# Blackbaud faces backlash for working with NRA - Link: https://fundraising.co.uk/2022/06/09/blackbaud-faces-backlash-for-working-with-nra/ - Published: 2022-06-09T11:32:03+01:00 - Author: Melanie May **Blackbaud has received heavy criticism following the news that the US National Rifle Association is one of its clients.** TechCrunch broke the news last week, after seeing internal documents from the organisation, which describes itself as ‘The world’s leading cloud software company powering social good.’ [According to TechCrunch](https://techcrunch.com/2022/06/02/social-good-cloud-provider-blackbaud-takes-millions-from-the-nra/), the NRA has been a Blackbaud client for 25 years, with Blackbaud providing it with fundraising, grant making and other organisational support services. Financially, TechCrunch discovered, Blackbaud receives recurring annual payments of at least $1 million from the Association. ## Advertisement The news, and the resulting criticism, follows the latest in a number of lethal mass shootings in the US: the murder of 21 children and adults at Uvalde by an 18- year-old with a semi-automatic weapon last month. The NRA’s annual convention, which took place in Houston, Texas shortly after the massacre, saw strong resistance to any moves to further restrict access to firearms, whilst also condemning the shooting. With many organisations working with a wide range of clients, including nonprofits, Blackbaud won’t be the only one with clients others consider questionable. In fact, it came to light last month that the NRA is also a Salesforce client, with media reports from the end of May stating that some 4,000 employees are pressing the organisation to end the relationship. A letter from staff asking this of co- CEOs Marc Benioff and Bret Taylor as well as other company leaders was [obtained by Protocol](https://www.protocol.com/bulletins/salesforce-nra-gun-control) last month. This also states that the NRA uses Salesforce products to drive its marketing and fundraising efforts. Blackbaud and Salesforce have been invited to respond, and Blackbaud, which owns JustGiving, has today (9 June) defended its work in a response to Third Sector. ## A selection of sector responses > Interesting convo brewing on this article. Is it fair? Should we expect companies > like Blackbaud to reject/fire customers whose practices are at odds with their > stated values? Would your org/co provide services to the NRA? [https://t.co/cgWLzgZGQq](https://t.co/cgWLzgZGQq) > — Jay Frost (@GordonJayFrost) [June 7, 2022](https://twitter.com/GordonJayFrost/status/1534254910245588994?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) https://twitter.com/erejman/status/1534289788878086144 https://twitter.com/NateL_A/status/1534265484442574848 > Not ok [@blackbaud](https://twitter.com/blackbaud?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) [@BlackbaudEurope](https://twitter.com/BlackbaudEurope?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) > Not ok. Time to prove just how much you really are for 'social good.' [https://t.co/EGR0XwEmqq](https://t.co/EGR0XwEmqq) > — ilona (@Ilona_Reynolds) [June 7, 2022](https://twitter.com/Ilona_Reynolds/status/1534257429818527744?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) > Yuck! > And poses an uncomfortable ethical conversation for those conferences and > events currently plastered in Blackbaud sponsor logos… [https://t.co/ravG7YeVQV](https://t.co/ravG7YeVQV) > — David Burgess (@DavidBurgessFR) [June 7, 2022](https://twitter.com/DavidBurgessFR/status/1534107349077704704?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) > This brings into sharp focus the qn of the responsibilities giving platforms bear > in terms of where they enable money to go. > Should they take more of a moral stand > in the grey area where legality & moral acceptability diverge? (And on what basis?) > [https://t.co/sfP7OUAoQB](https://t.co/sfP7OUAoQB) > — Rhodri Davies (@Rhodri_H_Davies) [June 7, 2022](https://twitter.com/Rhodri_H_Davies/status/1534117265356079104?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) > An update from us following the read of TechCrunch's article on Blackbaud funding( > link in next Tweet) to keep you in the loop and be open about our work. > It's out > of hours so we'll share again tomorrow and are open to calls, emails, and messages > with any questions. [pic.twitter.com/ofZnqJtLT2](https://t.co/ofZnqJtLT2) > — Fundraising Everywhere (@FundEverywhere) [June 7, 2022](https://twitter.com/FundEverywhere/status/1534213779470561280?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) * **[Blackbaud announces third annual European conference](https://fundraising.co.uk/2004/07/19/blackbaud-announces-third-annual-european-conference/)**( 19 July 2004) * **[Fisk Brett announce annual Progress user conference date](https://fundraising.co.uk/2004/08/18/fisk-brett-announce-annual-progress-user-conference-date/)**( 18 August 2004) * **[February conference on contact databases for charities](https://fundraising.co.uk/2005/12/18/february-conference-contact-databases-charities/)**( 18 December 2005) ## Comments ### By: HowardLake - Link: https://fundraising.co.uk/2022/06/09/blackbaud-faces-backlash-for-working-with-nra/#comment-4234 - Published: 2022-06-21T09:50:54+01:00 The Chartered Institute of Fundraising has decided to pause its sponsorship deals with firms linked to US gun lobbyists, according to Civil Society News: [https://www.civilsociety.co.uk/news/ciof-pauses-sponsorship-deals-with-firms-linked-to-us-gun-lobby.html](https://www.civilsociety.co.uk/news/ciof-pauses-sponsorship-deals-with-firms-linked-to-us-gun-lobby.html) ### By: HowardLake - Link: https://fundraising.co.uk/2022/06/09/blackbaud-faces-backlash-for-working-with-nra/#comment-4347 - Published: 2022-11-03T05:40:41+00:00 After four months, the CIOF has ended its pause and will now be working with JustGiving and Salesforce: [https://twitter.com/howardlake/status/1588100427723071488](https://twitter.com/howardlake/status/1588100427723071488)