Blackbaud

Blackbaud, Inc. (Nasdaq: BLKB), the leading global provider of nonprofit software and services, announced that its support site is a recipient of the prestigious "Ten Best Web Support Sites" award, its second consecutive honor. The Association of Support Professionals (ASP) organized the 13th annual "Ten Best Web Support Sites" competition in which 10 websites are honored for excellence in online service and support.

Recently, nonprofit software company Blackbaud released its top 10 predicted nonprofit trends. This list of emerging trends was compiled "based on the combined input from Blackbaud management, nonprofit customers, partners and industry leaders who work directly with nonprofits," said Melanie Mathos, public relations manager for Blackbaud.

Historic philanthropy patterns of America’s affluent donors are giving way to a more complex and disparate population that represents our country’s patchwork communities. The systematic and predictable giving methods by the rich no longer dominate our donor bases. Diverse communities are emerging with new giving patterns and objectives.

Charleston, S.C. (May 18, 2010) – Blackbaud, Inc. (Nasdaq: BLKB) today announced the launch of Altru™ for general admissions arts and cultural organizations. Organizations including the Gibbes Museum of Art, South Florida Museum and Bishop Planetarium, and Tallahassee Museum have recently selected and will use Altru to gain a complete view of their organization, data, and visitors; streamline operations; and better engage and cultivate visitors and supporters.

The popularity of social media websites like Facebook, Twitter and YouTube has given rise to promising new ways for event participants to raise money online for nonprofits. While some industry observers doubt the fundraising potential of these platforms, participants in special events continue to be an exception and have shown strong success by tapping in to the power of social networking.

Our everyday lives are full of numbers and metrics. The hours and minutes on the alarm clock. The temperature of the water that hits our face. The expiration date on the milk. The distance to our offices. The posted speed limit on the road. The number of e-mails waiting in the inbox. We live in a sea of things that can be counted and metrics that can be measured.

Charleston, S.C. (May 4, 2010) – Blackbaud, Inc (Nasdaq: BLKB), the leading global provider of nonprofit software and services, today announced the launch of a new Nonprofit Leadership Circle, a group of employees who serve on nonprofit boards of directors, and several other employee-related philanthropic initiatives. Blackbaud is dedicated to its mission of making the world a better place both as a corporate citizen and as a catalyst for individual employees through a dedicated focus on philanthropy.

What if we could extend this knowledge sharing beyond our own borders? What if we could learn how fundraisers in Bolivia deal with the lack of postal or banking systems? How did a Dutch organization generate more than 500,000 monthly donors? How are Italian organizations using digital media to drive results? How could we, wherever we are located, learn from our fundraising cousins on the other side of the planet?

The response from donors following January's earthquake in Haiti came in fast and furious — to the tune of tens of millions of dollars flooding in through every channel imaginable. From online donations to mobile text-to-give to traditional mail, the response was overwhelming. But questions also arose about today's giving environment, especially in a crisis. How do you keep new donors engaged? Is this the sign of a mobile revolution? How can you mobilize funds quickly and efficiently? How do you prepare for emergencies?

Check out any nonprofit Web site these days, and in addition to an About Us page, you're likely to see icons for Facebook, Twitter and MySpace. These social-media widgets have fast become wallpaper on almost all charitable sites. But does social media really work for fundraising?