In today’s digital landscape, successful donor engagement is the cornerstone of nonprofit growth. The panel will explore the ever-evolving world of donor relationship management and how Salesforce can be leveraged to drive meaningful connections and lasting brand loyalty. Our experts will provide a sneak peek into the strategies that are defining the future of supporter engagement.

Salesforce.org, in their effort to support larger and more mature nonprofits have built a robust Grant Management feature that includes all the “must-haves” to get your grant program up and running, with the ability to scale through configuration and customization.

If we really want donors, corporations, and foundations to embrace a new way of thinking when it comes to nonprofits and overhead, then we ourselves need to stop perpetuating the old ways.

It’s no surprise that despite every nonprofit’s aspirations to build out a mature matching gift program, few get it right.

Throughout this cycle, there may be many players, perhaps a team of resources at your organization that play a critical role in each step of the way.  The process is dynamic and collaborative, like a restaurant kitchen, and this is where spreadsheets fall short. 

So as a major gift officer, if I’m trying to meet my year-end fundraising goals of securing 5 new $25,000 gifts, what tools does NPSP offer me to support my efforts?

With a marketing spend that dwarves its competitors, it is hard to have a conversation about CRM in any industry without talking about Salesforce.  Between its innovative platform, customizability to just about any industry, and vast network of apps, integrations, and resources...Salesforce continues to take the CRM world by storm.

Although technology can’t replace relationships, CRM can do wonders in tracking those relationships and ensure you’re making the most of them!

But as I start analyzing the problem, asking questions, and peeling back the layers, it’s not uncommon to find…there’s actually no application problem at all.

Where most CRMs have certain modules that come standard (constituent management, donations, activities, events, volunteers, etc.), custom objects allow you to support the unique needs of your nonprofit.

They already feel connected to the work, they are invested in it.  So most of your fundraiser’s work is already done.  Perhaps the only reason why they don’t give…is because nobody ever asked.

Although there’s no “right or wrong” when it comes to soft credits, I’ve seen organizations where they have proven to be a game changer in fundraising results. 

Those of us who’ve walked a mile in the shoes of a major gift officer know that it is not always easy cultivating relationships, connecting the dots between influencers and documenting the dozens (or hundreds) of touch-points it may take to secure a major gift.

Sometimes initial funding dries out and organizations struggle to achieve their mission.  While other times, missions may shift or expand, and a new stream of funding becomes essential.  In either case, the true reality of nonprofit work comes to the fore - it’s not enough to be an expert in your cause, but you also need to be an expert in fundraising. 

A few years ago, I was facilitating a design session for a CRM implementation at a mid-sized nonprofit.  At one point, I asked the project team to give me examples of the type of constituents they track.  Their response caught me off guard.