analytics and AI insights to help nonprofits make data-driven decisions. By leveraging Salesforce’s AI technology, your organization can gain valuable insights into donor behavior, fundraising trends, and program impact. For example, with Einstein Analytics, you can predict which donors are likely to donate again or see which programs need more funding. This lets you plan your campaigns more effectively and adjust strategies based on what’s working best.

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Einstein Analytics features:

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Use cases:

Nonprofits can use Einstein Analytics to analyze donor engagement patterns, optimize fundraising efforts, and measure the effectiveness of programs. It’s particularly useful for organizations that want to track key metrics and optimize performance.

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Why do we recommend it?

“With the ability to integrate seamlessly with other Salesforce products, Einstein Analytics gives nonprofits access to predictive analytics and real-time insights that help them make informed, data-driven decisions,” says Vlad Petrovych.

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It’s a powerful tool for organizations looking to enhance their data analysis capabilities, giving them an edge over nonprofits that are still using basic reporting tools.

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MuleSoft

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MuleSoft offers an integration platform that connects applications, data, and devices across the nonprofit’s ecosystem. For organizations with multiple systems in place, MuleSoft enables seamless data flow, ensuring that all tools work together efficiently. For nonprofits seeking the best Salesforce integration, MuleSoft stands out by seamlessly connecting multiple platforms to unify donor data. For example, if your organization uses different systems for managing donations and donor interactions, this solution can combine all that data in one place. This makes it easier to manage information and improve engagement with donors, helping you better understand their behavior and fine-tune your fundraising campaigns.

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MuleSoft features:

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Use cases:

Nonprofits often use MuleSoft to integrate their CRM systems, financial software, and other business tools. It helps create a unified data environment that enhances efficiency and collaboration across departments.

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Why do we recommend it?

“MuleSoft’s ability to integrate a wide range of tools and data sources makes it an invaluable asset for nonprofits that rely on multiple systems to manage operations,” explains Vlad Petrovych.

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It’s particularly beneficial for larger nonprofits that need to set up processes across various platforms and departments.

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Salesforce Sales Cloud

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Sales Cloud is designed to help nonprofits build stronger relationships with donors, manage campaigns, and track donations. By providing tools for pipeline management and personalized outreach, Sales Cloud is a great way to optimize the donor journey. For instance, your organization can set up automated reminders for donors about upcoming events or campaigns and track how they respond to different initiatives. This improves donor engagement and increases the likelihood of repeat donations. 

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Sales Cloud features:

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Use cases:

Nonprofits can use Sales Cloud to manage major donor relationships, track pledges, and ensure timely follow-ups. It’s especially useful for fundraising campaigns that require constant communication and updates.

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Why do we recommend it?

Sales Cloud provides nonprofits with an intuitive interface and powerful tracking tools that help them nurture donor relationships and increase donations. Its focus on pipeline management and customized outreach sets it apart from other CRM solutions, such as HubSpot, which doesn’t cater to nonprofit-specific needs.

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Salesforce Experience Cloud

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Salesforce Experience Cloud helps nonprofits create personalized experiences for their donors, volunteers, and stakeholders. This platform allows organizations to build community portals, manage content, and create collaboration spaces for their teams. Your organization can create a personalized portal for volunteers where they can sign up for events, track their hours, and get updates on projects. The platform also integrates donor and volunteer data, making it easier to manage relationships and increase engagement. 

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Experience Cloud features:

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Use cases:

Nonprofits use Experience Cloud to create dedicated spaces where donors can track their giving history, engage with other supporters, and receive updates on the impact of their contributions. It’s also useful for building volunteer communities where users can share resources and feedback.

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Why do we recommend it?

Salesforce Experience Cloud is a great tool for nonprofits looking to build stronger communities and engage their supporters on a deeper level. Compared to other collaboration tools, it integrates seamlessly with Salesforce’s CRM, ensuring a unified approach to community engagement.

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Top Salesforce apps for nonprofits

Salesforce supports numerous third-party application integrations that enhance its functionality for nonprofits. Here is a list of our top picks: 

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DonorSearch

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DonorSearch is a leading donor research platform and one of the best Salesforce apps for nonprofits, helping organizations identify potential major donors and maximize fundraising efforts. It provides data-driven insights to help organizations focus on the most promising prospects. When your nonprofit needs to attract new donors, DonorSearch can help you find people who have already shown interest in similar causes and are capable of making significant donations. 

Features:

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• Access to wealth and philanthropic data;
• Donor segmentation tools;
• Prospect research and analysis;
• Integration with Salesforce CRM for seamless data flow.

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Use cases:

Nonprofits can use DonorSearch to find new major donors, build targeted campaigns, and track donor history. For instance, an organization might use this tool to segment high-net-worth individuals and personalize engagement strategies, ensuring they focus on building long-term relationships with top donors.

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Why do we recommend it?

DonorSearch is more effective than basic CRM tools, as it provides specialized insights into potential donors' wealth, philanthropic history, and giving patterns. This gives nonprofits the upper hand in targeting the right people and fostering meaningful relationships. Compared to other tools, such as WealthEngine, DonorSearch provides a more nonprofit-centric focus, integrating seamlessly into Salesforce.

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Classy

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Classy is a comprehensive Salesforce fundraising software platform designed for nonprofits. It integrates with Salesforce to manage online donations, event registration, and donor engagement campaigns. Classy helps organizations streamline their fundraising efforts and drive more donations through its intuitive online giving tools. With this app, you can easily create a donation page for a specific event where donors can contribute online. The platform also allows you to track how much has been raised and manage event registrations. 

Features:

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• Customizable donation forms;
• Event management and ticketing;
• Peer-to-peer fundraising;
• Reporting and analytics tools.

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Use cases:

Nonprofits can use Classy to create branded, mobile-friendly donation pages and host fundraising events. For example, an organization might use Classy to launch a peer-to-peer fundraising campaign, where supporters can create personal fundraising pages to drive donations among their networks.

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Why do we recommend it?

“Classy excels in making online fundraising easy and effective. Salesforce app integration allows nonprofits to track donors, optimize campaigns, and manage donations in real-time,” says Vlad Petrovych.

Compared to tools like GoFundMe for Nonprofits, Classy provides a deeper integration with Salesforce, enabling more control over donor data and campaign performance.

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Omatic Cloud

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Omatic Cloud is a powerful data management solution that helps nonprofits clean, merge, and integrate donor data from multiple sources. It integrates seamlessly with Salesforce, allowing organizations to maintain a unified view of their donors, which is crucial for optimizing fundraising efforts. This is especially helpful if you're getting donor data from multiple systems, as it prevents duplicates and ensures accuracy, making campaign planning decisions easier.

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Features:

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• Data cleaning and deduplication tools;
• Integration with multiple data sources;
• Donor record enrichment;
• Real-time data syncing.

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Use cases:

Omatic Cloud can help nonprofits merge data from different systems, ensuring that donor records are accurate and up-to-date. For example, a nonprofit might use this tool to clean up their donor database before a major fundraising campaign, ensuring they have accurate contact information and engagement history for personalized outreach.

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Why do we recommend it?

Omatic Cloud ensures that nonprofits maintain clean, accurate donor data across their Salesforce platform. This reduces manual errors and maximizes the efficiency of fundraising campaigns. This tool provides more advanced data management features compared to other solutions.

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Click & Pay Suite

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Click & Pay Suite provides nonprofits with an integrated payment processing solution that works directly within Salesforce. It helps organizations manage secure online payments for donations, event tickets, and other transactions. Click & Pay Suite allows your NGO to set up a donation page where donors can quickly and securely contribute using credit cards or e-checks. The platform also helps manage event registrations, making event organization simpler and tracking participant information easier.

Features:

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• Secure payment processing;
• Customizable donation forms;
• Integration with Salesforce’s donor management system;
• Supports recurring donations.

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Use cases:

Nonprofits can use Click & Pay Suite to process online donations quickly and securely. For instance, an organization might use it to set up a donation page for recurring contributions, helping to establish a reliable source of income for ongoing programs.

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Why do we recommend it?

Click & Pay Suite simplifies online payment processing by integrating with Salesforce, making it a seamless experience for both donors and nonprofit organizations. Compared to other payment solutions like PayPal, Click & Pay Suite offers more flexibility and better integration with Salesforce for managing donor records.

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Give Lively

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Give Lively is a free online fundraising platform designed to help nonprofits raise more money through customizable donation pages, peer-to-peer campaigns, and event management. Its integration with Salesforce helps track donations and engage donors seamlessly. With this tool, your organization can create a personalized donation page where donors can easily contribute and set up campaigns that allow volunteers to raise funds from their friends and family. Integration with Salesforce makes it easy to track donations and engage with donors, giving you a clear view of your supporters. 

Features:

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• Customizable donation pages;
• Peer-to-peer fundraising;
• Text-to-donate functionality;
• Integration with Salesforce for donor tracking.

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Use cases:

Nonprofits can use Give Lively to create mobile-friendly donation forms for their website, manage fundraising events, and enable text-to-donate capabilities. For example, a nonprofit hosting a fundraising gala could use Give Lively to set up ticket sales, track attendees, and collect donations in real-time.

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Why do we recommend it?

Give Lively stands out because it offers a range of easy-to-use fundraising tools at no cost to nonprofits. Its integration with Salesforce ensures that donor information is automatically tracked and updated.. Unlike other free platforms like Facebook Fundraising, Give Lively’s integration with Salesforce offers far better donor management capabilities.

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Is Salesforce customization too complex for your NGO? We’re here to help

At our company, we’ve had the privilege of working with numerous nonprofit organizations, helping them navigate the complexities of Salesforce customization to suit their unique needs. Over the years, we’ve gained deep insight into how Salesforce can be tailored to address the specific challenges nonprofits face, from managing donor relationships to tracking grants and running fundraising campaigns.

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Our approach to Salesforce customization for nonprofits

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We understand that every nonprofit operates differently. Whether you’re a small organization just starting or a large entity with complex needs, we tailor our approach based on your goals and existing workflows. Our team takes a consultative approach to Salesforce customization, starting with a thorough analysis of your organization’s operations. We work closely with your team to understand your challenges and design a Salesforce solution that supports your mission and optimizes your processes.

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Key steps in our approach:

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1. We begin with a comprehensive assessment to fully understand your nonprofit’s goals and requirements. This analysis helps us identify the Salesforce features and functionalities that will provide the most value.
2. Our experts customize Salesforce to ensure that it aligns perfectly with your unique processes. Whether it's donor management, reporting, or fundraising workflows, we make sure Salesforce works for you.
3. Once Salesforce is customized, we provide training for your team to ensure they feel confident using the platform. Additionally, we offer ongoing support to make sure everything runs smoothly.
4. As your nonprofit grows and evolves, we continually assess and optimize your Salesforce setup to ensure it remains aligned with your changing needs.

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We don’t just provide a technical solution; we aim to build long-term partnerships. By understanding your mission and collaborating with you, we help ensure that your Salesforce solution grows alongside your organization.

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FAQs

How much does Salesforce cost for nonprofits?

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Salesforce offers a special program for nonprofits called The Power of Us program, which provides eligible organizations with 10 free subscriptions to Salesforce’s Nonprofit Cloud. This allows nonprofits to start using Salesforce without a large upfront cost. After the free subscriptions, additional features, services, and user licenses are available at discounted rates, which vary depending on the size of the organization and its needs. Pricing for additional apps and integrations may also depend on the specific requirements of your nonprofit.

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How can I learn more about Salesforce for nonprofits?

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Salesforce provides several resources to help nonprofits learn more about its solutions. The Salesforce for Nonprofits website is a great starting point, offering detailed guides, case studies, and an overview of the features that benefit nonprofit organizations. Additionally, Salesforce offers free webinars, community forums, and a dedicated nonprofit community where you can connect with other nonprofits and Salesforce experts. You can also consider taking Salesforce’s online training courses to gain a deeper understanding of how to effectively use the platform for your organization.

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What are the best Salesforce apps for fundraising?

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Some of the best Salesforce apps for fundraising include:

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• Fundraise Up aims to simplify donor management, automate data flows, and increase online donations.
• Payments2Us offers an all-in-one nonprofit fundraising and payment solution.
• anyGoal features data-driven goals, analytic dashboards, and leaderboards to boost motivation, accountability, and results.
• Iwave provides a source of wealth and philanthropic data, helping nonprofits identify and nurture ideal donors.
• eCourier automates the delivery of nonprofit reports for the stakeholders.

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These apps integrate well with Salesforce, offering tools for everything from volunteer management to donor engagement and analytics.

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How to properly choose Salesforce integrations for my nonprofit?

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A lot of organizations still wonder: is Salesforce good for nonprofits? When choosing Salesforce integrations for your nonprofit, it’s important to first evaluate your organization's specific needs. Consider factors like donor management, fundraising, reporting, and event management. Start by identifying which parts of your workflow need automation or improved integration, such as data syncing, email marketing, or payment processing. From there, look for Salesforce apps or third-party integrations that align with these goals. It's also crucial to choose apps that integrate seamlessly with Salesforce to ensure smooth data flow across your systems. Testing integrations in a sandbox environment before full deployment is also a recommended best practice.