Pledges

Pledges are commitments donors make to donate in the future with a single gift or through scheduled payments called instalments. For example, if a donor pledges $1200 and plans to make 12 monthly payments of $100, in web view you can add the pledge, generate its installments, and track them as pledge payments.

To simplify processing pledges, donors can commit to a pledge amount and pay the installments automatically with credit and debit cards.

Tip: To learn how to create a Standard Donation Form with the pledge options and configure it, see Standard Donation Forms and Gift Options.

Note: In web view, the gift amount must equal the balance of the pledge it’s applied to. To apply a payment with fee coverage to a pledge, approve the gift as a one-time gift. In database view, manually apply the gift and fee coverage amount to the pledge installment.

From a pledge record in web view, you can view its:

  • Pledge summary is how much the donor has paid, the balance that is left to pay, and their next instalment.

  • Pledge burndown is the donor's progress toward their commitment, alongside the instalment schedule and detailed payment history.

    Tip: To view the pledge burndown offline, select its ... menu to print, download the chart, or download the results as a comma-separated values (CSV) or Microsoft Excel (XLS) file.

  • Pledge schedule is how often the donor pays instalments and how many they committed to pay. For more information about schedules and how to edit them, see Pledge Schedule.

    Tip: To view a list of the instalments with details, such as the date, amount, and remaining balance select View full schedule .

In web view, you can add a pledge gift and payments from the constituent's record, Fundraising, or Home. For more information, see Add Pledges and Generate Instalments and Add Payments for Manual Pledges.

  1. From the constituent's record, Fundraising, or Home, select Add gift.

  2. Enter how much the donor gave and when.

  3. Under Gift type, select Pledge.

  4. Choose the donor's method of payment.

    Note: You can only add pledge payments to manual pledges. Automated pledges automatically process their credit and debit card payments on the schedule the donor chooses.

  5. Under Fund, select the fund that represents the gift.

  6. From Pledge schedule, select the instalment frequency requested by the donor.

    • Single — One instalment on the start date.

    • Monthly — Instalments are once a month from the day of the initial payment. If the initial payment date is the 31st of the month, subsequent payments will occur on the last available day of the subsequent months.

    • Every two weeks — Instalments are every 14 days and equal 26 payments a year.

    • Quarterly — Instalments are every three months.

    • Annually — Instalments are on the same date each year. If the date isn't available, such as during a leap year, the payment occurs on the prior available date.

    • Custom — Instalments are on the date you enter for each installment. To add new installments, select Add an installment.

  7. Under Start date, select the date the pledge's payments will begin.

  8. Enter the number of installments and select Generate instalments to create the payment schedule.

    Tip: If you choose Custom under Frequency, add each instalment based on the donors needs.

    Note: You must enter an amount that is 99 installments or less.

  9. In the schedule preview, review the date and amount listed for each instalment.

  10. If necessary, change the amount and date of an instalment.

  11. Select Save.

Constituents can make payments toward their manual pledges, but automated pledges automatically process their credit and debit card payments on the schedule the donor chooses.

  1. From the constituent's record, Fundraising, or Home, select Add gift.

    Tip: From a constituent's pledge record, select Add payment to pay an installment.

  2. Enter how much the donor gave and when.

    Tip: If the constituent has outstanding pledges you would like to apply this payment to, select Apply this gift.

  3. Select Pledge payment under Gift type.

  4. Under Fund, select the fund that represents the gift.

  5. To apply the payment to a pledge, select Apply to, then Select pledges.

  6. Choose the pledge to apply the payment to.

    Note: The gift amount automatically applies to the first unpaid installment. You can manually divide the gift to any unpaid installments. If you need to reset the gift’s distribution to the first unpaid installment, select Distribute.

  7. Select Apply payment and save.

Donors can make payments toward a constituent’s manual pledge, but automated pledges automatically process their credit and debit card payments on the schedule the donor chooses.

  1. From the constituent's record, Fundraising, or Home, select Add gift.

  2. Enter how much the donor gave and when.

  3. Select Pledge payment under Gift type.

  4. Under Fund, select the fund that represents the gift.

  5. To apply the payment to a pledge, select Apply to.

  6. Select Select pledges and choose the constituent whose pledge you are paying toward.

  7. Select the pledge you want to contribute to.

  8. Select Apply payment.

    Note: The gift amount automatically applies to the first unpaid installment. You can manually divide the gift to any unpaid installments. If you need to reset the gift’s distribution to the first unpaid installment, select Distribute.

  9. Select Save.