Rebecca Gibson |
Cloud software company Blackbaud has joined with Microsoft’s new Tech for Social Impact Group to help accelerate technology adoption and digital transformation in the global nonprofit industry.
Blackbaud plans to fully power Blackbaud SKY, a solution that caters specifically to the workflow and operating model needs of nonprofits, on the Microsoft Azure cloud. The company, which is already one of Microsoft’s global independent software vendors, will also become a Microsoft Cloud Solution Provider partner. This will make it easier for nonprofits to purchase, provision and manage both Blackbaud’s and Microsoft’s cloud offerings.
“The nonprofit community plays a vital role in the health of the entire social economy, and we’ve been working for more than three decades to help these inspiring organisations achieve big, bold mission outcomes,” said Mike Gianoni, president and CEO of Blackbaud. “For nearly that long we’ve also been a Microsoft partner, and we’re incredibly enthusiastic about forging new ground together as we tackle some of the most pressing issues nonprofits face. Both companies couldn’t be more committed to this space, so the nonprofit community should expect great things from this expanded partnership.”
Together, Microsoft and Blackbaud will also explore how they can combine their cloud solution to help nonprofits digitise their operations, from funding, to mission operations and programme delivery. This includes finding ways to use both companies’ respective cloud artificial intelligence and analytics innovations to drive even greater impact.
In addition, Microsoft and Blackbaud will partner on initiatives that make innovation more accessible for nonprofits worldwide.
“This newly expanded partnership between Microsoft and Blackbaud will allow both companies to better meet the unique technology challenges nonprofits face,” said Justin Spelhaug, general manager of Microsoft Tech for Social Impact. “By combining Microsoft’s cloud platforms and expertise with Blackbaud’s leading industry solutions, we will create new opportunities for digital transformation to empower nonprofits to make an even bigger impact on the world.”