The question that we ask mission-driven organizations is not “is Salesforce Nonprofit Cloud (NPC) right for you?” – it almost certainly is.

The question we ask is, “is Salesforce Nonprofit Cloud right for you, right now?”

Launched in March 2023, NPC is a growing suite of solutions purpose-built for the needs of the nonprofit sector.

Simply put, NPC is the future of Salesforce’s nonprofit technology offering.

NPC represents a significant change from the Nonprofit Success Pack (NPSP), Salesforce’s long-standing solution for nonprofits. NPC is built directly into the Salesforce platform, whereas NPSP is essentially an application installed on top of the platform. This configuration will ensure that nonprofit-specific technology is aligned with the overall Salesforce roadmap. Nonprofits will benefit from platform-wide innovations, including advancements developed for other industries.

In this post, we will examine the current state of NPC and spotlight a few important considerations for your journey onto the platform.

(Note: Some mission-driven organizations, such as Community Development Financial Institutions, may not fit the NPC structure and would benefit from adopting Sales Cloud. If your organization fits this profile, we encourage you to explore our CDFI Accelerator or to connect with us about other options.)

What are the benefits of NPC, right now?

Noteworthy strengths of the current version of NPC include advanced functionality for the following needs.

• Grantmaking + Portal Templates. NPC provides templated starting points for building grant applicant portals. Within these portals, applicants can track their progress, fill out forms, upload required documents, and more. Portal functionality extends on the back end, where your team can review applications assigned to them. These templates simplify the process, ensuring that your team can quickly customize and deploy portals that meet your specific needs, without starting from scratch.

• Gift Tracking. NPC streamlines the gift tracking process to align with the way fundraising teams typically operate. There are tools in place to fulfill annual gifts and the systems are flexible enough for unexpected changes. There are connected objects designed to track prospecting, pledges, or simple one-off gifts.

• Impact + Outcome Tracking. Tracking impact is essential to every nonprofit’s mission and NPC is built with that in mind. NPC’s Outcome Management tools provide a central place to set goals and attach an Impact Strategy to each Outcome. There are indicators in place to help measure impact in the specific ways that matter most to your organization. This functionality provides a framework for nonprofit organizations to define goals, visualize impact, and regularly track key metrics.

• Program + Case Management. NPC adds structure, automation, and templates to simplify referral and intake processes, manage schedules and actions, and get clients connected to services quickly and effectively.

If these features align with your organization’s core functions, it is worth considering implementing or transitioning to NPC in the near future.

Looking further ahead, Salesforce will provide a continuous stream of innovation. NPC is evolving rapidly, introducing enhanced data management tools, improved integration capabilities, and AI tools like Agentforce. Positioning your organization in the path of innovation should weigh heavily on your decision.

How is NPC functionally different from NPSP?

If your organization is currently using NPSP, it is important to note that moving from NPSP to NPC comes with a foundational shift in structure. This includes changes to the overall data model, configuration of gifts, how transactions are handled, and more.

• Household Model. In NPC, Households act as the core entity with predefined roles and relationships, differing significantly from Accounts and Contacts in NPSP. If your organization is accustomed to the structures of NPSP, you will need to reframe your work around Households within NPC. Migrating your existing data from NPSP to NPC will require proper planning for a seamless transition.

• Opportunity Record. NPC standardizes Opportunities to align more closely with enterprise fundraising needs and introduces a separate Transaction record that allows for more precise financial tracking. This approach enhances grants and donor management and payment processing for multiple transactions, but provides fewer options for third-party solutions compared to NPSP.

• Customization. If your organization has developed or integrated custom solutions for your current instance of NPSP, transitioning to NPC will require rebuilding these processes to align with the new structures. Some customizations that worked with NPSP may not yet be available or function in the same way. It is crucial to assess your team’s existing custom solutions in NPSP and determine how similar functionality can be replicated within NPC.

While these fundamental shifts should not deter you from adopting NPC, they are important considerations in determining the right time to transition.

Is NPC right for you, right now?

If your organization is implementing Salesforce for the first time, yes – NPC is where you should start your journey on the platform right now.

You are moving to Salesforce for the breadth of the platform and the innovation it provides. NPC is the solution for nonprofits where those developments will continue for years to come.

If your organization is currently on NPSP, transitioning to NPC is a major shift that requires thoughtful consideration, planning, and the right timing.

If the current features of NPC align with your organization’s immediate needs, it may be right for you right now. If NPC’s current features do not match your priorities, staying informed about its continued development will allow you to decide when the time is right.

At Craftsman Technology Group, we help nonprofits like yours navigate these critical decisions.

We have built customized Salesforce solutions for hundreds of mission-driven organizations. We offer Salesforce implementation projects, monthly Managed Services support, and solutions for advanced data and reporting.

If you are considering implementing NPC, optimizing your current use of NPSP, or assessing your technology solutions, connect with our team here.