Resources for Blackbaud Customers Impacted by the U.S. Government Shutdown

Christine Newman

On October 1, 2025, the United States federal government entered a shutdown. Essential services such as law enforcement, air traffic control, Social Security, and Medicare continue, but most non-essential functions are paused until Congress passes federal funding legislation. The duration and full impact of the shutdown remain uncertain. 

We recognize that this situation may create challenges for some of our customers who rely on federal grants and contracts. To help you navigate this period, we’ve gathered a set of product and sector best practice resources designed to support your organization and help you stay resilient.  

Product Best Practices and Resources 

• Blackbaud Donation Forms and Fee Coverage (Complete Cover™/Donor Cover): If your organization is considering launching a targeted fundraising campaign to help bridge funding gaps and you own Blackbaud Raiser’s Edge NXT, Blackbaud CRM, or Blackbaud Altru, you can easily create an Optimized or Standard donation form to help you maximize contributions. 
  • Help article: Blackbaud Donation Forms 
  • Free BlackbaudU training 
    • Blackbaud Raiser’s Edge NXT ®: Raise More with Optimized Form and Fee Coverage Options (video) 
    • Blackbaud Raiser’s Edge NXT: Raise More with Blackbaud Merchant Services and Online Donation Forms (Learning Path) 
    • Blackbaud Altru ®: Blackbaud Donation Forms courses 
• NPOconnect: If your 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization hasn’t yet registered with NPOconnect®, we encourage you to do so. This free portal helps you to receive corporate and employee donations from the 8 million+ prospective donors and volunteers that work for companies using our employee giving, volunteering and grantmaking software. You can find instructions on how to register for an account here. 

Sector Best Practices and Tips for Navigating Challenges and Engaging Stakeholders 

We’ve published a blog post with tips tailored to organizations receiving federal funds: Navigating a Government Shutdown When Your Organization Receives Federal Funds. 

Additional resources that may be helpful as you communicate with donors and continue to future-proof your organization. 

• Blog posts 
  • Tips for Communicating with Donors During Uncertain Times 
  • Get Your Grant-Funded Nonprofit Started in Fundraising 
  • How to Evaluate a New Revenue Stream 
  • Diversifying Revenue Streams for Nonprofit Success 
  • Managing Diverse Revenue Streams as an Arts and Cultural Organization 
  • How Savvy Organizations Weather Uncertain Times 
  • Future-Proof Your Organization with Effective Budget Scenarios 
  • Nonprofit Risk Management Strategies: Complete Implementation Guide 
  • How to Prepare Your Grantmaking for Economic Uncertainy (and Why Now is Different) 
  • Responsive Grantmaking: How to Stay Connected to Your Community 
• Webinar (10/21): Budgeting into Uncertainty: Navigating Year-End with Clarity and Courage 
• eBook: The Way Forward: Diversifying Revenue and Giving Opportunities - Blackbaud 
• Whitepaper: Future-Proofing Your Organization’s Finances 

 

We hope these resources offer meaningful support—whether your organization is directly impacted or you're looking for ways to help others. Please know that we’re here for you. If you need additional assistance, don’t hesitate to ask questions in the Blackbaud Community or reach out to Blackbaud Customer Success.