How To Set Up and Optimize Your Blackbaud Verified Network Profile For Free

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September 18, 2026 | 13 min read By:

Summary:

  • Blackbaud Verified Network is free for nonprofits and connects organizations to a growing network of over 9 million potential donors.
  • Claiming your nonprofit and keeping its profile complete will strengthen your visibility to employees and companies participating in workplace giving programs.
  • Donor and giving data helps fundraisers identify supporters, strengthen stewardship, and turn transactions into longer-term relationships.
  • Enrolling in ACH and taking advantage of expedited giving capabilities can help eligible electronic donations reach nonprofits in as little as two business days.
  • Regular profile updates give prospective supporters current, useful information about your mission, programs, and impact.
  • Blackbaud Verified Network can be more than a place to receive funds; it’s a key fundraising and corporate engagement strategy.

 

Nonprofit fundraisers are constantly asked to do more: attract new supporters, diversify revenue streams, strengthen donor stewardship, and maximize every fundraising dollar. Yet one of the most accessible growth opportunities is often overlooked – workplace giving.

To connect with those funds, nonprofits need to be visible, credible, and easy for donors and companies to find. That’s one reason I encourage nonprofits to think strategically about their presence on Blackbaud Verified Network.

Blackbaud Verified Network is a free platform that connects nonprofits to a growing network of over 9 million potential donors. It helps nonprofits expand their reach, access donor information, participate in workplace giving opportunities, and receive funds more quickly at no cost to the nonprofit. 

But simply being present isn’t the goal. The real opportunity comes from making your presence on the platform work harder for your mission.

Here are six steps to get started and turn your Blackbaud Verified Network profile into a critical part of your fundraising strategy.

 

  1. Create Your Blackbaud Verified Network Account
  2. Start by visiting nonprofit.yourcause.com and selecting Sign Up Now under the purple Log In button
    1. If you have a Blackbaud ID, click Continue to sign in with your Blackbaud ID.
    2. If you don’t have a Blackbaud ID, click Continue to create one.
  3. Click Continue with Email, enter your email address associated with your nonprofit organization, and click Continue.
  4. Click Send Confirmation Code, check your email for a code from [email protected], enter it on the page, and click Confirm.
  5. Create a password, enter your name, and click Sign Up.
  6. To help connect you to your nonprofit faster, you’ll be asked if your organization has received a check from The Blackbaud Giving Fund.
    1. If yes, enter the requested details:
      1. Check number
      2. Amount
      3. Check date
      4. Click Continue
    2. If you haven’t received a check, click Skip this step.

 

  1. Claim Your Nonprofit

Now it’s time to verify your nonprofit:

  1. Log in using the email and password you just created.
  2. Click Claim My Nonprofit.
  3. Select the country where your organization is based, click the option that best represents your organization (nonprofit, private school, religious organization, or Native American tribe), and click Next Step.
  4. Click the option that best describes your organization:
    1. My organization is a stand-alone nonprofit or a national office
    2. My organization is a chapter affiliate under a larger operation
      Click Next Step
  5. Search for the name of your organization and click Next Step.
    1. If your nonprofit isn’t listed, click I can’t find my organization.
  6. Enter your contact information:
    1. Job title
    2. Email address
    3. Phone number
    4. Website and click Next Step
  7. Upload a document that shows the nonprofit you’re working to claim and click Next Step.
    1. Typically, this is a Letter of Determination (LoD) from the IRS
  8. Verify your identity and role at the organization by uploading one of the following documents:
    Remember, if you submit your offer letter or paycheck, redact any sensitive information (like your salary, Social Security number, paycheck amount, etc.). In addition to the nonprofit’s name, these documents must include your name, role, position, and/or department you work in, and be in a PDF or another non-editable format.

    1. A letter written and signed by your employer and one other person (i.e., authorized agent) on official letterhead
    2. Offer Letter – This is a letter received before employment.
    3. Employee Badge
    4. Copy of the Directory with your nonprofit’s name
    5. Copy of a 990 that features your name as part of the organization.
    6. Paycheck Stub
    7. Screenshot of the Staff List from the website
  9. Once you upload the required documents, click Submit Registration, and YourCause will review it. Once you are approved to be an administrator of the nonprofit you selected, you’ll receive an email from [email protected], notifying you that you can update your organization’s profile to help donors find your organization and learn more about you.

This verification process serves an important purpose. The Blackbaud Giving Fund combines technology with human expertise to verify nonprofit eligibility and administrators, helping create a trusted network for nonprofits, donors, and corporate partners.

 

  1. Complete Your Profile to Engage Donors

Your profile serves as your nonprofit’s introduction to potential donors. Make it compelling and informative by including:

  • Your logo
  • Your mission and vision statement.
  • The needs your nonprofit addresses.
  • Data and success stories to showcase your impact.
  • Links to your website, social media, newsletter sign-up, or other relevant information.

Your profile should answer three simple questions: What do you do? Why does it matter? How can someone help?

That’s especially important in workplace giving, where an employee may encounter your nonprofit while actively deciding which organization to support. A clear profile reduces the work required to understand your mission and gives prospective supporters more reason to choose your cause.

For more ideas, read our guide to integrating your Blackbaud Verified Network strategy into your workflow.

 

  1. Access Critical Donor Information

Blackbaud Verified Network’s donor management dashboard provides powerful tools to help you:

  • Monitor donation history and giving trends.
  • Identify workplace and corporate giving activity.
  • Look for patterns that could point to deeper corporate relationships.
  • Incorporate workplace giving supporters into your broader stewardship strategy.
  • Personalize donor communications to strengthen relationships.

This is where I see one of the biggest opportunities for fundraisers. Don’t treat workplace giving as anonymous revenue that simply arrives. Look for the relationships behind it.

If several employees from the same company support your organization, for example, that is a signal worth exploring. Is there an opportunity for a volunteer event? A corporate partnership? A matching gift campaign? An employee ambassador?

The transaction should be the beginning of the relationship, not the end.

 

  1. Enroll in ACH and Explore Expedited Giving

Fundraising success isn’t just about how much money you raise. How quickly you can put those dollars to work matters, too.

Nonprofits can enroll in ACH on Blackbaud Verified Network to receive funds electronically rather than waiting for a check. With fast fund disbursement capabilities, donations can be delivered in as little as two business days, helping shorten the distance between a donor’s decision to give and a nonprofit’s ability to act. That speed has real fundraising value. Faster access to funds gives nonprofit leaders greater visibility into cash flow, the ability to respond to urgent needs quickly, and less lag between a donation, donor acknowledgment, and impact reporting.

Your mission can’t always wait for the traditional pace of fund delivery. That’s what we mean when we talk about moving generosity at the speed of need.

Learn more about setting up ACH for your nonprofit.

 

  1. Keep Your Profile Current

A profile shouldn’t be something you create once and forget. Every time you log in to review donation information, consider whether there’s something your supporters should know about what your organization is accomplishing.

Look for opportunities to update:

  • Recent milestones and accomplishments
  • Fundraising goals and priorities
  • Impact statistics
  • Photos and stories
  • Volunteer opportunities
  • Seasonal campaigns
  • Urgent community needs

I recommend reviewing your profile at least quarterly and ahead of major fundraising moments such as GivingTuesday and year-end giving.

Keeping your information shows donors your nonprofit is active and gives them a clearer picture of how their support can make a difference.

 

From a Free Profile to a Fundraising Strategy

Claiming your Blackbaud Verified Network profile is the first step. The bigger opportunity is figuring out how the platform fits into your broader fundraising strategy.

Workplace giving can introduce your organization to employees, corporate partners, volunteers, and matching gift opportunities you may not otherwise reach. Blackbaud Verified Network helps connect nonprofits to that ecosystem while giving fundraisers tools to improve visibility, access donor insights, and receive funds faster. 

So don’t just ask, “Is our profile complete?”

Ask: Are we making it easy to understand our impact? Are we learning from our donor data? Are we receiving funds as quickly as possible? And are we turning workplace giving transactions into relationships?

That’s where a free platform starts becoming a strategic fundraising advantage.

Ready to get started? Create or access your free Blackbaud Verified Network account HERE.

 

Quick Blackbaud Verified Network Completion Check

See how many of these you can answer yes to:

  • Our organization has an approved administrator.
  • Our nonprofit profile clearly explains our mission and impact.
  • Our logo, website, and contact information are current.
  • We regularly review available donor data.
  • We have a process for quickly thanking identifiable workplace donors.
  • We’re enrolled in ACH.
  • We promote employer matching opportunities to supporters.
  • We review our profile at least quarterly.
  • We look for corporate partnership opportunities within workplace giving activity.

0-3: Start with your profile, administrator status, and payment setup, then build from there.

4-6: You have a strong foundation, but there are opportunities to get more value from the network.

7-9: You’re positioned to make Blackbaud Verified Network part of a broader fundraising strategy.

 

Visit Blackbaud Verified Network today and take the next step toward workplace giving fundraising success!

For more information, visit the Help Center. If you still have questions, email YourCause at [email protected].

Read more about gift matching, the AI guide to reach more donors, attracting donors on Blackbaud Verified Network, and other free resources on our blog.

Follow The Blackbaud Giving Fund on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram for updates, tips, resources, and news.