Round-up fundraising is a modern approach to raising money that turns everyday purchases into donations. Here's how it works: every time a supporter makes a purchase with their linked debit or credit card, the transaction is rounded up to the nearest dollar. That spare change — usually between $0.01 and $0.99 — is automatically donated to your team's fundraiser.
For example, if a parent buys a coffee for $4.25, the purchase rounds up to $5.00, and $0.75 goes to the team. It's effortless, automatic, and adds up quickly.
Traditional fundraising methods like bake sales, car washes, and candy bar sales are time-consuming and often yield disappointing results. Parents are busy, coaches are stretched thin, and nobody wants to spend their weekends selling products door-to-door.
Round-up fundraising eliminates all of that friction. Once a parent links their card, donations happen automatically with every purchase they already make. There's no extra effort, no products to sell, and no awkward asks.
The average American makes about 70 card transactions per month. With an average round-up of $0.50 per transaction, that's roughly $35 per month per family — or $420 per year. Multiply that by 15 families on a team, and you're looking at over $6,000 per year in passive fundraising.
Compare that to a typical bake sale that might raise $200-$500 after hours of planning, shopping, baking, and staffing a table. The choice is clear.
Getting started is simple. Platforms like Droplet make it easy for teams to set up a fundraiser in minutes.
Your coach or team manager creates a fundraiser page with your team's name, goal amount, and a description. This takes less than 5 minutes.
Share your fundraiser link via text, email, or your team's group chat. Parents click the link and sign up in under 2 minutes.
Parents connect their debit or credit card through a secure connection powered by Plaid — the same technology used by Venmo and Cash App. Their bank login is never stored.
Each parent sets their own weekly donation limit — $2.50, $5, $10, whatever works for their budget. They're always in control and can pause or stop anytime.
Every purchase rounds up automatically. Coaches can track progress in real-time on their dashboard, and parents can see exactly how their spare change is making an impact.
Effort Required: Traditional fundraising requires significant planning, coordination, and volunteer time. Round-up fundraising requires a one-time 2-minute setup.
Ongoing Revenue: Traditional fundraisers are one-time events. Round-up fundraising generates continuous, passive income week after week.
Parent Participation: Traditional fundraisers often see 20-30% parent participation. Round-up fundraising typically achieves 60-80% participation because it's so easy.
Total Raised: A single bake sale might raise $200-$500. Round-up fundraising can generate $4,000-$8,000+ per year for a team of 15 families.
The earlier you set up your fundraiser, the more time donations have to accumulate. Don't wait until you need the money — start at the beginning of the season.
Send parents a direct link to your fundraiser page along with simple instructions. The fewer steps they need to take, the more likely they are to sign up. Step-by-step guides help reduce friction.
Teams with specific goals tend to raise more than those with vague asks. Give parents something concrete to rally around.
When you hit 25%, 50%, or 75% of your goal, share the progress with parents. Seeing momentum builds excitement and encourages more participation.
Droplet makes it easy to set up a round-up fundraiser. No contracts, no upfront costs — just effortless fundraising powered by spare change.
Get Started with Droplet