Fundraising should leave more money with the school, team, or community that did the work. That simple idea led us to build RunRaise, a participant-based fundraising platform that uses flat, transparent pricing instead of taking a percentage of every donation.
The problem with percentage cuts
Many fundraising platforms keep 20% to 45% of the amount raised or require a long-term agreement. Organizers may not know the true cost until the event is over. For a school raising money for classroom materials, field trips, playground improvements, or student programs, that difference matters.
We wanted organizers to understand the cost from the beginning and keep more of what their community contributed.
What we built
RunRaise combines event management, participant pages, secure payments, real-time progress, and reporting in one platform. Organizers set the goal, dates, participants, branding, and prize structure. Each participant receives an individual page and QR code to share with friends and family.
We built the product with modern frameworks and managed services selected for reliability and maintainability. The event model supports participant goals, team totals, leaderboards, donations, prize eligibility, reporting, and secure post-event deposits. A flat event fee and per-participant cost replace percentage-based cuts.
Launching with real school communities
Schools have now raised more than $80,000 through RunRaise, including more than $22,000 during the original PTSA pilot. Just as important, the pilot gave us direct feedback from the people organizing and participating in the events. We learned where setup needed to be clearer, what motivated participants, and which reports school leaders needed after an event.
What changed in RunRaise 2.0
Version 2.0 adds team leaderboards, participant photo uploads, custom event themes, QR codes, advanced analytics, real-time notifications, and automated prize tracking. Schools using RunRaise save an average of 35%. Fundraising proceeds are typically deposited within 3 to 5 business days after an event ends.
Building and operating our own product
RunRaise gives us experience beyond delivering a project and handing it off. We maintain the platform, support users, review real event data, and decide what to improve next. That ongoing responsibility makes us better product partners. We think about launch, support, and future decisions from the beginning of every software engagement.
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Zain has been building web and mobile software for over ten years. He launched Rare Digital in 2015 to bring his digital expertise to small businesses. He has a knack for paying close attention to detail, problem-solving, and creative design.
