Case Study: University of Auckland achieves future-proof data integration and enhanced donor insights with Blackbaud SKY API

University of Auckland - Customer Case Study

The University of Auckland, led by John Bird, Director of Business Intelligence, needed to improve data capture and better leverage alumni and donor information to enable more sophisticated fundraising analytics and predictive modelling. The challenge was to move beyond an existing Raiser’s Edge 7 integration while ensuring the new solution could replicate necessary functionality, meet the university’s security and authorization requirements, handle API call volumes cost-effectively, and fit into the team’s modernized API strategy.

After a thorough assessment by in‑house developers and a solution architect, the university implemented Blackbaud SKY API. The team addressed authorization and security early, scoped usage, and modernized integrations, concluding the API was fit for purpose. The result is a future‑proof platform that provides richer data attributes, opens doors to cloud integration tools (e.g., Zapier, Workato), makes integrations more accessible to business users, and strengthens the university’s ability to analyze donor behaviour and support long‑term fundraising strategy.

University of Auckland

John Bird

Director of Business Intelligence