Salesforce is a cloud-based customer relationship management (CRM) platform that helps businesses and non-profit organisations manage operations such as sales, fundraising, marketing and customer and donor services. It provides a centralised platform that allows organisations to streamline their processes, improve customer and donor relationships and drive organisational growth.
Salesforce offers two different solutions on its platform for non-profit organisations:
- Salesforce Non-Profit Success Pack (NPSP)
- Salesforce Non-Profit Cloud (New)
In this article, we will explore the differences between the two and help you make an informed decision.
What is Non-Profit Cloud?
Salesforce Non-Profit Cloud is a comprehensive solution designed specifically for non-profit organisations. It provides a range of tools to help organisations manage their operations, fundraising and donor relations.
Some of the key features include:
- Constituent Relationship Management (CRM) system To manage information on donors and volunteers.
- Fundraising and marketing automation tools To help organisations reach new donors and retain existing ones.
- Grant management system To help organisations manage their grant applications and reporting requirements.
- Volunteer management tools To help organisations recruit, manage and retain volunteers.
- Programme management tools to help organisations track and manage their programmes and services.
What is Nonprofit Success Pack (NPSP)?
Nonprofit Success Pack (NPSP) is an open-source solution built on top of Salesforce and designed specifically for non-profit organisations. NPSP was first released in 2005 as the "Nonprofit Starter Pack" and has undergone several updates and versions since then, with the latest version (NPSP 3) released in 2019.
NPSP offers everything that Nonprofit Cloud offers: a CRM system, fundraising and marketing automation tools, grant management, volunteer management and programme management. The main differences between NPSP and Nonprofit Cloud are architectural.
Nonprofit Cloud vs Nonprofit Success Pack: the differences
The architecture
NPSP is a set of managed packages built by Salesforce, installed on top of the Enterprise Editions of Salesforce Sales and Service Cloud. Nonprofit Cloud, on the other hand, is packaged as a separate industry cloud solution from Salesforce (similar to Health Cloud, Financial Services Cloud, Manufacturing Cloud and others). And this different architecture has some implications.
Prices
Nonprofit Cloud is a more expensive solution, with prices starting at $60 per user per month. NPSP, on the other hand, is cheaper, starting at $36 per user per month, but organisations may have to pay more for additional features or support. Both solutions offer the first 10 licences for free through the Salesforce P10 programme for non-profit organisations.
Adaptation
Nonprofit Cloud is easier to customise, allowing organisations to tailor the platform to meet their specific needs. NPSP, on the other hand, is an open-source solution, meaning that organisations can customise the code to meet their needs. NPSP may therefore require a bit more technical expertise.
Support
Nonprofit Cloud offers dedicated support for non-profit organisations, including access to a dedicated account manager and technical support. NPSP, on the other hand, relies on community support, although there are third-party providers offering additional support.
Managed packages such as NPSP are not directly supported by Salesforce. On the other hand, industry solutions like Nonprofit Cloud receive full support from Salesforce. When it comes to third-party add-ons available through outlets such as the AppExchange, they are likely to be more compatible with Nonprofit Cloud. This is because third-party developers often prefer to create custom solutions suitable for all Salesforce editions, including industry solutions, rather than customising their products to a single package. This means that support for both Salesforce and third parties is likely to be better with Nonprofit Cloud than with NPSP.
| Nonprofit Success Pack | Nonprofit Cloud | |
|---|---|---|
| Architecture | On top of Sales and Service Cloud Enterprise | Separate industrial cloud solution |
| Release | 2005 (NPSP 3 in 2019) | 2023 |
| Prices | $36 per user per month, first 10 licences free* | $60 per user per month, first 10 licences free* |
| Adaptation | Open-source (codemodification) | Easy customisation (little coding required) |
| Support | Relies on community or third-party support, not directly supported by Salesforce | Dedicated account managers and technical support, more third-party solutions available |
| * The first 10 licences free with the Salesforce.org P10 programme for non-profit organisations. Contact us for more information. | ||
Conclusion: Nonprofit Success Pack or Nonprofit Cloud after all?
When deciding between Nonprofit Cloud and NPSP, it is important to consider your organisation's specific needs and resources. If you already have NPSP and have the resources or technical expertise to maintain this managed package, NPSP may be the right choice. However, if you want to start over with the latest and greatest version, knowing that it may take one or two releases for everything to work properly, Nonprofit Cloud may be the better option.
Ultimately, both Nonprofit Cloud and NPSP are powerful tools that can help non-profit organisations achieve their goals. By understanding the differences between the two solutions and considering your organisation's specific needs, you can make an informed decision and choose the one that suits you best.
