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SmarterSelect - Scholarship Application Management System vs Blackbaud

SmarterSelect - Scholarship Application Management System and Blackbaud both land on Depends.

SmarterSelect - Scholarship Application Management System versus Blackbaud
CompareSmarterSelect - Scholarship Application Management SystemBlackbaud
VerdictDependsDepends
Best forNon-profits running many scholarship programsLarge nonprofits with dedicated database admins
Who it's not forSmall clubs giving one annual award . a spreadsheet winsSmall nonprofits . expensive, admin-heavy overkill
PrivacyOne serious public incident: 1.5TB unsecured in 2021; no newer public findings in sources reviewed.⁴2020 breach affected nonprofit and university customers; resolved via 2024 FTC agreement and $6.75M California settlement; now runs a public Trust Center.16
Support qualityNo support evidence in reviewed sourcesComplaints in community forums and BBB
Public sentimentIndependent roundups call it cost-effective and well-suited to non-profits, foundations, and schools, but reviewed sources contain no verbatim user quotes.⁶Reviews are mixed: Raiser's Edge NXT draws praise for ease of use, while Luminate Online integration and support draw sharp criticism.13
Biggest gotcha2021 breach: 1.5TB left unsecured; acknowledged only after repeated UpGuard warnings. Verify current posture in writing.⁴2020 breach led to FTC agreement and multistate settlements; scrutinize data-security terms

Pick SmarterSelect - Scholarship Application Management System when

  • Non-profits running many scholarship programs
  • Community foundations
  • Schools and universities with reviewer panels

When SmarterSelect - Scholarship Application Management System is not a fit

  • Small clubs giving one annual award . a spreadsheet wins
  • Anyone who cannot accept its 2021 data exposure history
  • Buyers who need transparent published pricing upfront

Pick Blackbaud when

  • Large nonprofits with dedicated database admins
  • University advancement and alumni teams
  • Orgs needing fund accounting plus CRM together
  • Foundations running large grant programs

When Blackbaud is not a fit

  • Small nonprofits . expensive, admin-heavy overkill
  • For-profits wanting a simple sales CRM or contact list
  • Teams without budget for implementation and training
  • Buyers who need transparent, published pricing

Sources

  1. SmarterSelect homepagesmarterselect.com
    official
  2. Scholarship Management Systemsmarterselect.com
    official
  3. Scholarship application vendor exposed millions of filesedscoop.com
    security
  4. US education software company exposed personal data of millionstechcrunch.com
    security
  5. SmarterSelect security pagesmarterselect.com
    official
  6. Scholarship Management Software: The 2025 Guidesubmit.com
    review
  7. Best Scholarship Management Softwareresearch.com
    review
  8. Scholarship Management Software: Full Cycle, Comparedsopact.com
    review
  9. Application Management Resources and case studiessmarterselect.com
    official
  10. Paso Robles Case Studysmarterselect.com
    official
  11. Blackbaud Products on G2 (1,336 reviews)g2.com
    review
  12. Blackbaud Luminate Online Pros and Cons . G2g2.com
    review
  13. Blackbaud Raiser's Edge NXT Pros and Cons . G2g2.com
    review
  14. Blackbaud Pricing . Vendr marketplacevendr.com
    review
  15. Blackbaud Pricing pageblackbaud.com
    official
  16. Blackbaud Data Breach Lasting Impact . ID Theft Centeridtheftcenter.org
    security