Agents of Nonprofit

Wingate Group is a Salesforce consulting boutique serving clients throughout Canada and the USA. In this episode, Andrew Maruzzella, Director of Professional Services at Wingate Group, joins me to discuss the ins and outs of Salesforce consulting for nonprofits. Topics we cover include:What Salesforce used to look like in the past and how far it’s come sinceThe differences between a consulting boutique and a solopreneur consultantSome of the many hats that a Salesforce consultant wearsWhy we continue to do what we doThe specific values we each look for in team members — and why talent or skill isn’t necessarily the most important qualificationTo connect with Andrew:Wingate GroupLinkedInIf you enjoyed this podcast, please consider leaving a review on Apple Podcasts, or your preferred podcast player. Thank you kindly!Support the show

Oxfam Canada, a member of the International Oxfam Confederation, works to end global poverty through fighting for womens’ rights. In this episode, Saleh Nur, IS and Analytics Specialist at Oxfam Canada, joins me to discuss the challenges and processes of working within such a multinational company in the nonprofit space, and how Oxfam Canada uses Salesforce as their central hub. Topics we cover include:How Oxfam handles communication among its international locations and functionsHow Oxfam Canada is tackling challenges such as data security, scalability, and data archiving Oxfam’s Unwrapped program and how it worksBenefits and challenges of using Salesforce, and how to decide if it’s the right platform for your companyLessons learned during the pandemicHow to get involved with the work Oxfam Canada is doingTo connect with Saleh:Oxfam CanadaOxfam UnwrappedLinkedInIf you enjoyed this podcast, please consider leaving a review on Apple Podcasts, or your preferred podcast player. Thank you kindly!Support the show

LemonSkies helps nonprofit organizations create campaigns, plan strategically, and improve their messaging, and more. In this episode, Olga Woltman, Founder and Principal of LemonSkies, joins me to discuss how empathy drives every aspect of her work.Topics we cover include:Olga’s journey to working with nonprofits and founding LemonSkiesHow to handle change management with empathyHow to determine what technology and your organization needsOlga’s favorite philosophy for selecting a CRMChoosing the right marketing strategies for your nonprofitTips for fundraising and getting donors more involvedHow COVID has impacted fundraisingTo connect with Olga: LemonSkiesLinkedInIf you enjoyed this podcast, please consider leaving a review on Apple Podcasts, or your preferred podcast player. Thank you kindly!Support the show

Vera Solutions works with social sector organizations to help them understand, track, and leverage data to amplify their impact. In this episode, Katrina Seidel, Director of Business Development at Vera Solutions, joins me to discuss their product Amp Impact and how they’ve served over 325 organizations so far. Topics we cover include:How Vera Solutions got its startThe benefits of using Amp Impact and how it compares to other products like Salesforce’s Program Management ModuleHow partnerships help Vera Solutions drive new opportunities and bring in new clientsWhat the product delivery process looks likeOther ways Vera Solutions works with organizations not using Amp ImpactThe future of Vera SolutionsTo connect with Katrina:Vera SolutionsAmp ImpactLinkedInTwitterIf you enjoyed this podcast, please consider leaving a review on Apple Podcasts, or your preferred podcast player. Thank you kindly!Support the show

Talented and experienced Salesforce nonprofit consultant Sandy Hunter joins me to discuss some of the major topics of being a consultant in the nonprofit industry. We discussed topics such as:- How he got started working with NFPs - How great it feels to be part of a larger community- How he evaluates an existing Salesforce installation in order to make recommendations- His most favorite and least favorite feature within SalesforceTo connect with Sandy:Trailhead LinkedInTwitter If you enjoyed this podcast, please consider leaving a review on Apple Podcasts, or your preferred podcast player. Thank you kindly!Support the show

Prodly provides DevOps (Development Operations) services and tools to help organizations manage their day-to-day operations at a technical level. In this episode, Abby Malvestuto, Product Marketing Specialist at Prodly, joins me to discuss the key functions of Prodly and how it makes handling data and metadata simple, even for non-technically-inclined users. Topics we cover include:What DevOps are, and how Prodly fits into that definition through the use of SalesforceKey functions of Prodly and how it developed over timeHow Prodly makes data and metadata transfers easy and user-friendlyProdly’s process for working with partners, and why they do this for freePlans for future developmentsTo connect with Abby:ProdlyLinkedInIf you enjoyed this podcast, please consider leaving a review on Apple Podcasts, or your preferred podcast player. Thank you kindly!Support the show

As a nonprofit, you probably have tons of questions about which CRM is right for you. In this episode, I tackle some of the most import points and considerations if you choose Salesforce as your CRM.Topics include:How to get started with Salesforce for nonprofitsWhen is Salesforce right for your organizationFinding an implementation partnerOut-of-the-box featuresPopular 3rd party appsOvercoming change managementBest practices for data migrationRelease management using sandboxesChoices for ongoing maintenanceLinks:Get an NPSP Trial AppExchange for Nonprofits Trailhead trainingIf you enjoyed this podcast, please consider leaving a review on Apple Podcasts, or your preferred podcast player. Thank you kindly!Support the show

Volunteer West Island is one of about 114 volunteer centers in Quebec, and works to match volunteers with opportunities to serve the community. In this episode, Lynda Barrett, Executive Director of Volunteer West Island, joins me to discuss using an online system, and specifically Salesforce, to efficiently manage volunteer data for their wide variety of services. Topics we cover include:The many different services a volunteer center like Volunteer West Island can offerThe difficulty of finding the right data management system for nonprofitsHow and why they switched from using only very basic technology just a few years ago to relying heavily on Salesforce and a few other softwares todayWhat Lynda likes most about Salesforce, and what she still finds challengingWhy Lynda says Salesforce Maps saved their meal program during the pandemicTo connect with Lynda:Volunteer West Islandhttps://wpamelia.com/If you enjoyed this podcast, please consider leaving a review on Apple Podcasts, or your preferred podcast player. Thank you kindly!Support the show

The Breakfast Club of Canada serves children across Canada, providing them with nutritious food at school. In this episode, Maxime Poulin and Sandra Villeneuve of The Breakfast Club of Canada join me to discuss making the change to Salesforce from the organization's previous CRM. Topics we cover include:The specific technologies The Breakfast Club of Canada uses to receive donations, handle money, and distribute food across the country, while ensuring all systems work together smoothlyWhy the organization switched over to using Salesforce Tips for effective change management What Maxime and Sandra like most about using Salesforce, and improvements they’d like to see in the futureTo connect with Maxime & Sandra:The Breakfast Club of CanadaMaxime LinkedInSandra LinkedInSupport the show

PICNet’s suite of apps, Soapbox Engage, serves nonprofits and organizations of all sizes, helping meet all of their unique technology needs. In this episode, Ryan Ozimek, co-founder and CEO of PICNet, joins me to discuss the functions, integrations, and future of Soapbox Engage. Topics we cover include:The origin of PICNet, and how he grew it from an idea to the business it is todayAn up-close look at each app in the Soapbox Engage suite with their integrationsChallenges involved in creating these apps and maintaining their functionality as both individual apps and a whole platformAdditional services PICNet offers nonprofit organizationsA roadmap for upcoming developmentsTo connect with Ryan:Soapbox EngageLinkedInIf you enjoyed this podcast, please consider leaving a review on Apple Podcasts, or your preferred podcast player. Thank you kindly!Support the show