Event Night Checklist: Maximising Pledge Collection
It's the night of your charity gala. 200 guests. An auctioneer on stage. Hands going up. Pledges flying in. This is the most important 3 hours of your fundraising year.
Here's how to capture every single pledge — and make sure the money actually arrives.
Before the event: set up your links
Open the Collect tab. You'll see your event with every fundraiser page listed. Each volunteer has their own unique link and QR code.
Mariam's page: 11 pledges, £3,120. Tariq's page: 11 pledges, £3,000. Each fundraiser can see their own progress in real time.
Share the link on the night
Tap any fundraiser page to expand it. You'll see the pledge link, QR code, and sharing buttons.
Three options for the night:
- Project the QR code on a screen behind the stage. Guests scan and pledge from their seats.
- WhatsApp the link to table captains. They forward it around their table.
- Print the QR code on table cards. Guests scan between courses.
What guests see
When someone scans the QR code, they see a clean, simple pledge form:
Social proof front and centre: "149 people have pledged so far · Average £170." Pre-set amounts. Custom amount option. No payment taken — they pledge now and pay by bank transfer later.
The entire process takes a donor 60 seconds. No app download. No account creation. Just choose an amount and enter your name.
Watch it live
Back on your dashboard, the numbers update in real time. Every new pledge appears immediately. You can literally watch the total climb during the event.
After the event
Within minutes of the event ending, every donor receives an automatic WhatsApp receipt with your bank details and a unique payment reference. No admin. No spreadsheets. The system handles it.
And if they don't pay? Automatic reminders on Day 2, Day 7, and Day 14. Warm. Respectful. Effective.
The old way: napkins, spreadsheets, chasing people by phone for weeks.
The PledgeNow way: QR code, real-time dashboard, automatic follow-up. Every pledge captured. Every payment tracked.
Stop losing pledges. Start tonight.
Pledge Now, Pay Later captures every promise, follows up automatically, and lets donors pay on their own time. No card required. No catch.
Get fundraising tips in your inbox.
No spam. Just practical resources when we have something worth sharing.
Related articles
Bank Statement Reconciliation: Match Payments to Pledges
It's Tuesday evening. You download your bank statement. There are 47 incoming transfers. Some have the
How to Set Up Automated WhatsApp Reminders for Pledges
Someone pledges £50 at your charity dinner. They mean it. They'll pay tomorrow. Then tomorrow becomes
Exporting Gift Aid Declarations for HMRC
Your charity collected £13,035 in pledges. Of those, 50 donors ticked the Gift Aid box. That means