Pledge It & Fulton Bank

Fulton Bank delivers strategic financing to accelerate Pledge It’s tech-driven expansion.

Challenge

Personal loss can often fuel impactful change. As a college student, Scott Shirley lost his father to renal cell carcinoma. The experience led Shirley to establish Uplifting Athletes, a national nonprofit that works with college football teams to raise money for rare disease research. With the help of his teammates, the nonprofit established Lift for Life, a fundraiser that empowers athletes to raise money for rare diseases. As Lift for Life’s influence grew, an increasing number of athletes sought to fundraise for causes they cared about, prompting Shirley to create Pledge It, a full-suite fundraising platform that supports nonprofits nationwide with simplicity, security, and automation. The demand for the online fundraising technology solution surged, and by the close of 2023, Pledge It recognized the need to secure equity to effectively manage the increasing popularity of its platform.

Solution

Due to market conditions, Pledge It sought financing rather than raising equity independently and aimed to find a banking partner with a venture mindset. Fulton Bank entered the scene at a crucial moment, following an introduction from Ben Franklin Technology Partners, one of the nation’s leading technology-based economic development programs. Fulton’s technology program simplified the process with the funding required to fuel this period of accelerated growth at Pledge It. Unlike many traditional banks, Fulton had the expertise and vision to help take Pledge It's technology-forward business model to the next level.  

Outcome

Today, thousands of nonprofits trust Pledge It to solve fundraising challenges so they can stay focused on what matters most: fulfilling their mission. More than $200 million has been raised for over 2000 nonprofit organizations with the Pledge It platform. With the partnership and support of Fulton Bank, Pledge It has grown a platform that allows people to make a meaningful impact toward various causes.

“Fulton Bank has played a vital role in the growth and expansion of Pledge It’s mission in the past year,” said Scott Shirley, Founder and CEO of Pledge It. “We’ve engaged in numerous banking relationships over the years and Fulton Bank has delivered the best experience to date because it has the feel of a community bank with the rates, modern technology, and financial expertise to compete with the national banks.”

“Helping innovative and inspired companies like Pledge It expand its reach and grow its mission isn’t just a job for Fulton, it’s an honor,” said Kenny Watson, Relationship Manager at Fulton Bank. “As a customer-centric bank, we’re dedicated to fostering long-term success by building strong, trust-based relationships to ensure that each client’s needs are met with personalized solutions that fuel a purpose.”