While all nonprofits are different, many share similar challenges, including fundraising, communication, and collaboration. Many organizations attempt to manage their own processes and create solutions for these challenges, but a CRM tool — especially the Salesforce Nonprofit Success Pack — can go a long way in helping you manage these tasks much more efficiently.

At Forum One, we are dedicated to helping our cause-driven clients to make the most of the digital tools and platforms available to support their missions. And when it comes to managing data, we believe strongly that a Customer Relations Management (CRM) tool is an ideal solution. Where spreadsheets leave room for error and require a lot of manual work to maintain, a CRM keeps a firm record of your customers (or constituents, in the nonprofit sector) and integrates with other tools within your digital ecosystem.

While there are many CRM options you can choose from, we are big fans of Salesforce’s Nonprofit Success Pack (NSP). At its core, it offers a flexible, open data architecture with pre-built constituent and donor management components. Salesforce provides a flexible product that grows with your organization and is fully customizable. And it’s free for registered nonprofits, so why not, right?

As some refer to free digital tools as free puppies, the Salesforce NSP does require some initial setup and care. If you are able and willing to invest time and resources in getting this base level set up, here are some of the things you can expect to be able to start doing in return.

Gain valuable insights

For starters, the Nonprofit Success Pack helps you run your organization better and engage more deeply with your constituents to move your mission forward through fundraising campaigns, volunteer work, and advocacy initiatives. Two features of the Salesforce NSP is the supporter profiles and the web-to-lead feature to capture information online. Everyone knows the importance of knowing who your supporters are and how to connect with them.

The NSP also helps you cultivate your long-term major donor relationships, as well as simply setting up an online donation form. Some of the NSP features for fundraising include online fundraising, matching gifts, and peer-to-peer fundraising.

Extend your reach

When it comes to mission-driven marketing, there are so many channels through which you can communicate making it difficult to know how to best connect with your supporters. Through the NSP, you can manage your email marketing, social media, and direct mail. You also are able to take advantage of integration with thousands of AppExchange apps or other Salesforce tools, such as Marketing Cloud and Pardot.

If event and volunteer management is where your organization needs the most help, the NSP can help with that too. Your event management features provide a comprehensive view of your efforts, which allows you to streamline many of your event-related tasks. Features you can utilize include event registration, logistics management, and guest experience.

Manage your mission with confidence

With all of the data your organization collects, you need a way to make your information useful and meaningful. Salesforce NSP includes built-in tools to manage programs, donations, volunteers, and supporters. You can streamline your reporting process with preconfigured and customizable reports and dashboards providing a 360 view of your mission.

How to get started

If you are struggling with any of the above, setting up a Salesforce NSP may be the right solution. You can start an NSP trial and join the Power of Us Hub. Salesforce provides nonprofits with 10 free subscriptions and deep discounts on additional services, products, subscriptions, training, and events.

Forum One’s CRM experts are also here to help. We can support you in implementing and setting up your NSP account, and ensuring that it is connected to your overall digital ecosystem.