Nonprofit Cloud: What We've Learned So Far
At Idealist Consulting, we've been working extensively with Salesforce's Nonprofit Cloud (NPC) since its release in March 2023. Our team has gained valuable insights across all areas of NPC, including fundraising, impact measurement, grantmaking, program management, and case management, while comparing these functions to NPC’s predecessor, the Nonprofit Success Pack (NPSP). Here's a look at some of what we’ve learned so far and what we're excited about for the future.
Our Experience with Nonprofit Cloud
Our team has had the opportunity to work with all components of Nonprofit Cloud, giving us a comprehensive perspective on how these different pieces integrate and function. This experience allows us to provide informed guidance on how specific NPC components are suitable for your nonprofit's unique use case.
Key Learnings
Agile Timelines and Expectations
One of the most critical lessons we've learned is the importance of setting realistic expectations for implementation timelines. NPC is a complex product, with an evolving feature roadmap, and may require more setup time compared to its predecessor, NPSP.
We've found that successful implementations follow a 50/50 partnership model - 50% partner involvement and 50% client involvement. Of course we will be doing all of the building, but we also depend on you and your team to have clarity around your requirements and also be actively engaged with testing. It's crucial for organizations to be prepared and actively engaged in the process.
Assessing Feature Complexity and Sustainability
While NPC offers many powerful features, it's essential to evaluate whether some of the more complex functionalities align with your organization's needs and internal capacity. We can implement these features, but it's vital to consider if your team can sustain and effectively use them long-term. For example, OmniStudio is a powerful tool but can be complex for a nonprofit team to understand and maintain without a partner. While we're happy to be that partner, we recognize that certain tools may not be the right solution for every organization’s needs.
Navigating a New Product Landscape
As a relatively new product, NPC is still evolving. Some features that are now becoming available weren't present during our earlier implementations. Organizations need to decide whether to wait for upcoming features or have a partner build custom solutions in the interim.
When opting for custom builds, it's crucial to ensure they're designed to allow for a smooth transition when official features become available. Keep an eye on the Nonprofit Cloud Best Practices Commons Group for emerging community knowledge.
What We're Excited About
Upcoming Features
We're particularly enthusiastic about several features on the NPC roadmap:
- The upcoming Volunteer Management module
- Enhanced gift entry capabilities, including custom fields and gift entry templates
- Requirements wizard and disbursement scheduler for Grantmaking
These additions will provide powerful functionality for all aspects of nonprofit operations.
Dreamforce 2024 Announcements
Salesforce has unveiled exciting plans for NPC at Dreamforce this year, including:
- Volunteer Management (coming Summer 2025)
- GenAI Features (coming October 2024)
- Program Intelligence enhancements
- Case Manager Efficiency improvements
- Fundraising Operations upgrades
- Grantmaking Experience advancements
Assessing if NPC is right for you
For organizations considering a transition to Nonprofit Cloud, it's important to note that migration is not mandatory. You can define your own timeline, aligning the move with your organization's vision and strategy.
To help you evaluate your readiness for NPC, we've created a comprehensive guide: "Nonprofit Cloud: Is Your Organization Ready?" This resource draws on our 17+ years of experience in the Salesforce for nonprofits space and serves as an excellent starting point for assessing your organization's needs and potential next steps.
Remember, NPSP remains a solid solution with no current retirement roadmap. The decision to migrate should be based on your specific organizational requirements and readiness.
Nonprofit Cloud represents an exciting evolution in Salesforce's nonprofit offerings. While it comes with a steeper learning curve and more complex implementation process, it also offers powerful capabilities for organizations ready to leverage them. As always, we're here to guide you through the decision-making process and support your Salesforce journey, whatever path you choose.
