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With key shifts in giving behaviour, is peer-to-peer fundraising the future model for charity?
UK-based charity crowdfunding platform JustGiving has been bought by cloud player Blackbaud for $120m.
The acquisition of JustGiving will complement BlackBaud’s existing fundraising capabilities through TeamRaiser and EverydayHero.
‘Social, mobile and the rise of crowdfunding combined are transforming the way people give, and the pace of change is unprecedented’
– ANN-MARIE HUBY
Blackbaud is to acquire all of the outstanding equity interests of JustGiving, which it will fund with cash on hand as well as borrowings.
“Today, people are willing to do more than ever before to support causes they care about, but they want to do it on their own terms,” said Jerry Needel, president and general manager of Blackbaud consumer solutions.
“To put their passion into action, they need technology that gives them the power to connect with other change agents and organisations.
“Bringing JustGiving into the Blackbaud family reinforces our strong commitment to catalysing the impact of individual change agents. It’s also part of our commitment to helping social good organisations navigate and respond to key shifts in giving behaviour,” said Needel.
For the social good
The JustGiving platform has enabled people in 164 countries to raise more than $4.5bn for good causes since 2001.
JustGiving was established in 2000 by Zarine Kharas and Anne-Marie Huby to allow people to donate to charities online. It derived its revenues by charging a 5pc fee on donations to cover the cost of running the business.
“Social, mobile and the rise of crowdfunding combined are transforming the way people give, and the pace of change is unprecedented,” said Huby.
“By bringing together JustGiving’s community and social platform with Blackbaud’s unrivalled expertise and capabilities, we will be better able to help great causes reach more people and raise more money, more effectively and intelligently than ever before.”
