Blackbaud's Tech Accelerator Program Welcomes Eight New Startups Bringing Cutting Edge Technology to the Social Impact Sector

Startups in the January 2024 Cohort of the Blackbaud Social Good Startup Program are Delivering Innovative Solutions for Nonprofits, Schools and Individual Givers

CHARLESTON, S.C., Jan. 16, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Blackbaud (NASDAQ: BLKB), the leading provider of software for powering social impact, today announced the newest cohort of participants in its Social Good Startup Program. The program is a tech accelerator designed to support early-stage software companies focused on solving problems that matter to the social impact community.

With eight new participants, the January cohort continues to support startups focused on developing AI solutions to maximize impact for nonprofits and companies focused on social responsibility, as well as those with founders from backgrounds typically underrepresented in the technology industry.

"Our Social Good Startup Program is a one-of-a-kind initiative that lets startups demonstrate their innovation as they integrate with Blackbaud products, thereby creating additional value for our customers," said Sudip Datta, chief product officer, Blackbaud. "Over the past few years, we have been able to deploy several market-leading solutions from this program, and we're thrilled to continue exploring the application of artificial intelligence in social impact with these eight new participants."

The startups in the January 2024 cohort include:

• Nonprofit Sector Strategies is a public benefit corporation dedicated to helping nonprofits maximize mission impact through strategic planning and board management services. BellesBoard, its signature product created in 2018, is a board management software solution and mobile app that grows nonprofit boards' efficiency, engagement and fundraising.
• Chariot is a Donor Advised Fund (DAF) fundraising solution designed for nonprofits. its three-click DAF payment option integrates with donation forms to unlock more of the $229 billion sitting in 3 million donors' DAF accounts. Chariot enables real-time data capture to thank DAF donors immediately and digital processing to deliver DAF gifts directly to nonprofit bank accounts instead of sending checks in the mail.
• CharterBoards enables charter school leaders to spend less time on administration and more time on academic achievement. Leaders can quickly prepare and manage meeting agendas, board packets and minutes from a single app—then publish to their public-school board site with one click. No more juggling documents, PDFs and a CMS just to keep basic board documents up to date online. No more worries about staying in FOIA compliance. CharterBoards handles repetitive tasks, like approving minutes, taking attendance, and passing motions, so school leaders can spend more time participating in discussion about school matters. As part of the Blackbaud Social Good Startup Program, CharterBoards plans to explore expanding beyond charter schools to support all public and private school boards.
• Grapevine is the only platform dedicated to Giving Circles – where people connect to grow the greater good. The platform helps people to connect with other like-minded people, pool their donations, discover nonprofits, and decide together where to give. With tools to keep members connected, collect donations, discover nonprofits, share updates, host voting, report transparently and more, Grapevine makes it simple for groups to launch, grow and succeed. Grapevine has helped direct over $30M to more than 4,000 small, local nonprofits across the country from 60,000 members and more than 1,000 Giving Circles.
• OpenGrants allows grant seekers to be instantly matched to grants for their startup, small business, nonprofit or government. It uncovers thousands of grants from federal, state, local and private sources across the U.S., then use AI to recommend them. The platform includes an embedded marketplace of independent experts to support grant seekers and lets users hire the help they need when they need it.
• School Journey is a mobile app conceptualized and specifically built to extend Blackbaud's education management solutions. The app gives Blackbaud-powered K-12 schools an intuitive mobile experience for existing platform data. It also connects students, teachers, and parents with a unique community engagement layer that streamlines school communication. The app leverages AI tools integrated into the platform to elevate and empower a student's learning process and well-being.
• Storyraise is a platform for nonprofit marketing and fundraising leaders to create digital reports and campaigns. Organizations save time by developing their own stunning annual, impact and donor reports. Storyraise also offers a tool for nonprofits to create fully-baked social media and email campaigns with the help of AI. Nonprofits can also take advantage of full-service creative services.
• SureImpact is an impact management solution specifically designed for all members of the social good sector. SureImpact's proven collaborative infrastructure combines case management, impact measurement, and reporting. As a result, foundations, government and nonprofits have the insights needed to enhance delivery of mission-critical services. By demonstrating the degree to which social good initiatives are changing the world, funders and other stakeholders will become more invested in causes than ever before.

"We're thrilled to welcome these eight outstanding companies into the January 2024 cohort," said Lizzie Schaffer, general manager, Social Good Startup Program, Blackbaud. "By continuing to partner with the best and the brightest in social impact technology through the Social Good Startup Program, Blackbaud continues to offer purpose-led organizations even more opportunities to experiment with some of the newest products and solutions available today, ultimately giving our customers even more ways to fuel their impact and achieve their goals."

About the Blackbaud Social Good Startup Program
Since the launch of the first cohort of the Social Good Startup Program in January 2020, Blackbaud has supported a total of 55 startups through seven prior cohorts, with these organizations collectively raising upwards of $175 million in funding and contributing 25 new solutions to the Blackbaud Marketplace. In addition, more than 55% of the startup founders who have participated in the program are from backgrounds typically underrepresented in tech.

Program participants receive curated access to Blackbaud resources, marketing opportunities and nondilutive grant funding, and Blackbaud works with startup founders to design a unique plan for each company that addresses their goals for growth. Participants have published multiple Blackbaud product integrations, collaborated with other Blackbaud ISV partners, participated in Blackbaud events and engaged in targeted discovery with Blackbaud customers to get product feedback and implement changes to best suit customer needs.

Founders are invited to participate in the annual Blackbaud Social Good Startup Showcase, where they can pitch their ideas to Blackbaud leaders for a chance to create networking opportunities and win prizes. This year's showcase will take place at bbcon, Blackbaud's annual tech conference happening in Seattle, September 24-26, and the winners of the 2023 showcase will be in attendance.

Blackbaud accepts applications for the Social Good Startup Program on a rolling basis. For consideration in the July 2024 or other future cohorts, learn more and apply here.

About Blackbaud
Blackbaud (NASDAQ: BLKB) is the leading software provider exclusively dedicated to powering social impact. Serving the nonprofit and education sectors, companies committed to social responsibility and individual change makers, Blackbaud's essential software is built to accelerate impact in fundraising, nonprofit financial management, digital giving, grantmaking, corporate social responsibility and education management. With millions of users and over $100 billion raised, granted or managed through Blackbaud platforms every year, Blackbaud's solutions are unleashing the potential of the people and organizations who change the world. Blackbaud has been named to Newsweek's list of America's Most Responsible Companies, Quartz's list of Best Companies for Remote Workers, and Forbes' list of America's Best Employers. A remote-first company, Blackbaud has operations in the United States, Australia, Canada, Costa Rica and the United Kingdom, supporting users in 100+ countries. Learn more at www.blackbaud.com or follow us on X/Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook.

Media Inquiries
[email protected] 

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, including statements regarding expected benefits of products and product features. 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 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.

SOURCE Blackbaud