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Technology Strategy

Explore more insights from Team Heller.

A digital illustration of a cloud icon made of connected glowing nodes and lines, set against a blue background with a grid and light rays, symbolizing cloud computing technology like Salesforce for Nonprofits.

CRM

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 June 10, 2025

A person holds a smartphone displaying a digital map with a marked route. The screen shows detailed streets on a green background. The phone is held with both hands against a gray pavement with scattered leaves in the background.

Technology Strategy

The how and why of Technology Guiding Principles

In the ever-evolving landscape of nonprofit technology, having a clear set of guiding principles is essential to ensure you balance long-term benefits, optimize costs, and manage risks appropriately. Heller Consulting’s Technology Guiding Principles framework is designed to help tech leaders balance needs and make good tech decisions that benefit the whole organization. Our methodology Guiding

Lyndal Cairns April 2, 2025

Two people are exercising outdoors on a sunny day. They are performing lunges on a paved surface next to a chain-link fence, with trees in the background. The man wears a gray shirt, and the woman wears a black outfit.

Technology Strategy

How to make confident nonprofit tech decisions

The nonprofit sector faces unprecedented challenges. The financial stability of many organizations has been rocked by economic uncertainty, changing donor priorities, and the increasingly volatile US federal funding landscape. Coupled with increased cybersecurity risks, the rise of AI applications, and a new wave of regulatory compliance, the remit of development operations leaders has never been

Lyndal Cairns March 31, 2025

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Data & AI

Nonprofit data best practices in 2025

Here at Heller, we talk a lot about databases—fundraising and engagement platforms and CRMs. We also talk about people, processes, workflows, and workarounds. Today, I want to talk about the bedrock of your fundraising program: data itself. Data governance has always been important for nonprofits because it ensures accuracy, security, and compliance with relevant (and

Lyndal Cairns March 26, 2025

A graduate in a black cap and gown with a yellow stole stands facing a set of stairs outdoors. The background is blurred, showing greenery and part of a building. The focus is on the back of the graduate.

Fundraising

Best practices in advancement tech

Advancement teams are the backbone of financial stability and growth for educational institutions, but they face significant challenges both internally and externally. Engaging donors across an increasing number of channels in a complex fundraising landscape is no small feat. Many institutions struggle with outdated and fragmented technology systems that hinder operational efficiency and personalized appeals.

Lyndal Cairns March 15, 2025

A mechanic in a blue jumpsuit and gloves is focused on working under the hood of a car. He is holding a bright inspection light to illuminate the engine area in a garage setting.

Data & AI

How nonprofit tech leaders facilitate modern fundraising

Development teams are increasingly looking for more functionality from their CRM systems to support a variety of fundraising strategies and enhance donor engagement. Nonprofit tech leaders are charged with balancing the needs of a modern, hungry fundraising operation with the functions and constraints of their technology stack. Here are some new needs we hear from

Lyndal Cairns February 11, 2025

A collection of university students illustrates the complexity of alumni engagement.

CRM

Inside the University of Toledo Foundation’s CRM transformation

By Barbara Fischer, Associate Vice President IT and Data Analytics, The University of Toledo Foundation At The University of Toledo Foundation, we faced a common tech challenge like many in higher education advancement: an outdated database from the early 1990s. Our data was scattered across multiple systems, leading to inefficiencies and hindering our engagement with

Lyndal Cairns February 4, 2025

A rendered city map shows how gen ai can be leveraged for nonprofit work.

Fundraising

Will AI eat the nonprofit world in 2025?

Spoiler: Not completely, but our clients are taking a byte. The dazzling improvement of generative AI platforms in the past year has led to increasing comfort among technologists. 67 percent of tech leaders surveyed by Salesforce reported prioritizing AI, with a third calling it their first priority. Despite the buzz, nonprofit-specific use cases have

Lyndal Cairns January 21, 2025

A center line is seen to illustrate Heller's CRM roadmap process.

CRM

Inside Heller’s CRM Roadmap Methodology

There are a plethora of ways to move to a new CRM and over the years, we have tried them all. Decades of experience has taught us that a CRM roadmap is critical to the success of our nonprofit clients, and it’s a key part of our service methodology. What is a CRM roadmap for

Lyndal Cairns December 31, 2024

A call center illustrates the need for Salesforce Nonprofit Cloud's new AI tools.

CRM

How to Scope Your Salesforce Nonprofit Cloud Pilot

At Dreamforce last month, Salesforce revealed a suite of new products that nonprofits and higher ed organizations have been asking about for years. But ever cautious and reticent to be the first movers into a product that is still evolving, nonprofits have been slow to migrate. Our clients and friends are telling us they have

Lyndal Cairns October 22, 2024