This blog was submitted by our Community blogger, Austen Brown! My bbcon whirlwind started out with Blackbaud University Day classes covering a wide range of topics related to my position as Database Manager. Over the course of the conference, I expanded beyond my initial chosen areas of learning by seeking out opportunities to increase my ... more

I want to go to bbcon 2019. I hope to take advantage of the early bird & bbcon 2018 attendee discount to attend next year's event in Nashville. Hi, I'm Elizabeth Johnson. I'm a bbcon 2018 Community Blogger. I wanted to share my experience at this year's conference with you. At work, there never seems to be enough time to do everything you want to do. It may ... more

This was my fourth bbcon and first bbu day. As we are beginning the process of transitioning to Raiser’s Edge NXT, my goal was to get a head start and learn as much as possible about NXT.   Not only did I learn all about NXT, I am very excited about the possibilities and upcoming features. I would say that bbu/bbcon is a wonderful combination of learning, ... more

Day three of bbcon is in the books! The day kicked off with an extremely inspirational closing speech from Jeremy Heimans, author of "New Power: How Power Works in a Hyperconnected World."  Any speech that involves Tetris vs. Minecraft ... is a WIN!  It all boils down to Old Power (Tetris) vs. New Power (Minecraft) - both involve blocks, but Minecraft is ... more

Day two is coming to a close in Orlando, Florida. We hope everyone attending the conference is keeping an eye on Hurricane Michael! It was an exciting day in the world of #bbcon tweets - let's take a look at some of the best of the best! Dawww - thank you Stephanie! Blackbaud University had the BEST idea this year - letting attendees get headshots taken. ... more

*This blog is from one of our Community Bloggers at bbcon. She is one of four that won tickets to attend during our Badge Quest (Ninja)/bbcon Contest. I was terrified & excited to attend bbcon. I had no idea what to expect - this is my first BBCON, and I’ve only been using Blackbaud products since February. What if the best practices I helped my foundation ... more

Day one of bbcon 2018 in Orlando, Florida is in the books! Here are some of the highlights from the first day: Let's start with the Main Stage Opening Session and KUDOS to all of our fabulous Community rock stars for playing a big part in the opening session! Amy Dana, Sunshine Watson, and Jimmy Cudzilo, all helped announce sessions, but in their best movie ... more

The Blackbaud Community is partnering with Champions to provide a unique opportunity for bbcon 2018 in Orlando attendees. We want YOU to be a bbcon Roving Reporter! What does that mean?   We'd like you to share your experiences before, during, and after bbcon in an awesome new app that makes sharing super easy and fun! What is it?   Cinebody - an easy app ... more

Hi bbcon Community! We're one week from bbcon 2018 in Orlando, Florida, and I want to share a video blog with you below about what's happening here in the bbcon Community and also what's happening at bbcon 2018. Check out the video and see the link below that to get what you need to have a truly great bbcon 2018 experience! Can't see the video? Click here to ... more

BLACKBAUD UNIVERSITY DAY  INSTRUCTOR SPOTLIGHT | Amy Matthews Greetings from sunny southern California! My name is Amy Matthews , your friendly Blackbaud Instructor from just south of Los Angeles. You might have joined me in a training class for Raiser’s Edge , Luminate Online , Blackbaud NetCommunity , Education Edge , or for one of our ... more

BLACKBAUD UNIVERSITY DAY INSTRUCTOR SPOTLIGHT | Rich Waldmann Hey everyone! My name is Rich Waldmann , and you may have seen me over the past year in your Raiser’s Edge , Raiser’s Edge NXT , and K–12 “ON” Products training classes. This October you’ll be able to catch me in person at bbcon 2018 teaching Raiser’s Edge sessions during Blackbaud University ... more

BLACKBAUD UNIVERSITY DAY INSTRUCTOR SPOTLIGHT | Jenny Toledo Hello from the sunshine state – the other sunshine state that is – California! My name is Jenny and I currently live in Los Angeles. I work with a variety of products and I’m the only instructor with purple hair ! You might have caught a glimpse of the purple if you’ve ever joined an eTapestry ... more

BLACKBAUD UNIVERSITY DAY INSTRUCTOR SPOTLIGHT | Kirk Lilwall Hello! My name is Kirk and I’m very excited to be an instructor teaching at Blackbaud University Day this year at bbcon ! If you’ve taken one of my online or in-person classes, you’ll remember me as the tall Canadian guy who plays ukulele and has a 27-year-old pet turtle. Last year at bbcon , I was ... more

Hello! My name is Nate Hug and I’m a Blackbaud Instructor based out of Manhattan, New York. You’ve possibly seen me in one of your Financial Edge or Luminate Online courses. In a few short weeks, I’ll be trading the fall foliage of Central Park for some palm trees as I head down south to Orlando, Florida to participate in Blackbaud University Day at bbcon ... more

Hello! My name is Megan Smith and I live in Brooklyn, New York with my cat, Julio. I’ve been with Blackbaud for over two years, teaching Altru , Raiser’s Edge , and eTapestry . Before becoming a Blackbaud instructor I worked primarily in the nonprofit sector for a museum that was transitioning to a Blackbaud product. I remember being really excited when a ... more

Hi, my name’s Joe Conley and you may recognize me from Raiser’s Edge classes. Or maybe our Organizational Best Practices workshops. We also could have met in a ResearchPoint or Blackbaud CRM class. Or, most importantly, maybe we met during a Blackbaud Grantmaking class. Why do I say most importantly? Because that’s what I’m teaching on Blackbaud ... more

Hello from Washington, D.C.! My name is Kaitlyn Downs , and you might recognize me from training classes for Raiser’s Edge , Raiser’s Edge NXT , and Blackbaud Grantmaking . Before I joined Blackbaud as an instructor, I worked in small community-based nonprofits for more than three years. I feel passionate about saving social good organizations money ... more

Hello from Charleston, South Carolina! My name is Shelley Hindmon , and you may have seen me in your training classes for Raiser’s Edge and Raiser’s Edge NXT , eTapestry , and Organizational Best Practices . You can catch me teaching Raiser’s Edge sessions this year at Blackbaud University Day ! My passion for using technology to improve a nonprofit’s ... more

bbcon’s Virtual Pass early-bird registration ends this Friday!* This is our best pricing, so get in while you can and save $50. Missing out on bbcon this year? Purchase the  bbcon Virtual Pass  to catch some of our most-popular sessions live and on demand! If you want live access to sessions during bbcon, purchase your pass prior to October 1 and be sure ... more

We are thrilled to announce that Jeremy Heimans will be our mainstage speaker on day 3 of bbcon !  Jeremy Heimans is the co-author of the bestselling 2018 book New Power: How Power Works in our Hyperconnected World – and How to Make It Work for You. He is a sought-after voice worldwide for his game-changing insight into the new methods and mindsets ... more

Missing out on bbcon this year? Purchase the bbcon Virtual Pass to catch some of our most-popular sessions live and on demand! If you want live access to sessions during bbcon, purchase your pass prior to October 1 and be sure to take advantage of early bird pricing now before it increases after August 31. Post-conference sales will reopen on October ... more

bbcon’s early-bird registration ends this Friday!* This is our best pricing, so get in while you can and save $145. bbcon is the one place to hear about transformative technology, get inspired by impact-driving keynotes, and learn from over 250 brilliant breakout sessions—all designed for the social good community. There is only four days left to ... more

Each year Blackbaud awards 10 bbcon scholarships to nonprofit professionals who exude a passion for learning and want to propel their organizations’ missions forward. bbcon opens the door for professional growth through hands-on training, networking opportunities, and interactive demos. more

We are so excited to announce that at this year's bbcon, attendees will enjoy the best of all worlds with a celebration at Universal CityWalk®!* Taking place on Tuesday, October 9 from 7:00–10:00 p.m., the celebration event will feature 7 venues allowing attendees to experience an eclectic mix of themes, cuisine, and entertainment all in one night, ... more

Lessons learned at bbcon 2017 by Community Blogger, Brent Troth. more

The culmination of three days of awesome at bbcon 2017 ended with closing remarks from the amazing Robin Wright! more

Sharing what you learn with others - helps you too! more

Today we have an extra special Social recap from bbcon 2017 - it comes from a previous Robert C. Hernandez winner and a community super user Amy Dana . Thank you for being the eyes on the ground for those of use who can't attend!   Always good to start with a positive attitude, no matter how late you were up last night: The eternal conflict of #bbcon vs #bacon is ... more

As we heard this morning on the bbcon mainstage, today and tomorrow’s evolving social issues can’t be solved with yesterday’s approaches.   more

Please enjoy my first hand account of bbcon 2017. more

Did you feel the energy coming from Baltimore yesterday? Yesterday was a HUGE day as bbcon 2017 officially kicked off! As an added bonus, I invited two previous Robert C. Hernandez winners, Sunshine Watson and Amy Dana , to share their favorite social media moments with the Community. First though, let’s talk about that morning main stage session: To ... more

We have postcards set up at bbcon for people to send to others who are doing amazing things. It's all about sharing the love and we want you to be a part of that! more

bbcon is FINALLY here and we couldn't be more excited! For those of you following along online, I wanted to make sure you're taking advantage of all the online offerings - including Facebook Live events ! We will be hosting pop-up Facebook Live events every day of bbcon from 12:30 - 1 p.m., EDT (and other times throughout the week)! Speakers include: ... more

Blackbaud University Day is officially in the books! We have a look at the best of the best tweets from the first annual BBU day at bbcon in Baltimore. more

And we're off and running! There is a sense of joy in Baltimore as people from all across the Blackbaud universe are coming together for bbcon, and specifically for the first ever University Day. more

During #bbcon 2017, if you tweet using the hashtag (#bbcon), Blackbaud will donate money to Code in the Schools! more

Four Community members won passes to Blackbaud University Day at bbcon in Baltimore. more

Calling all bbcon 2017 registrants! We’re excited to have you at bbcon 2017, but we know you may have colleagues who are unable to attend. That’s why this year, we’re offering our first-ever bbcon Virtual Pass! Invite your colleagues to participate in the magic of bbcon right from their desks.  They’ll have access to mainstage presentations and ... more

I’m sure by now you’ve heard the bbcon 2017 news. We’ve set aside Monday, Oct. 16 as Blackbaud University Day – an entire preconference day of learning with focused instruction and practical demonstration to help you build your skills.   And what could be better than rounding out the day with a networking reception to celebrate Blackbaud University Day ... more

bbcon 2017 is approaching quickly, but it's not too late to add Blackbaud University Day to your registration!  In order get the most out of your University Day experience, we created a quick assessment to help you discover your path to becoming a Blackbaud power user! Plus, receive an exclusive registration discount  at the end. Get Started!  All ... more

With regular pricing ending on Sept. 15, now is the time to register for Blackbaud University Day at bbcon 2017 ! Blackbaud   University Day  is your chance to learn from our great team of instructors and to network with your fellow users. It’s also a great value. An entire day of training (normally $600) for  only $325 . If you’re looking for an opportunity ... more

bbcon 2017 is only two months away! more

As a Blackbaud Education Consultant based in London, England, I regularly teach our products to customers worldwide in a remote training environment. It’s not unusual for my classes to span multiple time zones! So, you can imagine how delighted I am to be crossing the “pond” in October to attend bbcon 2017 this year in Baltimore, Maryland. I’m really ... more

In case the good news hasn’t yet reached you, let me be the first to tell you— our beloved bbcon 2017 is taking its talents to Baltimore , MD the week of Oct. 16 ! It’s your chance to hobnob with your peers, accelerate your Blackbaud product expertise, get insight into nonprofit best practices, and soak in the beauty and culture of this historic city.  As a ... more

Is it just me, or does it seem like the summer months are flying by? I, for one, am excited for fall to get here. Not only does the weather get a bit cooler, it also means it’s time for bbcon ! In my years of working with Blackbaud University, the anticipation for our bbcon event seems to grow every year. And this year we have even more to be excited about—on October 16 we’ll be hosting Blackbaud University Day , a day solely devoted to Blackbaud University’s Learn Lab sessions and Nonprofit Workshops .   more

Earlier this year, Blackbaud announced that GIFTS Online and FIMS training was moving to the award winning Blackbaud University. This innovative change brought with it many benefits, including updated materials, dedicated training staff, and online registration resources. For me, the biggest change was a shift in role from a GIFTS Online ... more

Whatever your reason for attending Blackbaud University Day at bbcon 2017, make it a goal to learn from everyone around you and connect with your fellow nonprofit do-gooders! more

bbcon for Arts & Cultural Organizations bbcon   may seem far away, but the time to register is now. What’s at bbcon for a professional in the arts & cultural space like you? This year, the Arts and Cultural track has its own Kickoff session  and we have doubled the number of sessions from some of your industry’s best and brightest minds. Check out the list of  ... more

This October, bbcon 2017 in Baltimore, Maryland is shaping up to be one of our best events yet. As a Blackbaud University instructor I’ve had the pleasure of educating clients for more than two years, both online and in person. But this will be my first time attending bbcon and teaching Learn Lab sessions — and I can’t wait! I’m super excited to share my ... more

As an educator, there are moments when you know that your job is just to get people talking—and then get out of the way. I saw those moments everywhere I looked last year at bbcon 2016 . As a Blackbaud University instructor, I have the opportunity to lead Learn Lab sessions and Nonprofit Workshops at our annual bbcon events. Each year, I come prepared to ... more

Interested in attending bbcon but unsure of how to communicate the return on investment? We’ve got you covered! Click here to visit the "Why Attend?" page of the bbcon website which includes key conference takeaways and a customizable justification letter (also attached here) to send to those approving your registration and travel.     But what ... more

Blackbaud University Announces Training Day! If you’ve ever attended a training session with Blackbaud University, you know how much we love to talk about our favorite (yet fictional) nonprofit, Chocolate for All .  With all that talk about chocolate we thought…how can we make training even sweeter? How about an entire day of training at bbcon 2017 ? ... more

Registration for bbcon 2017 is officially open! Don’t miss the premiere tech gathering for organizations and change agents driving social good. Visit www.bbconference.com to register now and take advantage of early-bird pricing.   At this year’s conference, you’ll have the opportunity to: Learn from industry-leading experts on how to push your ... more

Don’t just be part of the good takeover. Fuel it! Share your story at bbcon 2017 / October 17–19, 2017. Submit your proposal today! As the annual conference for the social good community, bbcon is an opportunity to share insight that helps everyone working to do good in the world accomplish even more. This year, bbcon is headed to Baltimore, and we’re ... more

Ah, the memories. Just a little over a month ago we said our goodbyes and we all flew, drove, or boarded a train away from National Harbor with a bag full of swag and a ton of great memories. Thanks to our resident photographer we have a whole new collection of memories to share with you today. The photographs from a selection of the many receptions are now ... more

Over the weekend, a customer reported an incident involving the Higher Ed Phone Charger Pack from the Higher Ed booth at bbcon. If you picked up one of these packs (pictured right), we ask that you throw it away immediately. If you would like a new gift from the Higher Ed team, please send your name and contact information (including shipping address) to ... more

Thank you for joining us in our bbcon journey here in the Blackbaud Community. This year we tried a lot of new ideas, trying to bring the onsite bbcon experience online. We were excited to be able to offer our community members access to bbcon like never before and I'd like to do a quick review of everything that we did and then ask you to sound off with your ... more

Did you hear about the Big Green Couch Chats we hosted from our booth at bbcon? These live-streamed microsessions were a way for you to be a part of bbcon without leaving your desk. If you missed them live, we have now posted recordings and/or presentation slides from every session we hosted. Here are all the session topics: Getting Started with Email ... more

Now that I have my third #bbcon under my belt, I feel like an old pro.  Here are the things that worked well for me this year (hopefully, I’ll remember all of them in 2017…). I bought a new purse for #bbcon (yes – my husband asked how necessary this purchase was as well).  But, this bag was large enough to hold my tablet, business cards, pen, paper, etc. and I ... more

With a belly full of lunch and some more pep in my step, I'm out to visit the afternoon sessions. For this session, I'm checking out the "Big Idea" panel on Big Data and how to harness it to fund and achieve your mission. Let's check it out! 1:33 p.m.: The panel begins with a question. "What if bandwidth or funding wasn't a problem for your organization?" More ... more

Good morning community! It's Day 2 of bbcon and I'm back for the day 2 keynote speech. Let's see what Kevin McDearis and Mary Beth Westmoreland have to talk about today. 9:03: Kevin McDearis and Mary Beth Westmoreland take the stage. The energy is already high to kick off the day! Kevin and Mary Beth take a second look at the themes Mike touched on yesterday. ... more

Hey folks! I'm back for the evening sessions, and this round I'm checking out "What Social Listening Can Do For You" with Rox Lemiux (GM, Attentive.ly) and Erik Leaver (CSM, Blackbaud). As the newest Blackbaud acquisition, Attentive.ly brings a lot to the table as far as how how social listening can benefit you, your organization and your mission. Here ... more

It's time for the afternoon breakout sessions. I'm sitting in on a panel titled "Fundraising 101: Increase Your ROI" featuring Amanda Cose (Marquette University) and Kim Abel (Phoenix Children's Hospital Foundation). I'll be live blogging throughout the panel to give you guys all of the sweet fundraising knowledge they have to offer. 1:35 p.m.: ... more

Hey folks! Ami here, live from the kick-off of bbcon for the Day1 Keynote speech. Today's speaker is Blackbaud CEO Mike Gianoni and special guests (announced below).  9:05 a.m: Started with a bang! Or rather a "doo wop." A marching band catches the crowd's attention with an upbeat diddy through the huge main ballroom. bbcon has begun! 9:11 a.m.: The ... more

WELCOME TO #bbcon2016!  We’re all very excited to kick-off bbcon this morning.  And, for the first time ever we are livestreaming bbcon keynotes exclusively in the Blackbaud Community ! You can find all links and times (all EDT) below.   KEYTNOTES www.livestream.com/Blackbaud/bbcon Password: Moments2016   Tune in at the following broadcast ... more

Greetings Community! bbcon starts TOMORROW and I can't wait to join you all there. But, for those that can't make it in person, I'll be posting regularly throughout the day with news, live blogs of panels and discussions, and more!  Keep an eye out over the next few days for blogs and discussions labeled "Ami on the Run:" for updates straight from the ... more

Dr. Natalia Kanem, the Deputy Executive Director of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), opened MicroEdge Day at bbcon. Born in Panama, she immigrated to the United States as a young girl, after the death of her father. Dr. Kanem, at a young age, knew she wanted to be a doctor and filled her days "curing" her dolls by "mixing concoctions" in her ... more

Are you a peer-to-peer fundraiser? Good news! We've got a great lineup of sessions... the schedule is deep and rich! To help you make the most of your time, here's a list of the very best peer-to-peer fundraising content, featuring industry experts who work with both TeamRaiser and everydayhero .   In addition to the sessions, stop by the Expo to have a ... more

We have some really great content this year for our clients that do advocacy work and use the Luminate Online Advocacy tool.  Check out the list below of advocacy sessions at bbcon that you do not want to miss! Don't forget to stop by the exhibit hall to visit the Marketing & Engagement booth (where our Luminate Online staff and experts will be) and the ... more

Did you pass the Raiser’s Edge Associate certification test three years ago?  Or maybe you just passed the fundamental’s exam for Luminate Online or eTapestry?  Regardless of the Blackbaud Certification test that you passed or when you passed it, this message is for you.    We want to formally invite you to join us at bbcon as we celebrate your ... more

Do you hear the buzz in the air? No, it’s not the sizzle of bacon- it’s bbcon 2016! Amazing things are happening and we want you to be in the center of the action. Going to bbcon or not – we have you covered. Not able to go to bbcon 2016 this year? Join the online experience: Big Green Couch Chats are quick 15-20 minute live chats with industry leaders discussing ... more

We asked and the Community has spoken ! I am pleased to announce the Robert C. Hernandez Award of Excellence! The inaugural Robert C. Hernandez Awards of Excellence will be awarded to five outstanding Blackbaud Community Members and Champions who have made significant contributions to the Blackbaud experience through their activity in both ... more

NetCommunity Nation: We've lots of great content coming your way at bbcon 2016 on October 26-28th in National Harbor, MD!  With over 160 breakout sessions, you've got plenty to choose from and we want to help you navigate the conference to get the most out of your experience.  The first hint is that you can use the search function on the  website   or the ... more

Well, here in Denver the one week of autumn has come and gone, football is back and I’m eating more than a bear getting ready for hibernation.  All of this is a clear sign that bbcon is fast approaching and that means it’s time for a list! First,  here’s one from David Zeidman  (which inspired me to create my own).  Still waiting for one from Omatic Software. ... more

Hey BBIS fans , we have lots of great content for you at bbcon 2016 on October 26-28 th in National Harbor, MD!  With over 160 breakout sessions, you will have lots of great content to choose from and we want to help you navigate the conference to get the most out of your experience.  The first hint is that you can use the search function on the website or the ... more

(reblogged from Blackbaud CRM Announcements blog ) It’s time to start planning for bbcon 2016 on October 26-28 th in National Harbor, MD!  With over 160 breakout sessions, you may be wondering how to navigate the conference to get the most out of your experience.  The first hint is that you can use the search function on the website or the mobile event app ... more

Congrats, you're going to bbcon! Now what? more

FAQ's for MicroEdge's session track at bbcon. more

Guest blogger, Josh Bekerman, tells you how to get the most out of bbcon! more

Find out some of the highlights for arts & cultural organizations attending BBCON 2016! more