Lyndal Cairns, Author at Heller Consulting

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Data & AI

How identity resolution works for nonprofit data matching

Identity resolution is foundational to effective direct. When an organization confidently determine which records belong to the same donor or household, the integrity of every segment, suppression list, and campaign audience is compromised. That risk grows as donor data is spread across CRMs, online giving platforms, email tools, event systems, spreadsheets, and third‑party lists—each capturing

Lyndal Cairns April 26, 2026

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Data & AI

Toys for Tots Donor Data Hub Case Study

Toys for Tots Donor Data Hub client Toys for Tots is a national nonprofit organization best known for its annual toy drive, which distributes toys to children and families in need during the holiday season. The program is supported by a large network of local chapters and volunteers operating across communities nationwide. To sustain this

Lyndal Cairns April 21, 2026

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Salesforce

Sustainable Cities Fund Agentforce Nonprofit Implementation

Learn how Sustainable Cities Fund modernized complex grantmaking with Agentforce for Nonprofits, delivering self‑service applications, clearer reporting, and scalable program management.

Lyndal Cairns April 6, 2026

Data & AI

Data & AI Strategy for Nonprofits

Build a data‑ready culture for 2026 in your nonprofit. Learn how strong data governance enables responsible AI, better decisions, and greater nonprofit impact.

Lyndal Cairns April 2, 2026

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CRM

Product vs platform: How we think about CRMs

The terms product and platform are often used interchangeably in technology conversations, but they describe meaningfully different approaches to how systems are designed, adopted, and operated. Understanding the distinction provides a useful framework for evaluating software options—especially when an organization is deciding whether to add a tool, replace a system, or rethink its overall architecture.

Lyndal Cairns March 27, 2026

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CRM

CRM selection best practices for nonprofits

Choosing a CRM is rarely just a technology decision. It’s a moment where strategy, mission, data, and people all collide—and where the consequences can linger for years. When we support organizations through CRM selection, our role is not to push a platform or chase features. It’s to help leaders slow down, ask better questions, and

Lyndal Cairns March 24, 2026

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Salesforce

New Salesforce update pushes automation, ops efficiency

Salesforce’s Spring 2026 release continues a clear shift toward automation, self-service, and operational consistency across fundraising, programs, grantmaking, and volunteer management. For nonprofit technology leaders, the updates focus less on net-new concepts and more on removing friction from everyday work. Agentforce Nonprofit: a naming change with operational implications Nonprofit Cloud (NPC) is now Agentforce Nonprofit.

Lyndal Cairns March 23, 2026

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Data & AI

ASHRAE AI Roadmap

Unlocking smarter service with AI ASHRAE AI Roadmap The American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) is a global professional association committed to advancing the arts and sciences of heating, ventilation, air conditioning, refrigeration, and related systems. ASHRAE develops widely recognized technical standards and guidelines and provides education and certification programs for engineers

Lyndal Cairns March 6, 2026

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Salesforce

Moves management in Salesforce

Moves management is a core fundraising discipline, but its success depends on whether the underlying systems can support it. For technology leaders, the challenge is not understanding the fundraising theory—it’s implementing a CRM that can represent donor journeys, support day‑to‑day work, and scale without becoming brittle. Salesforce approaches moves management as a lifecycle problem rather

Lyndal Cairns February 25, 2026

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Technology Strategy

Streamlined CRM selection for nonprofits

An on-demand video about how to streamline the nonprofit CRM selection process.

Lyndal Cairns February 2, 2026

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Team Heller

Top nonprofit tech conferences in Q1 2026

This year is off to a flying start for social sector technology leaders. The first quarter is packed with can’t-miss conferences where innovation meets mission for nonprofit, education, and healthcare IT leaders. These events aren’t just dates on a calendar—they’re where strategy meets innovation and where mission-driven organizations come together to share ideas that matter.

Lyndal Cairns January 12, 2026

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Salesforce

Mastering Salesforce for nonprofits: Tools and tactics

Nonprofits strive to devote as much of their budget and staff time to their missions as possible. As a result, investing in a new software system can feel, at best, overwhelming, and, at worst, wasteful. However, the right software system can make your data work for you, not against you. And one of the most

Lyndal Cairns January 10, 2026