The Future of Grantmaking

We all know our communities need vital resources right now. Grants are a critical investment in ensuring communities get what they need. We at Salesforce.org envision a future where grantmakers can create deep, long-lasting connections with the organizations that deliver those resources, and facilitate meaningful change within their communities.

In May, the Chronicle of Philanthropy stated that 73% of global nonprofits had seen a decline in contributions this year. As traditional fundraising changes, the relationship between grantmakers and grantees is even more important. With this comes the need to simplify and accelerate the grant process. Salesforce.org sees the future of grantmaking as a community-driven, collaborative, and modern experience for both giver and recipient. Today, we are excited to announce our intention to build a comprehensive new product for grants management.

The new grants management product, set for global release this fall, will drive collaboration for grantors and grantees — making it easier to apply for funding, work together toward common goals, and engage in partnerships across the greater impact-making community. This new product will improve every aspect of the grants experience, from application, to distribution, to reporting.

The grants management product will be built as a complement to Outbound Funds Module, a foundational component we offer to track and manage funds like grants and scholarships. Outbound Funds Module is a free, open source product that was recently brought into the Salesforce.org family after being developed for the community by community members. We are thrilled that the community has built this easy-to-use tool and humbled that they have shared it with us. Outbound Funds Module lowers the barrier of entry for grantmakers to access innovative technology. Salesforce.org will continue to advance Outbound Funds Module alongside the community through advisory boards, end user conversations, and more. Outbound Funds Module is available today and is a great fit for organizations with simpler grants management processes including emergency response grants to meet the pressing needs of today’s communities.

The grants management product will be a premium, paid product that will provide options for organizations to create applications with more flexible form building and multi-step processes, conduct due diligence, manage budgets, and provide community portals. By building the new grants management product as a complement to Outbound Funds Module, we are committed to creating a comprehensive suite of products that evolves with the needs of grantmakers. For our customers, you will be familiar with this model — when we launched the Program Management Module earlier this year, we paired this free and open source component with a comprehensive Nonprofit Cloud Case Management solution that is purpose-built for human service organizations.

I could not be more excited about the future of grantmaking with foundations and grantmakers of all sizes. With this announcement, we are one step closer to realizing our grantmaking vision to meet community needs as we co-innovate alongside them. As we embrace Salesforce standards of excellence and accelerate our pace of innovation, we are committed to helping communities receive the investments they need to build resilience for an ever-changing world.

Any unreleased services or features referenced in this or other posts or public statements are not currently available and may not be delivered on time or at all. Customers who purchase Salesforce applications should make their purchase decisions based upon features that are currently available. For more information please visit www.salesforce.com, or call 1-800-667-6389.