Princess Margaret Hospital Foundation Uses Blackbaud Friends Asking Friends to Launch Online and Offline Fundraising Events in Support of Cancer Research
December 2, 2010
Partners with Blackbaud to power “team” fundraising, engage new audiences, and expand base of supporters
CHARLESTON, SC – December 2, 2010 – Blackbaud, Inc. (Nasdaq: BLKB), the leading global provider of software and related services designed specifically for nonprofit organizations, today announced that Princess Margaret Hospital Foundation selected Blackbaud Friends Asking Friends® as the online and offline event management solution for its newest fundraising event, Road Hockey to Conquer Cancer. The Foundation, which supports Canada’s leading cancer research institution, Princess Margaret Hospital, is using Friends Asking Friends combined with an innovative social media campaign to expand its supporter base and raise money for cancer research.
“Our goal is to empower our supporters with the online tools they need to raise awareness, recruit other supporters, fundraise, and drive participation in our event,” said Steve Merker, The Princess Margaret Hospital Foundation’s director of business development. “We feel confident that with Blackbaud’s expertise in event fundraising coupled with Friends Asking Friends technology, we will be able to reach our fundraising goals in support of our mission to ‘Conquer Cancer In Our Lifetime.’”
The Princess Margaret Hospital Foundation works with healthcare and research professionals, patients, and the community to raise more than $70 million annually to support breakthrough research, patient care, and education. In support of its fundraising goals, the Foundation recently launched a year-long fundraising initiative that will culminate in the Road Hockey to Conquer Cancer event in October, 2011. The dawn to dusk road hockey marathon and festival will harness supporters’ passion for Canada’s most cherished cultural pastime and promote supporter engagement through friendly competition, both in the game itself and in each supporter’s fundraising goals. For more information about the Road Hockey to Conquer Cancer event, or to register, visit www.teamuptoconquercancer.ca
“We are pleased to partner with Princess Margaret Hospital Foundation and to provide the technology solution that will help the organization manage this innovative fundraising event, foster constituent engagement and development, and enhance communication with supporters,” said Kevin Mooney, Blackbaud business unit president.
With Friends Asking Friends, the organization will drive donor acquisition for its road hockey event in previously untapped demographic areas and extend the Foundation’s unique brand, values, and mission to its online audience. Once engaged, supporters will be encouraged to connect, share, fundraise, and build their personal networks of supporters using integrated web, email, and social tools.
Since its release in 2000, nonprofits have raised more than $1 billion online with Friends Asking Friends, which continues to be the leading event fundraising application for nonprofits, powering over 35,000 events. For more information, visit www.blackbaud.com/internetsolutions.
With more than 25 years of experience serving healthcare organizations, Blackbaud has partnered with more than 3,300 children’s hospitals, hospices, hospital foundations, nursing associations, and medical research organizations worldwide by providing solutions that help secure funding, demonstrate accountability, and build strong relationships in the community so they meet their unique goals. For more information, visit www.blackbaud.com/healthcare.
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 24,000 organizations — including University of Arizona Foundation, American Red Cross, Cancer Research UK, The Taft School, Lincoln Center, 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.
About Princess Margaret Hospital
Princess Margaret Hospital and its research arm, the Ontario Cancer Institute, which now includes The Campbell Family Cancer Research Institute and The Campbell Family Breast Cancer Research Institute, have achieved an international reputation as one of the top 5 cancer research centres in the world. Princess Margaret Hospital is a member of University Health Network, which also includes Toronto General Hospital and Toronto Western Hospital. All three are research hospitals affiliated with the University of Toronto. More information about UHN can be found at www.uhn.ca.
About The Princess Margaret Hospital Foundation
The Princess Margaret Hospital Foundation at University Health Network raises funds for breakthrough research, exemplary teaching and compassionate care at Princess Margaret Hospital and its research arm, the Ontario Cancer Institute, which now includes The Campbell Family Cancer Research Institute and The Campbell Family Breast Cancer Research Institute. More information about the Foundation can be found at www.pmhf.ca.
