LONDON, December 3, 2015 /PRNewswire/ --
A new concept in fundraising, which urges people to 'match' donations, has launched today in the UK.
PledgIt, which features celebrity campaigners like Nick Knowles and 'Super Hans', aims to encourage us all to 'double our generosity' through a unique approach to giving which will see those asking for funds also putting their own money at stake as part of the pledge.
The platform's founders say its creation is a concept long overdue in the fundraising space and finally calls on those participating in charitable activities to 'lead by example'.
Philip Jenks co-founded the business with his son Billy after signing up to a cycle ride in India for the Urology Foundation and realising that he did not want to ask friends to donate without making it clear that he was contributing too.
"People are tired of getting daily requests to sponsor small physical exertions, wacky stunts and holidays they'd quite like to go on themselves if only they had the time."
"There's nothing wrong with those things being part of a campaign," he says.
"What's different with our offering is that we're saying 'hold on, let's stop asking OTHER PEOPLE to stump up money, without first putting our hands in our own pockets."
PledgIt aims to help charities to be even more successful when a 'Pledger' signs up to a cause.
The Pledger agrees to match all fundraising up to a certain level (his or her 'cap') or has a company agreeing to carry out that 'match' on their behalf. Companies can also be 'Pledgers' in their own right, creating a campaign as part of their CSR activity.
Philip says: "This approach to 'matched fundraising' has so many benefits, but what it really promotes is an ethos of leading by example and being prepared to commit your own money as well as to ask for it from others. It doesn't matter if the pledge is for £50 or £50,000. The important thing is the principle."
The cost of using PledgIt is 5% of funds raised, comparable with other existing fundraising platforms.
The platform can be found at http://www.pledgit.net
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