Skip to main content
CauseMic Work with us

Surfrider Foundation

Salesforce Migration for an Ocean Conservation Nonprofit

Surfrider replaced a fragmented, manual CRM with one connected system spanning 80 chapters nationwide.

The Challenge

Based in California, Surfrider Foundation uses its activist network in coastal communities across the country to “protect our special coastal places, ensure our ocean is healthy and wild, keep pollution out of the water and make sure every beach is clean and accessible for all to enjoy.”

Donors and other supporters are “members” assigned to a local chapter, where they can participate in campaigns and events. This model made accurate, connected data especially important.

The problem? Surfrider was using NGO Connect (NGOC), a now-defunct Salesforce constituent relationship management system (CRM). The system made it difficult to track a donor’s overall giving and membership status, which is key to Surfrider’s fundraising model. Staff also burned significant time updating donations processed through the glitchy NGOC system.

a woman and two men taking environmental action on the beach

Surfrider Foundation’s challenges raised four questions:

  • How can we accurately track the membership history of an individual?
  • For each of our chapters, how do we better track donations and volunteer engagement, while improving how we share data with them?
  • How can we track donations given through entities like a donor-advised fund to get a more holistic view of each donor’s giving?
  • How can we send segmented welcome series based on whether a subscriber came to us from a volunteer event, advocacy action, or a website visit?

Our Solutions

To provide Surfrider with a 360° view of their members and resolve their system glitches, we implemented a series of tools, integrations, and optimizations.

Salesforce Nonprofit Success Pack

  • Our team migrated Surfrider from the obsolete NGOC system to Salesforce.
  • To track each individual’s membership history year by year, we built a custom membership object in Salesforce.

Consolidated, Actionable Data

  • Our team created a custom process for crediting the original donor household so finance could see the giving source, such as a donor-advised fund, while development could still credit the household that made the gift.
  • With data flowing into both Salesforce and HubSpot, we built welcome series based on how each subscriber entered the system.

Chapter-Level Tools and Integrations

  • We built permission-based access to Surfrider’s HubSpot Marketing Hub so each chapter could use the same system, while only accessing their own contacts.
  • With all chapters operating in the same system, new volunteer and donor data flows automatically into both Salesforce and HubSpot, replacing the manual imports previously required from each chapter’s Mailchimp account.
  • Our team set up Fundraise Up designations to track donations to individual chapters and implemented Golden Volunteer’s tracking platform for each chapter.

The Results

Better Visibility into Members and Giving

  • Surfrider can more effectively manage online donations, view member giving history, and report on membership longevity.
  • Development has a clearer view of each household’s giving history, making portfolio management easier and more effective.

More Time for the Mission

  • The Surfrider team spends significantly less time chasing down data and more time supporting the chapter network in their day-to-day activities.

 

Less Manual Work Across Chapters

  • Each chapter has immediate access to new potential volunteers through HubSpot lists that populate automatically as new subscribers enter the system. New subscribers are engaged through automation right away, reducing the chance that they slip through the cracks.
  • Surfrider headquarters has better visibility into chapter-level volunteer activity and donations without relying on manual reporting.

CauseMic serves as a trusted guide through rapid growth, where many stakeholders are involved and things are often changing quickly.

They’re able to help us turn lofty visions into actionable steps, empowering us to not only talk the talk but walk the walk.

You might also like…

Browse all

  • Case StudyGreater Good Charities

    Disconnected CRM and Marketing Platforms Left Donor Data Fragmented

    Greater Good Charities' Raiser's Edge CRM and Zaius marketing platform couldn't share data, leaving donor journeys and campaign results unclear. CauseMic replaced both with an integrated Salesforce and HubSpot system.

    • Animal Welfare
    • CRM Implementation
    • Disaster Relief
    • Environment
    • HubSpot
    • Salesforce
    Read the case study about Disconnected CRM and Marketing Platforms Left Donor Data Fragmented
  • CRM Guide

    Guide

    The Nonprofit CRM Guide

    Is it time to break up with your CRM? We analyzed the top 22 CRMs for mission-driven organizations and chose the three best options for orgs of varying size and complexity. Our guide highlights key features so you make an informed decision.

    • CRM Implementation
    • HubSpot
    • Salesforce
    Read more about The Nonprofit CRM Guide
  • Guide to migrate from Raiser's Edge

    Guide

    Making the Move: Migrating from Raiser’s Edge

    Feeling stuck with Blackbaud? You’re not alone. Grab the guide that shows how nonprofits can get the most out of Raiser's Edge today, while planning a smoother switch tomorrow.

    • HubSpot
    • Salesforce
    Read more about Making the Move: Migrating from Raiser’s Edge
  • A kitten held by a volunteer

    Case StudyAtlanta Humane Society

    Botched CRM Migration Left Data Impossible to Trust

    A flawed migration from Raiser's Edge left 500+ undocumented rollups and no soft-credit standard, making donor data untrustworthy. CauseMic rebuilt AHS's Salesforce instance and added lasting governance so they can trust their data again.

    • Animal Welfare
    • Salesforce
    • Volunteer Management
    Read the case study about Botched CRM Migration Left Data Impossible to Trust

Connect your data and get more done.

CauseMic helps nonprofits plan, implement, and untangle digital integrations—from straightforward fixes to complex systems.

Connect with a nonprofit tech specialist