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Blackbaud Enters into Strategic Partnership with Association of Fundraising Professionals

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^{Published in Science and Technology on Monday, March 21st 2011 at 5:25 GMT by Market Wire}  

CHARLESTON, S.C.--([ BUSINESS WIRE ])--Blackbaud, Inc. (Nasdaq: [ BLKB ]) has entered into a Strategic Partnership agreement with the [ Association of Fundraising Professionals ] (AFP), the largest community of fundraising professionals in the world. As a strategic partner, Blackbaud will continue its work with AFP supporting educational opportunities for fundraising professionals.

"Blackbauda™s involvement underscores its terrific dedication to the philanthropic sector, and I believe our new relationship will greatly enhance the international fundraising profession."

The AFP Strategic Partners program was designed for companies that want to create a year-round partnership with AFP that showcases their commitment to the association and its mission to advance philanthropy and ethical fundraising throughout the world. AFP represents more than 30,000 members in 213 chapters throughout the world, working to advance philanthropy through advocacy, research, education, and certification programs.

aBlackbaud has a long and rich legacy of partnering with nonprofits and helping them successfully overcome challenges and provide important services to their communities,a said Paulette V. Maehara, CFRE, CAE, president and CEO of AFP. aBlackbauda™s involvement underscores its terrific dedication to the philanthropic sector, and I believe our new relationship will greatly enhance the international fundraising profession.a

aWhile our strategic partnership is new, our relationship with AFP has spanned 29 years, since we first exhibited at an AFP conference,a said Marc Chardon, Blackbauda™s president and CEO. aDuring the past five years, wea™ve sponsored the international conference as a show of support to an organization that shares our commitment to educating and strengthening the fundraising profession. Our new role with AFP is one thata™s naturally evolved from whata™s been a mutually beneficial, long-term partnership.a

For the fifth year in a row, Blackbaud is also the presenting sponsor for the AFP Conference on Fundraising. More than 4,000 nonprofit professionals are expected to attend the event, taking place from March 20-22 in Chicago.

aWe want to express our special appreciation to retiring AFP President and CEO Paulette V. Maehara for her 13 years of dedicated service to the organization and the profession,a said Chardon. aWe look forward to working with Andrew Watt, the newly elected AFP president and CEO as he charts a course for the future.a At the conference, Paulette Maehara will hand over the reins of the global organization to Watt, formerly AFPa™s Chief Programs Officer.

Blackbauda™s focus at this yeara™s conference is to share best practices with attendees and help them build fundraising expertise through educational sessions, discussion panels, and hands-on demonstrations.

Blackbauda™s discussions for the 2011 AFP Conference include:

• aTop Ten Technology Trends for Nonprofitsa scheduled for Tuesday, March 22, 2011 from 9:15-10:15am, with featured speakers Kristen Fulks, Blackbaud consulting manager, and Bo Crader, Blackbaud principal consultant.
• a30 is the New 50: Engaging Major Donors across the Generationsa scheduled for Tuesday, March 22, 2011 from 9:15-10:15am. Featured speakers include: Rachel Hutchisson, Blackbauda™s director of corporate citizenship & philanthropy as well as an AFP International board member; June Bradham, president and founder of Corporate DevelopMint and AFP International board member, and Tucker Branham, consultant for [ Corporate DevelopMint ], a Charleston, SC-based consulting firm with expertise in strategic planning and management of fundraising campaigns.

For more information or to register for the 2011 AFP Conference visit: [ http://conference.afpnet.org ]

About Blackbaud

Blackbaud is the leading global provider of software and services designed specifically for nonprofit organizations, enabling them to improve operational efficiency, build strong relationships, and raise more money to support their missions. Approximately 24,000 organizations a" including The American Red Cross, Cancer Research UK, Earthjustice, International Fund for Animal Welfare, Lincoln Center, The Salvation Army, The Taft School, Tulsa Community Foundation, Ursinus College, the WGBH Educational Foundation, and Yale University a" use one or more Blackbaud products and services for fundraising, constituent relationship management, financial management, website management, direct marketing, education administration, ticketing, business intelligence, prospect research, consulting, and analytics. Since 1981, Blackbauda™s sole focus and expertise has been partnering with nonprofits and providing them the solutions they need to make a difference in their local communities and worldwide. Headquartered in the United States, Blackbaud also has operations in Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom. For more information, visit [ www.blackbaud.com ].

Forward-looking Statements

Except for historical information, all of the statements, expectations, and assumptions contained in this news release are forward-looking statements that involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Although Blackbaud attempts to be accurate in making these forward-looking statements, it is possible that future circumstances might differ from the assumptions on which such statements are based. In addition, other important factors that could cause results to differ materially include the following: general economic risks; uncertainty regarding increased business and renewals from existing customers; continued success in sales growth; management of integration of acquired companies and other risks associated with acquisitions; risks associated with successful implementation of multiple integrated software products; the ability to attract and retain key personnel; risks related to our dividend policy and share repurchase program, including potential limitations on our ability to grow and the possibility that we might discontinue payment of dividends; risks relating to restrictions imposed by the credit facility; risks associated with management of growth; lengthy sales and implementation cycles, particularly in larger organization; technological changes that make our products and services less competitive; and the other risk factors set forth from time to time in the SEC filings for Blackbaud, copies of which are available free of charge at the SECa™s website at [ www.sec.gov ] or upon request from Blackbaud's investor relations department. All Blackbaud product names appearing herein are trademarks or registered trademarks of Blackbaud, Inc.