Blackbaud launches mobile platform for sector

Blackbaud today launched Blackbaud Mobile, a mobile platform for the UK not-for-profit sector.

Blackbaud Mobile aims to enable interactive fundraising and supporter engagement via smartphone and social media fully integrated with an organisation’s fundraising programme and customer relationship management (CRM).

“So far, mobile fundraising has been the modern equivalent of the collection tin – anonymous with no chance for continued engagement,” said Mark Grisdale, Blackbaud Europe’s commercial director.

“Blackbaud Mobile is a complete platform that brings mobile to the level of other fundraising channels, making it interactive and productive.”

Blackbaud Mobile provides text giving using a dedicated charity five digit short-code, with automated Gift Aid recovery.

Beyond text giving, the platform enables a host of supporter engagements via two-way interactive text communications; integration with social media, including Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn; and functionality to support QR codes for offline campaigns.

The platform captures mobile phone numbers and full contact details to ensure the organisation has the information needed for supporter development.

Blackbaud Mobile marries the mobile and contact information with back-end marketing and communications tools, and real-time monitoring and analysis.

“Blackbaud Mobile gives not-for-profits tactical control, reporting and invaluable insight,” said Robert McAllen, Blackbaud Europe’s European markets product manager.

“With over 60 million mobiles to reach out to in the UK and successes like Comic Relief raising £15.1m this year via mobile, it is time mobile comes to par with other fundraising channels. Blackbaud Mobile takes this step.”

Julie Howell, a digital communications specialist, and Charity Times Awards judge, said of the launch: "Clearly, a fully integrated approach should make administration and CRM more cost-effective and by offering a mobile platform that integrates with popular social media utilities one imagines it should be possible for some charities and NGOs to engage harder-to-reach supporters for the first time.

"It will be interesting to see if and how existing supporters' behaviour changes. Will those who currently give via an NGO's website find it more convenient to give via mobile or will they continue to give in the same way as before - in other words, is this a game-changing technology?

"I suspect that it isn't, but that at the very least it has the potential to enable NGOs and charities to engage new supporters, and it will be interesting to see the results as NGOs start to use the technology in their campaigns."