This past January, I had the pleasure of getting together with CIOs, changemakers, and visionary leaders in the impact sector at the CIO for Good Summit that was hosted by Cloud for Good. That conversation focused on the evolution of AI, the transformative potential of agentic AI, data unification, and how technology can drive greater mission outcomes and continues to resonate today.
Five months in, 2025 is already shaping up to be a pivotal year for nonprofits. From technological disruption and macroeconomic shifts to evolving donor expectations, organizations need to stay agile and ready for the future. Below are five key trends our nonprofit CIO clients are prioritizing to stay ahead – and stay impactful.
1. Agentic AI Is Redefining Nonprofit Organizations
AI isn’t just a buzzword. It is becoming mission-critical. Specifically, agentic AI like Salesforce’s Agentforce platform is redefining how nonprofits operate. Think beyond just automations: these agents can act with autonomy, context, and intelligence to streamline complex processes and evaluate personalized engagement.
Take fundraising as an example. With Agentforce, nonprofits can deploy agents that match donor interests with available funds, capture interaction data for cultivation strategies, and even assist with donor inquiries, freeing staff to focus on relationship-building and advocacy. We’ve helped clients leverage Agentforce to supercharge program management within Nonprofit Cloud and enable 24/7 donor support via Conversational AI. These aren’t hypothetical use cases – they’re happening now.
2. Navigating Budget Impacts From Macroeconomic Shifts
The recent federal aid freeze in the US has had a chilling effect on nonprofits reliant on government funding as a core income stream. The new imperative? Do more with less – and do it smarter.
Investing in technology can be a lifeline. Consider how Indiana University Foundation leveraged Salesforce Commerce Cloud to create “Netflix-like” experiences for donors: fund searches, adding multiple funds to their carts, providing recommended funds based on interest, and the ability to give a gift in under 30 seconds. These features drove a 230% increase in recurring gifts and $110K growth in the priority needs fund, all within the first six months of launching the program. By turning donor engagement into a personalized, intuitive journey, they’ve unlocked new revenue streams while reducing operational burden.
Nonprofits must now think like innovative businesses – diversifying funding, increasing donor lifetime value, and scaling outreach using digital-first tools.
3. The (Surprising) Power of Direct Mail Programs
Yes, you heard that right. Direct mail is still alive – and thriving.
At a recent webinar my team co-hosted with Salesforce, we revealed some surprising stats about direct mail that speak volumes about its effectiveness: nonprofits see open rates of 34% on direct mail (with 28% higher conversion rates), the average open rate for direct mail exceeds 9%, and every $167 spent towards direct mail yields $2,095 in profit. It is also worth noting that 55% of people still look forward to checking their mailboxes, according to the USPS.
Direct mail isn’t just tradition – it’s a performance channel. When powered by Salesforce tools like Data and Marketing Clouds, nonprofits can personalize and scale their campaigns like never before. But all this hinges on one thing: clean, connected, and trustworthy data.
4. Building a Single Source of Truth for Your Data
Disparate data is potentially one of the biggest threats to nonprofits’ effectiveness. In a world where every dollar and every minute counts, working from fragmented systems means missed opportunities, poor personalization, and strategic blind spots.
Data Cloud works to harmonize and unify your data across multiple sources (both Salesforce and other technologies like a Data Warehouse, or Student Information System), allowing you to see a complete picture of your constituents’ engagements across all aspects of your organization.
5. Bringing Trust and Security to the Forefront
Data is a nonprofit’s most valuable asset, and the most vulnerable. As cyber threats evolve and data privacy regulations tighten, trust cannot be an afterthought. CRMs are not impenetrable, as we found out with the Blackbaud data breach, but we have a responsibility to protect our constituent data.
Salesforce’s built-in security features like real-time threat detection, data masking, and the Einstein Trust Layer make it a robust platform for secure, compliant operations. But as Salesforce emphasizes through its shared responsibility model, organizations must take proactive steps to secure their data internally, too.
At our CIO for Good Summit, Salesforce VP and GM of Education, Kelly Kitchen, summed it up perfectly:
“Don’t let data get in the way of doing good.”
That means investing in secure, high-integrity data systems so your strategy and impact aren’t built on shaky ground.
Summary: The Bottom Line
Nine months remain in 2025, and for nonprofits, that’s nine months to adapt, innovate, and lead. By embracing these five trends – AI, resilient fundraising, direct mail reinvention, unified data, and data trust – nonprofits can not only survive this transformative year but thrive in it. In today’s world, staying ahead isn’t about chasing trends. It’s about leveraging technology to deliver your mission better and faster than ever before.
