Blackbaud, Inc. (Nasdaq: BLKB), the leading global provider of nonprofit software and services, announced that it is partnering with the Charleston Battery professional soccer team to incorporate a different philanthropic theme to every home match.

Blackbaud and the Charleston Battery will bring the company's mission of 'making the world a better place' to life at 13 home matches by featuring a nonprofit-of-the-match, raising awareness for a local nonprofit organization. With philanthropic focus areas including the environment, education, and families in need, Blackbaud and the Charleston Battery will work together to make each home game a special 'giving back' event.

'Blackbaud is well known both locally and within the nonprofit community;   it's an organization that knows nonprofits,' said Andrew Bell, president of the Charleston Battery.

'Our season starts with the first home game on March 13, and we are looking forward to leveraging the expertise Blackbaud has with the nonprofit industry and bringing a sense of philanthropy to our community.'

The Charleston Battery has an 18-year history of community involvement with initiatives such as Kicks for Kids, a program that provides complimentary game tickets to youth in the tri-county area.

The Battery players and staff are regular visitors at area schools, organizations and soccer clubs throughout the year and Blackbaud Stadium is a focal point within the community for fundraising events.

The Charleston Battery is also committed to spreading the word about the preservation of the environment. In the past three years, the soccer facility has undergone a '‘green' retrofit, a process that included the installation of an 11-kilowatt solar array at the scoreboard end of Blackbaud Stadium.

'The Charleston Battery shares our commitment to giving back to the community,' said Rachel Hutchisson, Blackbaud's director of corporate relations and philanthropy.

'The goal of the program and our partnership is to increase awareness within the Charleston community of the important work nonprofits do and to help remove the barriers that often exist between a citizen's desire to give back and the knowledge of how to do so.'

Blackbaud provides more than 22,000 nonprofits with software and services, enabling them to improve operational efficiency, build strong relationships, and raise more money to support their missions.

The company also strives to make a difference in the world both as a good corporate citizen and as a catalyst for individual employees to give back through innovative volunteerism programs.  With quarterly and ongoing philanthropic initiatives, employees demonstrate Blackbaud's mission to 'make the world a better place by working with the nonprofit community to improve lives' with the following projects:

• 'Reward Your Passion'  – A grant program encouraging Blackbaud employees from United States, Australia, Canada, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom to apply for grants on behalf of the nonprofits where they volunteer. Team Blackbaud Global, a committee of employees representing Blackbaud's global offices, reviews the applications and selects the recipient organizations.

• Volunteer for Vacation – Employees worldwide earn additional vacation days by volunteering with nonprofit organizations. Additionally, many employees participate in United Way's Day of Caring, taking a company-sponsored day off of work to volunteer with a nonprofit and make a difference in their communities.

•Community grants – Blackbaud makes grants from its fund at The Coastal Community Foundation to organizations in the Lowcountry of South Carolina, where the company is headquartered, focusing on education for disadvantaged youth. Employees determine how the funding is distributed.

For more information on Blackbaud's philanthropy efforts and to read the 'Service to Others' daily blog, visit their Web site by going to www.blackbaud.com/philanthropy.