Software/Technology

Blackbaud, Inc. (Nasdaq: BLKB), announced that The Tesseract School in Eagan, MN is among the increasing number of schools that have turned to Blackbaud’s new Student Information System, a hosted solution created exclusively for small independent schools. Blackbaud for Small Schools™ combines the Blackbaud solutions only a small independent school would need, helping them to manage student information more efficiently and keep track of critical student data, while giving teachers the tools they need to help students succeed.

Social Solutions, the leading provider of nonprofit performance management software, today announced that the company has received $6.5 million in expansion funding.

Convio, Inc. today announced Level 1 compliance validation with the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS). Trustwave, the leading provider of on-demand data security and payment card industry compliance management solutions to businesses and organizations throughout the world, performed the PCI DSS compliance validation for the company.

uContribute.net allows consumers to make everyday online purchases through its Internet website and donate to their favorite charity at the same time, without spending any additional money. "It's a win-win situation," says Vice President of Client Relations Troy Wilson. "Consumers just make their regular purchases through our site, and the Charity of their choice makes a percentage of that purchase. Having affiliated with every major retailer on the Internet, and with many retailers providing exclusive discounts to consumers who shop through their site, uContribute.net has had an overwhelming response from non-profits seeking a share of the 200 Billion dollars in annual online sales."

Today saw the global launch of bettertheworld.com, the world's first, effortless fundraising platform that provides tools to empower millions of people to raise money for charity simply by surfing the web. The platform targets internet users who have no money to give to charity and charity supporters who want to do more.

The Centre for Social Innovation in connection with TechSoup Global, Microsoft Canada Co., and the Information Technology Association of Canada today launched the TechSoup Canada portal  — offering Canadian non-profits access to technology donations.

When you think of YouTube, perhaps it’s the do-it-yourself entertainment of lonelygirl15 or the mysteriously faceless Pachelbel’s “Canon” guitar whiz that comes to mind.

You probably know Facebook as a social-networking site that allows people to connect with friends, co-workers and classmates; upload photographs; share links and videos; and join community networks that mirror their interests.

But Facebook now is stepping into the fundraising field by allowing users to buy virtual gifts or icons to send to their friends to benefit charity.

Feeling kind of limited by the communications, networking and advocacy-building capabilities of the real world? Never fear … plenty of opportunities abound in the virtual one.

Second Life, for example, is a three-dimensional virtual world built and owned by users — now numbering more than 4 million worldwide — that some nonprofits have begun to use in innovative ways to expand their reach and programs.

Nonprofit organizations can create customized, multi-lingual community toolbars that supporters can download to their browsers to increase campaign awareness, encourage community participation and drive fundraising.

Toolbars — offered and hosted free of charge by marketing platform Conduit — can include features such as one-click donation buttons, RSS-driven action alerts, news tickers, weather updates, links to community chat rooms and podcasts, and e-mail alerts. Toolbar Web searches are powered by Google and, according to Rena Jadhav, chief marketing officer for Conduit, 50 percent of the revenue Conduit generates through searches goes to the nonprofit.