We're Parents
Just Like You.
PledgeStar was born from a real fundraising challenge at a real school, by three dads who decided to do something about it.
From a School Parking Lot to a National Platform
PledgeStar is the brainchild of Steve Kramer, Erik Lackey, and Robb Glen, neighbors, entrepreneurs, and dads first and foremost.
Having experienced the frustrations of pledge drives at their own children's school, and with the annual Jog-A-Thon fast approaching, they created PledgeStar to take the pain out of fundraising while helping their school raise significantly more money.
Neighboring schools wanted it too, and PledgeStar launched its first three Jog-A-Thon websites in January 2013. Since then, thousands of schools across the United States have adopted PledgeStar and raised over hundreds of millions in the process.
And the best part? Schools keep the vast majority of what they raise, meaning more money stays where it belongs: with the kids.
The Three Dads Behind PledgeStar
Neighbors, entrepreneurs, and fathers who turned a school fundraising headache into a platform that's helped millions of families raise more, and keep more.
Steve Kramer
Steve built the technology backbone that powers PledgeStar: from automated emails and real-time tracking to the seamless donor experience parents love. As CEO, he leads the company's vision and day-to-day direction.
Erik Lackey
Erik oversees operations and partnerships, ensuring every school and team that joins PledgeStar gets everything they need to run a successful fundraiser. His motto: no school left behind.
Robb Glen
Originally from New Zealand, Robb brought a global perspective and entrepreneurial energy to PledgeStar from day one.
The Rest of the PledgeStar Team
The support specialists, engineers, and coordinators who help every school and team raise more, every day. From answering questions to keeping the platform running smoothly, this is the crew working behind the scenes on every fundraiser.
Software Development
Building and improving the platform so fundraisers launch fast and run without a hitch.
Administration
Keeping the day-to-day details on track so the rest of the team can focus on schools and teams.
Production
Turning every fundraiser's details into a polished, ready-to-launch campaign.
Organization Support
Helping coordinators and coaches get set up, get answers, and get their fundraiser off the ground.
Family Support
Guiding parents and participants through every step, from first message to final donation.
Donor Support
Making it easy for donors to give, with quick, friendly help whenever a question comes up.
Our Core Values
Every decision we make comes back to these four beliefs.
Schools First
Every feature we build starts with one question: does this help schools raise more money with less stress?
Radical Transparency
No hidden fees. No surprises. You always know exactly what you'll pay, and it's always less than the competition.
Simple by Design
Any parent, coach, or coordinator can launch in minutes, no training, no tech skills, no manual required.
Community Driven
We're parents too. Our best features come from listening to the schools and teams we serve, and building what they ask for.
What Schools, Teams, and Booster Clubs Say About PledgeStar
"PledgeStar completely transformed our jog-a-thon. What used to raise $17,000 now brings in over $85,000, without third-party vendors taking a massive cut. It is incredibly easy for parents and grandparents, and we keep 100% of the money for our school."
"With PledgeStar, we worked less and raised more. The system was incredibly easy to use! No licking stamps or sealing envelopes, and we raised more money than we ever had from a single fundraiser. It was just awesome."
"The Hit-A-Thon was a tremendous success. We raised over $38,000 with 250 players, and board members who've served for a decade had never seen anything like it. PledgeStar takes your fundraising to the next level, times ten!"
"We ask our 38 volunteers to raise $1,000 each for our foster-kids summer camp. With PledgeStar we reached our goal of $60,000 easily and even have $16,000 in reserves for next year. They saved our camp!"
"By using PledgeStar we doubled our profits with half the effort. Our emails were answered immediately, and help was just a phone call away. We raised over $12,000 — PledgeStar truly is a game-changer."
"The platform is just so easy to use and the reporting is really straightforward. Our dunk tank was the icing on the cake, and we raised $19,000, more than double what we brought in the year before."
How to Raise 50% More
Get the expert tips used by thousands of schools and teams to raise more and keep more with zero platform fees.
It's absolutely free. No commitment required.
Try PledgeStar for Free
No platform fee and no obligation. Tell us a bit about your organization and we'll set up your event.