F.A.Q.

1. What is Edbacker?

Edbacker is an answer to a pressing problem facing our nation’s schools: America’s educational funding gap, and the lack of technology resources designed for the parents who are tirelessly working to improve the lives of our nation’s students. Through a new, technology-based and easy-to-use online platform, Edbacker connects corporate partners with local school districts across the United States.

2. Why was Edbacker developed?

Founded by experienced education tech entrepreneurs, Edbacker is the first online platform specifically designed to address the pain points of public education fundraising – from every side of the equation. Edbacker strives designed to eliminate traditional barriers between local corporate entities and school districts by bringing the efficiency and reach of technology to the previously ignored arena of public education fundraising.

3. Who is Edbacker for?

Edbacker is the nations' first user-friendly online platform designed specifically for districts and Parent Teacher Associations (PTAs)— making fundraising, donor management and parent communication easier than ever before. The platform also serves as a digital development arm for corporate funding on a local level. By seamlessly connecting parent organizations, districts and corporate donors, Edbacker helps maximize funding while ensuring equity, transparency and recognition for districts and corporate giving partners.

4. How long has Edbacker been operating and who is currently using the platform?

Since launching in 2013, Edbacker has helped raise nearly a million dollars for students across the United States. The Edbacker platform allows any school in the country to publish individualized funding sites detailing their most pressing needs. To view a list of current or recently completed campaigns, visit www.edbacker.com/explore

5. How does the platform work?

Edbacker’s easy fundraising campaign interface lets users build a campaign in minutes. Users can sign-up for free and begin using the online platform to create and track fundraising campaigns; recruit and manage volunteers; create beautiful looking email templates and newsletters; and produce powerful reporting tools.

Each school PTA can upload fundraising sites, which can then be donated to by community members and corporate donors. These donations are tracked, offering automatic accountability and transparency for local funds (as well as a reporting and auditing trail for all money received.)

Privacy controls allows district to maintain donor anonymity if needed. Edbacker offers one single portal for districts to view and approve all individual school funding needs, allowing equitable giving and a snapshot of local impact.

Edbacker’s one-step district approval allows districts to know what PTAs— and schools — are asking for to fold any district implementation costs into their fundraising efforts.

6. What are the benefits for PTAs using Edbacker and how is it different from other services?

Edbacker is the nation’s first user-friendly online platform designed specifically for districts and Parent Teacher Associations (PTAs) — making fundraising, donor management and parent communication easier than ever before.

The simple point and click interface allows users to create a custom fundraising campaign or use a pre-built Edbacker template. Platform users can then set giving donation options, campaign length time, add videos and photos and use PayPal or America’s Charities to collect funds. The platform also features built-in social media tools to further promote campaigns and reach many more donors nationwide easily.

6. What are the benefits for corporations using Edbacker?

Edbacker allows corporations big and small to invest as true community partners, far beyond just writing a check. From employee volunteerism to helping schools meet specific needs in real-time, Edbacker allows corporate donors to easily and efficiently link up with schools and districts in the local communities where their employees live and work. Edbacker’s community portals make it easy to align fundraising opportunities with a company’s targeted focus (like STEM, nutrition, or the arts) — both locally and nationwide. And Edbacker’s corporate matching donation option makes matching funds easier than ever, while allowing corporations to give equitably to funding opportunities across school districts, states and throughout the U.S.

7. Is there a cost to use Edbacker?

Most of the Edbacker platform features are free to use at all times, including fundraising, member and volunteer management, and events registration. There is a small subscription fee of $29/month for the communications feature to create custom email templates that allows users to send regular updates to individuals or groups. The email tools are beautifully-designed, easy-to-use and web-based, so they are available to use anywhere, anytime.

For new users, Edbacker waives the subscription fee ($29/month) for the first 30 days for all new users interested in using the communications feature for 30 days.

8. Does Edbacker take a fee?

For transactions made through PayPal, there is a small fee of 2.1%. This fee is lower than PayPal’s usual fee of 2.9% for transaction services. Most of the Edbacker features are free to use at all times, including fundraising, member and volunteer management, and events registration.

9. If I'm a school district or corporation interested in using the platform, how do I get started?

If you are a member of a PTA/PTO, school club or booster organization, you can sign-up for free on the Edbacker platform at: www.edbacker.com/user/signup

If you are a district or a statewide organization and would like to sign up, or if you are a member of a corporate entity looking to fund projects, please contact us at support@livingtree.com or visit www.edbacker.com/schooldistrict or www.edbacker.com/state

10. What’s next for Edbacker?

Edbacker operates in over 27 states in the U.S. and has recently expended to the United Kingdom. The company continues to grow at unprecedented rates and will double in size over the next 2 quarters. Edbacker prides itsself on phenomenal customer service and continues to leverage its collective knowledge from coast-to-coast to bring the best product to the market.