Salesforce for Associations: Everything You Need to Know

In 2025, 26% of associations reported decreases in membership counts, with a 5% year-over-year decline in membership across associations. In the same one-year period, the percentage of associations reporting increases in membership fell from 47% to 45%. 

To combat these trends, associations need versatile software solutions to oversee membership management, marketing, event hosting, and data reporting. However, traditional association management systems (AMS) often come with rigid, hard-to-customize tools that lead to inefficiencies and suboptimal experiences.

Salesforce stands out by providing a platform that supports growth, adaptability, and deeper member engagement. From launching targeted marketing campaigns to hosting member communities and streamlining payments or donations, Salesforce brings everything together under one login.

In this article, we’ll answer common questions about using Salesforce as an AMS and share how Fíonta can help your organization thrive with Salesforce.

Salesforce for Associations FAQs

What is an association management system (AMS)?

An association management system (AMS) helps associations streamline membership operations with capabilities like member portals, event management features, and engagement tools. Additionally, many AMSs offer automation and AI-enabled tools to streamline repetitive tasks and improve customer service.

What is Salesforce for associations?

Salesforce for associations refers to AMS solutions that are built on the Salesforce platform. This can take many forms, from Salesforce-native AMS software to customized Sales Cloud instances. Our technology consultants have both the industry knowledge and the technical expertise to help you configure the optimal solution for your association.

Is Salesforce an AMS?

Salesforce is not a standalone AMS—it is primarily a customer relationship management (CRM) platform with tools for managing relationships, tracking interactions, and analyzing data. It can serve as the foundation for AMS solutions built by providers like Nimble AMS and Fonteva, or be configured to provide AMS functionality, offering:

• Membership management tools: Manage sign-ups, renewals, and engagement.
• Event hosting and marketing capabilities: Centralize communications and registration processes.
• Data tracking and reporting: Gain insights to better serve members and convey membership value.

Associations with particularly unique needs can customize Salesforce Nonprofit Cloud to include AMS capabilities. Fíonta specializes in configuring Salesforce to provide associations with key features tailored for membership organizations, including:

• Membership portals: Empower members to join, renew, register for events, and more.
• Staff CRM: Track member relationships and improve internal workflows.
• Financial management tools: Manage invoices and revenue streams efficiently.

If packaged solutions don’t meet your needs, configuring Nonprofit Cloud with expert help is often the best route. This tailored approach ensures you get a system aligned with your organization’s specific goals and workflows.

Can I build an integrated association management ecosystem with Salesforce?

Yes, Salesforce is designed to connect with other tools and serve as the central hub of your ecosystem. This ensures that association data is comprehensive, up-to-date, and free of human errors that can occur with manual data transfers. The three main ways to connect your tech stack with Salesforce include: 

• Native AMS solutions: These solutions are built directly on the Salesforce core architecture, meaning they inherently use the same data model and require no integration work to communicate with other Salesforce clouds.
• Salesforce APIs: Salesforce APIs allow developers to integrate your CRM with other third-party applications. This method is best for facilitating direct communication between systems (e.g., connecting QuickBooks with Salesforce).
• Middleware: Middleware tools also connect Salesforce with third-party applications, but they are typically used for more complex cases, such as connecting multiple systems and/or large amounts of data.

5 Benefits of Salesforce for Associations

Salesforce stands out in the crowded AMS market for its flexibility, scalability, and comprehensive feature set. Here’s why associations are increasingly turning to Salesforce:

1. Centralized Data Management

Salesforce is a single source of truth for all member and organizational data. Integrations with third-party tools, available via the Salesforce AppExchange, ensure a seamless flow of information across platforms.

2. Enhanced Member Engagement

With Salesforce Experience Cloud, associations can create custom online communities for members to network, share insights, and stay engaged. These spaces integrate seamlessly with the rest of your Salesforce system, ensuring that every interaction contributes to a comprehensive member profile.

Additionally, associations can offer personalized member experiences by leveraging AI. AI adoption in the association industry is increasing, with 18% of associations already using AI and another 13% in the implementation process. Salesforce offers Agentforce, a tool that allows users to create AI agents to manage various tasks, such as: 

• Automating responses to common member questions and requests
• Guiding members through complex processes, such as onboarding or upgrading their membership
• Simplifying event coordination by facilitating registration, answering questions, generating personalized itineraries, and more
• Tracking members’ continuing education progress and providing tailored recommendations

Agentforce helps associations save time, provide consistent member experiences, and ensure that member requests can be addressed in a timely manner.

3. Top-Tier System Security

Salesforce’s enterprise-grade security features—like multi-factor authentication, encryption, and access controls—safeguard sensitive member data.

4. Unparalleled Customization

Salesforce can be tailored to meet your association’s needs, from automating member onboarding to generating detailed engagement reports.

5. Scalability for Growth

As your association evolves, Salesforce scales with you. Its adaptability ensures your system can accommodate everything from new revenue streams to expanded member services.

Harness the Power of Salesforce for Associations with Fíonta

Whether you choose an AMS built on Salesforce or configure Salesforce Sales Cloud for association use, Fíonta’s team is here to guide you. While each association has its own unique needs its AMS must address, you can start by considering the size of your organization:

For Smaller Associations: Sales Cloud

Sales Cloud provides a suite of tools that maximize association efficiency, reveal valuable insights and opportunities throughout the member lifecycle, and automate repetitive processes (e.g., renewal reminder emails, event registration confirmation, etc.). These tools help busy, smaller organizations manage members and renewals, streamlining time-consuming administrative tasks. Fíonta can assist in configuring Sales Cloud to meet your specific needs, ensuring a smooth transition and effective use of the platform.

For Larger Associations: Custom Salesforce for Associations Solutions

Fíonta specializes in implementing tailored Salesforce solutions for associations with more complex needs, leveraging deep product expertise to deliver seamless systems tailored to your requirements. Our team of experts will collaborate with your organization to develop a system that can handle membership management, community engagement, event registration, payment processing, and continuing education. From there, your team can rely on real-time, unified data to access membership insights needed to enhance engagement, retention, and more.

Our approach goes beyond implementation. With Fíonta’s Salesforce managed services, your system stays updated, optimized, and ready to support your goals over the long term.

Additionally, our team can also assist with implementing Nimble AMS and Fonteva.

Ready to Transform Your Association with Salesforce?

Salesforce provides a powerful, tailored solution for your association, adding much-needed scalability to your AMS. Choosing a Salesforce partner to assist with implementation takes the burden of data migration, integrations, and data architecture off your plate. With managed services for associations, your partner will continue to offer long-term support, allowing your association to focus on its programs and membership base, not your CRM.

Browse these additional resources to learn more about using Salesforce to power your association:

• Strategies for Using AI for Associations Responsibly. Learn how the top AI tools work, explore practical applications for generative AI, and familiarize yourself with the key considerations for using AI responsibly.
• Lead Change with Digital Accessibility for Associations. Discover strategies for making your association’s digital experiences accessible to all. 
• Reducing Member Churn Using Predictive Analytics. Learn how to leverage predictive analytics to identify members at risk early and proactively prevent churn. 

Contact us today to learn more about how Fíonta can help your association scale up with Salesforce for association management.