How to Find and Work With a Salesforce Nonprofit Consultant in 2025

Salesforce for nonprofits, when implemented correctly, can automate fundraising, maintain constituent relationships with people, outreach efforts, etc.

But first, you need to adapt the platform to your specific needs to get the most out of it. Doing it alone isn’t worth the potential risk for most organizations, especially for small to mid-sized nonprofits.

Salesforce nonprofit consulting specialists can help with that. They will implement a Salesforce solution that not only adapts to meet your needs and goals but also grows with you as your strategies evolve.

The right consulting team develops a Salesforce implementation plan and puts it into action, providing continual technical support.

In this article, I’m going to highlight:

1. General overview of Salesforce for nonprofits;
2. How to find a Salesforce nonprofit implementation partner;
3. Tips on how to work with a Salesforce nonprofit cloud consultant.

Salesforce for Nonprofits: Products Overview

Let’s start from the basics: Salesforce for nonprofits offers two solutions—Nonprofit cloud and Nonprofit Success Pack (NPSP).

What is Salesforce Nonprofit Cloud?

Nonprofit Cloud is a set of technologies and solutions that connect nonprofit organizations with donors, track volunteers, manage campaigns, and do everything they require.

Source: https://cloudconsulting24.com/blog-resources/salesforce-nonprofit-webinar

What is Salesforce NPSP?

Nonprofit Success Pack (NPSP) is the foundation of the Nonprofit Cloud. It is an app that adds pre-built constituent and donor management components to Salesforce Sales Cloud and allows nonprofits to operate in Salesforce faster.

Also, there is Salesforce.org – a nonprofit social enterprise that resells Salesforce to nonprofits with a significant discount.

What is the difference between NPSP and Nonprofit Cloud?

NPSP is a set of managed packages added to Salesforce Sales Cloud, designed primarily for donor and relationship management, making it a great fit for small to mid-sized nonprofits.

Nonprofit Cloud, on the other hand, is a more advanced solution built directly into Salesforce, offering expanded features like impact measurement, program and service tracking, and enhanced automation tools.

Unlike Salesforce NPSP, Nonprofit Cloud supports Person Accounts, includes the Actionable Relationship Center (ARC) for visualizing relationships, and provides tools for high-volume fundraising.

While NPSP is free to use with optional paid add-ons, Nonprofit Cloud requires a full re-implementation, making it a more complex but scalable solution for larger organizations.

Salesforce Nonprofit Cloud vs. NPSP: Key Differences | Source: Ascendix

How can you use Salesforce Nonprofit Success Pack and other solutions?

Firstly, Salesforce NPSP and Nonprofit Сloud allow nonprofits to access different Salesforce apps like DocuSign and FormAssembly, used for obtaining digital signatures, building web forms, project management, etc.

Other use cases are:

• Nonprofit Cloud Fundraising. Salesforce has features required to create donor-centric fundraising, connect with the right supporters, and store mission-critical data.
• Program Management. With NPSP, nonprofit organizations track and manage their programs more effectively. Specifically, it helps to understand which initiatives are the most successful, and what services fit program participants` needs. As a result, nonprofit professionals quickly define and create new programs.
• Engagement. Nonprofits depend on support from different people (volunteers, members, donors). To motivate them to make regular donations, nonprofits need to convey their mission to each individual. With Nonprofit Cloud, organizations increase awareness, find new constituents, and build long-term relationships.
• Grantmaking. Yes, Salesforce is actively used as grant management software. Nonprofit Cloud enables grantmakers to automate their philanthropic giving with solutions for grants management, communications, grantee engagement, and more.

To get the most out of Salesforce for nonprofits, you might need to find and hire a specialist that could help you with implementation. Such a specialist is called Salesforce nonprofit cloud consultant.

Why Do You Need a Salesforce Nonprofit Consultant?

Salesforce CRM becomes a powerful tool for constituent management and fundraising if you know how to maximize your use of this robust software.

Without planned implementation and training, Salesforce for Nonprofits could eat up a ton of your resources, become a hindrance to smooth operations, or simply not get adopted by your team properly. Conversely working with an expert saves you effort, time, and money in the long run.

Since nonprofits have specific needs, you’ll have to know how to use Salesforce correctly to stay on top of your most significant efforts. And Salesforce nonprofit cloud consultant can help you with that!

By hiring a Salesforce Nonprofit Consultant, you’ll get:

1. A dedicated professional who will work thoroughly to boost the platform adoption for your nonprofit org
2. A Salesforce certified partner who will put in the time and effort to learn about the world of not-for-profits
3. Comprehensive services for implementing the Salesforce platform to enhance revenue and engagement
4. A technology implementation plan with continual support of your team at every step;
5. A coach that will train your team to configure the system to suit your needs.

All the above-mentioned points make hiring a Salesforce consultant a wise investment for most if not all organizations that choose to make a move.

However, finding the right Salesforce nonprofit consultant is a time-consuming process. In the next passage, I’ll cover the key steps for hiring a nonprofit consultant in a short time.

Steps to Find a Salesforce Nonprofit Cloud Consultant

To help you jumpstart the hiring process, I’ve got 8 steps to help you find a Salesforce partner:

• Analyze how a Salesforce nonprofit consultant will impact your org
• Outline a realistic budget you are ready to invest in hiring Salesforce integrators
• Research experienced Salesforce nonprofit consultants on AppExchange or other sources
• Find a Salesforce consultant with relevant experience and make a shortlist
• Consider Salesforce Certifications received and look for reviews on Salesforce AppExchange
• Check the references for your shortlisted Salesforce nonprofit consultants
• Ask prospective Salesforce consultants about their processes, competency, and successful use cases
• Evaluate Salesforce nonprofit implementation partners’ expertise in NPC vs. NPSP
• Estimate the compatibility of a chosen Salesforce nonprofit consultant and your business needs
• Determine how long your Salesforce consultant will stay on
• Make sure your Salesforce consultant can empower your team long-term.

Keep these factors in mind while choosing the right Salesforce Certified Partner for your nonprofit organization.

Before you hire a Salesforce consultant, it’s important to ask the right questions to ensure they align with your nonprofit’s needs. Here are the top five questions to consider:

• What experience do you have working with nonprofits? – This helps gauge their familiarity with the nonprofit sector and whether they understand your unique challenges, funding structures, and compliance requirements.
• How do you approach Salesforce implementations for nonprofits? – A skilled Salesforce nonprofit cloud consultant should have a well-defined implementation process, including discovery, customization, training, and support.
• Can you provide case studies or references from past nonprofit clients? – Success stories can give you confidence in their ability to deliver results similar to what you need.
• What ongoing support and training do you provide? – Your team must be able to manage Salesforce effectively after implementation. Ask if they offer training, documentation, and long-term support.
• How do you handle data migration and integration with existing tools? – Many nonprofits use various software tools. A skilled Salesforce nonprofit cloud consultant should have experience integrating Salesforce with other platforms like donor management systems and accounting software.
• Do you hold any Salesforce nonprofit certifications? – Certifications validate a consultant’s expertise. Asking if a candidate underwent Salesforce nonprofit training ensures they have credentials in nonprofit-specific Salesforce solutions.

Asking these questions will help you make an informed decision and ensure you hire a Salesforce consultant who can truly support your nonprofit’s goals.

How to Set Up Salesforce for Nonprofits: NPSP and Nonprofit Cloud

Whether you’re implementing Nonprofit Success Pack (NPSP) or Salesforce Nonprofit Cloud, having expert guidance will help you set up the platform efficiently and customize it to fit your organization’s needs.

To make this article more practical, I’ll shed light on how to cooperate with a Salesforce nonprofit consultant step by step.

Step 1. Implement Salesforce for Nonprofits

So, you’ve covered all the points for effective hiring. Now it’s time to start Salesforce nonprofit implementation process. Generally, it includes:

• Obtaining and registering your free Salesforce for Nonprofits licenses
• Setting up the new system for your organization
• Handling the data migration process

The above-outlined services are the core a certified Salesforce nonprofit consultant does. Remember, CRM platforms are heavy-duty pieces of software that contain your most valuable and sensitive data, so having professional assistance in this process is the best option.

If you’re implementing Nonprofit Cloud, your consultant will also configure additional modules beyond standard CRM capabilities, including Program Management, Case Management, and Outcome Management. These tools help track and report on the impact of your nonprofit’s initiatives, making it easier to demonstrate results to stakeholders and funders.

Step 2. Configurate Your Salesforce Toolkit

Once you’ve implemented Salesforce NPSP, you need to customize and configure it. Remember, the Salesforce NPSP does not include online fundraising or marketing tools out of the box. You need to pick and connect those to NPSP with the help of a Salesforce consultant.

The nonprofit consultant will help your team build and then configure the Salesforce toolkit. Additionally, a Salesforce nonprofit consultant can develop and implement integrations between your existing software and your new NPSP platform.

The consultant will be instrumental in ensuring that the configuration fits perfectly into your Salesforce toolkit.

If you are using Nonprofit Cloud, the configuration process will also include setting up pre-built nonprofit features like Fundraising and Engagement, Grantmaking, and Marketing Cloud for Nonprofits. Unlike NPSP, these tools come integrated but still require customization to align with your specific processes. Your consultant will ensure seamless data flow between donor management, volunteer tracking, and program execution, making sure the system supports every aspect of your nonprofit’s operations.

Step 3. Train to Work with Salesforce NPSP

This part of working with Salesforce nonprofit cloud consultant is akin to the finish line; however, it is the longest part of your cooperation.

By the end of this step, you’ll generate long-term ROI on your new CRM platform.

After a successful configuration of the Salesforce toolkit, your team needs to be trained. A technology consultant will prepare necessary documentation on the processes and educate your team until each individual understands how to get the most out of Salesforce for nonprofits.

For Nonprofit Cloud users, training may also include understanding how to use the built-in analytics and reporting tools to measure impact, manage grant applications, and automate engagement strategies. Since Nonprofit Cloud is designed to handle a broader range of nonprofit activities, training will be tailored to the specific features your organization is using.

Steps to find a salesforce nonprofit consultant | Source: Ascendix

Common Challenges When Working With Nonprofit Partners

• Cost. With the introduction of Nonprofit Cloud (NPC), the base cost for Salesforce Enterprise Edition licenses has increased, which makes Salesforce for nonprofits not so affordable. While Salesforce offers ten free licenses of NPC, as it did for NPSP, the increased cost of additional licenses may negatively impact the budget of Salesforce nonprofit partners.

Solution: Nonprofits can explore Salesforce grant programs, discount opportunities, and strategic license management to optimize costs.

• Technical difficulties. NPC is more complex than the previous solutions such as NPSP. It features a more complicated data model and technical features that require a higher level of expertise to implement and maintain. For some nonprofits, especially smaller ones or those with limited technical staff, this complexity could be challenging to manage and may necessitate additional training or support. Hiring a Salesforce nonprofit consultant may help, but it will also lead to increased cost.

Solution: Investing in Salesforce training for nonprofits or working with experienced consultants can help bridge the knowledge gap. At Ascendix we can offer both. Learn about our Salesforce consultants here.

• Lack of compatibility. While NPC was developed by borrowing features from other industries to speed up its market release, these features might not perfectly match the unique ways nonprofits operate. This can lead to a need for additional customizations or workarounds, further complicating the Salesforce for nonprofits experience.

Solution: Custom configurations and tailored automations can help adapt NPC to specific nonprofit workflows.

• Overlapping functionality. With the coexistence of newer solutions like NPC and older ones like NPSP, there’s potential confusion over product announcements, support resources, online forums, Independent Software Vendor (ISV) applications, consulting services, and required staff skills.

Solution: Organizations should evaluate both options carefully and develop a clear roadmap for adoption.

• Few  NPC-Compatible Third-Party Solutions. As NPC is relatively new, fewer third-party vendors have NPC-compatible applications compared to NPSP-compatible ones. This could limit the choice of integrated solutions available in Salesforce CRM for nonprofits.

Solution: Focus on native Salesforce functionality, while maintaining a list of desired integrations for future implementation as more solutions become available.

• Expertise Gaps. With NPC being a new solution, there is a lack of experienced Salesforce nonprofit consultants in comparison to the well-established NPSP. TMoreover, Salesforce’s Nonprofit Cloud Consultant certification has not yet been updated to reflect NPC, which means finding a consultant with relevant, up-to-date expertise in the most current products could be a challenge.

Solution: Invest in internal Salesforce for nonprofits training and Salesforce NPSP certification programs to build in-house expertise while establishing relationships with knowledgeable implementation partners.

• Elimination of Salesforce Nonprofit Partner Network. Salesforce’s decision to eliminate its vetted partner network means that nonprofits will have to find alternative ways to evaluate and choose partners, which complicates the selection process.

Solution: Nonprofits can rely on peer recommendations, user communities, and independent directories to identify reliable partners.

• Quality of Learning Resources. While there are resources available for learning about NPC, distinguishing between materials for Salesforce NPSP and Salesforce Nonprofit Cloud can be confusing. Therefore, nonprofits need to vet the relevance and accuracy of materials they use for training or implementation.

Solution: Follow official Salesforce channels and verified community groups to ensure access to current, accurate information.

Ascendix as a Nonprofit Salesforce Implementation Partner

Ascendix is a solid player on Salesforce CRM consulting market. We have 26+ years of expertise and can cover all the cases of CRM implementation. Our team can help nonprofit organizations implement CRM database solutions, all with an expert, personal touch. Besides, we can assist you in:

• Salesforce implementation from scratch
• Migration to Salesforce from other CRM systems
• Re-implementation, optimization, or adoption of Salesforce CRM after years of usage
• Migration from Salesforce Classic to Salesforce Lightning
• Fast set-up of CRM core features with our Salesforce QuickStart and QuickStart Plus Packages.

We support CRM needs of 200+ clients from different industries, and nonprofits aren’t an exception. We understand the unique business processes of nonprofits and are ready to configure Salesforce for your specific needs.

Let’s provide you with an example.

Non-profit company A has approached Ascendix to optimize and enhance the Salesforce environment through strategic consulting and administrative support. Internal attempts to source an administrator have resulted in a turnover and lack of consistency in performing the daily duties. Moreover, it created a gap in the strategic direction of the overall Salesforce implementation.

Having analyzed the requirements thoroughly, Ascendix as a Salesforce non-profit consultant, provided:

• Strategic consulting

Our team worked closely with Company A to audit & assess their current Salesforce environment, identify areas of improvement, and recommend solutions to meet their business objectives. To ensure the Salesforce implementation aligns with the needs of non-profit company, we conducted the following assessments: risk and dependency, maintainability, and solution assessment.

• Administrative support

Our Salesforce consultants provided day-to-day administrative support and guidance on Salesforce implementation for a non-profit company, including user management, data management, security management, and general system administration tasks.

Beyond traditional administration, we also assist in AI-powered Salesforce automation, helping nonprofits automate tasks like data entry, document processing, and predictive analytics for donor engagement.

Why rely on Ascendix in Salesforce implementation services?

• We have deep expertise in Salesforce CRM consulting, deployment, customization, and custom development
• Our extensive expertise in various industries guarantees an understanding of your niche CRM requirements.
• We will offer your project our complete set of technical skills confirmed by internationally recognized certification.
• Our global delivery capacity will ensure competitive cost structures with blended or offshore staffing models.

And now, we take it a step further with our Salesforce AI consulting services:

1. Salesforce AI integration: We help nonprofits integrate AI-powered tools into Salesforce to enhance reporting, automation, and donor engagement.
2. AI data entry & document processing: Automate data entry from emails, notes, and scanned documents into Salesforce for improved efficiency.
3. Salesforce AI strategy & consulting: Get a roadmap for implementing AI solutions tailored to your nonprofit’s unique needs.

Contact us to get upscale nonprofit IT consulting services.