How the Tigray Development Association Raised $518K & Saved $6K in Credit Card Fees

$518,000
Donations Raised
$6,000
Saved in Credit Card Fees

Overview

The Tigray Development Association in North America (TDA) has leveraged Pledge's platform to raise over $518,000 from 1,372 donations to support urgent humanitarian efforts in the Tigray Region in Ethiopia. Amidst one of the world's most devastating crises, these funds have been essential for providing relief to those facing famine, displacement, and violence. TDA's use of Pledge’s fundraiser pages and text-to-donate campaigns have allowed them to streamline donations while maximizing impact—saving more than $6,000 in credit card fees due to Pledge’s pioneering commitment to #FreeTheFee.

The Challenge

The humanitarian crisis in Tigray has left millions displaced and in desperate need of immediate aid, including food, medical care, and protection from ongoing violence. With over 5.1 million people internally displaced and 40% of the population in extreme famine, the Tigray Development Association urgently needed to raise funds to support relief efforts. They sought a solution that would allow them to quickly set up multiple fundraiser pages while ensuring donations could be collected efficiently, without losing significant amounts to transaction fees.

The Solution

Fundraiser Page Text-To-Donate

By partnering with Pledge, the Tigray Development Association (TDA) leveraged fundraiser pages and text-to-donate campaigns, offering supporters an easy and secure way to contribute to critical relief efforts. For example, Washington State activated Pledge's free text to donate with "WA4TIGRAY" 📱➡️ to raise funds effectively, and achieved a 32% conversion rate.

With a total of 1,372 donations to date, TDA was able to mobilize widespread support efficiently through Pledge. Most importantly, Pledge's Free the Fee commitment saved TDA nearly $6,000 in credit card fees, ensuring that more of the $518K raised went directly to those in need. This frictionless fundraising solution allowed TDA to focus on aiding their community without the burden of extra costs. 

Netsy Tefera
MS, PMP, CMS, Tigray Development Association

The Free the Fee campaign is a truly generous campaign that has made such a monumental impact to the lives of the people living in the war torn region of Tigray. We can’t thank you enough for doing that. Our donors feel more comfortable using Pledge for that reason and other nonprofits have also been interested to use it.