Salesforce users in the non-profit sector have undoubtedly heard of NPSP. But what is it and what can you do with it? In this article, I show you what NPSP can do for your organization.

What is the NPSP?

Salesforce was once developed to support sales processes. However, the platform is so flexible that it can also be used perfectly in, for example, education, healthcare and charities. In order not to have to reinvent the wheel, the call was made for a standard solution for nonprofits, which has become the Nonprofit Success Pack.

The app can be downloaded for free * and ensures that Salesforce is optimally set up for use in a charity organization. The user interface is available in six languages, including Dutch. NPSP is open source, which means that users contribute to improvements and new functions. Salesforce.org takes care of version management and distributes an update every two weeks.

It’s all about relationships

What is immediately noticeable in NPSP are the many ways to register mutual relationships. For example: Tim is the father of Max, but also an employee of a construction company and board member at the football club. All those connections can be registered and consulted from different sides. The relationship diagram shows family relationships at a glance. The term ‘soft credit’ is also introduced here. These are gifts that someone does not make but has influenced. For example: Tim recruits € 1,000 with a sponsored run and his employer doubles the proceeds. We then have a ‘hard gift’ of Tim and his employer for € 1,000, but also a ‘soft gift’ of Tim for € 1,000, because he has influenced the gift from his employer. When segmenting donors you can choose to include the value of this soft credit.

Processing of gifts

The standard ‘Opportunity’ object is used for registering various types of gifts: one-off, structural, membership, in-kind and grant management. Commitments and donations can be linked to campaigns and designated funds. Do I have to report on how the donation is spent? You record the promotions and deadlines in the ‘Deliverables’. Although NPSP has an option for quick input of gifts, it does not have a built-in solution for the automated processing of collections and bank files. This requires customization and the installation of an additional service. Incidentally, Salesforce.org is working on developing a standard solution for this.

Segmentation and relationship management

By default, NPSP has more than 80 roll-ups, or counts and indicators for segmenting donors. Think of: total gifts last year, best gift year, highest gift, etc. These roll-ups are adaptable and also applicable to other objects. For example, also include the number of events visited or the number of volunteer tasks performed when calculating the donor value. The score results in a ‘Level’, which then triggers an ‘Engagement Plan’. This is a series of tasks that is specifically aimed at a certain type of donor. Think of: sending an anniversary book, inviting major donor event, phone call from the director, etc.

Volunteer management

For nonprofits who often work with volunteers, NPSP offers extensive support. You determine the availability and qualities of each volunteer and then easily match them with the needs. Website integration is also possible, so that volunteers can register for open jobs.