🎪 GiveSignup for Nonprofits

Unlike freemium models that lock critical features behind paywalls, GiveSignup provides unlimited access to all core functionality at zero cost. Unlimited email marketing with beautifully designed templates, unlimited event websites with custom branding, unlimited personal fundraising pages for peer-to-peer campaigns, unlimited contacts and participants—no caps, no hidden fees, no forced upgrades. The free mobile check-in app works for events of any size (successfully used at 60,000+ attendee events). Revenue comes exclusively from processing fees when transactions occur, aligning GiveSignup's incentives with your fundraising success rather than extracting subscription fees regardless of outcomes.

Transform participants into active fundraisers who amplify your reach exponentially. Participants create mobile-friendly personal fundraising pages with custom stories, photos, and fundraising goals. Real-time leaderboards gamify the experience and motivate friendly competition. Team fundraising pages allow groups to collaborate toward collective goals while individual efforts are recognized. Social marketing tools with referral rewards incentivize participants to share their pages across Facebook, Instagram, and email. The Facebook Fundraiser API auto-creates Facebook fundraisers from GiveSignup and syncs donations automatically—connected fundraisers raise $490+ more on average with 9.74 more donations than unconnected fundraisers.

Send unlimited beautifully designed, personalized, and branded emails to unlimited contacts—all 100% free. Promote upcoming events with automated campaigns. Send personalized fundraising updates and tips to participants. Deliver automated confirmation emails and event reminders. Thank donors with acknowledgment messages. The email builder uses professional templates optimized for nonprofit communications, requiring no design expertise. Automated email sequences reduce manual workload while maintaining consistent touchpoints with supporters. This eliminates the need for separate email marketing subscriptions (saving $10-100+/month) and prevents fragmented communication workflows.

The free mobile check-in app streamlines event day registration and attendance tracking, tested successfully at events ranging from 100 to 60,000+ attendees. Check participants in by fundraising team and display real-time fundraising totals in the app to celebrate achievements. Customizable volunteer modes allow different access levels for different staff roles. Display custom questions and store purchase options during check-in. Support full and partial check-ins for multi-day or multi-session events. The app works offline if internet connectivity is unreliable, syncing data once reconnected. This eliminates the need for paper registration lists, manual attendance tracking, or expensive third-party check-in hardware.

GiveSignup's open API and Zapier app enable seamless integration with external CRMs and donor databases. Large nonprofits including the DONNA Foundation, Pat Tillman Foundation, and Els for Autism Foundation use the Zapier integration to sync GiveSignup data with Salesforce, DonorPerfect, Bloomerang, and other major nonprofit CRMs. Sidekick Solutions partnership provides simpler options for packaged application integrations. Double the Donation integration automatically identifies corporate matching gift opportunities and surfaces employer match programs at checkout. This prevents data silos and ensures event fundraising data flows into your central constituent database for unified donor reporting and relationship management.

GiveSignup provides full visibility across marketing, registration, fundraising, and financial data in one unified reporting dashboard. Track email campaign performance (opens, clicks, conversions). Monitor registration trends and participant demographics. Analyze individual fundraiser performance and team results. View real-time donation totals and payment processing status. Pre-built reports seamlessly integrate fundraiser and donor data without manual merging or spreadsheet manipulation. Export capabilities allow backing up data or importing into external analytics tools. This consolidated reporting eliminates the frustration of jumping between multiple platforms to understand event ROI or generate board-ready performance summaries.

Visit GiveSignup.org and click "Get Started Free" to create your nonprofit account. There's no credit card required, no verification process, and no approval waiting period—you'll have immediate access to the full platform. After logging in, browse the event template library which includes pre-built templates for charity walks/runs, cycling events, golf tournaments, stair climbs, virtual challenges, and giving days. Select the template that most closely matches your planned event to use as a starting point, saving hours of setup time compared to building from scratch.

Spend 30-60 minutes clicking through the platform interface to familiarize yourself with the event builder, email marketing tools, peer-to-peer fundraising settings, and reporting dashboard. Create a test event (mark it as private/test) where you can experiment with settings, registration forms, and email campaigns without consequences. This hands-on exploration builds confidence before launching your live event.

Configure your event basics: name, date, location, description, and featured image. Set up registration tiers (individual, family, team, early bird, etc.) with pricing and quantity limits if applicable. Enable peer-to-peer fundraising to allow participants to create personal fundraising pages—configure minimum fundraising goals, suggested donation amounts, and whether team pages are allowed. Customize your event website using the drag-and-drop builder: add your nonprofit's branding (logo, colors, fonts), write compelling event descriptions, upload photos, and embed videos that explain your mission and event purpose.

Set up automated pricing rules if you want early-bird discounts, group pricing, or donation-based discounts. Configure tax-deductible amounts for each registration type to ensure proper receipts and IRS compliance. Enable the features you'll use: volunteer coordination, custom registration questions, merchandise sales, Facebook Fundraiser integration, and referral rewards. Don't feel pressure to activate everything—start with core registration and fundraising, adding features as you gain confidence.

Before launching publicly, complete a test registration yourself. Walk through the entire participant experience: registration form, payment processing, confirmation email, personal fundraising page creation, and email communications. This quality assurance step catches issues before real participants encounter them and helps you understand what participants will experience.

Import your existing donor and supporter email list into GiveSignup (CSV upload or manual entry). Build your first email campaign using GiveSignup's free templates: announce the event, highlight the mission impact, share registration details, and include a clear call-to-action button linking directly to the event registration page. Schedule a series of promotional emails leading up to the event: initial announcement, early-bird reminder (if applicable), fundraising tips for registered participants, and countdown reminders.

Set up automated email workflows to reduce manual work: confirmation emails immediately after registration, fundraising toolkit emails with tips and suggested language for participants to share, progress updates showing how close participants are to their goals, and thank-you emails after donations. These automated touchpoints keep participants engaged without requiring constant manual intervention.

Leverage social marketing tools by sharing the event registration link across your nonprofit's Facebook, Instagram, Twitter/X, and LinkedIn accounts. Encourage early registrants to share their personal fundraising pages with friends and family. If you enabled Facebook Fundraiser integration, guide participants through connecting their pages to automatically expand reach into their social networks. Monitor referral tracking to see which channels and participants drive the most traffic and donations, then double down on what works.

Download the free GiveSignup mobile check-in app on volunteers' smartphones or tablets one week before your event. Train 2-3 volunteers on how to use the app: searching participants by name, scanning QR codes from confirmation emails, marking attendance, and viewing fundraising totals. Practice check-in procedures during your training so volunteers are comfortable on event day. Set up customizable volunteer modes to limit access appropriately—some volunteers might only check people in, while others handle on-site registrations or merchandise sales.

On event day, position check-in stations strategically with clear signage. Use the app to check participants in as they arrive—the app displays fundraising totals, allowing you to verbally recognize top fundraisers and distribute any awards or incentives. The mobile app works offline if internet connectivity is unreliable, syncing data once reconnected. If you have 500+ attendees, consider multiple check-in lines sorted alphabetically or by team to reduce congestion.

After the event, use GiveSignup's reporting dashboard to analyze performance: total participants, total fundraising, average fundraising per participant, top fundraisers and teams, email campaign metrics, and revenue breakdown by registration type. Export this data for board presentations or annual reports. Send post-event thank-you emails to all participants within 48 hours, highlighting total impact achieved (dollars raised, lives changed, programs funded). This timely gratitude reinforces positive experiences and improves retention for next year's event.