Boards Don’t Need to Understand Salesforce.

They need to understand what’s at risk. Most boards aren’t thinking about CRM fields or automation rules. Their role is to ensure the organization grows sustainably, stewards resources wisely, and meets its goals.

The disconnect happens when conversations start to veer towards too technical. When leadership hears “Salesforce project,” they hear cost, complexity, and operational details that feel distant from growth.

But systems gaps directly limit growth:

• Missed follow-ups mean missed gifts.
• Disorganized data means lost opportunities.
• Overburdened staff means stalled fundraising.

The challenge isn’t that your board doesn’t care. It’s that we’re often speaking the wrong language.

Instead of: “We need Salesforce help.”

Rephrase to: “Here’s the growth we can’t unlock until we fix our systems.”

Instead of: “Our database isn’t working.”

Rephrase to: “We’re missing opportunities to strengthen relationships, grow revenue, and fully support our staff.”

The ask doesn’t need to change. The framing does.

A Recent Example — and Why It Worked

A development team recently came to us feeling stuck.

The symptoms were clear:

• Donor data was scattered across multiple spreadsheets
• Important gifting was happening reactively
• Staff was spending way too many hours manually tracking follow-ups

They knew they needed “better systems” — but weren’t sure how to make that concrete for their board.

We helped them build a simple, board-ready story focused on growth potential, not system fixes:

• Donor growth: With stronger tracking, they could proactively cultivate 40 more major donor relationships this year.
• Revenue recovery: Automated stewardship could re-engage 15% of lapsed donors who were previously falling through the cracks.
• Staff capacity: Admin hours saved could be redirected to meaningful donor work—at no additional headcount.

This shifted the conversation from "we need new software" to "here's how we grow revenue, increase retention, and free staff to raise more funds."

When the board saw the full picture, they were able to confidently move forward with the investment.

A Simple Three Question Framework To Use

When preparing for your own board conversation, try structuring your case around these three questions:

1. What growth opportunities are blocked today because of system limitations?

(Where are we leaving money, relationships, or capacity on the table?)

2. What becomes possible if we fix it?

(Quantify: number of donors, revenue unlocked, staff time recovered, reporting improved.)

3. How does this directly support goals the board already cares about?

(Tie the investment to existing growth plans.)

At OpenTent, our goal has always been to partner with nonprofit teams to take what feels like operational strain and turn it into a clear, actionable plan boards can confidently support. Because technology only creates value when people feel equipped and supported to use it.

When boards can clearly see how stronger systems protect donor relationships, free up staff capacity, and bring stability to the work already happening, they’re far more ready to invest in what matters most.

If you’re preparing for one of these conversations, we'd love to help you build a compelling case that connects systems improvements to the growth outcomes your board cares about most. ‍Get in touch with us here!