# Microsoft & Blackbaud expand digital partnership to better support non-profits

- Link: https://fundraising.co.uk/2017/10/23/microsoft-blackbaud-expand-digital-partnership-better-support-non-profits/
- Published: 2017-10-23T08:44:02+01:00
- Author: Melanie May

**Microsoft and Blackbaud have announced a three-point plan that will extend their
existing partnership and help them offer better support to the non-profit sector
through cloud computing.**

The new development will use the cloud to make it easier for non-profits to access
and manage services and solutions across both organisations with [Blackbaud](https://www.blackbaud.co.uk/)
to fully power its social good cloud platform [Blackbaud SKY](https://www.blackbaud.com/sky)
with Microsoft’s cloud computing service Azure. Blackbaud will also be a CSP (Cloud
Solution Provider) partner for the Microsoft platform.

The two organisations are also committing to working together to find new solutions
that bring together both of their offerings to better support non-profits in areas
including funding, mission operations, and programme delivery. This will involve
exploring how both companies’ respective cloud artificial intelligence and analytics
can be leveraged in new ways to support the sector. Microsoft and Blackbaud intend
to partner on initiatives to make innovation more accessible for both large and 
small non-profits, and to explore other ways the companies’ data assets, community
outreach and sector leadership can be used to their benefit.

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Justin Spelhaug, General Manager of Microsoft Tech for Social Impact, said:

> “This newly expanded partnership between Microsoft and Blackbaud will allow both
> companies to better meet the unique technology challenges non-profits face. By
> combining Microsoft’s cloud platforms and expertise with Blackbaud’s leading industry
> solutions, we will create new opportunities for digital transformation to empower
> non-profits to make an even bigger impact on the world.”

The announcement follows Microsoft’s launch of its new[ Technology for Social Impact group](https://blogs.microsoft.com/firehose/2017/09/25/technology-for-social-impact-group-for-nonprofit-organizations-worldwide-announced-along-with-microsoft-365-for-nonprofits/),
which is dedicated to helping non-profits worldwide with technology adoption and
digital transformation. Microsoft and Blackbaud will share further details on their
partnership plans in due course.

 * **[One in four charities lack access to real-time data, report finds](https://fundraising.co.uk/2017/11/30/one-four-charities-lack-access-real-time-data-report-finds/)**(
   30 November 2017)
 * **["Charities lack cash and confidence" to explore new tech like the Cloud](https://fundraising.co.uk/2011/05/12/quotcharities-lack-cash-and-confidencequot-explore-new-tech-cloud/)**(
   12 May 2011)
 * **[Blackbaud announces cloud-based version of The Raiser’s Edge](https://fundraising.co.uk/2014/09/10/blackbaud-announces-cloud-based-version-raisers-edge/)**(
   10 September 2014)

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