Blackbaud — The Financial Edge
From CPA Technology Magazine's Nov. 2009 Review of Not-for-Profit Accounting Programs.
The Financial Edge from Blackbaud is primarily designed for mid-sized to large nonprofit organizations that require transparency and accountability in their actions. However, the vendor has just recently released a small business version (see below). The Financial Edge is a powerful system hidden behind a deceptively simple user interface.
EASE OF USE/FLEXIBILITY- 
Often, navigational ease is tied to program strength, with the rule being that the more powerful a product, the higher the level of difficulty encountered during use. Not so with The Financial Edge from Blackbaud. The main user interface is easily navigated, with little to no screen clutter. A drop-down menu at the top of the screen provides system function access, while product module access is found in the vertical menu to the left. The homepage can be easily customized, such as by adding features and functions used on a daily basis. Navigational arrows will take you back and forth between screens, with the name of the organization and the current module displayed immediately to the right.
The Financial Edge Dashboard allows users to monitor all activities and tasks. New panes can also be created to display on the dashboard, providing additional information such as graphs and charts or other critical data. Links to frequently used web pages can be easily created, and the Automatic Account Creation function simplifies the entering of account information.
MODULES/SCALABILITY-
Modules available in The Financial Edge include GL, Accounting Form, AP, Accounting Queue, AR, Advanced Budget Management, Advanced Security, Allocation Management, Budget Management, Cash Management, Cash Receipts, Consolidation Management, Electronic Funds Transfer, F9 reporting, Fixed Assets, PaperSave, Payroll, Point of Sale, Project, Grant and endowment Management, Visual Basic for Applications, Application Programming Interface, Student Billing, School Store Manager, WebPortal featuring WebPurchasing and WebInvoicing, along with integration to The Raiser’s Edge.
Smaller nonprofits will be interested to know that the vendor just introduced The Financial Edge for Small Offices. Designed for one to three users through a license or subscription/hosted model, The Financial Edge for Small Offices bundles six common modules together (GL; AP; Miscellaneous Cash Receipts; Project, Grant and Endowment Management; Budget Management; and Cash Management). The availability of this product makes The Financial Edge a truly scalable product from one end of the spectrum to the other.
Read the full review.
Charleston, S.C. (October 28, 2009) - Blackbaud, Inc. (Nasdaq: BLKB), the leading global provider of software and related services designed specifically for nonprofit
organizations, today announced that The Ohio State University has selected Blackbaud Enterprise CRMTM as its new fundraising system.
"We are pleased The Ohio State University has selected Blackbaud Enterprise CRM as its fundraising technology platform for development and constituent engagement," said Marc Chardon, Blackbaud's chief executive officer. "By selecting Blackbaud Enterprise CRM, the University is investing in a future-proof platform that will bring unparalleled innovation to the higher education sector at a time when development, constituent engagement, and organization-wide visibility are critical."
Ohio State University has over 440,000 living alumni and enrollment of over 63,000 students on all campuses. The University selected Blackbaud Enterprise CRM to bring best technology and business practices to its major and planned giving, marketing and communications, Internet marketing, prospect research and management, and business intelligence across the University.
Read more.
Blackbaud, Inc. (Nasdaq: BLKB), announced the availability of Blackbaud LearnTM, a subscription-based training program that provides ongoing skill development and job knowledge training to nonprofits. With new classes every month, a role-based curriculum, and exclusive sessions on strategy and best practices, Blackbaud has made training more accessible to the nonprofit organizations it serves. Blackbaud is offering a free training session, Query Essentials for The Raiser's Edge, as a sample of the instructor-led courseware from Blackbaud Learn that explores basic querying techniques.
Blackbaud Learn is available as a renewable annual subscription, starting at $1,000 to best meet the needs and budget of any organization. Training packages are offered at three different levels with classes spanning fundamental skills development to advanced coursework. All three Learn packages include access to exclusive nonprofit strategy sessions, on-demand software skills lessons, and role-based classes. Blackbaud Learn is available in three different subscription levels:
- Learn: All the essential online classes a staff of any size needs to enable success, including introductory classes and coursework devoted to building critical skills.
- Learn More: All the basic online classes included in Learn, plus the entire staff gets unlimited access to all advanced online classes such as volunteer management and complex importing and exporting.
- Learn Everything: All-access pass to everything included in Learn and Learn More, including critical skills lessons, advanced coursework, and unlimited registrations at regional classes throughout the U.S. and Canada.
Read the full Press Release.
Congratulations to Blackbaud's Director of Corporate Relations and Philanthropy, Rachel Hutchisson for receiving the "Rising Star" award at the Influential Women in Business awards, presented by the
Charleston Regional Business Journal. 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. Winners were announced at an awards luncheon held on Oct. 22 in downtown Charleston.
Rachel oversees Blackbaud's global philanthropic and volunteerism initiatives, helping the company and employees honor the corporate value, "service to others makes the world a better place," and is the author of the company's philanthropy 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.
June Bradham, who nominated Rachel for this award, is the founder, owner, and president of Corporate DevelopMint. June and Rachel at the awards luncheon in downtown Charleston, SC. (L-R: June Bradham, Rachel Hutchisson)
Posted on WebCPA.com and featured in the October 19 issue of Accounting Today
In a tight economy, the right tech mix helps nonprofits retain income levels, services
No one had to tell the nonprofit sector that the world economy was slipping deeper into recession. Relying largely on donors, memberships and conferences to maintain their budgets, nonprofits usually feel the pinch first and are the sector of the economy that is last to recover.
But when the task of soliciting funds and materials is at its most difficult, not-for-profit organizations become more innovative in the ways they work - including the use of advanced technologies.
Read more.
Get all the tools you need to fill your social media toolkit! Come learn about integrating social media into your nonprofit marketing strategy with Jeff Patrick, president of Common Knowledge, and Frank Barry, managing consultant for Blackbaud Internet Solutions, in our web seminar series covering Twitter®, Facebook®, blogs, and more.
Upcoming Web Seminars
- Social Networking for Fundraising Professionals
This session is for communications, marketing, and fundraising professionals looking to understand how to integrate social networks into their strategy. We'll cover what is social networking, social media, and Web 2.0, why is social networking valuable for nonprofits, and how it can be used for fundraising.
October 22 at 11:00 a.m. PT — Register Today!
- Building a Brand with Social Networks: Marketing and Communications Strategies
This web seminar is for communications and marketing professionals - Manager, Director, Vice President and C-Level roles - looking to understand how to integrate social networks into your organization's communications and marketing strategy.
November 3 at 11:00 a.m. PT — Register Today!
- Social Networking Strategy for Nonprofits
This sessions will help you understand social networks, evaluate projects and opportunities within your organization, and participate in the process of constructing your social networking strategy.
November 12 at 11:00 a.m. PT — Register Today!
Can't wait? Visit the NetWits Think Tank Blog to learn how nonprofits are using the Internet to meet their mission.
Or, watch a recording of past seminars:
- Twitter® for Nonprofits
Using real-world case studies drawn from the nonprofit and commercial sectors, this web seminar covered how Twitter® works, the size of the Twitter® audience, and how to use Twitter® for online community building, advocacy, and fundraising. View Recording
- Facebook® for Nonprofits
This webinar is for fundraising, marketing, and communications nonprofit professionals, including manager, director, vice-president and C-level roles - who want to understand how to use Facebook® in your organization. In this session, using real-world case studies we'll discuss how is Facebook® useful for nonprofits, how nonprofits are using Facebook, the difference between Facebook® Pages, Groups, and Causes, and how to use Facebook® applications. View Recording
- Nonprofit Blogging: Tips and Strategies
Blogging has become an integral part of the online communications landscape for nonprofits. High profile blogs at environmental, advocacy, health, higher education, and faith-based organizations are demonstrating the opportunity for building community and making change. This web seminar will outline the impact of a great blog strategy for your nonprofit. View Recording
Charleston, S.C. (October 14, 2009) – Blackbaud, Inc. (Nasdaq: BLKB), the leading global provider of software and services designed specifically for nonprofit organizations announced today that since its launch in March 2009, BlackbaudNow™ has seen rapid adoption among nonprofit organizations and personal fundraisers.BlackbaudNow provides nonprofits and personal fundraisers a point-and-click website builder with secure donation processing through PayPal and the ability to send emails and record donors’ giving histories. Users do not pay any setup or monthly fees for BlackbaudNow, but instead, pay fees on a per-transaction basis.
Read the full release.
Alan Cooper, publisher of LowcountryBizSC recently sat down with Blackbaud CEO Marc Chardon to discuss his background and business experience, Blackbaud’s history, recent expansion, and strategic focus for the future.
When asked what he was most proud of at Blackbaud, Marc mentioned his pride in his employees: “I am proud of our employees and how they not only serve their customers, but how they offer their time to give back to the local communities in which they live and work. The people who decide Blackbaud's philanthropic efforts are the first line company employees, not management. I don't direct these initiatives; in fact, I see my role as more of simply getting out of the employees' way!”
Watch the video:
Read the full conversation here.
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.
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