Pay-the-date fundraiser
Pay-the-date fundraiser: pick a day, pay that number
A pay-the-date fundraiser turns a month into a menu of gifts. Supporters pick a day and pay that number: $3 on the 3rd, $18 on the 18th, $31 on the 31st. Their name and a message show on the date, and a fully claimed 31-day month raises $496. It is the same format as a pick-a-date calendar, run online with one link instead of a paper sheet and a cash box.
How much does pay the date raise?
| Month | Dates | Standard pricing | 2× date pricing |
|---|---|---|---|
| January, March, May, July, August, October, December | 31 | $496 | $992 |
| April, June, September, November | 30 | $465 | $930 |
| February | 28 | $406 | $812 |
Those are per calendar. A team where every participant runs their own calendar multiplies them: 13 dancers raised $3,567 in 10 days, and one senior at 2× pricing raised $639 in three days. The calculator does the math for your group.
Why do people give to a pay-the-date calendar?
- The ask is specific. "Pick a date" is easier to say yes to than "give whatever you can," and the amount is small and visible.
- The gift is public. A name and a message on the calendar is a small moment of recognition. On the real calendars in our case studies, about 70% of gifts carried a message.
- It fills fast. Round dates and the last days go first, so a calendar looks busy within hours of launch. The first gift came within two hours on most of the calendars we have measured.
- There is nothing to sell or deliver. No product, no pickup night, no cash to count.
Pay the date, pick a date, cash calendar: what is the difference?
None, when the date is the donation. "Pay the date," "pick a date," and "pay the day" describe the same calendar. "Cash calendar" is the one to watch: it can mean this, or a ticket-and-drawing raffle that is regulated as gaming in many states. Our cash calendar page lays the two side by side, and what is a pick-a-date calendar fundraiser covers the format start to finish.
Pay-the-date calendars, ready to run
Every calendar is themed for its occasion, with its own icons, colors, and a step-by-step guide.
Pay-the-date questions
What is a pay-the-date fundraiser?
A calendar fundraiser where the date is the price. A supporter picks the 12th and gives $12, the 25th and gives $25. Every claimed date shows the giver's name and a message. It is the same format as a pick-a-date calendar fundraiser.
How much does a pay-the-date fundraiser raise?
The sum of the dates: $496 for a 31-day month, $465 for a 30-day month, $406 for February, per calendar. A team of participants each running their own calendar multiplies that, and 2× date pricing doubles every date.
Which dates get claimed first?
Round numbers and the last days of the month. On the real calendars in our case studies the 10th, 20th, 25th, and 30th were claimed first, and supporters who wanted to give more often boosted a gift above the date.
Is pay the date a raffle?
No. Nothing is drawn or won. The supporter pays the date's amount as a donation and gets their name on the calendar, not a chance at a prize.
What does it cost to run?
Building and running a calendar is free. Donors pay a small service fee at checkout, shown before they pay, and your organization keeps 100% of calendar donations. The fee is described in full in our Terms of Service.
Run a pay-the-date fundraiser online
Free to build. Connect Stripe or Square to go live, and keep 100% of calendar donations.