"There was a natural fit between Blackbaud and ThePort Network due to our mutual focus on helping nonprofits connect with their constituencies and our respective leadership positions as online and social networking solutions providers for nonprofits," said Bob Cramer, chairman and chief executive officer of ThePort Network. "With 22,000 customers around the world and 4,600 nonprofits using their online products, Blackbaud delivers a comprehensive solution to nonprofits looking to better mobilize their constituencies, both on- and offline. We are pleased to further enhance that solution with ThePort's social networking tools for online constituent engagement."
ThePort Network is the only social networking software provider that offers a complete set of products to equip nonprofit organizations with tools to help them take full advantage of the Internet. Providing social tools from blogs to full-scale online communities, ThePort Network offers social media products that enhance an organization's ability to more effectively communicate and gain insight into constituent behavior. It is the only integrated social platform that offers organizations an easy way to drive awareness and traffic from public networks such as Facebook and Twitter to their own private communities where constituents can meaningfully engage.
"The power of the total solution combining Blackbaud Sphere® and ThePort Network allows our website and our online community to seamlessly integrate into our social media strategy," said Rob Gerth, director of digital media for the Reeve Foundation. "Through the Reeve Foundation Paralysis Community, we can connect people living with paralysis with friends, family members, scientists and each other."
With 1.75 million active product users and more than 120 online communities, ThePort's flagship offering, ThePort Social, is an online social networking and media software platform that allows nonprofits to offer their own "white label" or private branded online communities. ThePort Social integrates with Blackbaud Sphere and helps nonprofits build, sustain, and grow a dynamic interactive online community that drives constituent engagement. With a single sign-in, the platform supports bi-directional data transfer to personalize a user's experience while capturing key data in the user's CRM profile.
"We are pleased to grow our partnership with ThePort and to be selected as the exclusive nonprofit technology provider to deliver ThePort's powerful social networking platform," said Marc Chardon, Blackbaud's president and chief executive officer. "Coupled with Blackbaud products' existing integration with public social networking sites, ThePort will add the capability for nonprofits to build integrated private social networks to further engage their constituents."
According to a recent Nielson estimate, social networks/blogs now account for one in every four and a half minutes online. Nielson also estimated that the average visitor spends 66 percent more time on these sites than a year ago.
"A nonprofit's social network is a core part of its online ecosystem and there are multiple advantages to building and hosting your own communities," said Jeff Patrick, president of Common Knowledge, an online agency specializing in social networking for nonprofits. "When you host your own social media sites and communities, you have complete control over the platform, making it easier to integrate your programs and services, thereby creating a socially-enabled, mission-focused experience for your supporters. In addition, you get better access to your constituent data and better management of user generated content, along with tighter control of supporter access and privacy - all essential features of a successful nonprofit community."Blackbaud will feature ThePort Network's solutions at the upcoming Bridge Conference in Washington D.C. from July 26 to 28 and the Direct Marketing Association Conference in New York from August 24 to 25.
More than 4,600 nonprofit organizations around the world use Blackbaud Internet solutions, including Blackbaud® NetCommunity, Blackbaud NetCommunity GrowTM, Blackbaud Sphere, and Blackbaud Sphere® GrowTM for content email, and event management; online fundraising, online community building, and advocacy. For more information about Blackbaud's Internet solutions, visit www.blackbaud.com/
About Blackbaud
Blackbaud is the leading global provider of software and services designed specifically for nonprofit organizations, enabling them to improve operational efficiency, build strong relationships, and raise more money to support their missions. Approximately 22,000 organizations - including University of Arizona Foundation, American Red Cross, Cancer Research UK, The Taft School, Lincoln Center, In Touch Ministries, Tulsa Community Foundation, Ursinus College, Earthjustice, International Fund for Animal Welfare, and the WGBH Educational Foundation - use one or more Blackbaud products and services for fundraising, constituent relationship management, financial management, website management, direct marketing, education administration, ticketing, business intelligence, prospect research, consulting, and analytics. Since 1981, Blackbaud's sole focus and expertise has been partnering with nonprofits and providing them the solutions they need to make a difference in their local communities and worldwide. Headquartered in the United States, Blackbaud also has operations in Australia, Canada, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom. For more information, visit www.blackbaud.com.
