Pledge Forms vs. Recurring Gifts: Setup and Integration

GiveCampus provides two flexible options to manage donor commitments—pledge forms and recurring gifts. This guide explains the differences between these options and discusses setup considerations for cases like payroll deductions.

Overview

There are two primary giving methods on GiveCampus:

• Pledge Forms:
• Recurring Gifts: Process an immediate payment and automatically collect subsequent donations on a set schedule.

Understanding Pledge Forms

Pledge forms suit situations where the payment is made outside of GiveCampus. Key points include:

• Deferred Payment: Donors make a commitment for future giving without an immediate charge.
• Payroll Deductions: Ideal for payroll deduction commitments, where the donor coordinates payment through their employer. Note that pledge forms don’t integrate with external payroll systems, so manual coordination is required.
• Information Collection: Similar to regular giving forms, they collect donor details and the pledge amount but disable direct online payment.
• Reporting: Pledges appear in reports, allowing administrators to track commitments and reconcile them later with offline payments.

Understanding Recurring Gifts

Recurring gifts are designed for donors who prefer automated, ongoing donations. Their features include:

• Immediate Payment: An initial payment is processed immediately along with the donor’s authorization for future automated charges.
• Automated Processing: These gifts are fully integrated with GiveCampus’s payment system, ensuring seamless transactions.
• Sustained Giving: They work best when establishing a consistent donation stream.

When to Use Pledge Forms

Use pledge forms when:

• Payment is Deferred: Donors plan to complete the payment later via methods like payroll deductions.
• Manual Follow-Up is Acceptable: Because there is no direct integration with payroll systems, manual coordination is needed to collect the funds.
• Tracking Commitments: The pledge data appears in reports, aiding in monitoring and reconciling commitments with received funds.

When to Use Recurring Gifts

Recurring gifts are ideal when:

• Immediate, Automated Payment is Needed: Donors authorize a first payment and set up automated future payments.
• Continuous Support is the Goal: This option supports building a sustained giving program through regular, ongoing donations.
• Integrated Payment Processing is Required: They leverage GiveCampus’s integrated system for seamless fund management.

Reporting and Fulfillment

Both pledge forms and recurring gifts are visible in your reporting dashboards, though they are tracked differently:

• Pledge Reporting: Pledges are recorded as future commitments, which require offline follow-up to confirm payment.
• Recurring Gift Reporting: These donations are processed and recorded automatically, ensuring that payment records update continuously.

Key Limitations

• No External Payroll Integration: Pledge forms don’t integrate with external payroll systems, so any payroll deduction must be coordinated manually.
• Manual Reconciliation: Unlike recurring gifts, pledge forms require follow-up to collect offline payments.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: A donor wants to pay monthly until a fixed end date (for example, monthly payments that stop in a future month). Which option should I use, and how do I set it up?

A: Use a standard Giving Form with a time‑bound Recurring Gift subscription – not a Pledge Form. Recurring Gifts process an immediate payment and then charge automatically on the schedule until the subscription end date. To set this up:

1. Open the giving form that the donor will use and enable recurring giving in the form's settings. This is a per‑form setting, so no new form or campaign is required.
2. At checkout, have the donor select the appropriate time‑bound recurring option. Standard forms offer "Monthly (for a number of years)". If your school has also enabled the monthly-by-number-of-months option, use "Monthly (for a number of months)" to match the donor's request and set the duration accordingly.

Q: Can an administrator view or cancel a time‑bound recurring subscription on behalf of a donor?

A: Yes. Administrators can manage recurring subscriptions as follows:

1. Go to Online Giving > Manage Gifts > Recurring Subscriptions.
2. Locate the subscription in the list. Click the Donation ID to open the subscription detail page, or use the Actions dropdown and choose Modify.
3. On the detail page, administrators can update the next run date, installment amount, resend receipts, or cancel remaining installments.

Q: What if my giving form doesn't show monthly recurring options?

A: If the form lacks a monthly recurring option, enable recurring giving in the form's settings. Once enabled, donors will see the time‑bound recurring choices.

Q: When is a Pledge Form the right choice instead of a Recurring Gift?

A: Use a Pledge Form when you want to record a donor’s commitment without automated charges. This option is best when:

• The donor will pay outside GiveCampus (for example, via payroll deduction or mailed check).
• You need to record the commitment now and follow up offline for payment.

Note: Pledge Forms do not offer the scheduled, platform‑managed installments of a Recurring Gift subscription. For automated monthly charges until a set end date, use a Recurring Gift.

Q: Quick decision checklist

• Donor wants automatic monthly charges (starting immediately) and for charges to stop after a specific duration → Use a standard Giving Form with the time‑bound Recurring Gift option ("Monthly (for a number of years)" or "Monthly (for a number of months)" if available).
• Donor is making a commitment and will pay outside GiveCampus, or you only want to record the pledge now → Use a Pledge Form and follow up offline.

Q: Anything I should watch for or other gotchas?

• Ensure recurring giving is enabled on the form before donors see the monthly options.
• When an administrator modifies a subscription via Online Giving > Manage Gifts > Recurring Subscriptions > Actions > Modify, the changes affect future installments and the donor receives a notification.

Conclusion

Choosing between pledge forms and recurring gifts depends on your fundraising model and donor payment preferences. Use pledge forms for deferred payments such as payroll deductions, and choose recurring gifts for immediate, automated contributions. Both methods appear in your reports to help you track and reconcile donor commitments efficiently.