Salesforce for nonprofits cost guide: pricing, discounts, and affordable solutions

For nonprofit organizations considering a customer relationship management (CRM) platform, cost is often a major factor in the decision-making process. Salesforce^® is one of the most popular choices, offering powerful tools for donor management, fundraising, operations and more. However, many organizations wonder whether they can afford it, as well as what expenses to expect beyond licensing fees. To make an informed decision, you need to understand and evaluate all the Salesforce nonprofit cost factors, as well as the ways you can make savings – many of which you may not even know about yet.

If the above sounds familiar, you came to the right place. This article explores the cost of Salesforce for nonprofits, including available discounts, total cost of ownership, and how nonprofits can maximize value while keeping costs under control. We’re here to give you all the vital details you need to know and make it all as simple as possible. 

First of all, let’s look at what “Salesforce for nonprofits” means, exactly… 

Introducing Nonprofit Cloud

Nonprofit Cloud is Salesforce’s dedicated platform designed specifically for nonprofit organizations. It provides tools to manage donor relationships, fundraising, grant tracking, program management, and impact measurement – all within a single, scalable CRM system. Built on Salesforce’s core platform, Nonprofit Cloud integrates with a wide range of applications, automates processes, and enables data-driven decision-making to help nonprofits maximize their impact.

Basic Salesforce nonprofit pricing details (editions, nonprofit license cost, etc.)

Now for an important matter that’s probably at the top of your mind: what is the Salesforce nonprofit pricing and how much does each nonprofit license cost?

We’ve prepared a table that shows the cost of the different editions of Nonprofit Cloud:

Plan	Price*	Includes*
Nonprofit Cloud Enterprise Edition	$60/user/month	✔ Nonprofit Data Model ✔ Nonprofit Toolkit and Accounting Subledger ✔ Nonprofit Copilot Actions
Nonprofit Cloud Unlimited Edition	$144/user/month	✔ Everything in Enterprise Edition plus more storage, and automation ✔ Premier Success Plan and Full Sandbox ✔ 24/7 Toll-free Support and Expert Coaching
Nonprofit Cloud Einstein 1 for Sales	$300/user/month	✔ All the features of Unlimited Edition ✔ 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	$300/user/month	✔ All the features of Unlimited Edition ✔ Einstein for Service ✔ Data Cloud and Experience Cloud ✔ Service Cloud Voice, Digital Engagement, Einstein Conversation Insights, Salesforce Scheduler, and Slack Enterprise Grid
*Prices and other details are correct as of March 2025 and are subject to change.

It is important to note that eligible nonprofit organizations can apply for free and discounted user licenses via Salesforce’s Power of Us Program. More on that later! Meanwhile, we’ll quickly answer a cost-related question we get asked a lot:

What does the Starter Pack cost?

During Salesforce nonprofit cost discussions, people often say to us: “how much does the Starter Pack cost?” Previously, many nonprofits began their Salesforce journeys with the Nonprofit Success Pack (NPSP), once known as the Starter Pack, a free, open-source package that customized Salesforce for nonprofit needs. While NPSP was a lower-cost entry point, it required additional configuration and sometimes third-party integrations. Furthermore, innovation on NPSP has now ended and customers are advised to transition to Nonprofit Cloud, which is more comprehensive and scalable.

Which Nonprofit Cloud edition should I choose?

Selecting the right Salesforce Nonprofit Cloud edition depends on your organization’s priorities and growth plans. Here are some details of what kinds of needs each caters for, along with example use cases:

Nonprofit Cloud Enterprise Edition

If your organization needs a cost-effective CRM for donor management, fundraising, and reporting, the Enterprise Edition is a strong choice. It includes essential nonprofit tools like the Nonprofit Data Model and Accounting Subledger. For example, let’s say a small animal shelter needs to track donor contributions, manage volunteer engagement, and generate reports for grant applications – this edition will likely be ideal for their needs.

Nonprofit Cloud Unlimited Edition

If your team requires greater automation, more storage, and priority support, the Unlimited Edition offers additional scalability and expert coaching. What kind of nonprofit is this right for? One example would be a regional food bank managing multiple locations that wants automated donor segmentation, increased data storage, and dedicated 24/7 support to handle high-volume fundraising campaigns. 

Nonprofit Cloud Einstein 1 for Sales

If your nonprofit wants AI-driven sales insights, predictive analytics, and advanced data management, then Nonprofit Cloud Einstein 1 for Sales is the best fit. This is one of the more advanced options and would be perfect for a major international charity, for instance, that wants to use AI to predict donor churn and personalize outreach based on engagement history.

Nonprofit Cloud Einstein 1 for Sales

If your organization prioritizes service-based engagement, such as donor support or helpline management, then Nonprofit Cloud Einstein 1 for Service is the most suitable. One example use case would be a crisis helpline nonprofit that needs AI-powered chatbots and automated case management to respond quickly to incoming support requests.

Free Salesforce licenses and discounts via The Power of Us

As I said earlier, eligible nonprofit organizations can take advantage of big savings thanks to Salesforce’s Power of Us Program. The program is Salesforce’s initiative to empower nonprofits and educational institutions by providing access to its technology and resources. Successful applicants can receive 10 free Enterprise Edition licenses to help them get started. What’s more, additional licenses and products are available at discounted rates. According to Salesforce, more than 56,000 nonprofit organizations and educational institutions started their Salesforce journeys thanks to the Power of Us program – and, if you qualify, yours could do the same! 

To qualify, organizations must meet specific criteria, such as possessing a 501(c)(3) certification in the USA or its international equivalent. You can find out more information, including full details of eligibility criteria, via Salesforce’s Power of Us page. 

If your nonprofit organization engages VRP Consulting as your Salesforce Partner, part of our assistance with your Salesforce implementation can include helping you to apply for the Power of Us Program. We’ve helped many nonprofits, all over the world, to take advantage of Salesforce’s free licenses and discounts, and we’d be happy to help you, too. 

Maximizing value from free and discounted Salesforce licenses

Once you’ve successfully applied for your free Salesforce licenses and discounts, and implemented a Salesforce nonprofit solution, it’s important to ensure that you’re making the most of it. To maximize the cost-effectiveness and value of your Salesforce solution, you should:

• Clearly define your organization’s needs before purchasing additional licenses.
• Ensure staff and volunteers know about and fully utilize all the available features relevant to them.
• Use training resources to improve adoption, and foster effective usage, as much as possible.
• Leverage Salesforce’s nonprofit-specific solutions rather than third-party tools that may add costs.

As your Salesforce Partner, VRP Consulting’s experts will be glad to help with any of the above matters. Together, we’ll ensure your Salesforce solution delivers as much value as it can, driving your mission and increasing your impact and ability to make a difference. 

Grant funding and external sponsorships

Many nonprofits secure funding from grants and sponsorships to offset the nonprofit license cost. Potential funding sources include:

• Foundation grants: Some philanthropic organizations provide technology grants to nonprofits. For example, the Gates Foundation and MacArthur Foundation both fund digital transformation initiatives.
• Corporate sponsorships: Many businesses partner with nonprofits by covering technology costs in exchange for brand visibility. A healthcare nonprofit, for instance, could receive sponsorship from a medical tech company to support its donor management system.
• Government funding: Public-sector grants often support nonprofit infrastructure improvements, including CRM and donor management tools. In the US, federal grants like those from the National Endowment for the Humanities have funded tech improvements for nonprofit organizations.

Applying for these funding sources requires demonstrating how Salesforce will improve donor engagement, operational efficiency, or mission impact. If you need help detailing Salesforce’s benefits for nonprofits, its advantages over other CRMs, and other pertinent subjects, when preparing your grant/sponsorship application or making a business case internally, we can help you find the information you need – just reach out to us..

Salesforce total cost of ownership (TCO) for nonprofits

Beyond the cost of licenses, how much does salesforce cost for nonprofits in total? It’s essential to consider not just the license costs but also the total cost of ownership (TCO). TCO includes all expenses required to implement, maintain, and scale the platform effectively over time.

Key cost components

• Implementation and setup: Customizing Salesforce to fit a nonprofit’s specific workflows may require professional services, data migration, and initial system configuration. A QuickStart implementation can minimize upfront costs.
• Training and onboarding: A CRM is only as valuable as its users’ ability to operate it. Making the most of training resources, such as Trailhead courses, administrator workshops, or third-party consultants, ensures adoption and efficiency.
• Customization and integrations: Nonprofits may need to extend Salesforce’s functionality with AppExchange solutions, custom-built features, or integrations with existing tools like donation platforms, email marketing software, or accounting systems.
• Ongoing maintenance and support: Regular system updates, security management, and user support contribute to long-term costs. Nonprofits can minimize expenses by choosing scalable, out-of-the-box solutions where possible.
• Growth and scalability considerations: As an organization expands, additional licenses, storage, automation tools, or AI-driven insights may become necessary, increasing costs over time.

Reducing long-term ownership costs

To optimize TCO, nonprofits can:

• Choose the right license type from the start to avoid unnecessary upgrades.
• Use Salesforce’s nonprofit-specific tools rather than expensive third-party add-ons.
• Adopt a phased implementation approach to spread costs over time.
• Leverage free resources like Trailhead to reduce reliance on external training.

In summary, careful planning helps nonprofits maximize the value of Salesforce while keeping costs manageable. As a leading Salesforce Partner that has worked with nonprofits of all kinds and sizes, across the globe, VRP Consulting can help you evaluate the total cost of your Salesforce investment and ensure it’s manageable for your organization. 

Cost of Salesforce CRM vs. alternatives

Some nonprofits may consider alternative CRM solutions, but Salesforce’s robust capabilities and nonprofit-focused features make it a strong choice.

Below is a comparison of Salesforce and a selection of other nonprofit CRM platforms:

CRM platform	Monthly cost per user (USD)*	Features*	Scalability
Salesforce Nonprofit Cloud	$60–$144	Full donor management, grant tracking, automation	High
Microsoft Fundraising & Engagement	$75+	Fundraising, donor tracking, integrates with MS tools	Medium
Blackbaud Raiser’s Edge NXT	$119+	Donor management, analytics, limited integrations	Medium
Bloomerang	$125+ (per org)	Basic donor management, reporting	Low
Neon CRM	$50+	Fundraising, membership management	Medium
*Prices and other details are correct as of March 2025 and are subject to change.

While some alternatives may have lower upfront costs, Salesforce offers better scalability, integration capabilities, and long-term value. Nonprofit Cloud provides built-in fundraising, marketing, and automation features that reduce the need for costly third-party tools.

Microsoft Fundraising & Engagement retirement

One significant factor to consider when evaluating CRM options is that Microsoft Fundraising & Engagement (F&E) will be retired at the end of 2026. Microsoft has announced that it will no longer support the product, requiring nonprofits to transition to another solution. This means organizations currently using F&E must plan for migration costs, data transfer complexities, and retraining staff on a new platform. Nonprofits considering Microsoft solutions should carefully assess long-term viability before committing.

Consider a VRP Consulting QuickStart Implementation of Salesforce Nonprofit Cloud

Many nonprofit organizations deal with challenging budgets and want to minimize technology implementation timeframes, avoiding drawn-out periods of disruption and getting straight to return on investment (ROI). They’re looking for an option that’s economical, quick to roll out and is focused on their immediate, core needs.

For nonprofits looking for a cost-effective, fast-track implementation such as this, VRP Consulting’s QuickStart for Nonprofit Cloud provides an ideal solution. Designed to deliver rapid deployment in as little as four weeks, this approach ensures that organizations can quickly gain value from their Salesforce investment.

Why choose a QuickStart?

• Fast deployment: Get up and running in just weeks to start gaining value as soon as possible.
• Scalable foundations: Built on best practices to flexibly support your future growth.
• Maximized user adoption: A phased approach ensures teams fully embrace the system.
• Ongoing support: three months of post-go-live expert support via VRP Managed Services.

What will your organization get?

• Donor profile management: Gain a complete view of donor interactions, history, and engagement.
• Donation tracking: Manage donations from multiple channels, including peer-to-peer and legacy giving.
• Major gifts and grants: Monitor progress on grant applications and major fundraising efforts.
• Marketing insights: Track campaign effectiveness and donor conversion rates.
• Security and compliance: Ensure data protection with role-based access controls.
• Marketing ROI: Live dashboards provide real-time visibility into fundraising and outreach performance.

You can learn more about our QuickStarts here.

Need help working out the Salesforce for nonprofits cost?

Thank you for reading. I hope this guide has provided clarity on the costs associated with Salesforce for nonprofits. Understanding the various editions and their pricing, the free licenses and discounts available, and other considerations such as total cost of ownership, is crucial for making an informed decision.

At VRP Consulting, we are ready to assist you in evaluating your organization’s needs and selecting the ideal CRM platform to address them. If Salesforce aligns with your objectives, we can help determine the implementation costs and develop a tailored solution to meet your requirements. 

Contact us today to explore how we can help you make the right choices – and implement the right solutions – for your organization.