{"id":8979,"date":"2022-09-06T17:57:05","date_gmt":"2022-09-06T17:57:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/teamheller.com\/?p=8979"},"modified":"2024-09-13T20:49:44","modified_gmt":"2024-09-13T20:49:44","slug":"3-things-to-know-if-youre-thinking-about-moving-from-raisers-edge-to-salesforce","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/teamheller.com\/resources\/blog\/3-things-to-know-if-youre-thinking-about-moving-from-raisers-edge-to-salesforce","title":{"rendered":"3 Things to Know if You\u2019re Thinking About Moving from Raiser\u2019s Edge to Salesforce"},"content":{"rendered":"

I recently\u00a0wrote an article on this blog about\u00a0<\/span>what to know if your nonprofit is considering a move from Raiser\u2019s Edge<\/span><\/a>. One point I made is that if you\u2019re wanting to\u00a0incorporate more customer relationship management (CRM) approaches into your\u00a0fundraising, but\u00a0find that Raiser\u2019s Edge\u00a0doesn\u2019t integrate with other systems at your organization, you can still stay on Raiser\u2019s Edge\u00a0\u2014\u00a0you just need to invest\u00a0more\u00a0in integration.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

But\u00a0another point I made is that if you decide Raiser\u2019s Edge is no longer serving your fundraising needs,\u00a0<\/span>Salesforce Nonprofit Success Pack<\/span><\/a>\u00a0(NPSP)\u00a0might be a great option for you.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

So, in this article, I\u2019m sharing three important things to know if you\u2019re considering a move to Salesforce NPSP.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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For more advice about transitioning from Raiser’s Edge, download our free guide: Leaving Raiser’s Edge\u00a0<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

1. Salesforce NPSP is a different kind of solution than Raiser\u2019s Edge.<\/span><\/b><\/h2>\n

I brought this up in my previous article, but it bears repeating in case you missed it: If you\u2019re considering a move from Raiser\u2019s Edge to Salesforce NPSP, you\u2019re not looking at an apples-to-apples comparison. Raiser\u2019s Edge is a fundraising-specific product, while Salesforce offers a platform on which fundraising (and many other) products are built.<\/p>\n

With the product approach, you have an individual application that serves a specific purpose. You\u2019re locked into using each of the tools provided in the product. So, for example, if you find the email\/marketing automation tool doesn\u2019t meet your needs, you don\u2019t have much choice except to continue using it. With the platform approach, you have a foundational layer that allows you to use a combination of out-of-the box features, pre-built applications, direct API connections, and\/or custom-configured functionality. You can select the products and features that best meet your needs.<\/p>\n

This requires a different way of thinking about your software<\/a>, but it can pay off in the long run \u2013 especially if you want to do more with your fundraising efforts than Raiser\u2019s Edge can support. Even though moving to NPSP will take time and effort, in the end you have the opportunity to not only reach parity with the traditional fundraising functionality in Raiser\u2019s Edge, but also do much more.<\/p>\n

Discover more about what to know if you\u2019re considering move from Raiser\u2019s Edge. Read the guide, Leaving Raiser\u2019s Edge: How Nonprofits Make the Change<\/a>.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

2. Salesforce NPSP can help you bring the benefits of CRM to your fundraising.<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

Salesforce NPSP offers strong fundraising functionality<\/a> that can support many nonprofits\u2019 needs. And, because the fundraising capabilities are centered around a CRM platform, it can help you grow donor relationships more effectively.<\/p>\n

It gives you a holistic view of constituents and donors (even allowing you to collect more data and use data from other departments in your organization so you have more insights into donor behaviors and preferences). It also helps you send targeted messages at the right time to the right constituents and donors.<\/p>\n

Many nonprofits use NPSP to do everything from build donor relationships, accelerate major giving<\/a>, and connect multiple giving channels to prepare fundraising information for their accounting system<\/a> \u2013 all through a single platform.<\/p>\n

Learn more about using Salesforce for your nonprofit: Read the guide, What to Know About Salesforce Solutions for Nonprofits<\/a>.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

3. You can extend Salesforce fundraising functionality as your nonprofit evolves.<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

Because NPSP is built on the Salesforce platform, it offers lots of flexibility<\/a>, allowing you to customize and extend it to meet your evolving needs. That can be especially useful in our changing world.<\/p>\n

For instance, at Heller Consulting, we\u2019ve found that marketing automation is an ideal solution for many nonprofits<\/a> needing to scale up their fundraising program quickly. We\u2019ve implemented the Pardot marketing automation solution from Salesforce to help multiple nonprofits automate their fundraising and donor engagement communications, which allows them to do more with fewer manual hours.<\/p>\n


\nSalesforce also has a large and mature AppExchange marketplace of third-party applications that integrate with NPSP. This is important if you anticipate needing to expand and enhance your fundraising solution down the road. For example, one of our clients, San Antonio Food Bank (SAFB), worked with our team on a digital transformation initiative<\/a>. We helped them develop a CRM ecosystem that placed NPSP at its center. Then, we were able to help them add tools to meet additional needs, allowing the SAFB development team to improve the online donor interface. <\/span><\/p>\n

Read more about our Salesforce services<\/a> for nonprofit organizations.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Take the next step.<\/span><\/b><\/h2>\n

If your nonprofit has been using Raiser\u2019s Edge to support fundraising activities, and you\u2019re wondering if it\u2019s time to move to another solution, Salesforce NPSP could be the right match for you. <\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

At Heller Consulting, our goal is to help nonprofits find the best\u00a0technology\u00a0solutions\u00a0for their specific needs\u00a0<\/a>\u2014\u00a0not just point everyone to a particular\u00a0system.\u00a0So,\u00a0if\u00a0you\u00a0are\u00a0considering a move from Raiser\u2019s Edge\u00a0to Salesforce NPSP, but\u00a0you\u2019re\u00a0not sure how to move forward,\u00a0we\u00a0can\u00a0help.\u00a0We can\u00a0work with you to evaluate your use of\u00a0Raiser\u2019s Edge, choose the right solution to meet your needs, and build a tech strategy that serves you now and keeps your fundraising\u00a0going strong.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>Contact us today to get started<\/span><\/a>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

More Nonprofit Resources:<\/h2>\n