Blackbaud Encourages Employees to Give Back to Their Communities
Charleston, S.C., July 8, 2009 — Blackbaud, Inc. (Nasdaq: BLKB) the leading global provider of nonprofit software and services, announced that the company has awarded 15 grants to nonprofit organizations in seven countries, volunteered to pack over 400 backpacks for a Charleston-area food bank, hosted a volunteer fair where over 200 employees signed up to donate time, and focused on protecting the environment. Blackbaud continues to encourage philanthropy worldwide in communities where customers and employees work and live by honoring the corporate value “service to others makes the world a better place.”
“Every day, the people of Blackbaud put a face to our corporate value both from a personal desire to give back and also because our customers – and their missions – permeate everything we do,” said Rachel Hutchisson, Blackbaud’s director of corporate relations and philanthropy and president of the Association of Fundraising Professionals’ SC Lowcountry chapter. “It is incredibly rewarding to be able to support our employees and the organizations they serve with programs like our quarterly initiatives and corporate grants.”
In the course of its daily operations, Blackbaud empowers nonprofits to improve operational efficiency, build strong relationships, and grow their donor bases with software and services. Additionally, in the past quarter, employees demonstrated the Blackbaud’s mission to “make the world a better place by working with the nonprofit community to improve lives” with the following projects:
- Team Blackbaud and Greenbaud, both employee-led volunteer groups, teamed up to promote a second quarter focus on the environment. In April, the groups held “Blackbaud Green Week" which included educational opportunities, a recycling drive, and a Green Fair to promote local sustainable businesses and organizations as well as green practices and products. On May 30, Greenbaud completed its second Adopt-A-Beach cleanup on Isle of Palms in South Carolina. Nearly 35 Blackbaud volunteers and friends spent the morning cleaning up the mile-long stretch of beach, collecting more than 500 pieces of garbage.”
- In April, Blackbaud employee volunteers participated in the Lowcountry Food Bank’s Backpack Buddies program. Over three days, volunteers gathered in the company’s atrium and packed 400 backpacks with food supplies for area children.
- Blackbaud hosted over 35 local nonprofits on May 27 for its annual volunteer fair where over 200 employees were recruited to volunteer at these organizations.
- For the past three months, Blackbaud employees from the United States, Australia, Canada, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom have been applying to the “Reward Your Passion” grant program on behalf of the nonprofits where they volunteer. Team Blackbaud Global, a committee of employees representing Blackbaud’s global offices, reviewed the applications and selected 15 winning employees and recipient organizations.
Gearing up for the third quarter focus of youth fitness and sports, Team Blackbaud is arranging a used sports equipment drive and several free learning sessions for employees. Also, the employee-led group called Project Wellness Support (PWS) is currently planning for fitness and cooking light challenges as well as on-premise exercise classes. PWS is spreading the message of physical, intellectual, social, and emotional health to fellow employees.
“Blackbaud has a history of supporting employee philanthropy, as well as employee wellbeing and health,” said Lindsey Robbins, a technical writer at Blackbaud who is heading up the company’s third quarter initiative. “In addition to the in-house fitness center and free health learning sessions, we are looking forward to empowering employees to practice healthy living at home too.”
In addition to Blackbaud’s 2009 quarterly initiatives and employee volunteer impact grants, there are many ongoing programs developed to support and encourage employees to give back all year long, including:
- Community grants – Through this fund, Blackbaud makes grants to organizations in the Lowcountry of South Carolina, where the company is headquartered, focusing on education for disadvantaged youth. Employees determine how the funding is distributed.
- Volunteer for Vacation – allows employees to earn additional vacation days by volunteering with local nonprofit organizations. Additionally, many employees participate in United Way’s Day of Caring, taking a company-sponsored day off of work to volunteer with a nonprofit and make a difference in the community.
For more information and to read to Blackbaud’s “Service to Others” blog, visit www.blackbaud.com/philanthropy.
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 22,000 organizations — including University of Arizona Foundation, American Red Cross, Cancer Research UK, The Taft School,Lincoln Center, In Touch Ministries, Tulsa Community Foundation, Ursinus College,Earthjustice, International Fund for Animal Welfare, and the WGBH Educational Foundation — 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, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom. For more information, visit www.blackbaud.com.
