Explanation
https://powerofus.force.com/s/article/NPSP-Configure-Gift-Entry

To track grant lifecycles using the Nonprofit Success Pack (NPSP), you can utilize a combination of Opportunities, Payments, Deliverables, and Activities. Here's how you can set this up:
Opportunities for Grants:
Create an Opportunity record for each grant.
Use custom fields or record types to distinguish grants from other types of Opportunities.
Payments:
Use the Payments object to track actual disbursements for each grant.
Associate Payments with the corresponding Opportunity.
Deliverables for Applications and Deadlines:
Create Deliverables (a custom object or use Tasks/Activities) to track grant applications and reporting deadlines.
Link Deliverables to the Opportunity record.
Activities for Action Assignments:
Use Tasks or Events to assign actions to staff members.
These activities can be associated with the Opportunity to keep everything organized.
By using these elements, you can have a comprehensive view of each grant's lifecycle, from application to final reporting, including all associated payments and staff actions.
Reference:
"Grant Management in Salesforce" from Salesforce Help: Grant Management
"Using NPSP for Grant Management" from Salesforce.org: Grant Management with NPSP

To test new Nonprofit Cloud features coming out in the upcoming Salesforce release, follow these steps:
Identify the Sandbox Preview Period:
Salesforce announces preview periods before major releases. Check the Salesforce release calendar for the dates.
Refresh a Preview Instance Sandbox:
During the sandbox preview period, refresh one of your sandboxes. Ensure that you refresh an existing sandbox that is on a preview instance, or create a new sandbox if needed.
Verify the Sandbox Instance:
Make sure your sandbox is on a preview instance. Salesforce typically migrates sandboxes to preview instances for testing new features.
Test New Features:
Once the sandbox is refreshed, you can start testing the new Nonprofit Cloud features that will be included in the upcoming release.
Use the Release Notes and documentation provided by Salesforce to guide your testing.
This process allows you to evaluate new features before they are available in your production environment, ensuring a smooth transition and allowing time to address any potential issues.
Reference:
Salesforce Sandbox Preview Guide: Sandbox Preview Instructions.

Explanation
https://trailhead.salesforce.com/content/learn/modules/project-risk-management-for-partners/identify-assess-addr

Explanation
https://www.salesforce.com/products/marketing-cloud/faq/