FAQs

PledgeStar makes it fun and easy to ask family and friends for donations. Schools incentivize students to enter at least 10 family and friends, and our system gives every participant the ability to send an automated and personalized request via email or text message.

On average, over half of the pledge requests become donations, so instead of receiving one or two donations per family, PledgeStar users receive five or more.

Absolutely! We recommend starting at least two weeks ahead of your event, but we can usually get you up and running within two days. We'll even supply you with promotional language for your pledge packets and email campaigns. To get started, call 1-888-598-7510 or email info@pledgestar.com.

Yes! In fact, we recommend you do both. Some people will always prefer to ask for and receive donations the old-fashioned way, and of course, PledgeStar charges no fees for pledges received outside of our online system via check or cash. But on average, nearly half or more of your participants will prefer digital fundraising.

Yes! We make it easy to import your existing email contact list and choose the contacts to send requests. You can also manually enter donors.

Yes! As long as they use the same email address, your participants will find their donor contact information waiting for them.

PledgeStar allows both flat and per-unit pledges. For Jog, Walk or Swim events, a unit might be a lap completed. For a Read A Thon, it might be a page or chapter read. After the event, PledgeStar emails notifications to family and friends who made per-unit pledges telling them how many units were completed, and link them to the participant's fundraising page to make payment.

Easy! Those who elect to pay by check will be sent instructions on how to do so. PledgeStar will even send them a reminder if they forget to send the check.

Since PledgeStar knows the check is coming, it makes it easy for you to confirm receipt. We can also automatically split the money evenly among participants in the same family.

Checks typically account for 17% of the donations received through PledgeStar. Of course, credit card processing fees do not apply to donations made by check.

No. PledgeStar sends a single pledge request for all the participants in your family. Donations to families with multiple participants get split evenly.

Example: For your three participating children, your family and friends receive a single pledge request, and a $60 donation gets split $20 per child.

Since online credit card donations get deposited into your account automatically, you don't need to count or deposit them. PledgeStar provides a quick and easy online entry form that can be used simultaneously by all your counting staff to enter checks, bills and coins from your pledge envelopes. PledgeStar generates a deposit report accounting for both online and offline donations, as well as a worksheet detailing donations by student for determining prize winners.

Excellent question! In order to accept online credit card payments, we help you get your own merchant account with our PTA-approved credit card processor. It's quick and easy to do, and there are no setup or monthly charges.

When online donation payments occur, the money goes directly into your merchant account. PledgeStar never handles your money.

To get your money, simply log into your merchant account and transfer the money into your organization's checking account, or request a check.

PledgeStar does not use or disclose data collected on the website in any way beyond what is needed to email pledge requests, collect donations, send notifications and provide reports. That means we don't share, sell or make participants' or donors' data available to anyone else, ever. Period.

Absolutely! PledgeStar uses industry-standard SSL encryption to ensure credit card information can't be seen over the Internet, and we never store credit card data internally.

We're always here for you and to support your event staff, parents, and family and friends. You can share our toll-free support number at 1-888-598-7510 or email info@pledgestar.com.

Yes. We do have an affiliate program available. Please contact us via email or phone for more information.