Soapbox Engage Blog

Happy Monday, Trailblazers!

We’re kicking off July with a great mix of community conversations, practical Salesforce guidance, and opportunities to connect. This week’s highlights include reflections on what makes Salesforce implementations stand the test of time, conversations around AI and nonprofit technology, important certification reminders, and several thoughtful discussions from the community around data models, Gift Entry, and real-world nonprofit use cases.

As always, if there’s a topic, resource, or community conversation you’d like to see featured in a future PUB Crawl, send it our way!

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Great Posts from the Salesforce Power of Us Hub

1. 15 Years of Salesforce Lessons (and What’s Stood the Test of Time)
   Terry Cole (Street Youth Ministry of Austin)

   Here's one you don't want to miss! Terry Cole graciously pulled together 15 years of Salesforce projects that have delivered lasting value—from NPSP and Experience Cloud to mobile, self-service, and AI. Here's his thoughtful reflection on what endures in an ecosystem that's constantly changing, with practical advice on documenting your work so today's projects become tomorrow's institutional knowledge. Thanks for all the wisdom you share with the community, Terry!

2. Congratulations to the Salesforce MVP Class of 2026!
   Lizzy Roberts (Salesforce.org)

   One of my favorite community traditions each year is seeing the new Salesforce MVP class announced. It's especially exciting to see so many nonprofit community members recognized for the countless hours they spend answering questions, organizing events, mentoring others, and making the ecosystem better for everyone. Congratulations to this year's MVPs, Hall of Fame inductees, and returning MVPs!

3. Blog: Lock In Your Account Data Model
   Michael Kolodner (Kolodner.com LLC)

   If you're using the NPSP Household Account model, this post from Michael Kolodner shares a practical approach to keeping your data clean without disrupting lead conversion. Michael walks through validation rules that help enforce a consistent account model, along with four straightforward steps to ensure those rules continue working smoothly as new records enter your org. Check it out!

4. Salesforce Certification Reminder: Registration Deadline Approaching
   Rachel Pechacek (Salesforce)

   If you're planning to earn one of Salesforce's retiring certifications, don't miss the upcoming deadlines. Registration closes July 24, all exams must be completed by August 31. This post includes links to the full list of impacted certifications, FAQs, and rescheduling information if you already have an exam booked.

5. Salesforce Best Practices for Nonprofit Healthcare Organizations
   Renvik Zylar (Avenue Billing Services)

   This conversation is a great opportunity for nonprofit Salesforce users working in healthcare to share what’s working in the real world. Specifically, this Trailblazer is wondering how organizations are using Salesforce to support areas like donor management, volunteer coordination, patient outreach, reporting, and day-to-day collaboration. Share your lessons learned and best practices!

Great Events

1. AI for Impact Webinar Series - August 2026
   Lizzy Roberts (Salesforce.org)

   If your organization is exploring AI, or just trying to separate the hype from what's actually useful, this new four-part webinar series is worth checking out. Inspired by discussions at the AI for Impact Summit, the sessions cover practical topics like data readiness, AI governance, moving beyond pilots, and measuring real mission impact.

2. Virtual Community Sprint – August 11–12
   Lizzy Roberts (Salesforce.org)

   Registration is officially open for the next Virtual Community Sprint! If you've ever wanted to join a Sprint but couldn't travel, this is your moment.

   For two days, volunteers from across the nonprofit, education, and impact sectors will come together to tackle shared challenges and build real, open-source solutions on Salesforce. Details at this post!

3. NPSP Day New York - September 3
   Kaden Chmara (Soapbox Engage)

   We're thrilled to be taking NPSP Day back to New York after a successful NPSP Fundraising Day NY back in March! Though September's event won't be fundraising topic-specfic, it'll bring all the same community exploration and goodness we experienced in the spring!

   This event is designed for all nonprofit Salesforce users. Whether you’re deep in NPSP, exploring Nonprofit Cloud (NPC)/Agentforce for Nonprofit, or just starting to think about what’s next, you’re in the right place!

Great Ideas for Nonprofits Using Salesforce

1. Don’t Require Elevated Permissions for Nonprofit Cloud Gift Entry Users
   David Cheng (Idealist Consulting)

   This Idea Exchange post highlights a missing piece in Nonprofit Cloud Gift Entry: the ability to capture and apply status values during batch gift processing. For fundraising teams managing different payment methods and gift workflows, having more flexibility around transaction and commitment statuses could make gift entry more accurate and reduce manual follow-up work. Remember to vote!