The Raiser's Edge now available in new hosted package
Howard Lake | 17 January 2011 | News
Blackbaud has announced a new version of The Raiser’s Edge for charities that want a simpler approach to buying, installing and managing the fundraising database.
The Raiser’s Edge (i) helps charities manage both their offline and online fundraising and communications in a single, hosted solution. The UK version, which includes the ability to capture Gift Aid information, enables online donations, registration, email, and SMS communications to help charities acquire and cultivate supporters.
The new package, available in three versions, combines the functionality of The Raiser’s Edge and Blackbaud NetCommunity, but has been configured to serve those charities who wanted a simpler approach to choosing and installing the software that is used by over 13,000 not-for-profits around the world.
This new packaged version of The Raiser’s Edge includes software, implementation, support and maintenance. It reduces the costs of sale for Blackbaud, and the company says it is passing on these savings to bring the price down on the standard, but customisable, version of The Raiser’s Edge.
Blackbaud explained that the new package was developed to service the growing expectations of donors who wish to interact with a charity via one or more of a whole range of channels, and to serve the needs of charities who wish to combine and analyse information on donors irrespective of whether they gave online or offline. It is based on Blackbaud’s examination of the best practices of its 250,000 users.
The Raiser’s Edge (i) allows individuals to login, make donations, sign up for email alerts, and track all their past donations (whether made online or offline). Charities can use it to analyse their donors’ giving behaviour, including how they interact with their website, and to develop communication and fundraising programmes based on analysis of donors’ online and offline giving histories.
The Raiser’s Edge (i) platform was created, trialled and developed in the USA in 2010. Blackbaud says that organisations using it to manage supporters who were interacting online and offline “typically secured 40% higher gifts”.
Martin Jervis, Blackbaud Europe’s vice president and managing director, said: “Blackbaud recognises that the only real answer is to have one fully integrated solution. Fundraising and supporter relationship management has changed significantly in recent years with donors, fundraisers and stakeholders alike expecting to engage, be engaged with, share and feel like they are part of the organisation they choose to support”.
Focusing on its simplicity and lower cost, Jervis added: “This new version effectively doubles the number of people in the market who can take advantage of The Raiser’s Edge.”
www.blackbaud.co.uk
About Howard Lake
Howard Lake is consultant editor of UK Fundraising. He founded the site in 1994 and successfully sold it in 2022. As director of Giving X Ltd he is exploring growing giving on a massive scale.
He is the founder of Fundraising Camp and co-founder of GoodJobs.