Run a Fundraiser at Your Next Gig

Benefit nights are one of the best things about live music. A band plays, a crowd tips, and at the end of the night some of that money goes to a cause that matters. But collecting donations at a physical event has always been messy — cash jars, Venmo requests shouted from stage, awkward envelopes. Tiplor's fundraiser tools let you run the whole thing digitally, with a live progress bar, automatic tip splitting, and a full report at the end. No spreadsheets, no guesswork.

Why Fundraise at a Gig?

People are already in a generous mood at live events. They're out, they're having a good time, and they're spending money. Adding a cause to the mix doesn't take away from the artist — it adds purpose to the night. Fans feel good about tipping because they know part of it is going somewhere meaningful.

For venues, charity nights are a proven way to drive attendance. They give you a reason to promote the event, attract people who care about the cause, and build the venue's reputation in the community. For artists, it's a way to align your music with something you believe in — and your audience notices.

"We ran a benefit night for the local food bank. The crowd was bigger than a normal Tuesday, and tips were up across the board. People tip more when they know it's going to something good."

How It Works (The Big Picture)

Whether you're an artist or a venue, the flow is the same:

1. Create a campaign — Give it a name, optionally name a beneficiary (like "Toronto Food Bank" or "Staff Holiday Fund"), write a short description, and set a goal amount if you have one.
2. Set the allocation — Decide what percentage of tips go toward the fundraiser. Venues use a slider (0–100%) to control the split. Artists can dedicate their entire campaign to the cause.
3. Go live — Once the campaign is active, fans see a fundraiser card on the tip page with the cause name, description, and a progress bar tracking toward the goal in real time.
4. Track and pay out — After the event, check the campaign report for a full breakdown: total raised, platform fees, net amount, and exactly what's owed to the cause. Record the payout right in Tiplor.

Both artists and venues can create fundraisers independently. If you're a venue running a charity night with multiple acts, you set it up once and it applies to all tips that come through during the event.

For Venues: Setting Up a Charity Night

Venues have the most control over fundraiser campaigns. Here's the step-by-step:

1. Log into your venue dashboard and go to Campaigns
2. Tap Create New Campaign
3. Fill in the details:
   • Fundraiser Title — what fans see (e.g., "Winter Warmth Benefit Night")
   • Beneficiary — the cause or organization (e.g., "Downtown Shelter Foundation"). When you name a beneficiary, fans see a pink "Supporting [Name]" badge on the tip page
   • Description — a short pitch, up to 200 characters. Make it count — this appears right on the tip screen
   • Goal Amount — optional, but recommended. Setting a goal unlocks the progress bar, and there's nothing more motivating than watching it fill up during a live show
4. Set the Tip Allocation using the slider. This controls what percentage of the venue's share goes to the fundraiser. At 100%, your entire venue cut goes to the cause. At 50%, half does
5. Decide on Include Artist's Share — if you check this box, performing artists also contribute their tip percentage to the fundraiser. Only enable this if you've spoken to your artists first
6. Set start and end dates, then publish

For Artists: Running Your Own Campaign

You don't need a venue to run a fundraiser. Any artist on Tiplor can create a campaign from their dashboard.

1. Go to your artist dashboard and create a new campaign
2. Give it a name and optionally fill in venue, date, and location details
3. Choose your mode — this controls the tip amount presets fans see (there are options for live musicians, DJs, comedians, spoken word, and more)
4. Add an optional headline that appears on your tip page during the campaign
5. Activate it, and tips start flowing to the campaign

Artist campaigns are great for solo fundraising efforts: busking for a cause, running a tip drive on social media, or dedicating a specific gig to a charity you care about. Share the campaign link directly — it lives at tiplor.com/@yourhandle/campaign/[id].

What Fans See on the Tip Page

When a fundraiser is active, the tip page looks different. Above the normal tip buttons, fans see a fundraiser card that includes:

• A badge — either a pink "Supporting [Beneficiary Name]" tag if there's a named cause, or a teal "Fundraiser" tag if there isn't
• The campaign name — front and center
• A short description — your 200-character pitch for the cause
• A progress bar — if you set a goal, this fills up in real time as tips come in. It's the single most effective motivator for getting people to tip more
• Running total — shows how much has been raised toward the goal

If the fundraiser hits its goal during the event, a celebration badge appears and fans see a message encouraging them to keep going. The energy in the room changes when people see that progress bar tick over — it's genuinely exciting.

How the Tip Splits Actually Work

This is the part people usually have questions about, so here's a clear example.

Say a venue runs a charity night with the allocation slider set to 50%, and Include Artist's Share is off. A fan tips $10:

At 100% allocation with artist share excluded, the venue's entire cut goes to the cause while the artist keeps their normal split. If you also include the artist's share, then both the venue and artist portions go toward the fundraiser — that's for events where everyone agrees to donate their earnings for the night.

The allocation slider shows a live preview while you're setting it up, so you can see exactly how a sample tip would be divided before you commit.

After the Event: Tracking and Payout

When the fundraiser ends (or you manually complete it), the campaign report gives you everything you need:

• Total raised (gross) — the full amount tipped toward the campaign
• Platform fees — the 15% processing fee, clearly broken out
• Net amount — what's left after fees
• Amount owed to cause — the exact figure to pay the beneficiary
• Total tip count and average tip — useful for planning next time
• Breakdown by gig/artist — see which acts drove the most tips
• Recent tips list — the last 20 individual tips with amounts and timestamps

When you're ready to pay the beneficiary, record the payout directly in the report: choose a method (e-transfer, cash, cheque, or other), enter the amount, and add any notes. This keeps your records clean and everything in one place — no scrambling through bank statements weeks later.

Fundraiser Ideas to Get You Started

• Food bank benefit night — Partner with a local food bank around the holidays. Set a tangible goal (like $500) and promote it on social media in the weeks leading up. The progress bar does the rest.
• Staff appreciation fund — Venues can run a "Staff Holiday Fund" campaign where tips go toward a bonus pool for bartenders, sound techs, and door staff. No beneficiary name needed — just a description explaining where the money goes.
• Medical fundraiser — If a musician in your community is dealing with a health issue, organize a benefit gig. Artists can create the campaign themselves and share the link across their social media.
• Community cause night — Pick a local cause — animal shelter, youth music program, community garden — and make it a monthly event. Regularity builds momentum and audience trust.
• Disaster relief — When something happens and people want to help, a benefit gig can be organized quickly. Create the campaign, set a goal, and share it. The digital format means people who can't attend can still contribute remotely through the link.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can artists and venues both create fundraisers?

Yes. Artists create them from their dashboard. Venues create them with additional controls over tip allocation and artist share. Both types show a fundraiser card and progress bar on the tip page.

How does the tip split work during a fundraiser?

Venues set an allocation percentage (0–100%, in 10% increments) that controls how much of the venue's share goes to the fundraiser. Artists keep their normal split unless the venue explicitly opts to include artist share — which requires communication with the artists first.

Do fans know they're tipping toward a cause?

Absolutely. The fundraiser card appears prominently on the tip page with the cause name, a description, and a live progress bar. It's impossible to miss.

What happens when the goal is reached?

A celebration badge appears on the tip page. If auto-complete is enabled, the fundraiser wraps up 24 hours later. Tips can continue past the goal — fans see a message encouraging extra contributions. You can also end it manually at any time.

How do I pay the beneficiary?

The campaign report shows the exact amount owed. Record your payout method (e-transfer, cash, cheque) and amount directly in Tiplor so everything is tracked in one place.

What currencies are supported?

Tiplor supports USD, EUR, GBP, CAD, AUD, JPY, INR, CNY, BRL, and MXN. Choose the currency when you create the campaign.

Running a fundraiser through Tiplor takes about five minutes to set up and gives you tools that used to require a separate donation platform, a spreadsheet, and a lot of trust. The money is tracked, the splits are automatic, and the fans can see exactly where their tips are going. Pick a cause, pick a date, and make your next gig mean something extra.