Pledge Drive

Pledge Drive

Simplify Your Fundraising with PledgeStar

Forget going door-to-door for donations or making awkward phone calls. With PledgeStar, skip all the in-person soliciting!

Our platform simplifies fundraising, engaging your community without the hassle.

What is a Pledge Drive?

In a pledge drive, students ask for donations from family and friends to help fund programs and equipment that enrich their education. Unlike Jog-A-Thons, Walk-A-Thons, or Read-A-Thons, Pledge Drives require no specific event to raise money.

Pledge drives deliver the easiest way for schools to raise big money, and they don't require students to sell and distribute products. Plus, schools often introduce incentive tiers to boost contributions, fostering a competitive spirit among participants.

Steps to Hosting a Successful Pledge Drive

Plan Your Pledge Drive

First, choose the pledge drive that best fits your organization ‐ whether it's an event-based option like a Jog-A-Thon or a more flexible one like a Read-A-Thon.

Decide if you will use flat pledges (fixed amounts) or variable pledges (based on performance, such as per lap in a Jog-A-Thon), or offer both.

Pick a catchy event name and set key dates, including a pep rally and the fundraising deadline.

Organize the Logistics

Choose PledgeStar as your fundraising platform to streamline the process. Make sure to set up your event details, including the duration of the drive and any specific requirements for in-person events.

Recruit volunteers to help organize and manage the event. Encourage participants to reach out to their networks for pledges.

Promote the Event

Effective promotion is key! Use flyers, social media, and community outreach to boost awareness. Create a unique hashtag to engage supporters and inspire sharing.

Make it simple for offline donors with easy-to-use pledge cards. Motivate contributions with tiered rewards ‐ think merchandise, gift cards, or event recognition ‐ to encourage higher pledges from donors and participants.

Execute the Drive

Ensure everything runs smoothly on the day of the event or throughout the campaign. With donations coming in before and during the event, the dashboard allows you to track progress, update participants on milestones, and maintain a lively atmosphere to boost engagement.

Collect the Funds

Unlike other platforms, which transfer your proceeds when the fundraiser ends, PledgeStar ensures donations go straight into your account the moment they're made!

This immediate access allows you to manage your funds throughout the entire campaign. By the time your event concludes, you've already got the funds in the account. All that's left is deciding how to make the most of the resources you've raised.

Follow Up and Express Gratitude

After the drive concludes, take time to thank everyone involved ‐ donors, participants, and volunteers. Strengthen relationships by sending personalized thank-you notes, and remind donors of their pledges. Use this opportunity to share updates on how their contributions are making an impact and offer ways they can continue supporting your organization in the future.


PledgeStar is an online fundraising system that helps you raise more from your Pledge Drive by making it fun and easy to ask more family and friends for donations.

RAISES MORE

With PledgeStar, the average student raises over $175. That's more than any other platform. Why? Because we make it fun and easy to ask more family and friends for donations with automated emails, texts, social media, and more.

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COSTS LESS

PledgeStar is built by parents of school age children who know that every dollar counts. PledgeStar charges only 7% of online donations, but never more than $1,195. That could save you thousands!

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AMAZING SERVICE

With PledgeStar, you work with a Pledge Drive Specialist dedicated to helping you squeeze every last dollar from your fundraiser. And if you need help, we're always a quick call or email away.

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EASY FOR PARENTS

You'll start to see donations rolling in after about five minutes entering family and friends. No awkward phone calls. No waiting for checks. No door-to-door soliciting.

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EASY FOR ADMINS

Getting started and staying on top of your fundraiser couldn't be easier. PledgeStar's dashboard lets you see summary statistics at a glance, and it's easy-to-use reports let you drill down into the nitty gritty.

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FLEXIBLE

Every school has their own unique fundraising needs. That's why we designed PledgeStar to work the way you do, instead of the other way around.

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As easy as 1-2-3

We made it easier to ask more people. Just follow these 3 Steps

Get the Word Out

After your site goes live, send your families the registration link. They follow the simple, on-screen instructions to register their students and enter their family and friends.

Get $$$

Family and friends follow the link they receive, enter a donation amount and choose whether to pay securely by credit card, PayPal, or check.

Get Real-time Reports

Administrators can log in to PledgeStar any time to track the fundraiser's real-time progress with our easy-to-use event overview dashboard and reports.

Raise More.
We Make it Easy.

Use the slider below to see what your event will make on average based on the number of pledgees as opposed to the competition. Pssst. It's considerably more!


With Pledgestar

$14,000

100 Students

With Competition

$10,000

100 Students

470,628
families

USE PLEDGESTAR

$ 122,790,134
raised

SINCE 2016

Over $ 175
Average

RAISED PER STUDENT

Our Fees
are Capped

SAVING SCHOOLS THOUSANDS

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Real Results. Real Fundraisers. See PledgeStar in Action

PledgeStar Success Stories
Natalie Corner

Natalie Corner

I have used Pledgestar for the past two years. I have family all over the world and was able to get pledges within 24 hours after setting up.

Rebecca Corbin

Rebecca Corbin

I like the little alert that you got when people pledge, so I had a really good picture of who was pledging and how much money we earned.

Sharon MacDougal

Sharon MacDougal

PledgeStar is an amazing tool; it does everything for you. You simply upload your contacts and voila, the money starts coming in!

Becky Galapoe

Becky Galapoe

I implemented Pledge Star three years ago. Your product has been amazing! This year’s upgrade with links on Facebook has been phenomenal in raising funds!

Kumeyaay Elementary Parent

Kumeyaay Elementary Parent

We researched a number of vendors and we thought PledgeStar was really easy to use, they were really responsive, the staff is really great with help.

Carrie Robins

Carrie Robins

Last year we went with (competitor) and we had to give 49% of our profit away, and this year (with PledgeStar) we get to take it all.

SEE A SAMPLE FUNDRAISING PAGE IN ACTION

Take a look at how simple it is to start a Pledgetar fundraiser with just a few clicks.

Download Your Free Copy of Pledge Drives Made Easy.

Our free e-book contains a wealth of practical tips about making the most of your next Pledge Drive, gained from our experiences working with thousands of schools. And it's yours, absolutely free.

Get Your Free Copy