How to Run a Donations or Crowdfunding Fundraiser

By default, external groups are Unmanaged, meaning they are autonomous and do not require district approval to run fundraisers. However, districts can enable Managed External Groups, which makes approval through the district required for every external group. Membership in these groups remains self-managed, but the approval requirement is a global setting—all external groups are either Managed or Unmanaged. You cannot pick and choose on a group-by-group basis.

‍

The Plan tab is your built-in fundraising expert—powered by AI and informed by thousands of campaigns across the country. It helps you create a clear, actionable roadmap to make your fundraiser a success, without needing to hire a consultant or start from scratch.

🔍 What does it do?

The Plan tab guides you through a short series of questions, then builds a customized, editable plan tailored to your fundraiser. It's designed to be smart, simple, and strategic.

Your plan includes:

• A goal calculator based on your number of participants and fundraising target.
• Channel strategy based on the people, resources, and communication tools you already have access to.
• A dynamic to-do list with step-by-step tasks.
• Pre-written content like social media posts, email templates, thank-you notes, and reminder messages—timed for the best impact.
• Built-in timelines and recommendations, so you know what to do and when to do it.

✏️ Can I make changes?

Absolutely. The Plan tab isn’t rigid—it’s flexible and conversational.

• Want to tweak a post? You can edit anything directly.
• Want to change the tone or strategy? Just tell the AI what you want to do differently (e.g., "Make this more playful," or "Shorten this email").
• Need to rework the whole plan for a bigger team or different timeline? The Plan tab can instantly adjust.

💡 Why is this helpful?

Planning a fundraiser often means starting from zero. The Plan tab changes that.

Instead of wondering what to do next—or relying on outdated templates—you get a living, breathing plan based on real data and best practices from fundraisers like yours. Whether you're a first-timer or a seasoned organizer, it helps you stay focused, save time, and raise more.

💰 How much does it cost?

Nothing. The planning tool is 100% free for SuccessFund users.

‍

🎯 SuccessFund FAQ: How Do I Change My Notification Settings?

SuccessFund makes it easy to manage the notifications you receive about your fundraising campaigns, payouts, and more. Here’s a step-by-step guide to updating your preferences.

🔑 Accessing Notification Settings

1. Log in to your SuccessFund Account
   Start by logging in at successfund.com.
2. Open the “My Info” Page
   • Click your profile icon in the top-right corner of the screen.
   • In the dropdown menu, click “My Info”.

✏️ Editing Your Notification Preferences

On the My Info page, you can customize how and when SuccessFund sends you emails:

📩 For Campaign Orders or Donations:

• Immediately: Receive an email as soon as someone places an order or makes a donation.
• Once a Day: Get a daily summary email.
• Once a Week: Get a weekly summary.
• Never: Disable emails for these updates.

📬 Other Notifications:

• Payouts: Check the box to get an email whenever payouts are deposited.
• Campaign Closures: Check the box to be notified when campaigns in your organization are closed.

🖼️ Adding a Profile Photo (Optional)

You can also add a friendly photo to help donors recognize your profile.

• Click the photo upload icon and choose a photo from your computer.

💾 Saving Your Changes

After you’ve updated your preferences:

• Click the green “Save” button at the top-right of the My Info page.
• Your new settings will take effect right away.

‍

SuccessFund only sends funds to bank accounts owned and managed by schools, districts, or other approved organizations. Funds are deposited on a weekly basis, and in most cases, districts allow donation dollars to be used immediately after the deposit arrives — but always follow your district’s specific use-of-funds process when requesting access.

Here’s how the payout process works:

• Contributions are aggregated over a 7-day period, then SuccessFund initiates a transfer.
• Transfers typically take 3–5 business days to arrive in the designated account.
• Most deposits arrive on Fridays, and on average, the total time between a transaction and a deposit is about 8 days.

To view your payout status at any time:

1. Go to your campaign and click the Results tab.
2. Click on the Payouts report to see a detailed list of all transfers, including dates, amounts, and payment status.

SuccessFund does not charge any subscription, upfront, monthly, or annual fees. Schools and districts are never invoiced. Creating, submitting, and running fundraisers on SuccessFund is free. Instead, SuccessFund applies a small payment services fee to each transaction. This fee includes all credit card processing, digital wallet payments (Apple Pay and Google Pay), PayPal, Venmo, and platform costs.

SuccessFund never asks donors or patrons for tips that go to the SuccessFund platform. Everything you see in your campaign is exactly what your group will receive. Fees typically range from 15 cents to $1, plus 5% per transaction, depending on the payment type (in-person vs online) and amount.

How are fees handled?

Campaign organizers can choose one of four ways to handle transaction fees:

1. Paid by campaign
   Patrons pay only the listed price at checkout. Fees are deducted from campaign proceeds.
2. Paid by patron
   Fees are added at checkout. The campaign receives 100% of the price it sets.
3. Optional at checkout
   Patrons are encouraged to help cover the fee at checkout. If they opt out, the fee is deducted from campaign proceeds.
4. Split between campaign and patron (legacy option)
   Patrons pay a small convenience fee at checkout, and a portion of the fee is deducted from the campaign.

A recommended option is selected automatically when you create a campaign. How your campaign handles the fee can be changed at any time under the Edit tab of your campaign.

How are transaction fees applied?

Fees are applied once per transaction, not per individual item.

For example, if a patron purchases multiple tickets or items in a single checkout, the fixed portion of the fee is applied only once to the entire transaction, not per item.

Example: Small in-person purchase

For a small in-person purchase like a $2 hotdog, the transaction fee would be at the low end of the fee range.

• Paid by campaign
  The patron pays the listed price. The fee is deducted from campaign proceeds.
• Paid by patron
  The patron pays the listed price plus the fee. The campaign receives the full listed price.
• Optional at checkout
  The patron is prompted to help cover the fee. If they opt out, the fee is deducted from campaign proceeds.
• Split between campaign and patron
  The patron pays a small convenience fee, and part of the fee is deducted from the campaign.

Example: Larger online payment

For a larger payment like $50 or more, the transaction fee would max out at $1 + 5%

• Paid by campaign
  The patron pays the listed price. The fee is deducted from campaign proceeds.
• Paid by patron
  The patron pays the listed price plus the fee. The campaign receives the full listed price.
• Optional at checkout
  The patron is prompted to help cover the fee. If they opt out, the fee is deducted from campaign proceeds.
• Split between campaign and patron
  The patron pays a small convenience fee, and part of the fee is deducted from the campaign.

Are in-person payments different?

Yes. In-person transactions using a SuccessFund card reader have discounted pricing, especially for smaller amounts. As with online payments, the fixed portion of the fee applies once per transaction, not per item.

Are there fees for cash or offline transactions?

No. Cash and other offline transactions can be logged, tracked, and reported in the SuccessFund mobile app at no cost. These transactions appear in the Results tab under the Transactions report.

Do we need hardware for in-person payments?

SuccessFund card readers are available at:
https://www.successfund.com/readers

‍

‍