April 2010 - Posts
by Jake Marcinko, Manager of Information Security at Blackbaud.
These days, big data breach headlines are becoming almost blasé. We've grown so accustomed to such incidents that the mere threat of a data breach no longer carries the weight and urgency that it once did.
Many privacy experts argue that the recent decline in reported data breaches (498 in 2009 versus 657 in 2008 (PDF)) is not due to an improvement in data security practices, but rather that fewer organizations are publicly reporting such breaches. It is even more difficult to determine the total number of individuals affected by data breaches in 2009. The Identity Theft Research Center estimates that approximately 222 million records were compromised as a result of data breaches in 2009. That statistic becomes meaningless, however, when you consider that 52% of all data breaches that were publicly reported in 2009 did not state the number of records exposed. Therefore, no one really knows how many Americans have--or could--become victims of identity theft as a result of these incidents.
The lack of greater public outcry regarding the volume of data breaches is perplexing when you consider recent poll data from Gallup and Unisys. According to an October 2009 Gallup poll, 66% of all U.S. adults worry "frequently" or "occasionally" about being the victim of identity theft. The issue of identity theft ranks higher among poll participants than the issues of terrorism, burglary, sexual assault and murder. In fact, according to the latest Unisys Security Index, Americans are more concerned about identity theft than they are about H1N1 or even their ability to meet their financial obligations.
So why isn't more being done and what does this have to do with nonprofits?
Read the full article.
Frank Barry, manager of professional services at Blackbaud and blogger at NetWits ThinkTank, helps non-profits use the Internet for digital communication, social media, and fundraising so they can focus on making a true impact and achieving their mission.
While many non-profits are embracing social media for fundraising, the National Wildlife Federation (NWF) has found social media to be essential for bringing value to its members, raising public awareness, and building community online.
As the United States’ largest non-profit conservation, education and advocacy organization, with over four million members, NWF relies on recurring membership revenue to create change in the world. Social media helps NWF create this change by encouraging staff to personally communicate and engage individual members, new supporters, and wildlife lovers on a regular basis.
Danielle Brigida (a.k.a. The Net Naturalist) has helped empower NWF staffers to weave social media throughout their daily work, creating an impressive social media presence for the organization. More than 70 staff members are using Twitter, with many others communicating about the organization’s conservation efforts and programs through its Facebook Page.
Brigida is on the leading edge of social media use and is now focusing her sights on using location-based platforms to engage existing communities of nature lovers and the ever-broadening audience on the social web. “We’re always looking for new ways to connect people with the outdoors using the social web. Location-based technology is a great new avenue, to put a ‘where’ with the ‘what,’” said Brigida.
Read the full post.
In March, we launched a free web seminar series to help nonprofits build strategies for mobilizing, soliciting, and stewarding supporters during and after times of disaster. Blackbaud nonprofit experts and partners developed the seminars based on their work with nonprofits that are involved in Haiti relief efforts. The free series, entitled Lessons Learned from Haiti, includes five seminars and will continue through May.
Upcoming sessions include:
Lessons Learned from Haiti — Part 4: Stewarding Donors Following a Crisis
Presented by David Lamb, Senior Consultant, Target Analytics, a Blackbaud Company
David will cover how to respond to new donations effectively to encourage stronger future financial commitments and what kind of stewardship communications are the most important to send after donors make disaster-related gifts. April 21, 2010 at 2:00 p.m. ET
Lessons Learned from Haiti — Part 5: Turning One-Time Donors into Major Gift Prospects
Presented by Lawrence Henze, Managing Director, Target Analytics, a Blackbaud Company
This session will help nonprofit professionals understand the best strategies for retaining first-time “crisis” donors and methods for moving retained donors closer to their ultimate giving destination. May 5, 2010 at 2:00 p.m. ET
On pages 18 to 21 in the April issue of DMA Journal, each of the presenters shared their lessons learned:
In the aftermath of the devastating earthquake in Haiti, a new breed of philanthropist emerged. These tech-savvy supporters were always there; nonprofits just reached them in new ways. So, what lessons did we learn from this overwhelming response? And, as a sector, how can we begin to prepare and ready ourselves for the inevitable “next time” that always comes too soon?
Access the issue.
As part of the USA TODAY's increased focus on philanthropy, today's bonus section Sharing in the USA featured a lead article on how technology is transforming giving and the great potential for charitable fundraising.
Blackbaud's Frank Barry was asked to share his thoughts on the impact of technology:
By Judy Keen, USA TODAY
•Using events to link people to charities: Frank Barry, consulting manager for Blackbaud, a company that provides software and services to non-profit groups, predicts an evolution in online tools that allows people to sign up to support friends' participation in fundraising events such as walkathons.
Soon, he says, charities and individuals will use Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and mobile devices to "create location-based communities" of people who have given to the same cause, share information about preparations for an event and allow donations to be sent from one phone to another.
"The future," Barry says, "looks like it's social."
Read the full article.
Also be sure to check out USA TODAY's Kindness Community (kindness.usatoday.com), an online guide to stories of giving and other philanthropic initiatives at USA TODAY.
Charleston, S.C. (April 12, 2010) – Nonprofits that change with their younger donor pools and those that prove their value to constituents will be the big winners in the years to come, according to a list of the Top 10 future nonprofit trends released today by Blackbaud. The list from Blackbaud, Inc. (Nasdaq: BLKB), the leading global provider of software and related services designed specifically for nonprofit organizations, also indicates that nonprofits will be placing renewed emphasis on constituent stewardship and will continue to see growth in peer-to-peer fundraising, powered by technology and social media.
The list was released this morning during the start of the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) conference in Baltimore, MD, for which Blackbaud is the full conference sponsor. AFP is celebrating its 50th anniversary, and the list was created to explore emerging trends that will affect the next 50 years. The trends list combined input from Blackbaud management, nonprofit customers, partners and industry leaders who work directly with nonprofits.
Read more.
Charleston, S.C. (April 8, 2010) – Blackbaud, Inc. (Nasdaq: BLKB) will once again be the full conference sponsor of the 47th Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) International Conference on Fundraising on April 11 to 14 in Baltimore, Maryland, with a focus on “Honoring Our Past… Inspiring Our Future.”
“We are honored to be a part of this celebration of fundraising and congratulate AFP on 50 years of excellence in empowering fundraisers through professional development,” said Marc Chardon, Blackbaud’s chief executive officer. “We are pleased to be a longstanding partner of AFP and know that this year’s Conference will provide unparalleled learning opportunities for fundraising strategies of the future.”
Read more.
Charleston, S.C. (April 5, 2010) – Blackbaud, Inc. (Nasdaq: BLKB) will once again be the diamond sponsor of the Nonprofit Technology Conference (NTC), presented by NTEN: The Nonprofit Technology Network on April 8 to 10 in Atlanta, Georgia.
“Each year, NTC gathers the top innovators in nonprofit technology to learn, network, and explore technology solutions for social change,” said Steve MacLaughlin, Blackbaud’s director of Internet solutions and NTEN board member. “We’re pleased to be a lead sponsor and to support NTEN in its effort to help nonprofits use technology to meet community needs and fulfill their missions.”
Read more.
Blackbaud Provides Online Fundraising Technology for “Idol Gives Back”
Launches fundraising website to help viewers and fans raise money in advance of April 21st FOX television special
Charleston, S.C. (April 5, 2010) – Blackbaud, Inc. (Nasdaq: BLKB) today announced that it is powering the online initiative encouraging viewers to fundraise in advance of “Idol Gives Back”, airing Wednesday, April 21 (8:00-10:00 PM ET live/PT tape-delayed) on FOX.
“Idol Gives Back” will use Blackbaud Sphere Friends Asking Friends to help viewers and fans give back by creating and joining fundraising teams on the “Help Me Give Back” website, which tracks fundraising goals and progress of individual members. Additionally, participants can create individual “Help Me Give Back” pages, set fundraising goals and get the word out to friends, family and co-workers through feeds and widgets as well as via social networking sites such as Facebook, Twitter and MySpace.
Read more.