Funraise is a nonprofit fundraising technology company founded in 2015 by three nonprofit professionals—Justin Wheeler, Jason, and Tony—who collectively brought over 15 years of nonprofit experience and firsthand fundraising challenges to the table. The company was born out of their frustration with the fragmented and inefficient fundraising tools available at the time. While working together at a nonprofit, they realized that existing platforms did not adequately support their fundraising ambitions, often requiring multiple disconnected tools and significant resources to implement. This insight led them to build Funraise as an all-in-one, modern fundraising platform designed to save time and resources by providing a connected suite of tools tailored specifically for nonprofits.
Funraise began as a side project in 2016, developed during nights and weekends by the co-founders while they continued their nonprofit work. Early on, they recruited a small development team dubbed “The Night Watch” to help build and iterate the platform rapidly. The first product was a donation form launched while the founders were still employed full-time at Liberty in North Korea, a nonprofit they continue to support. Early adopters like Care for AIDS, Dig Deep, and Mercy for Animals acted as both customers and partners, providing valuable feedback that shaped the platform’s evolution.
In January 2018, Funraise closed a $9.7 million Series A funding round led by Toba Capital. This investment fueled rapid growth, enabling Funraise to double its engineering and customer success teams and accelerate product development and marketing efforts. As of early 2023, Funraise employed around 37 full-time staff and served over 400 nonprofit customers.
Funraise provides a comprehensive, user-friendly fundraising platform tailored to nonprofits. Its core offerings include customizable donation forms with AI-backed personalization, peer-to-peer fundraising, recurring giving, event management with ticketing and auctions, and employer matching integration. The platform’s nonprofit CRM centralizes donor data, automates personalized communications, and supports segmentation to deepen donor engagement. Advanced reporting and analytics tools provide real-time insights to optimize fundraising strategies. Funraise also incorporates AI and machine learning to enhance donation suggestions, automate donor journeys, and improve campaign performance. Text-to-give functionality and multi-channel donation capabilities further expand fundraising reach.
The company has focused on organic growth and continuous product expansion based on customer feedback and emerging nonprofit needs. The rapid addition of features like peer-to-peer fundraising, AI-backed donation forms, and integrated communication tools reflects a commitment to evolving the platform comprehensively rather than through acquisitions
Recent innovations at Funraise include the integration of AI and machine learning to personalize donation experiences and optimize fundraising campaigns. The platform offers AI-generated fundraising appeal texts, predictive donor analytics, and automated donor journey management. These features help nonprofits increase donor retention and maximize revenue while reducing administrative workload. Additionally, Funraise’s “donors cover fees” model allows donors to cover transaction costs, effectively increasing net donations received by nonprofits.
Funraise’s culture is deeply rooted in nonprofit experience and a passion for social impact. The founding team’s background as nonprofit fundraisers informs the company’s mission to empower organizations to raise more effectively and efficiently. Funraise describes itself as more than just a technology provider—it is a community of nonprofit experts, enthusiasts, and fundraising strategists dedicated to making fundraising “fun” and impactful. The company values transparency, collaboration, and continuous innovation, fostering a supportive environment for both employees and customers. Funraise also emphasizes customer success, providing high-touch support and resources to help nonprofits thrive.
Funraise serves a diverse range of nonprofit organizations, from small grassroots groups to large, established charities. Its user base has grown to over 400 customers since launch, reflecting broad appeal across various causes and sectors. The platform is recognized for democratizing access to advanced fundraising tools, making sophisticated donor management and campaign capabilities accessible to organizations regardless of size or budget. Beyond software, Funraise actively cultivates a nonprofit community through webinars, workshops, and events, facilitating knowledge sharing and collaboration among fundraisers. This community focus strengthens relationships, encourages best practices, and drives collective innovation in nonprofit fundraising.
