Joshua Moore, Author at Heller Consulting https://teamheller.com Nonprofit CRM planning and technology strategy Tue, 09 Dec 2025 16:39:47 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.4 https://es7hq8rr83h.exactdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/cropped-Heller-icon.png?strip=all&resize=32%2C32 Joshua Moore, Author at Heller Consulting https://teamheller.com 32 32 Higher ed advancement teams weigh their options in Millennium sunset https://teamheller.com/resources/blog/millennium-crm-end-of-support Tue, 02 Dec 2025 21:44:49 +0000 https://teamheller.com/?p=21004 If your advancement office relies on Millennium donor software, the news that support will end in December 2026 is more than a technical milestone—it’s a strategic turning point. The complexity of CRM transitions means that now is the time to start planning. Many institutions using Millennium are already feeling the strain of aging infrastructure: limited reporting capabilities, siloed data, […]

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If your advancement office relies on Millennium donor software, the news that support will end in December 2026 is more than a technical milestone—it’s a strategic turning point. The complexity of CRM transitions means that now is the time to start planning.

Many institutions using Millennium are already feeling the strain of aging infrastructure: limited reporting capabilities, siloed data, and difficulty integrating with modern tools. These challenges will only grow as the sunset looms and making a good decision about your donor software is critical.

Why you should start planning now

CRM transitions are not quick fixes. They require thoughtful planning, stakeholder alignment, and phased implementation. Starting early allows your institution to:

  • Assess current systems and workflows without urgency
  • Engage cross-functional teams to define future needs
  • Budget and phase the transition over multiple fiscal years
  • Avoid disruption to fundraising, alumni engagement, and donor stewardship

🧭 What to consider when choosing a new CRM

Education institutions have unique advancement needs. When evaluating new platforms, consider:

  • Complex data relationships: Can the system handle householding, affiliations, and external IDs?
  • Gift processing: Does it support hard/soft credits, batching, and receipts?
  • Reporting and dashboards: Are they customizable for different teams?
  • Integration: Can it connect with student systems, advancement services, alumni relations, IT, finance, and marketing tools?
  • User experience: Is it intuitive and accessible for staff across departments?

💡 CRM options for advancement teams

Several platforms offer robust solutions for higher education. Here’s a look at what’s available:

  • Salesforce provides a scalable, customizable platform with a rich ecosystem of integrations. Salesforce Nonprofit Cloud AKA Agentforce Nonprofit has core fundraising and relationship management features, plus access to the entire Salesforce ecosystem so you can pick and choose functionality for program management, marketing, analytics, and more.
  • Kindsight Ascend is a Salesforce managed package built specifically for higher ed fundraising. It adds tailored features like donor research, gift processing automation, and alumni engagement tools. This combination is increasingly favored by institutions seeking flexibility and depth.
  • Blackbaud Raiser’s Edge NXT: Familiar to many advancement teams, though less flexible for institutions seeking deeper integration and customization.
A graduate wearing a cap with a pink tassel and a gown with a pink stole sits among other graduates at a ceremony, facing forward.

Mapping a path forward: CRM strategy for a higher education leader

Challenge

A nationally recognized hospitality education institution had relied on Millennium donor software for decades. With support ending and the hazards of manual workarounds piling up, the advancement team needed to evaluate modern CRM options that could meet their evolving needs. Reporting limitations, data silos, and integration challenges were already impacting operations, prompting leadership to seek a strategic path forward—not just a technical fix.

Approach

Heller Consulting partnered with the institution to assess its CRM needs. Through stakeholder interviews, workshops, and gap analysis, the team surfaced key priorities: improved donor research, better householding and affiliation tracking, and more flexible reporting.

The engagement included:

  • Mapping Millennium’s limitations against modern platforms
  • Evaluating options like Microsoft Dynamics, Salesforce Nonprofit Cloud (NPC), and Kindsight Ascend
  • Facilitating cross-departmental alignment and change management planning

Results

The institution emerged with a shortlist of CRM platforms tailored to their advancement goals and our expert recommendation. Staff gained clarity and confidence, and initial resistance gave way to optimism. With Heller’s guidance, the organization is now positioned to move forward with a CRM strategy that supports both mission and growth.

✅ Next steps for your institution

  1. Conduct a CRM assessment: Document current workflows, pain points, and goals.
  2. Engage stakeholders: Include advancement, IT, finance, and alumni relations.
  3. Build a roadmap: Define phases, timelines, and budget for migration.
  4. Explore platforms: Demo Salesforce + ascend and university-specific options to compare fit.
  5. Choose a partner: Work with a consulting firm that understands higher ed and CRM strategy.

🤝 How Heller Consulting can help

Heller Consulting has guided multiple education institutions through CRM transitions—from discovery and planning to implementation and support. We understand the nuances of advancement operations and offer:

  • Strategic planning and roadmap development
  • Data migration and system configuration
  • Staff training and change management
  • Ongoing support and optimization

The end of Millennium support is a challenge—but also an opportunity. Let’s build your next-generation advancement platform together. Get in touch.

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