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Blackbaud unveils new AI innovation for K-12 independent schools with Admissions Agent in development. Jul 16, 2026, 11:00 ET At its 2026 K-12 User Conference, Blackbaud shared human-centered AI capabilities that will help schools increase enrollment, strengthen engagement, and reduce operational complexity BOSTON, July 16, 2026 /PRNewswire/ - Blackbaud (NASDAQ: BLKB), the world's leading provider of AI-powered solutions for social impact, today announced new AI-driven innovations for independent K-12 schools at its 2026 K-12 User Conference, including a preview of its new Admissions Agent designed to help schools guide prospective families, improve enrollment outcomes, and streamline admissions workflows. Private schools today are navigating rising expectations for personalized experiences alongside growing administrative pressure, increasingly complex operations and high turnover rates. Many are exploring how to apply AI in meaningful ways that support their teams by reducing administrative burden and spending more time building the human connections that define education. Blackbaud's latest innovations are built to meet this moment, bringing human-centered AI to education with intelligent tools embedded directly into its K-12 solutions to help schools turn insight into action. By unifying these capabilities within a shared data foundation, Blackbaud's Total School Solution helps schools reduce fragmentation, gain clearer insight, and take more coordinated action across their entire community. "Education is, and always will be, a deeply human experience," said Mark Davis, vice president and general manager of education products, Blackbaud. "Our focus is on using responsible AI to reduce administrative burden and strengthen the relationships at the heart of schools, giving teams the tools to act earlier, operate more efficiently, and deliver more connected experiences for families." Introducing the Admissions Agent At the center of Blackbaud's latest announcements is the Admissions Agent, part of the company's broader Agents for Good(TM) agentic AI suite. Purpose-built for schools, the Admissions Agent will enable every independent school to offer the high-touch, personalized admissions experience that previously only the most well-resourced institutions could achieve. The Agent works semi-autonomously or fully autonomously based on each school's comfort level, always within guardrails and always human-centered. The Agent will: * Reduce friction throughout the admissions funnel, guiding families through each stage of the process * Give potential applicants rapid answers to critical questions * Keep families engaged with timely, personalized follow-up * Identify where prospective families may be dropping off from the admission process * Increase qualified, complete applications with a concierge admissions experience Blackbaud will launch an early adopter program soon to partner with schools on shaping the solution to meet the specific needs of school administrators. Driving a New Era of Connected Intelligence Blackbaud is embedding AI across its K-12 solutions to help schools move from managing systems to driving outcomes. Innovation highlighted across Blackbaud's Total School Solution to reduce manual work and improve coordination across the campus includes: * Candidate Insights - predictive enrollment and engagement insights - that draw on both historical and real-time data, as well as Blackbaud's proprietary insights to recommend next best actions to engage candidates * Blackbaud AI Chat that helps administrators quickly ask questions of their data, get insights in plain language and take action, directly within the solution * A Common Records Engine that syncs data in real time between Blackbaud Student Information System(TM) and Blackbaud Raiser's Edge NXT(R), breaking down silos between departments * A new Enrollment Contracts capability that simplifies the enrollment process, enabling administrators to streamline contract adjustments and automatically pull in financial management teams once a contract is signed * Student Success Insights that help schools proactively identify and support at-risk students * A new Parent Initiated Attendance feature that allows parents to submit absences, tardies and early dismissals directly through the Student Information System portal, providing real-time information to both administrative staff and teachers * Enhancements across Blackbaud's Learning Management System from a new, simpler grading hub to AI tools that help teachers create and manage assignments * An AI-enabled Collections Assistant that helps finance teams get ahead of late payments and see the full picture of a family's situation Together, these advancements enable schools to operate more proactively and reduce administrative burden while improving how they engage students and families. A Community Focused on the Future Blackbaud's K-12 User Conference brings together hundreds of school leaders, educators, and administrators for three days of hands-on learning, product innovation sessions, and peer collaboration. Attendees explore new technologies, participate in breakout sessions and discussions, and connect with peers and partners to share best practices and ideas for the future of K-12 private education. Day three will feature the popular Unconference experience - an open, participant-driven forum where educators shape the agenda based on topics that matter most to them. "Blackbaud has a long history of commitment to education and schools, and this conference is one of the special things they do," said John Yen, director of technology, Polytechnic School. "There are so few conferences and networking opportunities for the support staff and administrators in schools, and this is an important opportunity to engage, learn, and share best practices. With AI at the forefront of technology today, ensuring the underpinnings of our school operations is the essential foundation in weathering changing times and the ongoing evolution in education." Supporting Stronger Outcomes for Schools "Research shows that teachers and staff spend over 50% of their time on administrative work," Blackbaud's Mark Davis added. "At Blackbaud we're integrating AI into the tools they use every day to reduce that burden and provide more opportunity to focus on what's most important: empowering student success." About Blackbaud Blackbaud (NASDAQ: BLKB) is the world's leading provider of AI-powered solutions for social impact. Serving nonprofits, educational institutions, companies committed to corporate social responsibility, and individual change makers, Blackbaud propels impact at scale with the sector's most intelligent solutions for fundraising and engagement, education solutions, financial management and CSR and grantmaking. With the deepest expertise powered by the world's largest philanthropic data set, the most connected workflows, and the most powerful impact network, Blackbaud's solutions are building a future where resources are unleashed at the speed of need. Blackbaud has been recognized by Fast Company, Newsweek, Quartz, Forbes and more for AI innovation, responsible leadership and workplace excellence. Blackbaud has operations in the United States, Australia, Canada, Costa Rica, India and the United Kingdom, supporting users in 100+ countries. Learn more at www.blackbaud.com or follow us on X/Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook. Forward-looking Statements Except for historical information, all of the statements, expectations and assumptions contained in this news release are forward-looking statements that involve a number of risks and uncertainties, including statements regarding expected benefits of products and product features. Although Blackbaud attempts to be accurate in making these forward-looking statements, it is possible that future circumstances might differ from the assumptions on which such statements are based. In addition, other important factors that could cause results to differ materially include the following: general economic risks; uncertainty regarding increased business and renewals from existing customers; continued success in sales growth; management of integration of acquired companies and other risks associated with acquisitions; risks associated with successful implementation of multiple integrated software products; the ability to attract and retain key personnel; risks associated with management of growth; lengthy sales and implementation cycles; technological changes that make our products and services less competitive; and the other risk factors set forth from time to time in the SEC filings for Blackbaud, copies of which are available free of charge at the SEC's website at www.sec.gov or upon request from Blackbaud's investor relations department. All Blackbaud product names appearing herein are trademarks or registered trademarks of Blackbaud, Inc. SOURCE Blackbaud

The AI Coalition for Social Impact, convened by Blackbaud, has launched its free AI for Social Impact Certification Program. The initiative begins with a course called AI Fundamentals for Social Impact, featuring three lessons led by experts from coalition member organisations. The product-agnostic programme aims to help social impact organisations build skills and governance for responsible AI use. According to Blackbaud Institute data from June 2026, 85% of nonprofit professionals now use AI at work, and half of organisations increased AI use in 2026. However, only around 10% report seeing major gains. The certification programme, which is the coalition's flagship initiative, offers free training to help organisations move from tentative to transformative AI adoption. A second course on Responsible AI Principles and Regulations will be available later this year.

AI Coalition for Social Impact, convened by Blackbaud, officially opens the free AI for Social Impact Certification Program. July 14, 2026 Free, product-agnostic, expert-led course content is designed to train social impact practitioners in responsible and effective AI use Charleston, S.C. (July 14, 2026) - The AI Coalition for Social Impact - convened by Blackbaud (NASDAQ: BLKB), the world's leading provider of AI-powered solutions for social impact - today opened the AI for Social Impact Certification Program with the launch of the first course: AI Fundamentals for Social Impact. The free, product-agnostic certification program is designed to help organizations build the confidence, skills and governance needed to use artificial intelligence responsibly and effectively. "AI could bring the greatest unlock of mission acceleration in the history of social impact, but adoption alone is not enough," said Carrie Cobb, chief data and AI officer at Blackbaud. "The key is building AI maturity: investing in education and best practices to govern AI well, plus deploying tools designed for specific workflows. This training - combined with the right technology - will empower organizations to move from tentative AI use to transformative AI results." Recent data from the Blackbaud Institute (June 2026) found that 85% of nonprofit professionals now use AI at work, and half of organizations increased their AI use in 2026 over last year; however, only around 10% are seeing major gains as a result. The AI for Social Impact Certification Course creates a tangible path forward for organizations looking to build AI maturity that will drive enduring value for their missions. The first course in the certification program features three lessons, led by experts from AI Coalition for Social Impact member organizations: * Lesson 1: Foundations of AI | Led by Ari Kaplan, a pioneer in digital transformation and currently the global head of evangelism at Databricks, this course offers a clear, accessible introduction to the world of artificial intelligence for social impact professionals. Ari brings his decades of experience translating complex technical concepts into practical frameworks. The course explores the foundations of AI, including its history, evolution, and the key types of AI in use today. It explores not just what AI is, but how to understand and evaluate it in ways that strengthen missions and empower teams. * Lesson 2: Navigating AI Tools and Trends | This course, guided by Daniel Wallace and Dante Gabrielli of McKinsey & Company, provides a practical overview of today's AI landscape and what it means for social impact organizations. It explores why AI transformation is happening now, why many organizations struggle to move beyond pilots, and how emerging tools like AI agents are reshaping how work gets done. Through clear frameworks, real-world examples, and accessible explanations, this course helps demystify AI and connect technology trends to mission-driven outcomes. The course is designed to help organizations understand where they are on the AI maturity journey and how to take informed, thoughtful next steps. * Lesson 3: Understanding Generational Perspectives of AI | This course, led by Dr. Laurene Currie, Responsible AI Research Scientist at Blackbaud, explores how attitudes toward AI differ across age groups and what these differences mean for adoption in the social impact sector. Drawing on real-world research and examples, Laurene provides insight into generational trends, trust factors, and expectations around AI use. The course is designed to inform how organizations can tailor AI strategies and communication to engage diverse audiences effectively. The AI Coalition for Social Impact, convened by Blackbaud in 2025 brings together leaders from philanthropy, technology, education, and corporate social responsibility to provide guidance, shared standards, and practical resources for responsible AI use. This free, product-agnostic certification program is the coalition's flagship initiative. Course 2, Responsible AI Principles and Regulations, will be available later this year. About Blackbaud. Blackbaud (NASDAQ: BLKB) is the world's leading provider of AI-powered solutions for social impact. Serving nonprofits, educational institutions, companies committed to corporate social responsibility, and individual change makers, Blackbaud propels impact at scale with the sector's most intelligent solutions for fundraising and engagement, education solutions, financial management and CSR and grantmaking. With the deepest expertise powered by the world's largest philanthropic data set, the most connected workflows, and the most powerful impact network, Blackbaud's solutions are building a future where resources are unleashed at the speed of need. Blackbaud has been recognized by Fast Company, Newsweek, Quartz, Forbes and more for AI innovation, responsible leadership and workplace excellence. Blackbaud has operations in the United States, Australia, Canada, Costa Rica, India and the United Kingdom, supporting users in 100+ countries. Learn more at www.blackbaud.com or follow Blackbaud on X/Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook. Media inquiries. Forward-looking statements. Except for historical information, all of the statements, expectations and assumptions contained in this news release are forward-looking statements that involve a number of risks and uncertainties, including statements regarding expected benefits of products and product features. Although Blackbaud attempts to be accurate in making these forward-looking statements, it is possible that future circumstances might differ from the assumptions on which such statements are based. In addition, other important factors that could cause results to differ materially include the following: general economic risks; uncertainty regarding increased business and renewals from existing customers; continued success in sales growth; management of integration of acquired companies and other risks associated with acquisitions; risks associated with successful implementation of multiple integrated software products; the ability to attract and retain key personnel; risks associated with management of growth; lengthy sales and implementation cycles; technological changes that make its products and services less competitive; and the other risk factors set forth from time to time in the SEC filings for Blackbaud, copies of which are available free of charge at the SEC's website at www.sec.gov or upon request from Blackbaud's investor relations department. All Blackbaud product names appearing herein are trademarks or registered trademarks of Blackbaud, Inc.