Publish date:

• 8th April, 2025

When used correctly, Salesforce for nonprofits can help automate fundraising, manage relationships with supporters, and support outreach efforts.

To get the best results, you need to tailor the platform to fit your needs. For many small—to mid-sized nonprofits, doing this alone can be risky.

Salesforce nonprofit consulting specialists can assist you. They will create a Salesforce solution that meets your goals and grows with your organization as your strategies change.

The right consulting team will develop a clear plan for implementing Salesforce and provide ongoing technical support.

In this article, I’m going to highlight:

1. General overview of Salesforce for nonprofits;

2. How to find a Salesforce nonprofit implementation partner;

3. Tips on how to work with a Salesforce nonprofit cloud consultant.

Salesforce for Nonprofits: Products Overview

Salesforce offers two solutions for nonprofits: the Nonprofit Cloud and the Nonprofit Success Pack (NPSP). Let’s start with these basic options.

What is Salesforce Nonprofit Cloud?

Nonprofit Cloud is a set of tools that helps nonprofit organizations connect with donors, track volunteers, manage campaigns, and handle their needs.

What is Salesforce NPSP?

The Nonprofit Success Pack (NPSP) is a key part of the Nonprofit Cloud. It is an app that adds built-in tools for managing donors and constituents to Salesforce Sales Cloud, helping nonprofits use Salesforce more quickly.

Salesforce.org is a nonprofit social enterprise that sells Salesforce to nonprofits at a significant discount.

What is the difference between NPSP and Nonprofit Cloud?

NPSP, or Nonprofit Success Pack, is a set of tools added to Salesforce Sales Cloud that helps small—to mid-sized nonprofits manage donors and relationships.

Nonprofit Cloud is a more advanced solution built directly into Salesforce. It offers more features, such as measuring impact, tracking programs and services, and better automation tools.

Nonprofit Cloud also supports Person Accounts, includes the Actionable Relationship Center (ARC) to visualize relationships, and has tools for large-scale fundraising. 

While NPSP is free, with optional paid add-ons, Nonprofit Cloud needs a complete re-implementation. This makes the nonprofit cloud more complex and scalable for larger organizations.

How can you use Salesforce Nonprofit Success Pack and other solutions?

Salesforce NPSP and Nonprofit Cloud help nonprofits use various Salesforce apps, such as DocuSign and FormAssembly. These apps help get digital signatures, create web forms, and manage projects. Here are some other ways they can be used:

• Nonprofit Cloud Fundraising. Salesforce helps with fundraising by focusing on donors, connecting with the right supporters, and storing important data.

• Program Management. With NPSP, nonprofit organizations can track and manage their programs more effectively. The tool helps them see which initiatives succeed and which services meet the needs of program participants. This way, nonprofit professionals can quickly define and create new programs.

• Engagement. Nonprofits need support from volunteers, members, and donors. To encourage regular donations, they must share their mission with each person. With Nonprofit Cloud, organizations can raise awareness, find new supporters, and build lasting relationships.

• Grantmaking. Salesforce is used as grant management software. Nonprofit Cloud helps grantmakers streamline their giving. It offers tools for managing grants, communicating, and engaging with grantees, among other features.

 To make the most of Salesforce for nonprofits, you may need to hire a specialist for implementation. This specialist is called a Salesforce nonprofit cloud consultant.

Why Do You Need a Salesforce Nonprofit Consultant?

Salesforce CRM is a valuable tool for managing constituents and fundraising if you can use it effectively.

Without proper planning and training, Salesforce for Nonprofits can consume your resources, disrupt your operations, or fail to gain acceptance from your team. Working with an expert can save you time, effort, and money in the long run.

Nonprofits have specific needs, so using Salesforce correctly to support your key activities is important. A Salesforce nonprofit cloud consultant can assist you with this.

By hiring a Salesforce Nonprofit Consultant, you will receive:

• A dedicated expert who will work hard to help your nonprofit organization use the platform effectively.

• A Salesforce-certified partner who will take the time to understand the nonprofit sector.

• Complete services to set up the Salesforce platform to improve your revenue and engagement.

• A technology plan with ongoing support for your team throughout the process.

• A coach to train your team to customize the system to meet your needs.

These benefits make hiring a Salesforce consultant a smart choice for most nonprofits looking to make a change.

Steps to Find a Salesforce Nonprofit Cloud Consultant

Here are 8 steps to help you find a Salesforce partner for your nonprofit:

1. Think about how a Salesforce consultant can benefit your organization.

2. Set a realistic budget for hiring Salesforce integrators.

3. Look for experienced Salesforce nonprofit consultants on AppExchange or other websites.

4. Create a shortlist of consultants with relevant experience.

5. Check for Salesforce certifications and read reviews on Salesforce AppExchange.

6. Contact references for the consultants on your shortlist.

7. Ask potential consultants about their processes, skills, and successful projects.

8. Assess the consultant's expertise in the Nonprofit Cloud versus the Nonprofit Success Pack.

Consider these factors when choosing the right Salesforce Certified Partner for your nonprofit.

Before you hire a Salesforce consultant, ask these critical questions to make sure they meet your nonprofit’s needs:

1. What experience do you have with nonprofits? - This helps understand how familiar they are with the nonprofit sector. It also shows if they know about your specific challenges, funding methods, and rules you must follow.

2. How do you implement Salesforce for nonprofits? - A good consultant should have a clear plan that includes discovery, customization, training, and support.

3. Can you share case studies or references from nonprofit clients? - Success stories can help you trust their ability to deliver the desired results.

4. What support and training do you offer after implementation? - It's essential that your team can use Salesforce well afterward. Ask about training, documents, and long-term support.

5. How do you handle data migration and integration with other tools? - Most nonprofits use different software. A good consultant should know how to connect Salesforce with tools like donor management systems and accounting software.

6. Do you have any Salesforce nonprofit certifications? - Certifications show a consultant’s expertise. Ensure they have training specific to Salesforce for nonprofits.

By asking these questions, you can make a wise choice and find a Salesforce consultant who can support your nonprofit’s goals.

How to Set Up Salesforce for Nonprofits: NPSP and Nonprofit Cloud

If you're using the Nonprofit Success Pack (NPSP) or Salesforce Nonprofit Cloud, working with an expert will help you set up the platform efficiently and tailor it to your organization's needs.

In this article, I’ll explain how to work with a Salesforce nonprofit consultant step by step.

Step 1. Implement Salesforce for Nonprofits

You have covered the key points for effective hiring. Now, it's time to start the Salesforce nonprofit implementation process. This generally includes:

• Get and register your free Salesforce for Nonprofits licenses.

• Setting up the new system for your organization.

• Managing the data migration process.

A certified Salesforce nonprofit consultant offers the services listed above. It's important to remember that CRM platforms hold your valuable and sensitive data. Therefore, getting professional help with this process is the best choice.

If you are setting up a Nonprofit Cloud, your consultant will also set up extra features besides the essential CRM functions. These features include Program Management, Case Management, and Outcome Management. 

These tools help you track and report the results of your nonprofit’s projects. This makes it easier to show your stakeholders and funders the impact you are making.

Step 2. Configure Your Salesforce Toolkit

After you set up Salesforce NPSP, you need to customize it. Remember that by default, Salesforce NPSP does not have online fundraising or marketing tools. With assistance from a Salesforce consultant, you'll need to choose and connect these tools to NPSP.

A nonprofit consultant will help your team set up and configure the Salesforce toolkit. They can connect your current software with your new Nonprofit Success Pack (NPSP) platform.

The consultant will help ensure the setup works well with your Salesforce tools.

If you use Nonprofit Cloud, you must set up features designed for nonprofits, like Fundraising and Engagement, Grantmaking, and Marketing Cloud for Nonprofits. These tools are integrated but must be customized to fit your needs. Your consultant will help ensure that data flows smoothly between donor management, volunteer tracking, and program execution, supporting your nonprofit’s operations.

Step 3. Train to Work with Salesforce NPSP

Working with a Salesforce nonprofit cloud consultant is like reaching the finish line, but it is the longest part of your partnership. By the end of this step, you will see long-term returns on your new CRM platform.

Once you have successfully set up the Salesforce toolkit, your team needs training. A technology consultant will create documentation and teach your team how to make the most of Salesforce for nonprofits.

For Nonprofit Cloud users, training will also cover how to use the built-in analytics and reporting tools. These tools help measure impact, manage grant applications, and automate engagement strategies. Since Nonprofit Cloud supports various nonprofit activities, the training will focus on the specific features your organization is using.

Common Challenges When Working With Nonprofit Partners

• Cost. Salesforce has launched Nonprofit Cloud (NPC), which has raised the base cost for its Enterprise Edition licenses. This change makes Salesforce less affordable for nonprofits. While Salesforce still offers ten free NPC licenses, as it did with the Nonprofit Success Pack (NPSP), the higher cost of additional licenses may strain the budgets of nonprofit partners.

Solution: Nonprofits can look for Salesforce grant programs, discounts, and ways to manage licenses so they can save money.

• Technical difficulties. NPC is more complex than earlier solutions like NPSP. It has a complicated data model and offers technical features that require more expertise to set up and maintain. This complexity may be problematic for some nonprofits, especially smaller ones or those with limited technical staff. They might need extra training or support. Hiring a Salesforce nonprofit consultant can help, but it can also lead to higher costs.

Solution: Investing in Salesforce training for nonprofits or hiring experienced consultants can help close the knowledge gap. At Codleo, we offer both options. You can learn about our Salesforce consultants here.

• Lack of compatibility. NPC was created by quickly bringing ideas from other industries to market. However, these ideas may not fit well with nonprofits' operations. This mismatch can lead to the need for extra customizations or workarounds, making the Salesforce experience for nonprofits more complicated.

Solution: Custom settings and specific automation can help adapt NPC to the needs of different nonprofit organizations.

• Overlapping functionality. With newer solutions like NPC and older ones like NPSP, there might be confusion about product announcements, support resources, online forums, Independent Software Vendor (ISV) applications, consulting services, and necessary staff skills.

Solution: Organizations should carefully consider both options and create a clear adoption plan.

• Few NPC-Compatible Third-Party Solutions. Since NPC is relatively new, fewer third-party vendors offer applications compatible with it than those for NPSP. This may limit the options for integrated solutions available in Salesforce CRM for nonprofits.

Solution: Use Salesforce's built-in features first. Then, keep a list of integrations you'd like to add later as new options become available.

• Expertise Gaps. Few experienced Salesforce nonprofit consultants are available for the new NPC solution, especially compared to the well-established NPSP. Also, Salesforce has not updated its Nonprofit Cloud Consultant certification to include NPC. This makes it hard to find a consultant with current expertise in the latest products.

Solution: Invest in training for nonprofits on Salesforce and get Salesforce NPSP certification. This will help you build expertise within your team and create connections with experienced implementation partners.

• Elimination of Salesforce Nonprofit Partner Network. Salesforce’s decision to remove its trusted partner network means nonprofits must now find new ways to evaluate and choose partners. This change makes the selection process more complicated.

Solution: Nonprofits can use peer recommendations, user communities, and independent directories to find trustworthy partners.

• Quality of Learning Resources. Resources are available to learn about NPC, but it is difficult to differentiate between materials for Salesforce NPSP and Salesforce Nonprofit Cloud. Nonprofits should check the relevance and accuracy of the materials they use for training or implementation.

Solution: Follow official Salesforce channels and trusted community groups for the latest and most accurate information.

Codleo as a Nonprofit Salesforce Implementation Partner

Codleo is a reliable provider of Salesforce CRM consulting services. With over 6 years of experience, we handle all aspects of CRM implementation. Our team specializes in helping nonprofit organizations set up CRM database solutions with a personal touch. Additionally, we can support you in:

We provide Salesforce services including:

• Starting a new Salesforce setup from scratch.

• Moving data from other CRM systems to Salesforce.

• Improving or adapting your existing Salesforce setup after years of use.

• Transitioning from Salesforce Classic to Salesforce Lightning.

• Quick setup of basic CRM features through our Salesforce QuickStart and QuickStart Plus Packages.

• We serve over 200 clients from various industries, including nonprofits. We understand nonprofits' specific processes and can customize Salesforce to meet your needs.

Let’s provide you with an example.

Non-profit company A has asked Codleo for help to improve their Salesforce system through consulting and administrative support. They have struggled to find a reliable administrator, leading to high turnover and inconsistent daily tasks. This has also created a gap in the strategic direction of their Salesforce implementation.

After carefully looking at the requirements, Codleo, a consultant for Salesforce non-profits, offered:

Strategic consulting

Our team worked with Company A to review their Salesforce setup, find areas for improvement, and suggest solutions to help them achieve their goals. To make sure the Salesforce system meets the needs of the nonprofit, we conducted assessments that looked at risks, dependencies, maintainability, and overall solutions.

Administrative support

Our Salesforce consultants helped a non-profit company with daily support and guidance on using Salesforce. This included managing users, handling data, ensuring security, and performing general system administration tasks.

We help nonprofits with AI-powered Salesforce automation. This allows them to automate tasks such as entering data, processing documents, and using predictive analytics to engage donors.

Why choose Codleo for Salesforce implementation services?

• We have substantial experience in Salesforce CRM consulting, deployment, customization, and custom development.

• Our knowledge in various industries helps us understand your specific CRM needs.

• We will bring our technical skills to your project, backed by recognized certifications.

• Our global delivery capability ensures competitive pricing with flexible staffing options, including local and offshore teams.

We are excited to offer our Salesforce AI consulting services.

• Salesforce AI integration: We help nonprofits use AI tools in Salesforce, which improves reporting, automates tasks, and enhance donor engagement.

• AI data entry & document processing: Automate the process for emails, notes, and scanned documents in Salesforce to make data entry easier and improve efficiency.

• Salesforce AI strategy & consulting: Get a clear plan for using AI solutions that fit your nonprofit’s needs.

Contact us to get upscale nonprofit IT consulting services.