The Buzz: October 2025 Edition!

Hi Community! 

It’s time to take a look at what’s buzzing in the Blackbaud Community! 

bbcon 2025 in Philadelphia: That’s a Wrap! 

Couldn’t make it to bbcon in Philadelphia this year? Attended bbcon but want to rewatch your favorite mainstage sessions? We've got you covered! Starting tomorrow, October 14, all the AI announcements from the mainstage, Adam Grant’s compelling keynote, the culture of innovation customer panel, and select breakout sessions will be available to watch on demand. All you have to do is register for a free bbcon virtual pass or log back into your account to catch up on all the incredible moments at bbcon.     

Thanks to everyone who stopped by the Blackbaud Customer Programs booth in person at bbcon. On behalf of Christine Newman, Callie Vanderbilt, Annie Baierl, and myself, we want to say we had the best time meeting and chatting with everyone! 

The in-person bbcon experience continues next month in! bbcon Sydney and London. Learn more about those events and how to register here. 

If you attended bbcon in person or virtually, or are attending the upcoming Sydney or London events, be sure to claim your bbcon attendee badge here. 

October Monthly Challenge: 

In the spirit of keeping the bbcon vibe going, October's monthly challenge is to leave your bbcon highlights, photos, stand out moments and feedback in this discussion in the bbcon community. You’ll earn this limited-edition badge: 

Mark Your Calendars for Blackbaud’s Product Update Briefings! 

This year’s Product Update Briefings are coming up November 18-20. These bi-annual, expert-led roadmap sessions are critical to staying informed of what’s next for your product(s). This year there is also a NEW session around AI Agents for Good™. Click here to register! We will also have a badging opportunity for leaving feedback on the Product Update Briefings, so stay tuned for that! 

AI Explorers Group: Join Today! 

Have you been leaning into AI and have useful tips to share with others? Or would you consider yourself more “curious” and want to learn how your peers across the sector are thinking about AI? Join the new AI Explorers group in the Blackbaud Community and jump right into the conversations happening now—there's room for everyone, no matter where you are in your AI journey.  

Blackbaud Raiser’s Edge NXT PowerUp Challenge: 

The seventh (lucky 7!) PowerUp Challenge is underway in the Raiser’s Edge NXT community! Jump in to explore the newly available Standard Reports and functionality in web view, just in time to support your giving season campaign planning!  Complete all three tasks and earn your PowerUp challenge badge. 

Free GivingTuesday Fundraising Resources! 

We’re just a month and a half away from GivingTuesday! Make sure your organization is ready to capitalize on the opportunity with Blackbaud’s FREE email and social media templates.

You also won’t want to miss the upcoming livestreamed conversation between Carrie Cobb, Blackbaud’s chief data and AI officer, and Woodrow Rosenbaum, chief data officer at GivingTuesday, about to use the day as a catalyst to transform your individual giving year-round. 

Featured Content: 

• Announcing the Winners of the bbdevdays 2025 Hackathon!Resources for Blackbaud Customers Impacted by the U.S. Government Shutdown 
• Navigating a Government Shutdown When Your Organization Receives Federal Funds (ENGAGE Blog)
• 10 Best Practices for Strong Nonprofit Financial Management (ENGAGE Blog)
• The Rise of Donor-Advised Funds (ENGAGE Podcast)
• The Pillars of Responsible AI (ENGAGE Podcast)

Product Highlights & Resources ICYMI:     

• What's New In Blackbaud Raiser's Edge NXT® 
• The Financial Post (Blackbaud Financial Edge NXT®) 
• Blackbaud ID updates for Education Management Solutions(K-12) 
• Blackbaud's Education Management Solutions: What’s New for September 30, 2025 (K-12) 
• Blackbaud's Education Management Solutions: What’s New for September 30, 2025 (Higher Education) 
• TeamRaiser Gen AI Content Writer & Tone Enhancer Is Coming Soon!  

Featured Events:     

• Connect for Success Sessions from Blackbaud Customer Success (various dates) 
• Product Tour: Introduction to Blackbaud Raiser's Edge NXT® and Blackbaud Grantmaking™ (October 16) 
• Microsoft Power Automate User Group (October 21)  
• Autonomous Fundraising, Real Results: Agents for Good™ Early Adopters Program Roundtable (October 28) 
• GivingTuesday Momentum: Fuel Fundraising All Year Long (October 30 Livestream) 
• Houston: Power Platform Regional Workshop Fundamentals (In Person, Houston, Texas – November 6-7) 

You can find additional webinars in the new events hub on the Blackbaud website. 

Community Kudos: 

Congratulations to All-Stars Alex Wong and Austen Brown for being the top two contributors last month in the Community. Thank you for all you do to help out members of our community! 

Both Alex and Austen both had the most accepted answers last month too—when you ask a question and you get a helpful response, be sure to mark it as "accepted" so that other members with a similar question know which response helped solve your challenge.

Birthdays:     

Let’s take a moment to wish all our Libras and Scorpios a happy trip around the sun! If you are celebrating a birthday in October, let us know in the comments below so we can wish you a very special happy birthday!