NPOs are businesses too – and deserve access to the best tools and practices

The challenges NPOs have to contend with are every bit as demanding as those faced by private businesses. Nonprofits are expected to meet different stakeholder needs, often with limited resources and in a cut-throat competitive environment. Luckily there are end-to-end solutions available tailored specifically to the needs of NPOs to enable them to improve engagement and increase their impact by building a better-connected digital organisation. Here’s a brief outline of what it’s all about.

Grace – and impact – under pressure
Have you ever watched a swan as it glides across a river or lake? It’s the epitome of calm and effortless grace – until you look more closely and see those powerful legs and webbed feet propelling it along, just below the surface. Running an NPO is very similar: maintaining your poise as you move towards your goals, especially if the water’s choppy or the wind’s against you, requires a lot of hard work and expertise behind the scenes. The more efficiently this work can be done, the more successfully the NPO will be able to operate.

In our consulting practice for NPOs at PwC we’ve seen nonprofits under growing pressure to deliver and make an impact. They’re expected to meet the needs of different stakeholders – from donors and funding bodies to the groups they support or advocate for ― often with limited resources, and frequently in as cut-throat a competitive environment as any private-sector business. NPOs are under close scrutiny to manage costs, spend funds wisely and run programmes efficiently to increase and sustain impact. Donors accustomed to digital in every area of their lives expect more sophisticated, immediate, transparent and personalised experiences when they choose to support an organisation. NPOs also face the challenge of sustaining their impact by improving donor engagement (primarily by getting to know their supporters better), optimising their operational model and becoming more agile so they can deal with fluctuations in funding. And then, of course, there’s the pandemic: COVID-19 has created additional stress by increased demand for many NPOs’ services but at the same time curtailing many of their traditional fundraising methods.

"We have chosen to partner with Salesforce.org because we’ve seen in practice how its technology can empower NPOs and help them address all the pain points highlighted above."

Alexander Schultz-WirthPartner Technology Consulting and Customer Centric Transformation, PwC Switzerland

Doing more with less

There’s no magic wand to resolve these tensions. But there are highly effective best practice solutions and technology. How does a 31% increase in donor retention sound? A 48% improvement in constituent conversion? Or a 31% reduction in service costs? These are some of the measurable benefits NPOs are already reporting from using the Salesforce Nonprofit Cloud, a digital platform built specifically for their needs. We have chosen to partner with Salesforce.org because we’ve seen in practice how its technology can empower NPOs and help them address all the pain points highlighted above.

To give you an idea of how a digital platform might work for your NPO, here are some of the areas it can address and the concrete improvements that can result.

Using a single platform to manage and govern all your fundraising activities enables you to see what’s working (or not), build more effective strategies and find lifelong supporters.
New digital services help you build lasting relationships by creating experiences focused on the needs and expectations of donors and delivered via the channels they feel most comfortable with.
Digitising your programme management enables you to boost your impact by using funds more effectively and scaling activities more quickly across multiple programmes.
With centralised communications and vital data available instantly to those who need it, your employees will also have a more satisfying and empowering experience – and work more effectively for the interests of your organisation and those it supports.
Real-time data and analytics will uncover new insights, helping you make better-informed decisions and adjust your course in real time.
Introducing automated elements into your key operational processes will eliminate the need for time-consuming administrative tasks and free up resources for more productive work.

Please get in touch if you’d like to discuss ways PwC and Salesforce.org could help power your mission and meet the challenges of your NPO effectively and with poise.

PwC and Salesforce

PwC’s a global strategic Salesforce Partner. Driven by the idea that companies should treat all customers like they're the only customer, PwC's solutions - powered by Salesforce - are designed to strengthen your client relationships and experience. From sales, service, customer management, marketing and more, we'll help you find the right Salesforce solution to meet your needs.

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