Soapbox Engage Blog

Last week, the New York nonprofit Salesforce community gathered at Building Skills NY in the General Electric Building for a full day dedicated to one of the most critical and complex areas of nonprofit work: fundraising.

This special edition NPSP Day brought together nonprofit professionals, Salesforce users, and partners to dig into the real mechanics behind fundraising operations, from data hygiene and automations to donor communications, pledges, and the ever-growing ecosystem of tools that support it all.

It was wonderful to see so many familiar faces, while also welcoming a number of folks attending their very first NPSP Day. The day was generously sponsored by Idlewild Partners, who even brought enough donuts to feed a crowd — plenty of sugar to power us through a full day of community collaboration and learning!

Throughout the day, a clear theme emerged: fundraising success isn't just about strategy, it's about systems. The way we structure data, automate processes, and support users ultimately shapes how effectively organizations can build and sustain donor relationships.

AI was also a major thread across conversations. Many attendees were exploring how to thoughtfully adopt these tools and future-proof their fundraising efforts in a rapidly shifting nonprofit tech landscape.

Below is a look at the breakout sessions and key takeaways from the day.

Breakout Sessions & Key Takeaways

Key Takeaways

• Automate lifecycle moments: Flows can handle key events like closing opportunities when a constituent passes away or cleaning up outdated data.
• User management automation: Automatically deactivate inactive users (e.g., no login in a year) to maintain system security.
• Use integrations for alerts: Slack notifications tied to new opportunities or activity help teams stay responsive.
• Doc gen tools save time: Tools like Conga and PDF Butler simplify document creation for fundraising workflows.
• Data enrichment tools add value: Services like Melissa Data can validate addresses, append geo data, and improve targeting.

Key Takeaways

• Start with strong settings: NPSP configurations (like address handling and duplicate rules) prevent issues before they start.
• Standardize and monitor data: Use tools and rules to normalize employer names, affiliations, and contact details.
• Dashboards of zeroes are powerful: Highlight missing or incorrect data (e.g., missing GAUs, stale interactions) to drive cleanup.
• Deduplication requires ownership: Whether using Apsona, DemandTools, or Cloudingo, someone must actively manage duplicates.
• Make updates easier for users: Screen flows and inline editing reduce friction and improve data accuracy.

Key Takeaways

• Start with clear use cases: Many orgs want to use AI but struggle to define where it adds value.
• Donor insights are evolving: Tools like Donor Atlas and WealthEngine are incorporating AI to support prospecting.
• Funders are using AI too: Grantmakers may use AI in evaluation, shifting how nonprofits position themselves.
• Measure impact intentionally: There's still a lack of clear benchmarks for AI success in fundraising.
• Stay mindful of ethics: Data privacy, bias, and transparency remain critical considerations.

Key Takeaways

• SMS drives engagement: Especially effective for recurring giving and small donor programs.
• Tool selection varies widely: Platforms like Campaign Monitor, Pardot, Twilio, and Click & Pledge all serve different needs.
• Meet donors where they are: Multi-channel communication strategies are becoming the norm.
• Consistency matters: Align messaging across platforms to avoid fragmented donor experiences.

Key Takeaways

• Show value through dashboards: Demonstrating empty dashboards can motivate teams to input data.
• Leverage AI for documentation: Tools like Scribe, Loom, and ChatGPT can quickly turn processes into usable guides.
• Integrate Slack with Salesforce: Enables real-time collaboration and even field updates directly from Slack.
• Adoption requires leadership: Strong expectations and change management are essential for success.
• Wealth screening tools add insight: Platforms like WealthEngine support more strategic donor targeting.

Key Takeaways

• No one-size-fits-all solution: Organizations often use multiple tools for donations, events, and advocacy, though some platforms like Soapbox Engage can support all of these engagement types in a more unified way.
• Donation platforms vary widely: Soapbox Engage, Fundraise Up, Classy, GiveLively, and GiveButter each have different strengths and tradeoffs.
• ETL tools are essential: Tools like Apsona, DataLoader, and Salesforce Inspector support data imports, exports, and cleanup.
• Mail merge and doc tools save time: Solutions like Conga, PDF Butler, and DriveConnect streamline communications.
• Evaluate cost vs. value: Many tools have become more expensive, making prioritization more important than ever.

Key Takeaways

• Every org defines pledges differently: Processes vary widely, from single opportunities with payments to multiple opportunity structures.
• DAFs add complexity: Hard vs. soft crediting and third-party payments create ongoing reporting challenges.
• Automations need caution: While helpful, they can create issues if not aligned with real-world processes.
• Online giving requires review: Some orgs use approval steps to prevent duplicate or misclassified pledge payments.
• Finance alignment is critical: Strong coordination between development and finance teams ensures accurate tracking and reporting.

Closing Thoughts

NPSP Fundraising Day New York 2026 was a powerful reminder that effective fundraising is deeply connected to the systems and processes behind the scenes. From data hygiene to automations to donor engagement strategies, the conversations throughout the day reflected a shared commitment to building smarter, more sustainable fundraising operations.

Thank you to everyone who joined, contributed, and shared their expertise, and to Building Skills NY for hosting us and helping make the day possible!