At the end of a great Meetup event, it’s common to feel inspired, connected, and excited for your next event. This warm fuzzy feeling wouldn’t be possible without the hard work of a Meetup group organizer who plans events and brings people together. Now, there’s a new way to show your support for organizers and keep your groups active: group Fundraising on Meetup.
Introducing Fundraising
Meetup is teaming up with Pledge, a secure payment collection company, to allow members to send voluntary contributions to organizers. Each organizer has the option to turn on Fundraising for their group, so there may be some groups that don’t have Fundraising enabled. Members will see an invitation to donate on the group homepage below the Discussions section, and depending on the organizer’s chosen settings, members may be prompted to donate after registering for an event.
Donations are voluntary. Organizers can see individual donations, but members can also donate anonymously. While the minimum donation amount is $2, the average donation amount since Fundraising was launched is $17.
All donations go directly to the organizer’s bank account. There’s a small (around 3%) credit card processing fee. There’s also an option to leave a tip, which goes to Meetup and Pledge to help keep Fundraising running.

Organizers pour their time, energy, and money into building communities on Meetup, and Fundraising can help ease some of that investment.
Reasons to donate
Help to offset costs. Organizers pay for their Meetup subscription. Other common expenses include snacks, nametags, advertising costs, venue fees, and equipment. Fundraising allows members to chip in to help lighten the load.
Thank organizers for their time. Organizers spend countless hours establishing and running their groups, and sometimes the commitment is comparable to a full-time job! Donating can show your appreciation.
Show your support. Be a cheerleader for your favorite groups! Contributing can make you a more active member and indicate that you want to see it thrive. Donations can take a group to the next level, opening the door to new exciting events and growing the group.
Step up for the group. Fundraisers are voluntary but offer a unique opportunity to keep the group active. Some organizers choose to charge member dues, which are mandatory for members of a group. By participating in voluntary fundraisers, you can support the group and help it continue to exist as a free group and be accessible to more people.
Contribute safely and easily. Pledge is a trusted payment system, so there’s no need to worry about fraud or accidentally donating to the wrong person. Organizers control their fundraisers and get the entirety of the donations, so you can rest assured knowing that your donations head to the right place.

Fundraising is an easy way to support groups directly within the Meetup platform. It’s a great way to thank your group’s organizer for their work, help keep the group going, and show you care. Give it a try today!
If you’re an organizer, learn more about how to set up Fundraising with Pledge.
The Meetup fundraising feature is currently available to organizers and members based in the United States. Non-U.S.-based groups and groups that are part of a sponsorship Meetup Pro network will not have access to fundraising at this time.
Last modified on September 22, 2023