Generosity Works

Generosity Works is fundraising event software for charities that need auctions, ticketing and donations in one event workflow. Its strongest fit is an in-person fundraising evening with roughly 50 to 1,000 guests. The choice comes down to whether offline operation and direct Stripe settlement justify an annual licence—or whether the hosted option better suits a one-off event.

Overview

The platform brings bidding, pledges, ticketing, Gift Aid and guest management together. An on-site server keeps an event running without venue Wi-Fi, while payments settle directly into the charity’s Stripe account; Generosity Works neither holds the funds nor adds transaction fees. That combination addresses two practical concerns for in-person fundraisers. The focus is narrower than general conference software: it is designed for evenings of roughly 50 to 1,000 people, not four-day events for 3,000 delegates.

Key features

Auctions and giving

Silent, live and sealed-bid auctions include outbid alerts, anti-snipe protection, tablet mode and bidding without an account. That range supports different auction formats and lets guests bid without creating a login. Tiered live pledges, matched giving and a donor wall extend fundraising beyond auction lots, while automatic HMRC Gift Aid splitting and regular giving by card or standing order serve charities collecting continuing donations as well as event revenue.

Tickets and event operations

Ticket tiers, tables of ten, VIP packages, early-bird pricing and capacity limits cover common fundraising-event formats. Named guests and per-guest QR codes support seating and entry management, and QR check-in works without a third-party API. The on-site server is a meaningful advantage for venues with unreliable connectivity, though the product’s stated audience range makes it a poor match for large, multi-day conferences.

Payments and communications

Charities enter their own Stripe keys, so settlement goes straight to their account rather than through an intermediary platform balance. Card-on-file, automatic winner charging, Apple Pay, Google Pay, fee cover and refunds handle common payment needs. Email, SMS and WhatsApp guest messages—including outbid and closing alerts—carry no per-message cost, which avoids adding a message charge as event communications increase.

Records and virtual auctions

Supporter records with totals, seats, bids and Gift Aid status can be exported in formats expected by CRM import wizards. The system also records raffle entries, winning position and draw time for auditability, and supports GDPR erasure requests. Virtual auctions can use YouTube, Vimeo or Zoom links with automatic embeddable-URL derivation, but this is not video-production software: it does not encode video, mix cameras or broadcast to platforms.

Pricing

The free hosted option suits a charity that wants the full platform and Kevin Durham as auctioneer or host for an event, without commission or per-guest charges. Its access lasts one month after the event, so it is not a continuing licence. The £995 annual plan is for charities running the platform on their own; the fixed yearly cost buys the full platform and custom event setup without commission, per-lot or per-guest fees. It makes less sense for an occasional fundraiser that does not need an annual licence. There is no free trial.

Platforms

Generosity Works supports Android, iOS and web. Mobile bidding and per-guest QR codes suit guests using phones at an event, while the web platform provides access beyond mobile devices.

Who it's for

Choose it for a charity fundraising evening that needs auction formats, ticketing, pledges, Gift Aid and on-site resilience in one system. Its 50-to-1,000-person focus and direct Stripe settlement are particularly relevant to in-person events. Look elsewhere for a large conference or for a virtual event that needs integrated video production and broadcasting.

Pros and cons

Pros

• Offline event operation: the on-site server lets an evening continue without relying on venue Wi-Fi.
• Direct settlement without platform charges: payments go to the charity’s own Stripe account, with no Generosity Works transaction fee.
• Broad fundraising coverage: auctions, pledges, ticketing, Gift Aid and regular giving support more than bidding alone.
• Guest messaging without per-message cost: email, SMS and WhatsApp alerts avoid a charge for each message.

Cons

• Limited scale: its intended range is roughly 50 to 1,000 people, not a multi-day conference for 3,000 delegates.
• Not a video-production tool: virtual auctions can use video links, but the platform does not encode, mix or broadcast video.
• The independent-use plan is an annual commitment: the £995 a year licence is a substantial fixed cost for a charity running only occasional events.
• The hosted option is time-limited: its platform access lasts one month after the event.

Alternatives

Compare fundraising event software if you want to assess this category more broadly.

• Givebutter is worth considering if a free plan with donation forms, fundraising pages, events, auctions, donor management and CRM better matches your needs.
• Auctria may suit smaller auctions: its free Explorer plan caps annual income at $10,000 and events at 250 bidders, with three team members and a 1% credit card fee.
• Events.org is another option if you need to promote events, host free events and track registrations on a free plan.
• iConnectX offers free hosted-event technology for nonprofits, with transaction fees applying and support packages costing extra.
• RunSignup is an alternative for free events with no processing fee on a $0 cart.
• RallyUp has a free plan with no platform fee, donor tipping and core fundraising components.
• Enthuse may appeal if you prefer a £0.00/month Mass Participation plan with a 0% platform fee, alongside payment-provider and Gift Aid fees.
• Eventgroove Fundraising offers a free plan with optional donor tipping and auction fees of 4.9% per item, capped at $100.

Verdict

Generosity Works is a strong choice for charities running in-person fundraising evenings for roughly 50 to 1,000 people, especially when unreliable venue Wi-Fi and direct Stripe settlement are priorities. The hosted free plan keeps it accessible for an event that needs an auctioneer or host; choose another platform if you need video broadcasting, conference-scale capacity or an independent licence without the annual commitment.