Service to Others

Giving thanks for all who give back

Rachel Hutchisson — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 15:46:00 GMT

"For the members of the Association of Fundraising Professionals, today is our Thanksgiving."

That's what I said from the podium two years ago this week as the then president of AFP's South Carolina Lowcountry chapter and the chair of National Philanthropy Day. And I meant it.

It's the day when we gather around the table for a meal and celebrate how thankful we are -- in this case -- for donors who invest both large and small amounts of money, of time, of their lives to help others.

So it's Thanksgiving again today, and I have just returned from the 2011 National Philanthropy Day celebration, which proved again to be a special event. To be with 450 people in a room so full of warmth and joy is something pretty wonderful.

It is AFP Lowcountry's tradition to present awards on this day, each year, honoring the outstanding individual and corporate philanthropists in our area. Blackbaud is incredibly honored to be among the group of businesses that has received one of these honors. CEO Marc Chardon attends the event each year to share in the celebration and connect with colleagues and friends alongside of which he serves in the community.

Today, he was also there as the one who nominated the Coastal Community Foundation (CCF) for a new award -- Outstanding Community Partner. If you follow this blog, you already know how highly we think of CCF, our partner in philanthropy. The organization holds and manages The Blackbaud Fund and works with us to teach employees how to be grantmakers as we make funding decisions each year. The staff at CCF - George Stevens, Richard Hendry, Edie Blakeslee, Tina Arnoldi (and the rest of the tremendous team) -- are always there when we call, seeking advice and ready to collaborate. Our very hearty congratulations to CCF for a well-deserved honor!

We'd also like to congratulate Mr. and Mrs. George Fennell, who were honored as the Outstanding Individual Philanthropists. Together, and with their family, they support more than 30 nonprofits in the Lowcountry, focusing on child development, health and education. They have truly made an impact and stand as an example for us to follow.

Finally, we'd like to send major kudos out to Paul and Paula Heinauer and their company GlassPro for winning the Outstanding Corporate award. As Paul said from the podium, they have really interwoven the concept of service and servant leadership into the company from the very beginning.

Of course, it was also special to hear from Anna Eleanor Roosevelt (before you ask, yes, it's THAT Roosevelt family - she is the grandchild of Franklin and Eleanor), the now former senior executive over global corporate citizenship for Boeing. Ms. Roosevelt, who has now moved into a role leading the Goodwill of Northern New England, shared with us insights about how to -- and not to -- go about asking companies for money. The key point? Cultivate them as partners and understand that just because a company is in your community, that doesn't mean the organization is your best partner. You need to have a match in goals. Do your research. Take time to understand where you might have opportunities, and be honest if they aren't there.

Although we are sad to see Ms. Roosevelt leave Boeing, which has a new operation here in Charleston (a very BIG deal for our community), we are very pleased to welcome her, through her new role at Goodwill, to the Blackbaud family.

Thanks to everyone who made National Philanthropy Day -- and Philanthropy Week (a week-long celebration here in the Lowcountry) such a success! It's so wonderful to be a part of a thriving, giving community.

Announcing the Q3 winners of Reward Your Passion grants

Rachel Hutchisson — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 17:36:00 GMT

Drum roll, please! It's time to announce the names of the 20 organizations that received Reward Your Passion grants from Blackbaud.

How did they win, you ask? It all started with a volunteer.

That's right! Any Blackbaud employee who volunteers for a nonprofit can apply for a Reward Your Passion grant. There's a simple application that asks about the organization and how the employee serves. Each quarter, the applications are gathered up and shared with an employee committee representing our different geographic locations (Team Blackbaud Global).

That team gets the happy task of deciding who gets the grants! They do the job by focusing on the volunteerism - what's most meaningful, who gives the most of him-or-herself (ex: is the person handing out flyers or serving on the board - hint, board service is considered a more significant investment of time and talent). Sometimes it's a tough call, but with 20 grants being given each quarter, there's lots of room for many good organizations to receive donations in honor of employees' service.

So we're proud to announce, that for Q3, the following received Reward Your Passion grants:

Cloa's Ark Animal Sanctuary

Yoga Benefits Kids

The Albany

All Out Adventures

Charleston Concert Association

Komen Lowcountry Race for the Cure

Safe Homes

St. Baldrick's Foundation

Alley's House

Books from Birth

Charitable Society of Charleston - Reindeer Run 2011

Girls Inc.

Zoot Theatre Company

Dee Norton Lowcountry Children's Center

High Fives Foundation

SCORE - South Carolina Oyster Restoration and Enhancement

Charleston Miracle League

Moonstruck Theatre Company

Push America

Sidewalk Chalk

I don't know about you, but when I look at this list, I see so much service and so much fun. At theatres in London, Dayton and Cambridge...with an environmental initiative right here in the Lowcountry....and with other organizations located near and far. It's just another reminder of the great people I work with every day. Please join me in congratulating the Q3 winners!

Building a new home in Charleston - for the homeless

Rachel Hutchisson — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 20:00:00 GMT

It was a bright, sunny day. A beautiful day for an important event. A day when city officials stood next to nonprofit leaders and philanthropists alike to break ground for Charleston's new homeless shelter...and an eco-friendly shelter at that.

I was proud to be there, a part of the audience sharing in the issue that faces our city and the hope that Crisis Ministries brings to those who need some help. "Food. Shelter. Hope." Those are the words Stacey Denaux, executive director, and her team use to convey what Crisis Ministries provides.

I've visited the current shelter many times, both the men's shelter and the family (women and children) shelter. Although it's a tough place to be because it brings the issue of homelessness so clearly into focus...makes it so real...it's also a place that has such a lively spirit. Each year, the team at Crisis Ministries helps homeless members of our community get back on their feet. In addition to providing a place to sleep and regular meals, the organization offers medical assistance, counseling, legal help, and veterans' services to its guests. Someone doesn't just become homeless, and these services are aimed at helping to address the reasons behind what caused the situation in the first place. To truly address homelessness, you have to address the personal need.

The shelter began in 1984 when a group of volunteers who were running a soup kitchen out of Grace Episcopal Church on Wentworth Street saw need increasing. They knew we needed something more extensive to serve what was a growing problem, a growing population. So leaders from all parts of the community -- religious, civic, business, philanthropic-- joined together to create the vision that is now Crisis Ministries.

It was only fitting that representatives of these same groups were on hand to help celebrate a new chapter in the effort to try to end homelessness in Charleston. Mayor Joseph P. Riley, Jr. was one of those people - a leader who was there at the table in 1984 and has been a strong supporter of the shelter's work. Anita Zucker, philanthropist and CEO at the InterTech Group, and her son Jonathan Zucker, were there to show their family's support of the organization, which now includes the new family soup kitchen in the soon-to-be constructed building. James Bakker, son of Blackbaud founder Tony Bakker and his wife Linda Bakker, represented his family, which is funding the new property's food rescue center. And, representing the religious community, the Reverend Canon Michael Wright, Rector of Grace Episcopal Church (where the vision began), celebrated the idea of hospitality and the role members of all the faiths in our community play in serving the shelter.

It was a fine day. A beginning for an organization Blackbaud has been so proud to support for more than 15 years. A time when, as Mayor Riley put it, "We have many prominent homes in this community...but we're about to build the best one."

I am Blackbaud - Shakeima Chatman

Rachel Hutchisson — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 17:54:00 GMT

Meet Shakeima Chatman, one of my colleagues at Blackbaud.

Shakeima is a committed volunteer at The Increasing H.O.P.E. (Helping Others Prosper Economically) Financial Training Center. Read her story here!

Check back next month to meet another person who embodies Blackbaud's value of serving others.

Being Good, Being Well

Rachel Hutchisson — Fri, 30 Sep 2011 16:37:00 GMT

It's that time of year again. Time to hop on a plane and gather with 2,000+ of my favorite people at BBCON. And I can't wait!

BBCON? That's the Blackbaud Conference for Nonprofits (if you're on Twitter, check out @bbcon and #bbcon). The 2011 event is our 12th annual, and it's going to be fabulous. It also helps us to mark our 30th anniversary as a company working exclusively with nonprofit organizations.

I do admit to being a tiny bit biased about this event. Years ago, I used to work with the wonderful team running the conference, and the event has remained near and dear to my heart ever since. But it wasn't my experience doing event marketing that made such an impact on me. It was the time I got to spend with our customers. That's absolutely the best part of BBCON. Each year, I reunite with friends I have made in previous years...and meet new ones.

We've developed a tradition at BBCON where we seek ways to give back to the community. We've done group projects with attendees, like creating paintings for the Foundation for Hospital Art, making craft kits for kids who visited the MUSC Children's Hospital, and building a library of books for a community organization in Prince George's County.

This year, our citizenship focus is all about wellness, offering morning activities (yoga, walks, runs), a Wii Fit competition (we're giving away the Wiis), chair yoga in the Nonprofit Expo, a healthful food demo...and more. Basically, we've woven different ways to "be well" into the conference, including healthful food offerings.

In addition, we're doing a "get social and give back" effort. For each Tweet using the #bbcon tag, we're donating 25 cents. For each new like on Blackbaud's Facebook page, we're donating $1. And for each Foursquare check in to 2011 BBCON, we're also donating a $1. The donations will all go to the Capital Area Food Bank's Fresh Produce program (yea wellness!). So please join in!!!

If you're in DC at the event, please do stop by the Corporate Citizenship booth in the Nonprofit Expo to say hi!

Blackbaud receives Tier 1 honor in Charleston Green Business Challenge

Rachel Hutchisson — Mon, 19 Sep 2011 14:13:00 GMT

Last summer, representatives from City of Charleston's office of Planning, Preservation and Sustainability got in touch about a new initiative they were launching - the Charleston Green Business Challenge.

This challenge was based on a similar program developed by the City of Chicago. ICLEI -- Local Governments for Sustainbility -- decided to pilot the challenge in five cities across the nation, and Charleston was lucky enough to be one of them.

So the City partnered with The Sustainability Institute, Lowcountry Local First, the Green Fair, the Charleston Metro Chamber of Commerce and Charleston County to launch the challenge. The idea was to a) help organizations understand what it meant to be green, b) encourage them to assess what they were doing already, c) and challenge them to improve their efforts within a year. They did this through a scorecard that helped participants benchmark their current state.

Although Blackbaud has had a long-time focus on "doing the right thing," we were looking for ways to be more organized going forward, to identify what we did well and where we could improve. The scorecard was exactly what we needed, giving us a way to evaluate a lot of practices we had in place and identify others we could add. Although Blackbaud might seem really big to some people, we are far smaller than the large corporations that, for example, engage in extensive carbon reduction and sustainability efforts. The programs available for them to evaluate their current state are often very complex and are oriented toward manufacturing models. So this local challenge and its related scorecard were perfect for us. We filled it out and sent it in last summer. At that point, we were standing at a "tier two" assessment, based on their criteria. And we had a list of things we wanted to do to improve.

Some of these initiatives were pretty easy to take on, like commiting to more formally communicating to the company about our green initiatives and pledging to purchase green products whenever feasible. Others, like conducting a waste stream audit, were a little more complex. We also took on large projects, as a part of our building maintenance, such as adding hand dryers in 32 restrooms in our headquarters as a part of planned maintenance.

In the end, we were honored to move from a tier two assessment to tier one. About 55 firms participated in the challenge, and we learned the other night that we were one of seven groups to achieve the top ranking. We are so proud to be in their company - Auto Sound Specialists/Alternative Energy Systems, the Charleston Battery (our philanthropy partner, helping to bring fans the Nonprofit of the Match at each home game), Hawthorne Suites, Holiday Inn Express & Suites, Mt. Pleasant, Perrin Woodworking, and The Sustainability Institute. This list is so cool because it represents a bunch of different kinds and sizes of organizations, which further proves the point that being green and sustainable comes in all different forms.

A special thank you to Carolee Williams, project manager at the City's sustainability office, and Mayor Joseph P. Riley Jr. (who was on hand to give out very special awards made from reclaimed materials) for their leadership in this effort! Thanks, as well, to Jane Kaufman (head of Greenbaud, Blackbaud's grassroots employee evironmental corps) and Scott Van Buren, our facilities director, for their partnership in the challenge this year.

Day of Caring about both helping and learning

Rachel Hutchisson — Mon, 12 Sep 2011 14:01:00 GMT

I always look forward to the Trident United Way's annual Day of Caring. This year was no different.

I joined about 200 of my Charleston-based colleagues who set out on Friday, September 9th to tackle various volunteer jobs in the community. Typically held on 9/11 (except when the day falls on a weekend), the annual event drew 7,500 people across the Lowcountry this year - all clad in shirts that said COMMUNITYCHANGE (with UNITY in white, giving that wonderful extra meaning to the message).

Team Blackbaud took on dozens of projects, sending out teams of about 10-15 people each to do whatever was needed - painting, landscaping, gardening, construction, medical wellness checks with children...

I had the pleasure of serving on a team that headed out to the South Santee Community Center in McClellanville, SC. If you know the area, you know that McClellanville is very rural. This center is a vital part of the community. It provides daily services (both in the facility and out in the neighborhood) for senior citizens living nearby as well as serving as an after-school center for kids. The converted elementary school has been redone into a light, airy place that's filled with a lot of energy and personality. (Thank you to Shelia Powell for hosting us!)

Our job was to build raised garden beds with a place to sit around the edge for the gardening group at the center, which is led by Jodie Thomas of Adaptive Gardens of the Lowcountry. This is a really neat organization (and Jodie is a neat guy) that aims to enrich lives through horticultural therapy. It was really incredible to listen to Jodie talk about all the things he does with his students to help them develop or strengthen motor skills - or participate in activites that otherwise wouldn't be accessible to them. Something simple like raising a garden bed makes gardening possible for those who aren't as mobile - or who aren't mobile at all.

The South Santee Community Center staff and members couldn't have made us feel more welcome. We enjoyed meeting them, talking with them about the project and what was going on at the center, and being a part of their day. Meeting the people you're helping is always the best as it adds extra meaning to a project.

At the end of the day, we had three raised garden beds as proof of our work. Although it's satisfying to leave something physical behind as evidence that you care, what I valued the most was the chance to meet new people, be a part of a special community, and learn about both the center and Adaptive Gardens. It's so cool what's going on in the community and all the ways people work to give back every day.

Thanks to Jodie, Shelia and the rest of the center's team. And thanks to the Trident United Way for hosting such a great Day of Caring. I know the rest of Team Blackbaud joins me in saying that we can't wait for next year.

Team Blackbaud San Diego lead us in walk for better health

Rachel Hutchisson — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 13:26:00 GMT

Ready, set, go!

Want to join in? In what? In the American Heart Association's San Diego Heart Walk, an annual event that Team Blackbaud San Diego participates in both to show support of the organization and to be healthy. It's a 5k walk focused on raising money for and awareness about heart disease and stroke -- the nation's number one and number three causes of death.

And it's fun. Plus, you don't have to be in San Diego to participate. Really.

Team Blackbaud San Diego has fielded a team of walkers for years. They gather throughout the months before the event to take regular walks, incorporating the idea of fitness into their everyday lives. It's fun, it's good for everyone...and it's so in line with Blackbaud's focus on philanthropy and wellness.

A little while back, we asked the American Heart Association how we might be able to incorporate other people in locations around the country or world. They had two answers. First, make sure everyone knew there were walks being held in many different locations. Just pick one near you, reach out to your friends and family for support, and get fit while raising money for a good cause. Second -- and I think this is very cool -- join the San Diego team as a virtual walker.

So I admit that the words "virtual" and "walker" don't usually go together. But it actually works. What you do is sign up for the team, walk where you are, raise money from your personal network just like the other walkers and record your results online.

Here in Charleston, where Blackbaud is headquartered, we have a number of people who regularly walk the property the building is on (keeping away from the alligators in the pond, mind you). Daniel Island is a pretty place, and a walk outside is a nice break. But during the summer it's just too hot, so my colleague Sally worked with our facilities team to map out an internal walking "track." She posted the route on bulletin boards for those who want to take a stroll through the building and know how far they have gone. This is for everyone, regardless of whether they sign up for the walk itself.

The American Heart Association helps out by providing an app that allows people to create their own walking paths and track progress, too - just go to their Start! Walking Now site. So you have no reason not to do it!

Thanks to Team Blackbaud San Diego for leading the way for health, wellness and giving back. Good luck in the Heart Walk this September - and have fun!

An interview with Marc Chardon: "Using technology to make the world better"

Rachel Hutchisson — Thu, 18 Aug 2011 17:55:00 GMT

Earlier this month, Carolyn Murray, an anchor at News 2 and host of the Newsmakers program on Comcast Channel 2 in Charleston, SC, interviewed Blackbaud CEO Marc Chardon.

The premise of the interview was a discussion with the leader of a successful company. Things have been tough in the markets, so what can we learn from someone who has led a company through the recession while maintaining growth, employee engagement, and customer satisfaction?

Although the interview IS about all of that, it's also about so much more. It's an opportunity to spend some time with Marc, hear about what motivates him, learn about what it's like to work with the people of Blackbaud, and hear about the spirit to serve that is such a huge part of our culture.

I admit that I was pretty proud when I watched this segment. First and foremost, I am so committed to the work nonprofits do in this world and feel privileged to work with so many great organizations every day. I'm also exceptionally proud of how we -- as a company and as individuals -- stand with nonprofits to help them use technology to be successful. And, yes, I'm proud to work for a leader whose belief in the sector runs deep.

Check out the half-hour segment here.

I am Blackbaud - Rick Benfield

Rachel Hutchisson — Mon, 08 Aug 2011 21:45:00 GMT

Meet Rick Benfield, one of my colleagues from the Blackbaud Europe office in the United Kingdom.

Rick has really embraced volunteerism as a part of who he is and what he does in the world. In addition to being a Blackbaud consultant by day, he devotes a ton of time and energy to help a nonprofit that's very near and dear to his heart (one he actually helped to get off the ground).

The organization is called wannabeamazin, which delivers recreational, health and educational programs to communities in Uganda. Rick's story is worth reading...how he got involved, how he's stayed involved, and what this important work means to him as a person.

Read Rick's story here and check back next month to meet another person who embodies Blackbaud's value of serving others.

Announcing the Q2 winners of Reward Your Passion grants

Rachel Hutchisson — Thu, 14 Jul 2011 19:40:00 GMT

It's that time again - time to announce the names of the organizations that are each receiving a donation from Blackbaud in honor of an employee's volunteerism. Each quarter, we make these "grants," celebrating the service of individual people while doing our part to give back to the organizations they love.

This quarter, we are giving to 20 organizations. I'm always so inspired when I see each quarter's list because it represents the very personal ways in which individual people choose to give back. That's why I love this program. Each person chooses how he or she wants to volunteer - the organization, the work, the location. A group of employees reviews the applications and picks the ones they feel are the best examples of service to others - the best ways in which their peers are giving back and making a difference. Then we give the monetary gift to the nonprofits themselves in honor of the people who served. How can you not love that?!

Please join me in congrating the terrific list of winners this quarter and the employees who not only gave their time and expertise, but also cared so much they applied for a Reward Your Passion grant!! If a Blackbaud employee volunteers for a nonprofit where you work, encourage that person to apply!!

Love Inc.

Carolina Youth Development Center

Honor Flight Lowcountry

Cystic Fibrosis Foundation

Spina Bifida Association Massachusetts

Children's Miracle Network Richmond

City Gallery at Waterfront Park

Wellington ICT Trust

Mended Hearts

The Michael Treinen Foundation

Chron's & Colitis Foundation of America

Band Together - Concert for a Cause

Make-A-Wish Foundation of Massachusetts and Rhode Island

Anti-Poverty Initiative

Discovery Elementary School

AFP Foundation for Philanthropy

All Hallows Academy

Center Grove Little League

LUNGevity Foundation

Birthday Wishes

Celebrating fundraising success in the Lowcountry of South Carolina

Rachel Hutchisson — Wed, 29 Jun 2011 15:04:00 GMT

When I was a kid, time always seemed to slow down in the summer. As an adult, those long lazy days seem to have been replaced with action, activity, more action, and not enough time to do everything. Where did the month of June go?

I know many nonprofit leaders are asking the same thing, maybe even wishing that the month could last a little longer, that the fiscal year clock wasn't ticking down quite so fast. Alas, this Friday we'll welcome a new month, a new quarter and a new start for many nonprofits -- with board changes, new budgets, and all the things that go with the beginning of a shiny new fiscal year.

In Charleston, July means very hot, very steamy weather...a time when many flee for the mountains of North Carolina in search of cooler air and a slower place OR stay sheltered inside with their air conditioners on high. Before this happens, before the Fourth of July, the members of the Association of Fundraising Professionals' South Carolina Lowcountry Chapter have a tradition of gathering for some high-quality fundraising education and the chance to honor one of our own. We did that just the other day, with 100+ of us getting together for the AFP Lowcountry Summer Institute...to learn, share ideas and get some inspiration at the end of a busy fiscal year (thank you to Kenton Barham of Trident United Way, our chapter president, and Kathleen Forbes of the Trident Technical College Foundation, our event chair).

Martha Schumacher, ACFRE, president of Hazen, Inc., a friend and fellow member of the AFP International board (and herself the winner of the AFP Washington DC Metro chapter's AFP Outstanding Professional Fundraiser of the Year award), joined us to deliver the keynote address. It was special having Martha there because, later in the day, we honored a chapter member who also serves on the AFP International board as our very own AFP Lowcountry Outstanding Professional Fundraiser.

We honored June Bradham, CFRE, the founder of her own firm -- Corporate DevelopMint -- which she has so ably led for more than 20 years, raising millions of dollars for and with nonprofit organizations both in the Southeast and beyond. June is a leader, strategic thinker, fundraiser, author (check out The Truth About What Nonprofit Board Members Want, published by Wiley), mentor and friend to so many (not to mention the wife, mom, and grandmother roles she also fills). I've had the honor of being one of the many people, in particular, the many women, whom June has mentored throughout the years -- whom June still mentors, in fact. So being at the event with so many others who care deeply for June and are grateful for her many contributions to the community was nothing short of special.

Richard Almes of UniMedia, a technology focused creative services company, made a HUGE contribution to the day by producing a video about June, which you can watch here. I want to give a very special thank you to Richard who has helped so many nonprofits raise millions of dollars by helping them effectively tell their stories. We are so proud to have him as an AFP Lowcountry member and colleague.

I guess, when I take all this in, I realize that I DO know where the month of June went...it was time well spent. Here's wishing you and yours a happy end to the fiscal year, a happy beginning to the next one...and a not too hot, not too busy summer.

I am Blackbaud - Gilman Sullivan

Rachel Hutchisson — Tue, 07 Jun 2011 19:25:00 GMT

Meet Gilman Sullivan...typical Blackbaud employee.

By typical, I mean interesting, smart, and engaged in helping nonprofits be successful. Your Passion. Our Purpose. The tagline speaks to him, both professionally and personally, like it speaks to so many of us.

Basically, he's an all around good guy who -- outside of being a professional services practice manager specializing in change management -- donates his time and talent to make the community better.

Gilman's also the latest person to be featured in our "I am Blackbaud" series on our website. The series, which spotlights a different employee each month, introduces you to one of our team members and that person's passion for giving back.

To read this month's feature, about how Gilman teaches interview skills to armed services personnel making the leap to civilian life and spouses of those in active duty who have relocated to Charleston, click here. I promise it'll be worth your time.

I'm proud that Gilman is a part of the Blackbaud team. I hope you agree.

Tune in next month to meet one our colleagues working out of the London office!

Decide what matters, vote in the Chase Community Giving program

Rachel Hutchisson — Thu, 19 May 2011 15:42:00 GMT

"You decide what matters."

I really like this tagline, which speaks to the philosophy behind the 2011 Chase Community Giving program. In the end, Chase will award $5 million during two rounds of the spring challenge. Who decides which nonprofits receive the money? You do!

The effort is headed into round two today, with the opportunity to vote for the top 100 nonprofits. I'm not sure about you, but I couldn't open Facebook or my Twitter account in late April, when the first round of voting was taking place, without seeing requests from nonprofits all over the place to vote. And vote I did.

The top 100 vote-getting nonprofits were announced on May 5th. To the delight of many folks in Charleston, where 1,100 of Blackbaud's employees live and work, seven area nonprofits made the list -- the Charleston Animal Society, the South Carolina Coastal Conservation League, Historic Charleston Foundation, Pet Helpers, Crisis Ministries, the South Carolina Aquarium, and Water Missions International. We're thrilled that each one of these organizations (and the 93 others) received a $25,000 donation. My colleagues who work elsewhere, were happy to share in similar news for nonprofits from Miami to Indianapolis to San Diego.

The stakes go up in round two, with the top 100 being invited to submit a "Big Idea." We have a chance to cast our vote again, looking at these ideas and how they'd help the organizations' causes. You can vote for a total of five nonprofits (that's good because choosing just one is really tough!) The winner gets a whopping $500,000, and many others will win sizeable donations, too.

Being a company that's all about nonprofits, we're doing our part to get the word out through our internal and external channels. Here in Charleston, we'll be hosting a group of representatives from the seven local nonprofits who are in the mix. They have united under the banner "VOTECharleston.org" and will be encouraging Blackbaud employees -- during lunch in our cafeteria -- to take the time to "click for good."

I hope you'll take a moment -- from May 19th through the 25th to cast your vote for one of the 100 nonprofits on the list. Click for good!!

Two BIG milestones for the Blackbaud Fund & community investment

Rachel Hutchisson — Wed, 04 May 2011 14:40:00 GMT

I can't believe it's been 15 years.

That's how long Blackbaud has been making grants from its fund at the Coastal Community Foundation (CCF). That's how long we have had an employee committee, working under CCF's guidance, step into the role of grantmakers...learning so much that they then channel back into their everyday work with our customers.

So Happy 15th Anniversary! But the celebration isn't about us or the fund itself. It's about the investments that have been made in nonprofits focusing on education for disadvanatged youth and the disabled in the tri-county area surrounding the City of Charleston. It's about the organizations themselves and the great work they do. Organizations like WINGS for Kids, Communities in Schools of the Charleston Area and HALOS -- all groups that have very successfully received multiple grants from the fund over the years because of what they do, how effectively they do it, and how WELL they share their results.

Our philanthropy partner and the holder of the fund, the Coastal Community Foundation, recently announced the winners of the 2011 grants. Link here to read more. Suffice it to say, we are proud of each one of them and wish them the best in delivering on the goals outlined in their proposals. We have made an investment in you and want to see you succeed.

As for the other milestone... Drum roll, please. Beginning with the next funding cycle (technically 2012 grants, but applications are due in the late fall), organizations can apply for grants of $10,000 (maximum) instead of $5,000. A BIG thank you to the markets for rebounding and improving the return on our fund. Markets, aside, this growth is also a result of continued, monthly investments made by the company and individual employees who share in the fund's vision. It's a way we collaborate -- from a corporate, individual and community perspective -- to drive positive change.