Direct Donation, explained
Some supporters do not want a membership, a raffle entry, or a shirt — they simply want to help, and any extra step is friction between their intent and your program. Direct Donation is a one-tap way to give, one time or monthly, with the gift credited automatically to the student or team who asked. Monthly giving is offered by default, which is what turns a single spring gift into steady support across the entire year, and donors can choose to cover the processing cost so more of what they give reaches the program.
- Minimum
- Any amount
- Suggested amounts speed the decision; custom amounts are always accepted.
- Frequency
- One time or monthly
- Monthly is on by default and can be cancelled at any time.
- Fulfillment
- None
- Nothing to ship, store, sort, or hand out.
- Fee handling
- Donor's choice
- 3.5% + $0.40 per transaction, covered by donor or organization.
How It Works
Start To Finish.
Each stage below shows what happens, why it matters, and who is responsible for it.
The supporter opens the campaign link
SupporterThey land on the organization's own page with the cause, the goal, and the current progress in plain view.
Context does the persuading. A donor who can see what the money is for and how close the program is to its goal decides faster than one reading a generic donate button.
They choose an amount
SupporterPreset amounts make the decision fast, and any custom amount is accepted.
Presets anchor the gift size without forcing it. The custom field is always available for the donor who has a specific number in mind.
They choose one time or monthly
SupporterMonthly giving is presented by default, turning a single gift into recurring year-round support.
A recurring gift is the single largest structural difference between a campaign that spikes once and a program with a dependable funding floor. It can be cancelled at any time, with no phone call required.
They decide who covers the fee
SupporterThe donor can add the 3.5% + $0.40 processing cost so the full intended amount reaches the program.
Both options are shown plainly with the exact dollar figures. Nothing is added silently and nothing is hidden in the total.
A note goes with the gift
SupporterSupporters can leave a short message of encouragement for the student or team.
The note is the part participants actually remember. It is what makes a donation feel like a relationship rather than a transaction.
The gift is attributed and reported
Local PerxThe donation is tied to the link that was shared, so credit, leaderboards, and reporting stay accurate.
Names on public leaderboards are shortened for privacy, and a donor can choose not to appear publicly at all while still being credited internally.
For The Organization
Why It Works For The Program.
What the organization actually gets out of running this alongside the other three programs.
Nothing to fulfill, ever
No shipping, no product, no volunteer Saturday spent sorting orders. The entire workflow is digital from ask to receipt.
Recurring revenue smooths the year
Monthly donors flatten the funding curve instead of concentrating everything into one campaign week, which makes budgeting possible.
Captures supporters who skip products
Grandparents and neighbors who would never buy a shirt or a raffle entry will very often give directly when asked plainly.
The fee can be covered by the donor
When donors opt in, processing costs stop eating into program funding — and most donors are happy to be asked.
It costs nothing to leave open
The donation option can stay live between campaigns, catching gifts that arrive at odd times of the year.
Attribution keeps students motivated
A donation counts toward the student's total exactly like every other program, so no participant is penalized for having a donor who prefers to give directly.
Why Supporters Say Yes
- Give any amount in seconds, from any phone
- One time or monthly, and cancel a recurring gift at any time
- Nothing to ship, store, pick up, or find room for
- A personal note of encouragement travels with the gift
- Option to cover the processing fee so more reaches the program
- Public recognition is optional — donors can stay anonymous
Where The Money Goes
- Donations go to the organization, less payment processing costs.
- Donors may choose to cover the 3.5% + $0.40 processing fee at checkout.
- Recurring gifts continue until the donor cancels them.
- Every gift is credited to the campaign link that produced it.
The Numbers
How a donation breaks down
An illustrative example using sample figures only, showing both fee-handling options side by side.
- Donation amount (sample)
- $100.00
- Processing fee at 3.5% + $0.40
- $3.90
- If the donor covers the fee — donor pays
- $103.90
- If the organization covers the fee — donor pays
- $100.00
Sample figures for illustration only. Deductibility depends on the organization's own tax status.
Launch & Rules
What It Takes To Go Live.
A short setup path, plus the terms and approvals an organization should understand before it starts.
Setup Path
- 1
Write the reason in one sentence
Donors respond to a specific need, not a general fund. Name the thing the money buys.
- 2
Set a visible goal
Progress toward a stated number is what makes a second and third gift feel useful.
- 3
Decide the fee default
Choose whether covering the fee is presented as the expected option for your community.
- 4
Keep it open after the campaign
Leave the donation path live so off-season gifts have somewhere to land.
Terms, Approvals, And Limits
- Tax deductibility depends on the organization's own status and is confirmed by the organization, not by Local Perx.
- The organization is responsible for any acknowledgement letters its donors require.
- Recurring gifts can be cancelled by the donor at any time without contacting the organization.
- Public leaderboards display shortened names, and donors may opt out of appearing.
Program terms, revenue shares, pricing, and availability are confirmed during organization onboarding. All figures on this page are illustrative samples, not projections. The 50/50 digital raffle is offered only where permitted by state law and required licensing.
Playbook
How The Strongest Campaigns Run It.
Practical guidance from how this program is designed to be used.
Ask for monthly first
A $10 monthly gift outperforms a $50 one-time gift over a year, and donors rarely feel the difference month to month.
Thank publicly, quickly
A same-week thank-you from the student is the strongest predictor of a second gift.
Report the outcome
Show donors what their money actually bought at the end of the season — that message is next year's opening ask.
Never lead with the fee
Present the fee choice after the amount is chosen, so the decision to give is never competing with a cost discussion.
Questions
Common Questions.
The Other Three
They Run Side By Side.
Membership Perx
A digital membership packed with local offers, sold to support the organization.
Details50/50 Digital Raffle
Half the pot to one winner, half to the organization. Entries are all digital.
DetailsBranded Merch
A branded store for the organization — shirts, hoodies, hats, and more, open all year.
DetailsReady When You Are
Add Direct Donation to your campaign.
Every organization gets all four programs from day one — no tiers, no add-ons.