Nonprofits are operating in a volatile funding environment, making fundraising even more essential. Yet the latest Blackbaud Institute data shows uneven results: larger organizations are pulling ahead while the typical smaller organization may be struggling more. Increasingly, AI can be the lever that helps organizations identify high-potential donors, improve retention, and scale personalized engagement,, without creating more burden on their limited resources.

AI is reshaping how social impact organizations operate, connect with donors, and deliver on their missions. As adoption accelerates, leaders face a growing responsibility to ensure this technology strengthens trust and long‑term impact.

Registration for bbcon 2026 is now open, with early-bird pricing through July 3. The conference, which convenes leaders across the social impact sector for three days of learning, inspiration and connection, will take place Sept. 29–Oct. 1 in Columbus, Ohio, with global events following in London and Sydney. 

Blackbaud has announced the general availability of the Development Agent, Blackbaud’s first Agent for Good™, to Raiser’s Edge NXT® customers in the U.S., with availability internationally and in other products to follow. The Development Agent, designed to help personalize donor engagement and grow giving at scale, is the first-ever expert agent to be embedded in a dedicated social impact platform.

Blackbaud highlighted customer outcomes that underline the real-world impact of Blackbaud’s intuitive and innovative solutions. These results speak to the differentiated power of Blackbaud’s specialized domain expertise. 

Blackbaud has received three prestigious industry awards recognizing the company’s pioneering work in artificial intelligence, responsible technology development, and thought leadership. The honors include the BIG Innovation Award from the Business Intelligence Group, Outstanding Organization in Responsible AI from the Responsible AI Institute’s RAISE Awards, and Thought Leadership Campaign of the Year from the Stevie® Awards for Sales & Customer Service.

Blackbaud is proud to announce that we have been named a winner in the 2026 BIG Innovation Awards by Business Intelligence Group. This annual awards program honors organizations, products, and individuals that are bringing new ideas to life in innovative ways, and driving meaningful progress across industries.

The newest cohort, consisting of 11 participants, reflects Blackbaud’s ongoing commitment to fostering solutions that help nonprofits and socially responsible businesses maximize their impact. Notably, 61% of the founders in this cohort come from backgrounds that are traditionally underrepresented in the tech industry, underscoring Blackbaud’s dedication to expanding access and elevating diverse voices in social impact innovation.

Through strategic partnerships with leading technology providers like Databricks, our solutions harness the power of data science, artificial intelligence, and analytics. We make these tools accessible, actionable, and ethical, ensuring that the social impact community can unlock insights, deepen engagement, and amplify their mission.