Salesforce Nonprofit Cloud is Salesforce's purpose-built CRM for nonprofits, unifying fundraising, grantmaking, program management, outcome tracking and marketing on a single platform. Crucially, the product has changed: since 2023 Salesforce has rebuilt Nonprofit Cloud natively on its core Industries platform, and in October 2025 it renamed the product Agentforce Nonprofit (same product, new branding). This is a different thing from the older Nonprofit Success Pack (NPSP) — a free managed package that Salesforce has stopped steering new organizations toward.
If you are new to the ecosystem, start with what Salesforce is and what it does; if you already run the older package, see our companion guide to the Salesforce Nonprofit Success Pack (NPSP). This article focuses on the current Nonprofit Cloud — what it does, how it differs from NPSP, and what a move involves.
Key takeaways
- Two products, not one. NPSP is a free managed package layered on Sales Cloud; the new Nonprofit Cloud is built natively on the core Salesforce (Industries) platform.
- Nonprofit Cloud is now the default. Salesforce ended new feature development for NPSP in 2024 and points new customers to Nonprofit Cloud / Agentforce Nonprofit.
- One renamed product. In October 2025 Nonprofit Cloud was rebranded Agentforce Nonprofit — the names refer to the same thing.
- Broad capabilities. Fundraising, Program Management, Grantmaking, Outcome Management, Case Management and Volunteer Management sit on one data model.
- Marketing is add-on. Email and journeys run through Marketing Cloud Engagement, Account Engagement or Marketing Cloud Growth — not bundled into the core nonprofit license.
- Moving is a re-implementation. There is no in-place upgrade from NPSP; it means a fresh org plus a planned data migration.
What is Salesforce Nonprofit Cloud today?
Nonprofit Cloud is Salesforce's industry CRM for charitable and mission-driven organizations. Unlike the original Nonprofit Cloud bundle — which was really NPSP packaged with related tools — the version Salesforce sells today is built directly on the Salesforce Industries common data model. That means it uses standard platform objects, Person Accounts by default, OmniStudio and the Actionable Relationship Center (ARC) rather than a community-maintained add-on.
In October 2025 Salesforce renamed Nonprofit Cloud to Agentforce Nonprofit, reflecting the addition of built-in AI agents. The underlying capabilities are the same product line; if a vendor or article mentions either name, they mean this native platform offering.
How is Nonprofit Cloud different from NPSP?
The difference is architectural, and it shapes everything from data model to upgrade path. NPSP overlays Salesforce as a managed package; Nonprofit Cloud is part of the platform itself.
| Aspect | Nonprofit Success Pack (NPSP) | Nonprofit Cloud (Agentforce Nonprofit) |
|---|---|---|
| Architecture | Managed package installed on top of Sales Cloud | Built natively on the core Salesforce (Industries) platform |
| Data model | Traditional household account model | Industries common data model; Person Accounts by default |
| Customization base | Add-on objects layered over standard CRM | Native standard objects, OmniStudio, ARC |
| New features | Frozen — no new feature development since 2024 | Where all new nonprofit innovation now lands |
| Who Salesforce steers new orgs to | No longer the default | The recommended starting point |
| Move between them | — | No in-place upgrade; new org + data migration |
NPSP is not being switched off — it remains supported and tens of thousands of organizations still run it well. But because new investment goes into Nonprofit Cloud, the long-term direction is clear.
What can Nonprofit Cloud actually do?
Nonprofit Cloud brings the major nonprofit workflows onto one shared model, so a donor, a program participant and a grantee can be the same record viewed from different angles.
| Capability | What it covers |
|---|---|
| Fundraising | Donations, recurring gifts, Gift Entry Grid, Fundraising Portfolio, Donor Profile |
| Program Management | Program and service setup, enrollment, attendance and participant tracking |
| Grantmaking | Full grant lifecycle: strategy, applications, disbursements and reporting |
| Outcome Management | Indicators, targets and results to evidence mission impact |
| Case Management | Client and beneficiary case tracking and service delivery |
| Volunteer Management | Volunteer sign-up and coordination (added in the Summer '25 release) |
How does fundraising work in Nonprofit Cloud?
Fundraising covers the full giving lifecycle for individuals, corporations and foundations. The Fundraising Portfolio helps gift officers manage relationships, the Donor Profile gives a holistic view of each supporter, and the Gift Entry Grid (Summer '25) lets teams process donations quickly from one screen. Recurring gifts, pledges and soft credits are handled on the native data model rather than through package objects.
How do program management and outcomes fit together?
Program Management centralizes the services you deliver — setting up programs, enrolling participants and tracking attendance. Outcome Management sits alongside it: you define the outcomes a program should drive, create consistent indicators, set targets and track results. Because both share one model, you can connect what you delivered to the difference it made without exporting to spreadsheets.
What does grantmaking add?
Grantmaking supports the whole grant lifecycle for funders — setting strategy, accepting applications, reviewing, disbursing funds (with configurable disbursement flows) and reporting on grantee progress. It is aimed at organizations that give grants, complementing the fundraising tools used by those that raise funds.
How does marketing work with Nonprofit Cloud?
Nonprofit Cloud handles constituent data and giving; the marketing layer is a separate Salesforce product you connect to it. The main options are:
- Marketing Cloud Engagement (formerly Marketing Cloud) — large-scale email, SMS and multi-step donor journeys.
- Account Engagement (formerly Pardot) — B2B-style nurture, useful for corporate partners and major-gift cultivation.
- Marketing Cloud Growth — a newer, lighter edition aimed at smaller teams that want journeys without the full Engagement footprint.
None of these is bundled into the core nonprofit license, so plan marketing as a deliberate part of your architecture. Choosing and wiring up the right combination is exactly the kind of work our Salesforce consulting team scopes during a discovery sprint.
What about licensing and the Power of Us program?
Salesforce supports nonprofits through Power of Us, the product-donation and discount program run by Salesforce.org. Eligible organizations — typically registered charitable, nonprofit, non-governmental or educational entities that can provide legal proof of status — can access donated and discounted subscriptions.
The important update for 2026: as of December 2025, Power of Us provisions Agentforce Nonprofit rather than legacy NPSP licenses. So a new applicant today is onboarded onto the modern native platform, not the old managed package. Eligibility is assessed case by case, and you will still need documentation such as your nonprofit registration and a named system administrator. (We don't publish Salesforce's license figures here — entitlements and discounts change, so confirm current terms with Salesforce.org.)
Should you migrate from NPSP to Nonprofit Cloud?
For existing NPSP orgs this is the big question, and the honest answer is: it is a re-implementation, not a button. There is no in-place upgrade path — moving means standing up a fresh Nonprofit Cloud org, mapping the household model to Person Accounts and the Industries data model, then migrating data deliberately.
That is not a reason to panic. NPSP is still supported, so you can move on your own timeline. A reasonable sequence is:
- Audit your current NPSP customizations, integrations and reports — many will need rebuilding natively.
- Map the data model differences (households → Person Accounts, package objects → standard objects).
- Pilot Nonprofit Cloud in a fresh org with a representative slice of data.
- Migrate in a planned cutover, then retrain staff on the new UI.
Because the move touches data, process and people at once, most organizations run it as a project with a partner. Pairing migration with ongoing Salesforce managed services keeps the new org healthy after go-live.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is NPSP being discontinued?
No. NPSP remains supported and continues to run for the organizations that use it. What changed is investment: Salesforce ended new feature development for NPSP in 2024 and now directs new work and new customers to Nonprofit Cloud. Treat NPSP as stable but static.
Can I upgrade NPSP to Nonprofit Cloud in place?
No. There is no in-place upgrade. Nonprofit Cloud is a different architecture, so moving means creating a new org and migrating your data and configuration. Plan it as a project, not a package update.
Is Nonprofit Cloud the same as Agentforce Nonprofit?
Yes. In October 2025 Salesforce renamed Nonprofit Cloud to Agentforce Nonprofit. The names refer to the same native-platform product; the rebrand reflects added AI agent capabilities.
Does Nonprofit Cloud include marketing tools?
Not in the core license. Email, SMS and journeys come from a connected product — Marketing Cloud Engagement, Account Engagement, or the newer Marketing Cloud Growth edition for smaller teams. Budget and architect for marketing separately.
Do nonprofits still get free or discounted Salesforce licenses?
Yes, through the Power of Us program for eligible registered nonprofits. As of December 2025 the program provisions Agentforce Nonprofit rather than NPSP licenses. Entitlements and discounts change over time, so confirm current terms directly with Salesforce.org.
Which should a new nonprofit choose, NPSP or Nonprofit Cloud?
For almost all new implementations, Nonprofit Cloud. It is where Salesforce is investing, it uses the modern data model, and Power of Us now provisions it. NPSP mainly matters now for organizations already running it who are planning a future migration.