What Ascend Fundraising Solutions does

Ascend Fundraising Solutions (legal entity AscendFS, Inc.) is a Toronto-headquartered software company founded in 2008 that operates a proprietary, GLI-certified online platform for gaming-based charitable fundraising. Its four core programs — Ascend 50/50 (real-time split-the-pot raffles), Ascend Catch the Ace (progressive weekly lotteries up to 52 weeks), Ascend Sweepstakes (a no-purchase-necessary product authorized across all 50 US states and most Canadian provinces), and Ascend Collegiate Solutions (an NIL membership platform for college athletic departments and collectives) — are powered by an in-house technology stack that handles payment processing, certified random winner selection, geofencing, CAPTCHA-based fraud protection, branded ticketing, CSV/XML/API data export, and real-time analytics. The company is privately held by private-equity firm Orange Capital Ventures, with Gerti Dervishi as CEO and Daniel Lewis as Executive Chair; it also maintains a US headquarters in Nashville.

Ascend primarily serves non-profit organizations, healthcare foundations, conservation and social-services charities, professional sports franchises and leagues (NFL, MLB, NHL, NBA, MLS, NLL, CFL, NCAA, NASCAR, PGA), and collegiate athletic programs. Marketing channels combine direct sales with dedicated customer success managers, a partner/self-service model, organic social, content marketing, and earned media around winner stories. The company has transacted with 800+ organizations, with disclosed fundraising totals on the platform ranging from $950M (FAQ) to $2B+ (homepage), and specific client outcomes including $1.2M raised for Windsor Regional Hospital, 134% revenue growth for CNIB, and 1,000% ROAS for the Knights of Columbus Charity Foundation.

Revenue is generated entirely on a performance-based, transaction-fee model: Ascend earns either a percentage of ticket sales or a flat per-ticket fee (jurisdiction-dependent), plus pass-through credit-card processing fees, with no upfront cost to the client. The 2021 acquisition of LMR Consulting is the only disclosed M&A activity, and the firm remains un-diluted by venture capital. Operating geographies cover the US and Canada, with limited UK reach indicated.

Name

Ascend Fundraising Solutions

Legal name

AscendFS, Inc.

Website

https://ascendfs.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Ascend Fundraising Solutions (AscendFS, Inc.) is a Toronto-based software company founded in 2008 that runs a proprietary, GLI-certified platform powering online 50/50 raffles, Catch the Ace lotteries, national sweepstakes, and NIL membership programs for 800+ non-profits, healthcare foundations, professional sports franchises, and collegiate athletic programs across North America.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Charitable Gaming Software

NAICS

Gambling Industries (7132), Other Grantmaking and Giving Services (813219)

SIC

Services-Prepackaged Software (7372), Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)

akta.pro primary industry

Digital Lottery & iLottery Platforms (Web/App) (MPAEAFAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Sweepstakes, Contests & Giveaway Administration (BPAFAMAD), Sweepstakes / Social Casinos (Virtual Currency, Prize-Based) (MPAEABAE), Athletics Fundraising, Sponsorships & NIL Support (EDALAIAN)

Keywords

• Charitable gaming software
• Online raffle platform
• Fundraising technology
• 50/50 raffle solutions
• NIL membership platform

Headquarters

HQ city

Toronto

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales Commission: Ascend earns revenue by taking a percentage of total ticket sales or a flat fee per ticket sold, depending on the State/Province. This is a transaction-based model where fees are only paid after the program ends and proceeds go directly into the client's account. The pricing is performance-based with minimal upfront costs.
2. Credit Card Processing Fees: Payment processor equipped and certified to accept raffle-based payments, with costs passed through to clients at minimal rates.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Ascend Fundraising Solutions provides a proprietary, GLI-certified software platform that enables charities, foundations, sports organizations, and collegiate programs to run online gaming-based fundraising campaigns such as 50/50 raffles, Catch the Ace progressive lotteries, and national sweepstakes. The company handles end-to-end program operations including licensing, payment processing, ticket fulfillment, certified random winner selection, and analytics, earning a transaction-based percentage or per-ticket fee only after programs conclude.

Product overview

Ascend Fundraising Solutions offers a suite of gaming-based fundraising programs centered around a proprietary technology platform. The core product portfolio consists of four main programs: (1) Ascend 50/50, a monthly online split-the-pot raffle with real-time jackpot displays; (2) Ascend Catch the Ace, a weekly progressive lottery running up to 52 weeks with accumulating jackpots; (3) Ascend Sweepstakes, a national sweepstakes program authorized across North America; and (4) Ascend Collegiate Solutions, an NIL membership platform for collegiate athletics. All programs are powered by The Ascend Platform, an in-house built technology system handling ticket sales, payment processing, random winner selection, and analytics. Supporting modules include the Make Change donation application and Ascend Donor Insight analytics tool. The company provides full-service support including licensing, program design, campaign analytics, and dedicated customer success managers. Ascend serves 800+ organizations across sports leagues (NFL, MLB, NHL, NBA, MLS, NLL, CFL, NCAA, NASCAR, PGA) and charitable organizations, having raised over $1.5 billion through its platform.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Ascend 50/50

Quantifiable outcome

• $2 Billion+ raised on the Ascend Platform
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers18 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

Yes

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature9 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Gaming Laboratories International (GLI)coreTechnology or IntegrationGLI is the leader in testing and certification for the global gaming industry. Ascend's Electronic Raffle System has been successfully tested to generally-accepted industry standards for highly-regulated jurisdictions. This certification is fundamental to Ascend's ability to operate across multiple gaming-regulated markets.
• Alcohol and Gaming Commission of OntariocoreTechnology or IntegrationRegulatory licensing partner enabling Ascend to operate electronic raffle and lottery programs in Ontario, Canada. Compliance with AGCO regulations is essential for Canadian operations.
• US State Gaming CommissionscoreTechnology or IntegrationVarious US state gaming commissions that license Ascend's programs. The company is licensed by gaming commissions across multiple US states for charitable gaming operations.
• Nelligan SportsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDan Libro, Head of Collegiate Athletics Membership at Ascend, previously worked at Nelligan Sports before joining Ascend as CPO and now leading the Collegiate division.
• Special OlympicsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOne of Ascend's charitable organization clients across sports and not-for-profit sectors. Part of the 800+ organizations served worldwide.
• United Way WorldwideminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOne of Ascend's charitable organization clients across sports and not-for-profit sectors. Part of the 800+ organizations served worldwide.
• Payment Processor PartnerscoreTechnology or IntegrationCertified payment processors equipped to accept raffle-based payments with proper risk management and smooth customer processes for credit card transactions.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Qgiv: Qgiv is an online fundraising platform serving nonprofits and schools with donation forms, event registration, and auction tools. Comparable to Ascend in serving the same nonprofit digital-fundraising use case.
• RallyUp: RallyUp is an online raffle, sweepstakes, and auction platform serving nonprofits with features including 50/50 draws and Catch the Ace-style progressive raffles. It directly overlaps Ascend's product portfolio for charitable gaming-led fundraising.
• Funraise: Funraise is a modern nonprofit fundraising platform that competes for the same digital fundraising software dollars as Ascend, particularly with mid-market and enterprise nonprofits seeking online giving, events, and donor CRM tooling.
• Givebutter: Givebutter is a popular online fundraising and donor management platform targeting small-to-mid nonprofits. It overlaps Ascend's fundraising-platform value proposition even though Givebutter does not specialize in regulated charitable gaming.
• Charity Dynamics: Charity Dynamics is a digital fundraising agency and platform serving enterprise nonprofits with online giving, peer-to-peer campaigns, and integrated fundraising programs. Comparable in being a specialized provider to nonprofit fundraising organizations.
• DoJiggy: DoJiggy is the closest direct competitor to Ascend — it sells online charitable gaming and raffle software (including the PledgeStar product) to nonprofits and schools with 50/50, sweepstakes, and event-style programs. The product scope, target customers (US/Canadian nonprofits), and regulatory-compliance positioning are nearly identical to Ascend's core offering.

Emerging players

• Double the Donation: Double the Donation specializes in matching-gift and corporate-giving automation for nonprofits. While the product focus is narrower than Ascend's, it competes for the same nonprofit digital-fundraising tech budget and is often sold into the same buyer.
• Bloomerang: Bloomerang is a nonprofit CRM and donor-management platform with online giving and event tools. It addresses overlapping buyer needs (donor database, online giving, retention analytics) within the small-to-mid nonprofit segment where Ascend also sells.

Broad incumbents

• OneCause: OneCause is an established nonprofit fundraising platform covering auctions, events, mobile bidding, and online giving. As a broader incumbent, it competes for the same nonprofit wallet share as Ascend, though it does not focus on regulated gaming mechanics.
• Bonterra: Bonterra (formerly Convio, now combining Classy, Network for Good, and WeCause) is one of the largest nonprofit software suites in the US. It is a broad-incumbent competitor for nonprofit tech-stack spending that includes donation, CRM, and peer-to-peer fundraising modules.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/Ascend5050
• Facebookfacebook.com/ascendfundraisingsolutions
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/gaming-nation-inc
• Instagraminstagram.com/ascendfs

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A1 record

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Ascend Fundraising Solutions