September 2009 - Posts
From the September/October 2009 edition of Advancing Philanthropy:
Independent Fundraising EventsBy Mark Davis, Blackbaud's director of technical solutions
Each year, people fundraise on behalf of their favorite nonprofits in any number of events, such as runs, walks, bicycle rides, auctions, car washes and hundreds of other creative ways. Almost everyone is familiar with such large, nationally organized fundraising events as the Heart Walk, the Memory Walk and the Race for the Cure. However, what about the numerous independent fundraising events (IFEs) that can be as small as a simple bake sale or a single runner training for a marathon? While not as prominent as the better-known fundraising campaigns, these events have a distinct advantage in that they essentially cost practically nothing for the beneficiary organization because the expenses are covered by the independent event organizer.
Read the article. (.pdf)
This week's Baudcast focused on international philanthropy and featured some great panelists, including Marc Pitman, Amy Sample Ward, Danielle Brigida, Robert McAllen, Steve MacLaughlin, host Chad Norman, and me. (Subscribe to the Baudcast RSS feed and you'll be the first to know when it's live!)
For this episode's news segment, I focused on Blackbaud news from around the globe:
We'll start in England...
Blackbaud Europe's Relationship Management Conference will be held on October 12th and 13th in London. In addition to a wide variety of sessions focused on nonprofit technology and best practices, this year's conference will feature keynote speaker Paul Williamson, the head of ticketing for the 2012 Olympic Games. Drawing on his extensive experience in ticketing and customer relations, Paul will discuss the marketing challenges and opportunities the games bring. (He ultimately has the job of filling 35 stadiums to capacity for 750+ sport sessions.) There is still time to register! For more information, visit http://www.blackbaud.co.uk/.
On to the Netherlands...
Blackbaud Europe recently completed its annual State of the Not-For-Profit Industry Survey, which takes a look at trends in the UK, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Spain and Italy. The research and initial results will be presented at the International Fundraising Congress in the Netherlands on October 21st.
Blackbaud's RLC division in The Netherlands announced that they will partner with Friends of the Earth Netherlands/Milieudefensie, a leading environmental organization with more than 90,000 members that recently selected Charibase, RLC's CRM offering.
Down to Australia....
Blackbaud Pacific recently partnered with FINZ, the Fundraising Institute of New Zealand. The new partnership allows FINZ to provide more educational opportunities to its 400 members and the wider community supporting FINZ's goal of increasing professional standards within the industry.
All the way to Canada...
The Kidney Foundation of Canada recently launched its new site on Blackbaud NetCommunity - you can check that out at http://www.kidney.ca/.
Back in the USA...
Blackbaud was named to Software Magazine's 27th Annual Software 500. The company ranked 133 in the list of the world's largest software companies and has been included in the annual ranking for more than a decade. And last, but not least - registration is open for the Blackbaud Conference for Nonprofits, which will be held in Charleston, South Carolina on November 15 - 18. You can check out sessions and register at http://www.blackbaud.com/events/bb_conf/charleston/nonprofitconf.aspx.
Charleston, S.C. (September 21, 2009) – Blackbaud, Inc. (Nasdaq: BLKB), the leading global provider of software and services designed specifically for nonprofit organizations, today announced its inclusion on the Software Magazine’s Software 500 ranking of the world’s largest software and service providers, now in its 27th year.
Blackbaud was ranked 133, with 2008 software and services revenue of $293.8 million and corporate revenue of $302.5 million and has been included in the annual ranking for more than a decade.
Read the press release.
From the September 4 edition of Philanthropy Journal
By Mark Banning, director of educational services at Blackbaud
Does your organization view training as an optional expense or an investment? Often seen as a burdensome cost, training programs that deliver measureable results are a worthy investment for a number of reasons.
We all know our team members are what make us great. But did you know that employees at organizations with inadequate training programs plan to leave for another opportunity within 12 months, as opposed to those at organizations that provide excellent training and comprehensive professional development programs? A company that invests in its employees is not only spending wisely on those individuals, but also investing in the future of its mission. Even in economically challenging times, we all need to find ways to keep watering our "oak trees."
Read the full article.
Charleston, S.C. (Sept. 14, 2009) – Blackbaud, Inc. (Nasdaq: BLKB) the leading global provider of nonprofit software and services, participated in the Trident United Way 2009 Day of Caring on Sept. 11. More than 150 Blackbaud employees volunteered to work on projects that benefited the Charleston community at 13 different nonprofits as part of the National Day of Service and Remembrance.
This year, 350 projects were planned by 150 local charities and schools. Blackbaud participated in activities such as building structures and planting vegetables at 13 different local nonprofits: St. John’s High, Rein and Shine, Keep North Charleston Beautiful,Fort Dorchester Elementary, Murray-Lasaine Elementary, Springfield Elementary, People Against Rape, Fields to Families, Alice Birney Middle School, Sea Island Habitat, Septima Clark Academy (through Communities in Schools), Alston Middle School, and HALOS.
For photos of the event, visit the official Blackbaud Flickr page, for video of the volunteer projects visit the official Blackbaud YouTube Channel and visit ABCNews4-Charleston to watch the story aired on 9/11.
Read the full story...
Charleston, S.C. (Sept. 11, 2009) – Blackbaud, Inc. (Nasdaq: BLKB), announced the availability of The Financial Edge™ for Small Offices. Designed to offer value to smaller organizations in achieving the highest level of fiscal transparency and accountability, The Financial Edge for Small Offices includes flexible pricing and options for deployment that scale from one to three users, giving smaller organizations all the benefits of the larger The Financial Edge solution.
Read more.
Twelve Finalists for the 2009 Influential Women in Business awards, presented by the Charleston Regional Business Journal, have been announced. Rachel Hutchisson, Blackbaud's director of corporate relations & philanthropy is among the three finalists in the "Rising Star" category.
Rachel oversees the company's global philanthropic and volunteerism initiatives, helping the company and employees honor Blackbaud's corporate value, "service to others makes the world a better place," while authoring a philanthropic focused blog. With 17 years of experience working with nonprofit organizations, Rachel is passionate about literacy, education for disadvantaged youth, and children's healthcare. She is involved in the community by serving as president of the Lowcountry Chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals. In addition to being active with the South Carolina Association of Nonprofit Organizations, she is also a member of the board of directors of the South Carolina Governor's School for Science and Math.
The annual Influential Women in Business awards recognizes women in the Charleston area who have demonstrated professional excellence and leadership in their careers and community service. These women are shaping the economic future of our area and share a commitment to business growth and leadership. Congratulations to all Charleston area finalists.
The winners will be announced at an awards luncheon held on Oct. 22 in downtown Charleston.