Donations by Pledge App Can Turn Zoom Meetings Into Virtual Fundraisers

Zoom Video Communications announced this week it has invested in at least a dozen apps, including fundraising platform Pledge, as part of its $100 million global venture fund that will support Zoom Apps and partners, building apps and integrations on the Zoom Developer Platform. Pledge was was only fundraiser app revealed, but how much Pledge received was not disclosed.

Pledge introduced a donate button for Zoom through its Donations by Pledge app this summer. The addition will allow any of the 300 million daily Zoom meeting participants to instantly become a fundraiser for any one of the two million verified charitable and nonprofit organizations in its worldwide network.

“Since the beginning of the pandemic, Zoom has revolutionized the way we communicate as a society,” Colin Born, head of corporate development at Zoom, said in a statement. “A donate button seamlessly embedded in Zoom was a requested feature from Zoom users over the past two years and, when we saw the Donations by Pledge app, we knew that Pledge had created a simple and powerful solution to this frequent customer request. We are excited to invest in Pledge because not only does their platform help us to achieve our mission to deliver happiness to Zoom users, Pledge also has the power to positively benefit the lives and communities of people living everywhere around the globe.”

Venice Beach, California-based Pledge vows to deliver 50% more donations versus traditional virtual event fundraising. The feature includes a real-time donation feed, shows a fundraiser goal, allows meeting hosts to thank donors with an “I donated” virtual background and has a text-to-donate backup option for attendees attending via mobile phone.

“The last 18 months have forced the greatest technological shift in the last 100-plus years for nonprofits,” James Citron, CEO of Pledge, said in a statement . “With the inability to conduct in-person galas and fundraisers, coupled with the rise of Zoom meetings, a new era has emerged in virtual fundraising led by Pledge, which enables nonprofits to fundraise with a push of a button, to reach donors in every part of the globe and to demonstrate live impact like never before.”

Pledge is on track to raise $100 million for nonprofits worldwide and has already processed donations in more than 110 countries. Zoom joined other platforms like Evite, Shopify and Legacy.com where Pledge also can be integrated.

The app is free to use and accepts Apple Pay, Google Pay and credit cards though credit card fees (2.9% plus $0.30) and a monthly $5 disbursement fee apply. Donors also will receive an emailed tax receipt immediately after donating.

“Within only days of the Donations by Pledge app launching, we’ve already had thousands of nonprofit organizations, schools, religious organizations, mission-driven consumers and companies operating in over 35 countries create a donate button in their Zoom meetings to raise money for nonprofits using Pledge’s app,” Citron added. “With Pledge’s free donation app, small nonprofits now have the same opportunity to raise funds virtually as the largest nonprofits currently do. From the millions of schools to religious institutions to nonprofits operating everywhere, we at Pledge cannot wait to see the impact that we will achieve together in part to this investment from Zoom.”