How ScanRaise Works: QR Fundraising in 6 Steps

Create a campaign, download per-person QR cards, collect donations by scan, and track results live. Standard fundraising has a 2.5% platform fee.

Create your campaign

Go to scanraise.com/start and fill in your organization name, campaign name, and the names of your fundraisers. Choose your brand color and set an optional fundraising goal with milestone rewards.

Complete this step online. You can upload a CSV if you have a roster, or type names in one by one. Each person gets a unique QR code automatically.

Choose how you get paid

You have two options. Connect your own bank account through Stripe and get paid directly. Or let ScanRaise collect the money and send you a check or bank transfer monthly. In both modes, ScanRaise charges a 2.5% platform fee, and Stripe processing is separate.

Option 1 (direct): Connect through Stripe with your bank account and routing number. Stripe's verification timing varies by account and required checks. The first payout is typically 7 to 14 days after the first successful live payment and may take longer. Later payouts follow the account-specific payout schedule.
Option 2 (we handle it): Skip the bank setup entirely. ScanRaise collects donations and sends your organization a monthly payment. Best for groups that want the simplest path.

Get your QR codes

Download a print-ready PDF with every fundraiser's card, or send personalized links by email so adults can pull up their QR code on their phone.

Two options:
Printed cards - Download the PDF and take it to any print shop. Print on card stock. Costs about $0.15-0.30 per card. Great for kids going door-to-door.
Phone QR codes - Each fundraiser gets a personal link (scanraise.com/my/CODE) that shows their QR code full-screen. Great for adults at events or intersections.

Go raise money

Your fundraisers carry their cards or phones and show them to potential donors. Donors scan the QR code with their phone camera - it opens a donation page where they can give from their phone. No app, no account, no cash needed.

Donors see: The fundraiser's name, your organization, the campaign, a progress bar (if you set a goal), and amount buttons. They tap an amount, enter their card, and done. They can also choose to make it monthly or cover the processing fees.

Track everything in real time

Log into your dashboard to see every donation as it comes in. View leaderboards by person, class, or team. See which milestones you've hit. Export donation data as CSV anytime.

Dashboard features: Total raised, donation count, per-person totals, class/group breakdowns, recent donation feed (updates every 5 seconds), and a live display mode you can project at events.

Money goes to your bank

If you connected Stripe, verification timing varies by account and required checks. The first payout is typically 7 to 14 days after the first successful live payment and may take longer. Later payouts follow the account-specific payout schedule. If ScanRaise is collecting for you, we send a monthly payment. In either mode, ScanRaise charges 2.5% and Stripe charges its standard processing fee.

Example: A donor gives $100. Stripe processing: $3.20. ScanRaise fee: $2.50. Your organization receives: $94.30. If the donor checked "cover fees," your org gets the full $100 and the donor paid $106.03.

Platform features

Unique QR codes

Every fundraiser gets their own code. Printable cards or phone display.

Live leaderboards

Real-time rankings by person, class, team, or group.

Goals & milestones

Set a goal, add milestone rewards. Progress bar on every page.

Live display

Project real-time donations on a screen at events.

Recurring donations

Donors choose from monthly or annual tiers configured by the organization.

Instant receipts

Branded email receipts sent automatically after every donation.

CSV export

Export all donation data anytime for your records.

Org donation page

A shareable link for general fund donations. No QR code needed.

Event ticketing

Sell tickets to events. Free or paid. Check-in at the door.

Merchandise store

Sell t-shirts, spirit wear, and swag. Sizes, inventory, fulfillment.

Social sharing

One-tap sharing on every page. Donors spread the word for you.

Embeddable widget

One line of code puts a donate button on your website.

Text-to-give

Donors text an organization keyword to our shared SMS number to request the matching donation link. Carrier delivery times vary. No app or per-org number is needed.

Secure payments

Stripe-powered. PCI compliant. 256-bit encryption.

Auctions

Run silent auctions with real-time bidding, countdown timers, and buy-now pricing.

Raffles

Publish in-person raffle details or offer free online entries. An organizer runs the one-winner draw. Paid online sales are unavailable.

Email campaigns

Send branded emails to your donors. Draft, preview, send. One-click unsubscribe built in.

Donor CRM

Track every donor across donations, tickets, orders, and bids. Tags, notes, search, and CSV export.

P2P fundraising

Supporters create their own fundraising pages and share them. Leaderboards track who's raising the most.

Print partners

Connect with local print shops to get QR cards printed and delivered. Geo-matched to your area.

Find My QR Code

Lost your card? Search by org or campaign and pull up your QR code on your phone instantly.

Employer matching

After a completed donation, donors can search a 32-employer reference list and follow the employer's submission process.

How athons work

Walkathons, read-a-thons, swim-a-thons - same platform, extra tracking layer.

Create an athon campaign

Toggle "This is an athon" when creating your campaign. Pick your unit: miles, laps, pages, problems, minutes, or anything custom. Everything else works the same - groups, fundraisers, QR cards.

Donors pledge per unit

When donors scan a QR code, they can donate a flat amount or pledge per unit ("$2 per mile"). For a per-unit pledge, Stripe securely saves the sponsor's card for future use without charging it at pledge time, and the sponsor authorizes a maximum total.

Participants track activity

Each participant opens a tracker page in their phone browser with no ScanRaise app to install. Depending on the unit type, they use GPS distance tracking, the step counter, a timer, manual logging, or an optional participant-reviewed Fitbit daily-summary import. Optional Fitbit imports require a Fitbit account and app. When a sensor fails, an organizer can record a reviewed manual result in Athon Manager.

GPS tracking uses the phone's location to measure distance. Step counter uses the phone's motion sensor during an active browser session. Manual logging lets read-a-thon and math-a-thon participants record pages or problems on the honor system. Participants can optionally connect Fitbit, select a day, review the daily summary of steps, distance, and active minutes, and choose whether to import it. Optional Fitbit imports require a Fitbit account and app.

Activity is verified

Every submission is analyzed server-side. GPS speed validation catches drivers pretending to walk. Route checks flag impossible jumps. Timer verification confirms the screen was active. Results are marked verified, suspicious, or unverified. Admins can review and override.

Finalize and charge

The organizer finalizes eligible activity totals. ScanRaise calculates each per-unit total and attempts the saved-card charge, never above the sponsor's authorized maximum. Failed or authentication-required charges remain visible and give the sponsor a secure recovery path.

Start Your Fundraiser