Two months after the half marathon
The event is over, the photos are on social media, and now the reconciliation starts. Some participants raised well beyond their pledge. Others are well short, and a few never set up a fundraising page at all. The agreement they signed said they would raise a minimum, but asking a volunteer runner for money after they have run for you is the most uncomfortable conversation in fundraising.
Part of the problem is that nobody looked earlier. The fundraising page totals were visible all along, spread across JustGiving and Enthuse, plus the cash and cheques some participants sent in separately. Adding them up per person took too long, so it was left.
Why pledge shortfalls surprise you
The information is spread across platforms and paper, and nobody puts it together until the end.
- Online totals sit on fundraising platforms, not in your records.
- Offline sponsorship, like sponsor forms and cash, arrives later and separately.
- Some participants have more than one page, or fundraise as a team.
- There is no agreed point at which a participant counts as behind.
- Follow-up is uncomfortable, so it gets put off until it is too late to help.
The real issue is timing. Support offered early, when someone is short, feels like help; the same message after the event feels like a bill.
What late chasing costs
Charity places often carry a cost to your charity, and pledges exist to make sure places raise more than they cost. When shortfalls are only discovered afterwards, much of that value is lost.
Participants who struggle to fundraise often just need ideas and encouragement at the right time. Without early support, they feel embarrassed, stop engaging and are unlikely to take part again. Your team's post-event period is spent on awkward conversations instead of thanking people.
How we build the pledge tracker
- Each participant's pledge, event date and fundraising page links are held on their record, from the registration process.
- Page totals are pulled from the fundraising platforms regularly through their APIs or exports.
- Offline money, such as sponsor forms, cash and cheques, is recorded against the participant as it is banked.
- Progress is compared with a simple milestone plan you set, for example a proportion of the pledge by certain weeks before the event.
- Participants who are on track get encouragement, and those behind get helpful messages with fundraising ideas, at the points you choose.
- Participants well behind, or with no page, are flagged to the events team for a personal call while there is time to help.
- After the event, a clear list shows who has met their pledge, who is close and who needs a conversation, along with all the contact history.
| Participant status | What the tracker does | Tone |
|---|---|---|
| On track | Thank-you and a new idea to try | Encouraging |
| Behind by a milestone | Message with practical ideas and a page tip | Supportive |
| No fundraising page yet | Reminder with a link to set one up | Helpful |
| Well behind close to the event | Task for a personal call | Personal |
Every message is written and approved by your team, and you decide the milestones. Nothing goes out in a tone you would not use yourself.
A season with the tracker
Each week the events officer sees a list of participants who have slipped behind, with their page and history. Most need a friendly nudge and one good idea, like a workplace bake sale or matched giving from their employer. The few who are really struggling get a call months before the event, when options are still open.
After the event, the list of shortfalls is short, and the conversations that remain are with people you have already been talking to.
Signs your pledges need this
- You find out who missed their pledge after the event.
- Page totals are checked by hand, if at all.
- Offline sponsorship is not linked to participants.
- Follow-up with struggling fundraisers is put off.
- Participants who fell short rarely come back.