How to use Salesforce for nonprofits: an introduction

How can nonprofits use Salesforce^® technology to increase their impact and achieve their goals? If you’re looking for answers, you’ve come to the right place. In this article, we want to provide a basic overview of how nonprofit organizations can harness the power and potential offered by Salesforce to increase the good they do and make a bigger difference. 

This is the first in a series of articles for nonprofits, and the others will give extended answers to specific big questions not-for-profit organizations often ask about Salesforce, examine subjects like cost, and provide real-life examples of how other organizations like yours are making the most of Salesforce. But for now, we’ll provide a simple introduction on how to use Salesforce for nonprofits and the value it delivers. 

Let’s get started. 

Salesforce fundamentals for nonprofits

First of all: what is Salesforce? Salesforce is a cloud-based customer relationship management (CRM) platform that helps businesses manage their interactions with current and potential customers. It provides a comprehensive suite of tools that allow companies to streamline sales, customer service, marketing, and other business processes on a single, integrated platform.

I know what you may be thinking – because I said “businesses” and “customers”, you could now have the idea that Salesforce isn’t for you. After all, you’re a nonprofit, not a business, right? Stop right there – Salesforce definitely is for you! Nonprofits all around the world use Salesforce to manage their relationships with donors, volunteers, and beneficiaries – the “customers” of your world. Salesforce is a very popular choice of CRM for nonprofit organizations, and in fact it has a range of powerful tools tailored specifically for the nonprofit sector, used to transform how you perform all kinds of core activities and boost your success.  

So, now we’ve covered the Salesforce fundamentals for nonprofits, we’ll move on to look at the use cases.

How is Salesforce used in a nonprofit?

There are a wide range of possible ways of using Salesforce for nonprofits, but for the purpose of this article we’ll just focus on some of the most important ones – some of the use cases that clients most often ask us to help them enable. Here they are:

• Collecting donation data from all fundraising sources and streamlining payment data handling
• Boosting donor engagement with relevant, timely messages and requests for donations/increases
• Tracking marketing campaigns and analyzing their success to get insights 
• Streamlining grant management operations, including reviews and approval
• Enrolling those you support into the right programmes and managing those programs
• Managing your volunteers and providing online portals for them to apply for open vacancies
• Receiving referrals of people you support and service, and managing their cases
• Tracking the outcomes of your work and understanding the impact of your programs

Now, we’ll look at all these use cases, in the order they’re listed above.

Collecting donation data from all sources 

Nonprofits often receive donations from a variety of sources – online platforms, direct mail, events, peer-to-peer fundraising, and more. Salesforce Nonprofit Cloud simplifies the collection and management of this donation data, ensuring that all contributions are recorded accurately and efficiently in a centralized database.

Salesforce integrates seamlessly with popular payment processing platforms, such as PayPal, Stripe, and others, as well as enabling robust integration with more niche or local ones for which pre-built connectors may not yet exist. This allows for the automatic collection and categorization of donation data. This not only reduces the risk of errors associated with manual data entry but also saves valuable time for your team, which can be redirected toward more mission-critical activities.

Salesforce’s powerful automation features can also handle recurring donations, sending automated receipts and thank-you messages to donors, ensuring timely and personalized communication. Salesforce’s donor management tools provide a comprehensive view of each donor’s history, including their giving patterns, preferences, and engagement level, enabling nonprofits to cultivate deeper relationships and tailor their outreach efforts accordingly.

Furthermore, Salesforce’s reporting tools make it easy to generate detailed financial reports, track fundraising goals, and analyze the effectiveness of different fundraising channels. This level of insight helps nonprofits identify their most lucrative fundraising strategies and optimize future campaigns, ultimately leading to increased donor retention and higher overall contributions.

If you’re looking for a 100% Salesforce-native payment management platform that enables you to easily manage the entire payment journey directly within Salesforce, try our partner, FinDock.

Boosting donor engagement with relevant, timely messages and requests

Nonprofits can enhance donor engagement using Salesforce tools like Marketing Cloud and Nonprofit Cloud, which offer advanced segmentation capabilities. These tools allow organizations to segment their donor base based on factors such as giving history, engagement levels, and personal interests, enabling nonprofits to deliver personalized messages and requests that resonate with each donor.

With Nonprofit Cloud, organizations can analyze donor data to identify the best times to request a new donation or suggest an upgrade to existing contributions. Marketing Cloud’s automation features help nonprofits send more relevant communications, at the right times, in order to build stronger relationships and maintain donor loyalty.

For instance, a nonprofit might use Marketing Cloud to create a targeted email campaign for donors who gave during a specific event, encouraging them to upgrade their donations by highlighting their impact and expressing gratitude for their continued support. This personalized approach increases the likelihood of ongoing donor engagement.

Tracking marketing campaigns and analyzing their success

Salesforce Marketing Cloud also offers nonprofits a powerful way to track marketing campaigns across multiple channels, such as email, social media, and direct mail. By integrating all your marketing efforts into a single platform, Salesforce allows you to monitor the performance of your campaigns in real time. This includes tracking key metrics such as open rates, click-through rates, and conversion rates, which are essential for understanding how well your message resonates with your audience.

Salesforce’s built-in analytics tools provide nonprofits with valuable insights into the effectiveness of their campaigns. You can easily segment your audience based on demographics, past interactions, or donation history, and tailor your messaging accordingly. This targeted approach not only improves engagement but also helps maximize the return on investment (ROI) for your marketing efforts.

Additionally, Salesforce offers A/B testing capabilities, enabling nonprofits to experiment with different messaging, layouts, or call-to-action strategies. By comparing the results, organizations can refine their approach and continually improve their outreach. With comprehensive reporting and dashboards, Salesforce makes it easy to visualize campaign performance, identify trends, and adjust strategies on the fly to ensure the success of your marketing initiatives.

Streamlining grant management operations

Managing grants can be a complex and time-consuming process for nonprofits, involving multiple stages from application submission to review, approval, and reporting. Salesforce provides a comprehensive solution for streamlining these operations, making it easier for organizations to manage their entire grant lifecycle efficiently.

With Salesforce, nonprofits can create custom workflows that automate the grant application process, from submission to initial review. The platform allows organizations to set up automated notifications and reminders to ensure that deadlines are met and that no application falls through the cracks. Grant applications can be tracked through each stage of the process, providing a clear overview of their status and any pending actions.

Salesforce also supports collaboration among team members involved in the grant review and approval process. Reviewers can access all relevant documents, leave comments, and approve or reject applications within the platform. This centralized approach reduces the need for back-and-forth emails and ensures that everyone is working with the most up-to-date information.

Once a grant is approved, Salesforce helps manage the disbursement of funds and monitors the progress of funded projects. Nonprofits can track key performance indicators (KPIs) and generate reports that demonstrate the impact of the grants they receive. These insights not only help in managing current grants but also in building a strong case for securing future funding.

Enrolling and managing program participants

If you’re a nonprofits that runs various programs – whether educational, health-related, or community-based – effectively managing participant enrollment and program administration is crucial. Salesforce provides a suite of tools designed to streamline these processes, ensuring that participants are matched with the right programs and that the programs themselves are managed efficiently.

Salesforce’s enrollment management features allow nonprofits to easily track and manage applications for their programs. Whether participants apply online or are referred by caseworkers, their information is captured in Salesforce, where it can be reviewed and processed. The platform’s automation tools can be used to send confirmation emails, schedule intake appointments, or notify participants of their enrollment status, reducing the administrative burden on staff.

Once participants are enrolled, Salesforce helps nonprofits manage their involvement in programs, tracking attendance, progress, and outcomes. The platform can generate custom reports and dashboards that provide insights into program performance, allowing organizations to identify areas for improvement and demonstrate the impact of their work to stakeholders.

Salesforce also supports program scalability, enabling nonprofits to manage multiple programs across different locations or regions from a single platform. This centralized approach ensures consistency in service delivery and allows organizations to adapt quickly to changing needs or circumstances.

Managing volunteers and providing online portals

Volunteers are often the backbone of nonprofit organizations, providing essential support for programs and events. Salesforce offers comprehensive tools for managing volunteers, from recruitment and onboarding to scheduling and communication. The platform’s Volunteer Management capabilities help nonprofits ensure that they have the right people in the right roles at the right time.

Salesforce enables nonprofits to create and manage online volunteer portals where individuals can browse and apply for open volunteer opportunities. These portals can be customized to reflect the organization’s branding and can include information about upcoming events, volunteer roles, and requirements. Once a volunteer applies, their information is automatically captured in Salesforce, where it can be reviewed and processed by staff.

The platform also supports volunteer scheduling and management, making it easy to assign volunteers to specific events, shifts, or tasks. Automated reminders and notifications help ensure that volunteers are informed and prepared, reducing the likelihood of no-shows and improving overall coordination.

Salesforce’s volunteer management tools also include features for tracking volunteer hours, skills, and contributions, providing a comprehensive view of each volunteer’s involvement with the organization. This information can be used to recognize and reward volunteers, identify those with specific skills for future opportunities, and generate reports that highlight the impact of volunteer contributions.

Receiving referrals and managing cases

For nonprofits that provide direct services to individuals or communities, effectively managing referrals and cases is critical to ensuring that those in need receive the support they require. Salesforce offers robust tools for handling referrals, case management, and service delivery, making it easier for organizations to connect people with the right resources and track their progress over time.

Salesforce’s case management features allow nonprofits to receive and manage referrals from various sources, including partner organizations, community members, or online forms. Each referral is automatically logged in the system, where it can be assigned to the appropriate staff member or team for follow-up. The platform’s automation capabilities ensure that no referral is overlooked and that timely action is taken to provide support.

Once a case is opened, Salesforce enables nonprofits to track all interactions, services provided, and outcomes in a single, unified record. This comprehensive view allows caseworkers to manage cases more effectively, ensuring that individuals receive consistent and coordinated support. Salesforce’s reporting tools also make it easy to track the progress of cases, identify trends, and measure the impact of your services.

In addition, Salesforce supports integration with other systems and platforms, allowing for the seamless exchange of information with partners or government agencies. This level of connectivity enhances collaboration and ensures that everyone involved in a case has access to the most up-to-date information, ultimately leading to better outcomes for the people you serve.

Tracking outcomes and understanding program impact

Understanding the impact of your programs and services is very important to nonprofits. Salesforce provides powerful tools for tracking outcomes and measuring the effectiveness of your initiatives, helping organizations demonstrate their value to donors, stakeholders, and the communities they serve.

Salesforce allows nonprofits to define and track key performance indicators (KPIs) related to their programs, such as the number of individuals served, the success rate of specific interventions, or changes in participant well-being. By centralizing this data within the platform, organizations can easily monitor progress and make data-driven decisions to improve their services.

The platform’s advanced analytics capabilities enable nonprofits to create custom reports and dashboards that visualize program outcomes and trends. These insights can be used to refine program strategies, allocate resources more effectively, and communicate the impact of your work to donors and partners. Salesforce also supports the integration of external data sources, such as government statistics or research studies, allowing nonprofits to contextualize their outcomes within broader societal trends.

In addition, Salesforce’s impact tracking tools can help organizations meet reporting requirements for grants or contracts, ensuring that they remain in compliance with funder expectations. By providing a clear, evidence-based picture of your organization’s impact, Salesforce empowers nonprofits to build stronger relationships with supporters and secure the resources they need to continue their mission.

Got a better understanding of how to use Salesforce for nonprofits?

We’ve come to the end of our article and I hope it’s given you a good, basic understanding of how to use Salesforce for nonprofits. As I said earlier, the examples we’ve looked at aren’t all the possible ways of using Salesforce for nonprofits – there are many more, including incredibly innovative cases of organizations using AI to boost their impact and be more effective in groundbreaking ways. I’m looking forward to revealing some of those to you, too. 

If you would like to explore how Salesforce technology can help your own nonprofit organization to fulfill all your potential and do the most good for your cause, we can help. VRP Consulting is a leading, global Salesforce Partner and we’ve helped all kinds of nonprofits, all over the world, to cost-effectively unlock the possibilities Salesforce offers. 

So, please get in touch if you’d like to learn more. 

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About the Author

Roman Mosko

Nonprofit Account Manager, VRP Consulting

Roman Mosko has deep experience in creating transformative change for nonprofit organizations via technology. Before joining VRP Consulting, where he works to ensure success for our nonprofit clients, Roman worked for the Red Cross for many years, where he was Head of Fundraising. He has been shortlisted in the Global edition of the 2024 Digital Revolution Awards, in the “Rising Star of the Year” category.