CHARLESTON, S.C.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Blackbaud, Inc., (Nasdaq: BLKB) today announced the release of “Connecting Online Advocacy and Fundraising”, a white paper focused on optimizing advocacy appeals that lead to increased response rates and fundraising. The company will also host Advocacy Live!, a free web event focused on nonprofit online advocacy on March 9, 2011.
The paper, co-authored by Steve Daigneault, vice president of eCampaigns at M+R Strategic Services, Mark Davis, director of enterprise Internet solutions at Blackbaud, and Milo Sybrant, managing director of new media at Amnesty International USA, explores recent successful online advocacy and fundraising campaigns and provides strategies for optimizing future campaigns.
“The integration of advocacy and fundraising has proven successful with many organizations,” said Daigneault. “In fact, advocates are seven-times more likely to give as compared to non-advocates.”
To further explore the findings and share strategies for optimizing online advocacy campaigns, Blackbaud is hosting Advocacy Live!, a free live web event on March 9 co-hosted by Care2 and featuring the paper’s co-authors, representatives from US Congress, and Blackbaud partner, Zuri Group, the winner of Blackbaud’s recent advocacy application development challenge.
Advocacy Live!, a 3-hour virtual event being held on March 9, 2011, from 1 to 4 p.m. ET, will feature the following sessions:
1 - 1:30 p.m.: 2011 State of the Union for Online Advocacy
Featuring:
Joe Baker, Vice President Causes and Advocacy, Care2
Moderator-led
discussion where experts share perspective on online advocacy trends in
light of new political reality with the new 2011 Congress and the second
half of the Obama administration.
1:30 - 2:15 p.m.: Connecting Online Advocacy and Fundraising
Featuring:
Steve Daigneault, Vice President eCampaigns, M+R Strategic Services;
Shiloh Stark, Online Fundraising Manager, Amnesty International USA;
and Christopher Burley, Senior Director of Membership and Online
Advocacy, Defenders of Wildlife
Review key findings from the
new white paper Connecting Online Advocacy and Fundraising. Attendees
will learn more about the strong link between online advocacy and
fundraising, illustrated by multiple case studies and best practice tips.
2:15 - 3 p.m.: Communicating to the 112th US Congress
Featuring:
Ben Jenkins, Product Manager, Blackbaud and a technical
representative from the US Congress
Hear the perspective from
the other side as members of the US Congress communications team speak
about best practices on best connecting supporters to members of
Congress.
3 - 3:45 p.m.: Using Social Media to Boost Online Advocacy
Featuring:
Molly Kelly, Sr. Technical Strategy Consultant, Zuri Group
Watch
a demonstration of a recently deployed Facebook-driven advocacy campaign
supporting Amnesty International USA. The group will also discuss how
social media is being used to drive successful online activism and
engagement.
3:45 - 4 p.m.: Closing Statements
Final thoughts and
comments on information shared during the session.
Nonprofit professionals can register for this free web event and download the white paper at www.blackbaud.com/onlineadvocacy.
Conducted in the fall, Blackbaud issued a development challenge to its partners to create an application that extends online advocacy and fundraising solutions to mobile and social networks, like Facebook®, Twitter® and LinkedIn®. The winning application, which integrates with Sphere Advocacy®, Blackbaud’s online advocacy solution, will be demonstrated during next month’s advocacy web event.
Blackbaud has been active in building online advocacy solutions for nonprofits for 11 years and continues to invest in extending the platform. Partnering with organizations including Autism Speaks, Amnesty International USA, and Common Cause, Blackbaud helps nonprofits build highly engaging online advocacy campaigns. With Sphere Advocacy, nonprofits can quickly mobilize activists with information that matters to them and increase the number of people that they target with their advocacy campaigns.
Blackbaud has recently extended the advocacy integration for The Raiser’s Edge® and Sphere Advocacy and is currently completing an enterprise-level advocacy solution on its Infinity platform. “We are committed to developing next-generation advocacy solutions that deeply integrate with our fundraising and CRM solutions, like The Raiser’s Edge and Blackbaud CRM™, to further incorporate advocacy into the constituent engagement model,” said Steve MacLaughlin, Blackbaud’s director of Internet solutions. “An integrated and open advocacy system is a very effective companion to fundraising.”
Blackbaud recently released enhancements to its Application Programming Interface (API) library for Sphere that now allow for nonprofits to extend their advocacy calls-to-action to new platforms through social media and mobile applications. “Zuri Group’s industry expertise and Blackbaud’s enhanced advocacy call-to-action tools empower nonprofits by connecting them with their constituents through social media on a whole new and exciting level,” said John Murphy, chief executive officer at Zuri Group. “It’s not enough for nonprofits to wait passively for visits to their websites—organizations must reach out to where supporters are spending their time.”
For more information, to download the white paper, or to pre-register for the upcoming online advocacy web event, visit www.blackbaud.com/onlineadvocacy.
About Care2
With 15 million members and more than 600 nonprofit clients worldwide, Care2 (www.care2.com) is the largest and fastest growing social action network of people making a difference for the environment, human rights, animals and other causes. Leading nonprofits use Care2 as a preferred source to recruit new donors and supporters, with exceptional results, including many advocacy victories. Care2 in the past year dramatically extended the reach and impact of its nonprofit clients’ campaigns by launching the Care2 Take Action Platform, a network of more than 60 media partners – including Huffington Post, Grist, Mother Jones, eNature.com and Ms. Magazine -- that promote Care2 campaigns via their websites and email to an additional 70 million civic-minded citizens. Care2 is proud to be a certified B Corporation, using the power of business as a force for good. Read more at www.BCorpsforNonprofits.com. And check out Care2’s blog for nonprofit professionals at www.frogloop.com. For more information about Care2's services for nonprofits, contact Clint O'Brien at 202-785-7308 or nonprofitservices@care2team.com.
About Blackbaud
Blackbaud is the leading global provider of software and services designed specifically for nonprofit organizations, enabling them to improve operational efficiency, build strong relationships, and raise more money to support their missions. Approximately 24,000 organizations — including The American Red Cross, Cancer Research UK, Earthjustice, International Fund for Animal Welfare, Lincoln Center, The Salvation Army, The Taft School, Tulsa Community Foundation, Ursinus College, the WGBH Educational Foundation, and Yale University — use one or more Blackbaud products and services for fundraising, constituent relationship management, financial management, website management, direct marketing, education administration, ticketing, business intelligence, prospect research, consulting, and analytics. Since 1981, Blackbaud’s sole focus and expertise has been partnering with nonprofits and providing them the solutions they need to make a difference in their local communities and worldwide. Headquartered in the United States, Blackbaud also has operations in Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom. For more information, visit www.blackbaud.com.
Forward-looking Statements
Except for historical information, all of the statements, expectations, and assumptions contained in this news release are forward-looking statements that involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Although Blackbaud attempts to be accurate in making these forward-looking statements, it is possible that future circumstances might differ from the assumptions on which such statements are based. In addition, other important factors that could cause results to differ materially include the following: general economic risks; uncertainty regarding increased business and renewals from existing customers; continued success in sales growth; management of integration of acquired companies and other risks associated with acquisitions; risks associated with successful implementation of multiple integrated software products; the ability to attract and retain key personnel; risks related to our dividend policy and share repurchase program, including potential limitations on our ability to grow and the possibility that we might discontinue payment of dividends; risks relating to restrictions imposed by the credit facility; risks associated with management of growth; lengthy sales and implementation cycles, particularly in larger organization; technological changes that make our products and services less competitive; and the other risk factors set forth from time to time in the SEC filings for Blackbaud, copies of which are available free of charge at the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov or upon request from Blackbaud's investor relations department. All Blackbaud product names appearing herein are trademarks or registered trademarks of Blackbaud, Inc.