Blackbaud Solution Line Review

Product:
Vendor:
Founded:
Headquarters:

Solution Line
Blackbaud
1981
Charleston, SC

Ownership:
Customers:
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Public
Unknown
Cloud
No

Product Overview

For nonprofits that want a central system to handle all of their tasks, Blackbaud’s Solution Line provides enterprise resource planning (ERP) functionality. Blackbaud’s solutions work together, such as Blackbaud Raiser’s Edge NXT (for fundraising) and Blackbaud Financial Edge NXT for fund accounting. Blackbaud’s solutions help organizations break down silos, streamline processes and reduce the risk of inaccurate data entry.

Powered by Blackbaud SKY, the modern, open cloud platform built for social good, Blackbaud’s cloud solutions are designed to drive digital transformation and impact for their customers. SKY API® and SKY UX® enable customers and developers to extend Blackbaud solutions with open, industry-standard REST APIs, all while creating a seamless user experience.

Features

Blackbaud Financial Edge NXT: Blackbaud Financial Edge NXT is  a cloud-based fund accounting software aimed at nonprofits and public service organizations. Accountants can manage their cash flow, run budget and forecasting scenarios, and track the organization’s financial health with reporting tools. The solution helps streamline financial operations so organizations can focus more on their missions.

Blackbaud Grantmaking: Blackbaud Grantmaking delivers capabilities configured to meet client’s needs, and improves their efficiency with personalized online grant applications and report forms, personalized user dashboards, and simplified financial processing tools. By providing access to giving data, including standard, advanced, and ad hoc reporting tools, Blackbaud Grantmaking also allows users to measure, understand, and improve your results.

Blackbaud Raiser’s Edge NXT: Blackbaud Raiser’s Edge NXT is a complete fundraising and supporter management solution that enables organizations of all sizes to operate more efficiently, reach and engage new supporters, and retain and expand existing donors, driving their missions forward. It minimizes time spent on administrative tasks by providing a clear view of performance, streamlining data and reporting processes, and providing collaboration tools to connect the organization.

Much more than just a database, its built-in tools for donor acquisition, prospect research, and communication/outreach allow organizations to deepen relationships with their supporters, and better track and cultivate those relationships to be more fruitful.

Blackbaud Altru: Blackbaud Altru is an online ticketing solution designed to give arts and cultural nonprofits a 360° view of their constituents so they can drive an increased rate of return on marketing efforts, effectively manage general admission ticketing, strategically acquire and retain members and achieve revenue goals.

Blackbaud Luminate Online: Blackbaud Luminate Online Marketing is an online fundraising and marketing automation software for non-profits. The solution offers a host of interactive tools to develop dynamic marketing campaigns and organize online fundraising events. The software features tools to allow non-profits build campaigns via email, mobile, and social channels, along with donation and email acquisition technology that allows organizations to engage effectively with their constituents and convert them to regular donors.

Blackbaud CRM: Blackbaud CRM combines unmatched nonprofit expertise with industry-leading fundraising and relationship management tools, integrated analytics, multichannel marketing, and data mining services to help large nonprofits and institutions build stronger and more productive relationships with their supporters.

Additional ERP Products: Additional products include Blackbaud Tuition Management, Blackbaud eTapestry, Blackbaud Team Raiser, Blackbaud Peer-to-Peer Fundraising (powered by JustGiving), Blackbaud NetCommunity and Blackbaud Merchant Services.

Target Market

Blackbaud targets nonprofits in a variety of sectors, such as foundations, healthcare, education and animal welfare. We’ve listed 10 of its clients below:

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Implementation/Integration

Blackbaud’s general implementation process is broken down into four main phases: prepare, review, configure and wrap-up. The prepare phase consists of a kick-off call, where the agenda and timeline of the implementation are discussed and users are scheduled for product training. Clients receive a preconsultation survey to fill out.

In the review phase, Blackbaud and the client discuss any requirements and business processes, and how the system can be best configured to those processes. Specific functional areas are customized based on the client’s requirements, such as application hosting, system configuration, and the core and supporting functional modules.

The wrap-up phase officially wraps up the project with a conference call.

Customer Service & Support

Blackbaud provides several training options, not just on its solution but also for continuing education in the nonprofit sector. Those training options include on-site or remote personalized training, regional classroom training or instructor-led online courses. Users can also view on-demand videos.

Blackbaud offers subscription-based training services through Blackbaud Learn. Blackbaud Learn has three tiers: Basics, More and Everything. With the Basics tier, users learn the foundational elements of the solution via on-demand videos. The More tier includes online instructor-led training, a library of eLearning courses and product certification courses.

The Everything tier includes live regional classroom training and solution workshops, in addition to the features of the other two tiers.

Blackbaud provides users with several support options, such as a knowledge base of articles and videos, how-to documents and a community forum. Users can contact Blackbaud by phone, chat support or submitting a ticket.

Pricing

Blackbaud offers subscription pricing plans. However, it doesn’t publicly release pricing information. Please contact the vendor directly for a quote.

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Shortcomings

Blackbaud is mainly intended for nonprofits, so for-profit companies can check out our other accounting software reviews.

Users at smaller nonprofits have found the software to be expensive, since the cost increases annually. Also, users have reported that running queries can be difficult, especially if they don’t use the software often.

Screenshots

About

Blackbaud provides cloud software, services, expertise and data intelligence that empower organizations to drive impact for social good. They serve the entire social good community, which includes nonprofits, foundations, corporations, education institutions, healthcare institutions and the individual change agents who support them. In addition to fund accounting solutions, Blackbaud markets various solutions for marketing, CRM, fundraising, merchant services and grantmaking, to name a few.

Blackbaud has received numerous accolades over the years, such as Forbes’ 2020 Best Employer for Women, IDC’s Top 40 Largest Cloud Software Provider Worldwide and the 2020 Bronze Stevie Award for Contact Center of the Year – Technology Industries.

Blackbaud is headquartered in Charleston, SC, and has offices in several regions of the U.S., Canada, Europe, Asia and Australia.

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