- Impact Awards
- Eligibility and Requirements
Eligibility and Requirements
Everything you need to know to prepare and submit an award-worthy Blackbaud Impact Award nomination!
Important Dates
March 23–May 15
Nomination submission period
By July 8
Winners and Finalists notified
August
Winners and Finalists will be announced publicly
September 29–October 1, 2026
Celebration at bbcon in Columbus, OH (London and Sydney dates to be announced)
Who can apply
We welcome all Blackbaud customers from across the globe to nominate their organizations, school, institutions or companies for an award. Individuals from customer organizations can be nominated for The Outstanding Leadership Award or The Rising Star Award.
How to submit a nomination
Nominations must be submitted before 11:00 p.m. ET on Friday, May 15, 2026. All nominations are final once they are submitted. Unfortunately, we cannot accept changes or amendments.
To prepare your nomination we recommend the following:
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Start by reviewing all seven award categories with your team and discuss the successes you’d like to feature from the past year.
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Review the nomination application questions before you begin crafting your submission as each includes a unique set of questions.
By entering the Blackbaud Impact Awards, applicants agree to allow Blackbaud to publicize their organization and nomination application content on the Blackbaud website, marketing communication channels, and with media if they are selected as a finalist or winner.
What makes a winning nomination
- Authentically share about the real obstacles your team overcame and what you have achieved. No one knows your story better than you do!
- Wherever possible, paint a picture of what you’ve achieved with real data points or specific examples. This brings your story to life.
- While this award isn’t only about the software, we do want to understand how your Blackbaud solutions have played a role in your accomplishments. Tell us how you used your software to help fuel your impact.
Read more here for other key components of an award-worthy story.
FAQ
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You and your team deserve recognition for your work in driving impact. The awards bring your behind-the-scenes work to the forefront and they elevate your organization as a sector leader amongst your peers. To help you spread the story of your mission impact, Blackbaud will spotlight both winners and finalists at bbcon and beyond.
Winner and finalists will be celebrated by Blackbaud and their peers at bbcon and enjoy special perks like an exclusive reception. No matter what the result, you can use your success story to foster appreciation, excitement, and confidence for what lies ahead.
Review the full winners and finalists package of benefits here.
*See terms and conditions for details
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Yes! Organizations may submit up to one nomination per category—please treat each as a unique submission and tailor the submission to the specific category you are entering.
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Self-nominations for The Outstanding Leadership Award and The Rising Star Award will not be accepted as the awards are intended to honor individuals who are recognized by others in their organization as colleagues who exemplify each category.
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Each nomination will be reviewed by a judging panel of Blackbaud experts and evaluated based on the overall quality of responses, which focus on innovation, creativity, analytics, communication, and mission impact, backed by measurable proof points or quantifiable impact. All decisions made by the judging panel are final.
Review the award categories, example milestones, and application questions ahead of time to ensure your nomination fits the core concept.
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The primary contact listed on your application will be contacted by email by July 8 and notified of their nomination status. At this time, you will be informed if you are a winner or a finalist under an embargo that will be lifted on the date of the public announcement.
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Please email us at impactawards@blackbaud.com.
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Read the full Terms and Conditions here.