NASHVILLE, Tenn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--More than 2000 nonprofit professionals joined Blackbaud, Inc. (NASDAQ: BLKB) in Nashville, TN for bbcon 2014, its 15th annual conference for nonprofits, to gain practical insight and explore technology advancements in the nonprofit sector. With more than 160 sessions, including discovery tracks, thought leadership sessions, product demonstrations, and hands-on training, bbcon 2014 equips attendees to fully leverage technology to fuel their missions while offering opportunities to network with peers and industry experts.
The first day of the conference was packed with networking opportunities, insight from the industry’s leading experts and inspiring stories of nonprofits using technology to influence change. The event also featured Big Idea Day, a new thought leadership track for nonprofits to share best practices and collaborate on innovative strategies for the future.
The company showcased its solution portfolio at an interactive expo for attendees and made many exciting announcements including:
- Blackbaud CRM™, the company’s fundraising and relationship management solution for enterprise-level nonprofits, will offer customers its most significant release to date, Blackbaud CRM 4.0, in November 2014
- Blackbaud Partner Marketplace™, the first nonprofit-specific community where Blackbaud customers can shop, compare and find cloud-based and mobile products to enhance their Blackbaud solutions, will launch in November 2014
- Connect Raiser’s Edge™ which integrates WhippleHill’s content management system, onMessage, with Raiser’s Edge™, has been released just four months after the company’s acquisition as part of an Early Adopter Program, and will be generally available in Q4 2014
- Connect Education Edge™ which integrates WhippleHill’s learning management system, onCampus, with Education Edge will release as part of an Early Adopter Program in Q4 2014, and will be generally available in Q1 2015
- NOZA Search™, the world's largest database that helps nonprofits identify philanthropic prospects, is now even larger with more than 100 million searchable gift records
- The release of the Luminate Online Benchmark report, a tool that uses data from nearly 800 Luminate Online customers to help nonprofits evaluate and compare their organization’s strategies in the online fundraising space
Attendees also had the opportunity to experience first-hand the wealth of summer enhancements and releases made by Blackbaud including:
- everydayhero™ – launched in the United States earlier this year, this crowdfunding tool allows nonprofits to connect with over 600,000 potential fundraisers to support their cause
- Blackbaud Online Express enhancements – the online giving and marketing solution now offers Raiser’s Edge users email performance details right from the dashboard
- Raiser’s Edge 7 enhancements – Blackbaud’s flagship fundraising and relationship management solution now offers customers Data Health Scorecard, Event Mobile App and Mobile Pay, Credit Card Updater and crowdfunding integration with everydayhero
- eTapestry® enhancements – now provides Data Health Scorecard and NCOA Address Finder
Blackbaud President and CEO, Mike Gianoni, will kickoff day two on October 7 by sharing the company’s vision and direction, discussing emerging trends in the nonprofit sector and honoring the 2014 Blackbaud Nonprofit Impact Award winners. In addition, the company will reveal details about the much anticipated Raiser’s Edge NXT, its new cloud fundraising and management solution, and Financial Edge NXT, its new cloud accounting solution.
Attendees are encouraged to stop by the Corporate Citizenship booth and participate in Blackbaud’s annual bbcon service project by helping assemble activity kits to be donated to Monroe Carell, Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt University. The company is also conducting a Social Media Give Back program benefitting the Boys and Girls Club of Middle Tennessee, and will make donations based on social media activity.
For more information, visit www.bbconference.com. Follow the conference news on Twitter at www.twitter.com/bbcon or like Blackbaud on Facebook® at www.facebook.com/blackbaud.
About Blackbaud
Serving the nonprofit and education sectors for 30 years, Blackbaud (NASDAQ: BLKB) combines technology and expertise to help organizations achieve their missions. Blackbaud works with more than 30,000 customers in over 60 countries that support higher education, healthcare, human services, arts and culture, faith, the environment, independent K-12 education, animal welfare and other charitable causes. The company offers a full spectrum of cloud-based and on-premise software solutions and related services for organizations of all sizes including: fundraising, eMarketing, advocacy, constituent relationship management (CRM), financial management, payment solutions, analytics and vertical-specific solutions. Using Blackbaud technology, these organizations raise more than $100 billion each year. Recognized as a top company by Forbes, InformationWeek, and Software Magazine and honored by Best Places to Work, Blackbaud is headquartered in Charleston, South Carolina and has operations in the United States, Australia, Canada, Ireland 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.
