Grassrootz

Grassrootz is a fundraising platform for charities, combining supporter-led campaigns with online and in-person giving and event ticketing. It is strongest for organisations that run community events or want supporters to fundraise on their behalf. Its free core is broad, though event and ticketing fees and separate payment processing affect the overall cost.

Overview

Grassrootz brings fundraising tools and event partnerships together, helping charities raise money while building their communities. Campaigns, donations, registrations and in-person giving sit within one platform, which is useful when an organisation wants fundraising to accompany participation rather than operate as a separate activity. A charity that needs only a simple way to accept donations may find the wider event toolkit unnecessary.

Key features

Supporter campaigns and donations

Charities can create unlimited branded peer-to-peer campaigns, with fundraiser pages, badges, leaderboards and page sharing. That gives supporters ways to promote an appeal and makes the free core practical for charities running multiple campaigns. Donation pages accept cards, Apple Pay, Google Pay and direct debit, and automatically send tax-compliant receipts. Dollar matching, recurring giving and automated fundraiser email journeys add support for ongoing appeals and participant communications.

Events and in-person giving

Ticketing combines registration with fundraising, donations and merchandise sales. Free and paid ticket types, teams, recurring donations and instalment payments make it suitable for events with different participation and giving options. The trade-off is cost: free tickets have no platform fee, but ticket and merchandise sales incur one, and the charity can decide whether buyers pay it.

The free iOS Tap’n’Donate app collects cashless gifts and donor details at events, updating campaign totals in real time. It requires an iOS device, and the portable Stripe card reader is sold separately, so the app’s free download does not make in-person card acceptance equipment-free.

Integrations, security and support

Listed integrations include ACTIVEWorks Endurance, Race Roster, Njuko, Strava, Fitbit, Zapier, Meta, Facebook, Google Tag Manager and Salesforce through MoveData. Grassrootz also supports additional registration platforms and invites organisers to ask about options, which may help event teams whose registration setup is not on that list. Donation processing runs through Stripe; the platform overview also identifies two-factor authentication and fraud prevention. Grassrootz says its fundraising experts support charities, fundraisers and donors.

Pricing

The Free core features plan costs nothing and includes unlimited peer-to-peer campaigns, donation pages and appeals, plus dollar matching, recurring giving and automated fundraiser email journeys. Core Features also costs nothing, with unlimited campaigns and donation pages, and an optional donor tip. These plans provide substantial fundraising capacity without a subscription, but do not remove event-specific fees or separate payment processing.

Tap’n’Donate App costs nothing to download from the Apple App Store; an iOS device is required, and the Stripe portable card reader is sold separately. Major Community Events has custom pricing, with no connection fee and event and platform fees that vary by event. Ticketing & Registrations is free for free tickets, while paid ticket and merchandise sales incur a platform fee; contact Grassrootz for details. Professional Services, covering web design and development, fundraiser communications and bespoke fundraising solutions, also has custom pricing based on the charity’s needs.

Charities should assess event and ticket volumes, merchandise sales and payment-processing costs before treating the free plans as a full-cost solution. The option to pass ticketing fees to purchasers can reduce the charity’s direct cost, but shifts that charge to attendees.

Platforms

Grassrootz is available on web and iOS. The Tap’n’Donate app is specifically for iOS, so charities planning to collect in-person donations with it need an iOS device.

Who it's for

Grassrootz best suits charities running community events, building supporter-led campaigns or combining ticket sales with fundraising. Its unlimited campaign and donation-page allowances are useful for organisations with repeated appeals, while matching, recurring gifts and automated fundraiser emails support sustained engagement. Charities seeking only basic online donations, or those that need predictable event costs before planning, should compare the fees and scope carefully.

Pros and cons

• Pro: The free core includes unlimited campaigns and donation pages, alongside recurring giving, dollar matching and fundraiser email journeys, giving charities room to run multiple appeals without a subscription.
• Pro: Ticketing can bring registration, fundraising, donations and merchandise together, while Tap’n’Donate supports real-time campaign tallies at physical events.
• Pro: Donation pages accept several payment methods, including direct debit and digital wallets, and automatically issue tax-compliant receipts.
• Con: Major Community Event charges vary, and paid ticket and merchandise sales carry platform fees, making total costs dependent on event activity.
• Con: Tap’n’Donate requires an iOS device and a separately purchased Stripe card reader for in-person card acceptance.
• Con: Payment processing is separate, so the free plan price alone does not capture the full cost of taking donations.

Alternatives

For broader category comparisons, see Peer-to-Peer Fundraising Software, Nonprofit Fundraising Software and Donation Management.

GivenGain is worth considering when a charity wants a free platform with no subscription or setup fees, while accepting third-party payment processing and payout. GiveSmart offers unlimited events and campaigns on either an annual subscription or pay-as-you-go basis, and may suit organisations prioritising that event and campaign scope. Funraise has a free plan for organisations raising under $1 million annually, making its stated threshold relevant to charities comparing free options.

KindLink may suit charities focused on supporter and donor records, since its free plan includes unlimited supporter and donor records, beneficiary records and transaction history. Raised is another free option, but its stated terms include card processing fees and a 5% platform fee on credit card transactions. RallyUp offers a free plan with no platform fee, donor tipping and core fundraising components; its Flex plan has platform fees ranging from 2.9% to 6.9%.

Tiltify is a free alternative with a community engagement page, unlimited individual fundraising pages and donation reports. Bonfire is an alternative to consider for a branded online store and product sales.

Verdict

Grassrootz is a strong choice for charities that want free core campaign and donation tools alongside event ticketing and in-person giving. Its breadth and unlimited campaign capacity are the main reasons to choose it; variable event and ticketing fees, separate payment processing and the added card-reader cost are the reasons to look elsewhere or calculate likely costs first.