Last year, at bbcon 2019, we announced that the Blackbaud Labs team was launching a new initiative to expand our ecosystem of good with innovative tech startups—the Blackbaud Social Good Startup Challenge. Through a partnership with One Million by One Million (1Mby1M), Blackbaud sought to sponsor emerging startup companies in a tech accelerator, to provide access to training and networking, and to create new pathways to strengthen the social good community, with diversity and bold new thinking. Fourteen software companies were selected to participate in the 2020 cohort!

 

Click to watch a short video from our 2020 cohort participants about their experience.

The Background

This accelerator complements the work of the Blackbaud SKY® platform to enable our customers to benefit from “outside-in innovation”—new features and benefits that complement or extend Blackbaud solutions, delivered by ISV (tech) partners.

As part of the challenge, we encouraged applications from diverse founders, and we’re pleased to share that half of the startups participating in the 2020 cohort are companies with at least one non-traditional founder.

What’s happened since January? A lot!

Our companies have been hard at work since the start of the initiative with several published on Blackbaud’s sgENGAGE blog, including posts from Freewill, GatherVoices, and Mobilize. Other companies like Rememorate, ServeHub, and Team by The Tuesday Company have received coaching and introductions to potential investors through the 1Mby1M accelerator program.

Nearly all of the companies are working to build integrations with Blackbaud solutions, with OutreachCircle, GiveMagic and Wisely already live in the Blackbaud Marketplace. GiveMagic is also working on an integration with Blackbaud Merchant Services™ to directly show gifts in Blackbaud Raiser’s Edge NXT®—coming soon!

Global Impact

In response to COVID-19 and the worldwide movement for racial equality, we’re thrilled to share that our 2020 cohort companies have been making headlines all over the globe.

• Civic Dinners made the news in Australia for their work with the King Center in Atlanta towards Bridging the Racial Divide in America
• BallotReady by CivicEngine popped up on Lizzo’s Instagram in a call for voters shared with over 9 million followers
• San Diego Magazine featured this conversation with Renee Zau about her motivation to found DonationMatch
• The founders of Harness were featured in this article from Tampa Bay Magazine
• PeerPal has been keeping parents connected through school updates and changes through their app, available for download here

On October 6–8, tune into bbcon 2020 Virtual to hear exciting news about what’s next for the Social Good Startup Program in 2021! Plus, bbcon 2020 Virtual is free for all to attend— register here today.