How To Create Live Pledge Displays At Your Next Fundraising Event

Text to pledge has been a popular fundraising tool for many years, with organizations using it to raise money through campaigns and events.

The concept of text to pledge is simple: donors text a keyword and the amount they wish to donate to a designated phone number, and their donation is processed and credited to the organization's account. This quick and convenient method of giving has made it a popular choice for many organizations, particularly those looking to engage with younger donors who may be more comfortable making donations via text.

In recent years, text-to-pledge has also been used in conjunction with a live donation display, where the donations are displayed in real-time on a screen or thermometer. Having a live display at an event or dinner can enhance the vibe and help you raise more money for the following reasons:

1. Encouragement: Seeing their donations displayed on a screen can be a source of encouragement and motivation for donors. It can also inspire others to give, as they see the impact of their contributions.
2. Transparency: Displaying pledges publicly can help to increase transparency and build trust with donors. It allows donors to see that their contributions are being acknowledged and used to support the organization's mission.
3. Engagement: A live donation display can be a great way to engage with donors and create a sense of excitement and community at the event. It can also provide a talking point and help to create a sense of fun and competitiveness among attendees.

Live Display Systems

There are a few different ways to pledge a donation and have it displayed on a large screen.  Here are a few different options that can work for your organization.

Give Lively's Live Display

Live Display is an affordable and flexible tool that allows you to create a custom live feed of donations that can be displayed on a screen at your event. The Live Display feature is fully customizable, allowing organizations to choose the layout, colors, and branding that best fit their needs. It can be integrated with Give Lively's donation platform or used on its own, making it a flexible and convenient option for organizations looking to showcase their fundraising efforts.

Engage by Cell

Engage by Cell also offers a fundraising thermometer tool that can be used to display live donations on a screen. This tool can be customized with your organization's branding and colors, and can even be integrated with social media to allow donors to share their donations on their own feeds.

Create Your Own With Zapier

Zapier is a tool that allows you to automate tasks and integrate different apps and services. It can be used to facilitate a text-to-pledge system in a number of ways. Here is an example:

1. Set up a "zap" that triggers when a new text message is received by a designated phone number (using a service like Textiful).
2. Extract the donation amount and donor's name from the text message and store them in a spreadsheet or database.
3. Use Zapier to update a live donation display in real-time, by connecting the spreadsheet or database to a web page or application that displays the live feed.
4. Set up a "zap" that sends a confirmation message or receipt to the donor, thanking them for their contribution.

By using Zapier, organizations can create a custom text-to-pledge system that is tailored to their needs and allows them to collect and display donations in real time. This can be a great way to engage with donors and increase transparency at fundraising events.

Twilio

Twilio is a service that allows you to send and receive text messages, which can be used to facilitate a text-to-pledge live display system. With Twilio, you can create a "Function" to handle incoming text messages. In this function, you extract the donation amount and donor's name from the incoming text message and store them in a database or a spreadsheet. You can then create a web page or application that displays the live donation feed, using the information stored in the database or spreadsheet.

Final Say

Overall, there are many different tools and services available that can help you create a live donation display at your event for most organizations Give Lively's Live Display will be the best fit. For others looking for more customized approaches look at Zapier and Twilio as great options.  

For your next live event make sure to consider using pledges and live displays to engage with donors and inspire giving. Every donation makes a difference, and by using these tools, you can help your organization achieve great things.