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: Enable donors to commit to a future payment without processing an immediate transaction.
• 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.

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.