About the Charity
Vertical
Human Services
Mission
AVOL Kentucky aims to collaborate with communities to end the stigma associated with HIV and other chronic health conditions in Kentucky.
Favorite Features
Easy peer-to-peer setup, mobile-friendly registration, real-time dashboard analytics, social media integration.
Fundraising Wins
More than doubled annual walk revenue year over year.
Increased participant registration over previous years.
Simplified peer-to-peer fundraising with intuitive, mobile-friendly tools.
Received responsive customer support during critical fundraising periods.
A Fundraising Platform That Wasn't Working for Users or Staff
For nearly 35 years, Kentucky AIDS Walk has been a cornerstone fundraising event, but AVOL Kentucky recognized an opportunity to improve its digital fundraising approach. As a lean 10-person team managing a million-dollar budget, they needed technology that could amplify their fundraising without requiring a web designer on staff.
"Nonprofits don't always have a web designer on resources. We're a team of 10 people on a million-dollar budget. I wanted to find something… as easy as Facebook." — Andrew Shayde, Director of Development and Communication, AVOL Kentucky
The challenge was clear. Many potential participants would show up to the walk without registering online, missing the opportunity to fundraise ahead of time. This meant leaving money on the table because every registered participant and dollar raised directly supported the organization’s mission of serving families across Kentucky.
AVOL Kentucky had a specific vision for what it needed: A platform so intuitive that if someone could use Facebook, they could easily create a compelling fundraising page and start raising money for the cause. The question was finding technology that could deliver on that promise while supporting the organization’s mission-critical work.
A Trusted Partnership & Intuitive Technology
The decision to switch to Pledge It wasn't just about finding new software. It was about reconnecting with a platform that AVOL Kentucky's leadership knew worked well. Andrew had experience with similar fundraising software and was looking for that same level of performance.
The platform's ease of use was immediately apparent. Registration became quick and straightforward, taking just a few clicks instead of lengthy processes that had deterred participants before. Creating personalized fundraising pages with photos and compelling stories became simple enough for anyone to manage.
"It's got to be easy, and it's got to be quick, very few clicks. Even five minutes is too long. I think Pledge It is nice. It's quick in that way, to sign up." — Andrew Shayde, Director of Development and Communication, AVOL Kentucky
The transition was smooth, with hands-on customer support that understood the unique pressures nonprofits face during fundraising campaigns. When technical questions or issues arose, the team received fast, helpful responses—critical when every day of downtime could mean lost donations.
"When you're raising money, it can be very scary. If we don't raise this money, our program is gone, or our coworkers will lose their jobs... It's not like ordering a t-shirt. If your t-shirt comes two days later, who cares? When you're like, 'Oh, something on the website's not working,' the longer it doesn't work, we're losing money, and [Pledge It] was very fast."
AVOL Kentucky particularly appreciated being able to customize messaging throughout the platform, from individual fundraising page templates to thank-you emails sent to donors, ensuring every touchpoint reflected the organization's voice and mission.
Record-Breaking Growth Through Better User Experience
The results spoke for themselves. Kentucky AIDS Walk shattered previous records, more than doubling its fundraising total year over year.
But the revenue was just part of the picture. More people actually registered online instead of just showing up on walk day, which matters because registered participants are the ones who fundraise. The platform's mobile-friendly setup and social media features made it simple for walkers to share their pages and rally support from their networks. Pledge It also made it easier for AVOL Kentucky to manage its sponsors, bringing in thousands of dollars and opening up doors to future campaign opportunities with already-established partnerships.
Andrew found the real-time dashboard incredibly useful for tracking how the organization’s campaign was performing and adjusting its approach on the fly.
"I love the dashboard. I'm just kind of a numbers geek... I can see the correlation between messaging we're putting out and see if that ups our tick in registrants or donations. That kind of tells me... 'I posted a lot of client stories, and then I'll see it jump.'" — Andrew Shayde, Director of Development and Communication, AVOL Kentucky
AVOL Kentucky isn't stopping there. The team plans to use Pledge It for this year’s "Dine Out for Life" campaign, applying the same peer-to-peer approach to its restaurant fundraiser.
Andrew's advice for other nonprofits? Don't hold back. "Click all the buttons. There's a lot of functions there. You'll never know unless you click through and personalize it... Take your time and make every little spot important and impactful."
