5 Best Fundraising Platforms for Schools

The right fundraising platform can transform the way your school raises support, keep donors engaged, and help you reach your goals faster. Explore the top platforms for schools to find the one that best fits your fundraising needs.

Written by: Lydia Wohlgemuth | Reviewed by: Jamy-Lee Holt
5 Best Fundraising Platforms for Schools
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With the help of advanced fundraising platforms, 65% of schools kept more than half of their new donors this past year, compared to 49% overall.

The right tools truly make a difference, and that’s just one of many interesting statistics showing the impact of modern school fundraising.

Your school can tap into the same kind of results by taking advantage of the easy-to-use fundraising tools designed to help you recruit and retain supporters.

Since there are so many options out there, we’ve done the research for you.

In this post, you’ll find a roundup of the best fundraising platforms for schools, including their top features and pricing, to help you choose the right fit for your community.


Top 5 School Fundraising Platforms at a Glance

  • Donorbox: The best platform for schools that want a powerful yet easy-to-use fundraising platform with flexible giving options and tools to engage donors year-round.
  • GiveCampus: Designed specifically for schools, offering tailored fundraising, volunteer management, and event tools that rally your community around giving.
  • 99Pledges: Good for pledge-based fundraisers like walk-a-thons or read-a-thons, making it simple to set up campaigns and keep students motivated.
  • Bonfire: A fun way for schools to fundraise through custom-designed apparel that builds school spirit while raising money.
  • BetterWorld: Ideal for schools looking to host creative and interactive fundraisers like auctions, a-thons, and paddle raises.

1. Donorbox: The Best School Fundraising Software

Screenshot of Donorbox's homegpage (the top fundraising platform for schools)

We’re saving the best for first! Donorbox makes school fundraising simple, effective, and stress-free!

It’s an all-in-one tool designed to help you raise money for your programs while keeping everything organized, from donations to events.


Top features for schools

  • Custom donation forms: Match your school’s branding or event theme, then easily embed the form on your website, or create a custom donation page in minutes.
  • Recurring giving: Give parents, alums, and supporters the option to set up ongoing donations so your school benefits year-round.
  • Events: Selling tickets to your fundraiser? Donorbox’s event registration tool makes the process seamless.
  • Crowdfunding: Launch a campaign quickly on this fundraising app for schools and invite your community to rally around your goal.
  • Peer-to-peer: Empower students, parents, and staff to fundraise on your behalf and expand your reach beyond your school walls.
  • Text-to-give: Donors can give on the go with a quick text.
  • Live Kiosk: Perfect for in-person events like bake sales, talent shows, or school plays. Supporters can give right on the spot using their preferred payment method, including Apple Pay.

We love how Bridge School in Vermont customized their Donorbox-powered year-end fundraising page – they raised close to $16,600, exceeding their original goal by 55%:

Screenshot of Bridge School's Donorbox-Powered Fundraising Page

 

Raise More for Your School With Donorbox


Pricing

  • Standard Plan: Free, with platform fees of 2.95%–3.95%
  • Pro Plan: $150/month, with platform fees of 1.75%–2%
  • Premium: Customized to fit your needs, with platform fees of 1.75%–2%

Why schools love using Donorbox

Running a school is rewarding work, but it’s also busy work. Donorbox takes the stress out of fundraising so you can spend more time focusing on your students and staff.

Here are just a few reasons why schools appreciate using Donorbox:

  • No tech skills needed: The platform is simple to manage on the back end, and the donor experience is just as smooth.
  • Eye-catching donation forms: Clean, customizable forms highlight your school’s mission and goals, motivating donors to give.
  • Gets your community involved: With crowdfunding and peer-to-peer tools, parents, students, and alums can join in and help spread the word.
  • Flexible payment options: From Apple Pay to ACH, donors can give in the way that’s most convenient for them.
  • Streamlined event ticketing: Sell tickets for raffles, festivals, galas, and more, and manage every step all in one place.

Donorbox helps schools put their mission front and center while making the giving process effortless for donors.


2. GiveCampus: Fundraising Made for Schools

Screenshot of GiveCampus's homepage

GiveCampus was built specifically with schools in mind, offering tools that make it easier to raise support and rally your community.

From volunteer management to event ticketing, everything is designed to help your school engage donors and streamline fundraising.


Top features for schools

  • Online giving: Set up and manage donation forms, run crowdfunding campaigns, and mobilize supporters through peer-to-peer fundraising.
  • Volunteer management: Equip parents and volunteers with the tools, communication, and incentives they need to champion your fundraiser.
  • Events: Promote, sell tickets, and track registrations for school events – from galas to fun runs.
  • Automations: Save time on repetitive tasks and get smart insights with the help of AI-powered automation.

Pricing

GiveCampus doesn’t list pricing publicly, so you’ll need to contact their team for a custom quote.


3. 99Pledges: Fun and Affordable School Fundraising

Screenshot of 99Pledges' Homepage

If your school is planning a walk-a-thon, read-a-thon, or any pledge-based “a-thon” fundraiser, then 99Pledges might be for you.

You can set up your campaign in minutes, and every participant gets their own donation page to share with family and friends.


Top features for schools

  • Mobile giving tools: Parents, grandparents, and supporters can give from anywhere, on any device.
  • Gamified campaigns: Track progress, share leaderboards, and add a little friendly competition to keep students motivated.
  • Easy promotion: Share donation pages quickly via email or social media to spread the word.
  • School donation analytics: Gain insights into campaign performance, track donations, and see which participants are raising the most to optimize your fundraiser.

Pricing

99Pledges is free to use! You’re only responsible for the standard credit card fee of 3.49% + 49 cents per transaction.


4. Bonfire: Raise Funds with Custom Apparel

Bonfire makes it easy for schools to fundraise by selling custom-designed t-shirts and other apparel.

You can design your merch right on the platform and launch your campaign, then Bonfire takes care of shipping directly to supporters. Your school keeps 100% of the profits!


Top features for schools

  • Gets faculty and students involved: Invite students and teachers to help design custom shirts that represent your school spirit.
  • Peer-to-peer fundraising: Reach even more donors by recruiting community members to sell merch on your behalf.
  • Customizable profile page: Showcase your mission on a branded school campaign page.
  • Merch store: Sell multiple products in one place for an ongoing fundraising hub.

Pricing

Bonfire is free to use, and your school keeps the profits. Each product has a base cost; you set the selling price and profit margin.

Donors can also give above the product cost, with an 8% processing fee applied to those extra donations.


5. BetterWorld: Creative Online Fundraising

Screenshot of BetterWorld's Homepage

BetterWorld gives schools a variety of creative tools to raise support, all free to use! From auctions to a-thons, the platform helps schools set up engaging campaigns that bring your community together.


Top features for schools

  • A-thon fundraising: Launch a walk-a-thon, read-a-thon, or other a-thon, complete with custom pages for each participant.
  • Online auctions: Run a silent auction online with mobile-friendly bidding that keeps supporters engaged.
  • Event management: Sell tickets online, track offline sales, and check in guests right from your device.
  • Paddle raise fundraising: Host a live or online paddle raise where donors are assigned numbers, and watch your fundraising thermometer climb in real time as gifts come in.

Pricing

BetterWorld is free to use, with optional donor tipping. The only cost is the standard credit card fee of 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction, and donors have the option to cover that fee.


Bonus Resource: Learn How to Turn Volunteers Into Donors

One education focused nonprofit turned volunteers into donors with a simple solution. See how The Education Partnership in southwestern Pennsylvania, a nonprofit supporting teachers and students, increased funding and donor support through innovative fundraising tools.


Over to You

School fundraising doesn’t have to be complicated, especially when you have the right technology.

From donation forms and recurring giving to school event ticketing and peer-to-peer campaigns, today’s online fundraising platforms for schools make it easier than ever to engage supporters and raise the support your students deserve.

While there are plenty of great options out there, Donorbox stands out as the best all-in-one online fundraising platform for schools. It’s simple to use, flexible for any type of school fundraiser, and helps you focus more on people and less on logistics.

Sign up with Donorbox today and start planning your next school fundraiser.

Avatar photo

With a background in professional writing, Lydia brings over 10 years of experience in nonprofit communications under her belt, with a strong focus on fundraising and donor engagement. Her passion for supporting nonprofits was sparked during college internships with global mission organizations, where she gained hands-on experience with fundraising marketing strategies.



Lydia went on to serve for more than eight years as a Church Communications Director, overseeing both internal and external communications to clearly communicate the church’s mission, build trust with members, and encourage generosity through accessible tools like online and recurring giving. In this role, she partnered closely with church leadership to support giving campaigns and highlight the real-life impact of financial support through storytelling.



These experiences have continued to fuel her dedication to empowering nonprofits through her writing.

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