Organizers in the United States can use Pledge to raise funds for their group(s) via member-contributed donations. All donations are optional. Collected funds can be used at the organizer's discretion to offset subscriptions or event costs, such as venue rentals or catering. 

(The Meetup fundraising feature is currently only available to U.S.-based organizers and the members of their groups. Groups outside of the U.S. and groups that are part of a sponsorship Meetup Pro network will not have access to fundraising at this time.)

Linking your Pledge account

If you're the organizer of one or more Meetup groups, you can activate a contributions campaign for each of your groups. Funds can be collected with a Pledge account.

Desktop / Mobile web

1. Log into your Meetup account.
2. Follow the prompts on your logged-in homepage or your group homepage to Activate Pledge.
3. If you don't have a Pledge account, follow the prompts to visit Pledge and create an account.
4. Finish setting up fundraising by filling out your banking information on Pledge's website.
5. After you activate Pledge, please complete the setup process within 7 days to continue collecting member contributions.

Android & iOS apps

1. Log into your Meetup account and navigate to your group homepage.
2. Tap the three dots menu icon in the top righthand corner.
3. Select Group settings.
4. Click Fundraising.
5. Tap Activate.
6. If you don't have a Pledge account, click Go to Pledge and create an account.
7. Finish setting up fundraising by filling out your banking information on Pledge's website.
8. After you activate Pledge, please complete the setup process within 7 days to continue collecting member contributions.

If you dismiss the prompts to activate Pledge from your main or group homepage, you can always start the process through your group settings. For more, watch one of our Community Support specialists walk you through setting up Pledge:

Managing your Pledge campaign

Once you've activated your Pledge account, you may deactivate your contributions campaign, as well as adjust certain settings.

Desktop / Mobile web

1. On your Meetup group's homepage, click Manage group, then select Edit group settings.
2. Click Fundraising.
3. Adjust your Category or Goal amount.
4. Click Save to apply your changes.

To track your total contributions, edit your banking details, or collect your funds, click the Go to Pledge button in the top right corner of this settings page.

Our Community Support specialist can show you how to manage your fundraising campaign:

To deactivate your contributions campaign:

1. On your Meetup group's homepage, click Manage group, then select Edit group settings.
2. Click Fundraising.
3. Switch the toggle off.
4. Click Save to apply your changes.

Transaction fees

A transaction fee of 2.9% + $0.30 is taken from the total amount a member donates. The group receives the remainder of a member’s contribution. If a member decides to add a tip on top of their donation, the tip goes to Pledge and Meetup.

How members donate

After you’ve activated Pledge, your group members will see prompts to donate on your group homepage. Hosts can also choose in the event scheduler to promote your Pledge campaign on event homepages.

Taxes with Pledge fundraising

Please check with a tax professional to categorize the funds you receive as either income or a gift. The tax filings will change based on this designation.

Organizers may wish to exempt some of their group members from paying dues. To waive a member's dues, follow these steps on a desktop or laptop computer:

1. Visit your Meetup group's homepage and select Members.
2. Find the member in your member list.
3. Click the three dots icon to the right of their name.
4. Select Waive dues.

If you'd like to collect dues from this member again, you'll need to manually change this setting back. You can do so by following the steps above, and selecting Charge dues from the three dots dropdown menu. If you've changed your dues price, this member will continue pay their original price, unless you turn off dues entirely and turn them back on, or they leave and rejoin the group.

As an organizer, you can collect member dues for your group. Collecting dues can offset costs associated with leading a group like your organizer subscription, venue rentals, supplies, or refreshments.

Organizers in the United States

Before you turn on member dues, you must set up a Stripe account.

Turning on member dues

After verifying your Stripe account, follow these steps to turn on member dues:

Desktop / Mobile web

1. On your Meetup group’s homepage, click Manage group then select Edit group settings. 
2. Click Member dues.
3. Click Get Started.
4. Set the amount and free trial length, then confirm with Save.

For more, watch our Community Support specialists walk you through setting up member dues in this video:

Updating member dues

You can change the price of your members dues at any time. Any changes you make to the price will only affect new members. Existing members will continue to pay the original price, unless you turn off dues entirely and turn them back on, or they leave and rejoin the group. 

Dues can be turned off at any time from your group settings. Turning off your member dues automatically cancels existing dues for all members. If you decide to enable dues again later, your group members will be affected as follows:

• Members who have not paid dues before will be enrolled into the trial.
• Members who have paid before, but whose dues paid period ended before the date you re-enable dues will be enrolled in the trial.
• Members who have paid before, and whose dues paid period extends after the date you re-enable dues will not be charged until their paid period ends.
• Past due members will be charged immediately.

Transaction fees

A transaction fee of 7.5% + $0.50 is taken from the total amount an organizer charges. 

Organizers outside of the United States

Organizers outside of the U.S. can set optional members dues by using PayPal.

How members pay their dues

Here’s what happens after you turn on member dues.

Free trial periods

A trial period gives new members a chance to attend events before paying their member dues. Here are three things to know about setting up a trial period:

• If you’re turning on member dues for the first time, all of your existing members will be placed on the trial period that you set.
• Trial periods for existing members cannot be changed. If you change your trial period, the change will only affect new members. 
• Members are sent reminders to pay seven days and one day before their trial expires.
• Members cannot pay dues before their trial ends.

What happens to members who don’t pay their dues?

You can track which members have paid their dues in your Members list. 

Members who haven’t paid by the end of their free trial will be automatically removed from your group. If you’ve set up organizer approval for new members, those who haven’t paid their dues will appear in the Pending tab of the Members list.

Removed members who haven’t paid their dues will be prompted to pay before rejoining. 

Refunding member dues

Learn more about our refund policy for member-to-organizer payments.

As an organizer, you can charge members a fee to attend an event. Collecting event fees can offset costs of running a group like renting a venue, paying a speaker, or your organizer subscription.

Before you set an event fee, you must set up a PayPal account.

Setting an event fee

After setting up PayPal, you can set an optional fee when you create your next event.

Desktop / Mobile web 

1. When you schedule an event, scroll down to the Optional Settings section and toggle Event fee.
2. Choose a Method: Direct from member or PayPal.
3. Confirm the Currency and Amount.
4. Add an optional refund policy.

For more, watch our Community Support specialists walk you through setting up event fees in this video:

Transaction fees

When an attendee RSVPs to an event, Meetup collects a service fee in addition to the full price of the event ticket. The service fee is collected on top of the ticket price, comparable to similar event ticketing platforms, and will not affect the amount transferred to organizers’ accounts.

Members will see this when they RSVP to a ticketed event:

In this example, the organizer charged $1 for the event ticket and the service fee is collected directly from the member on top of that ticket cost. This service fee goes to enhancing the ticketing experience and supporting an integrated checkout flow where your members can pay using PayPal, credit, debit, or Venmo. 

The amount of the service fee depends on the price of the ticket. 

A small transaction fee is also taken from the total amount an organizer charges per ticket. Please check with PayPal to determine the exact fees for your region, then adjust your event fee accordingly.

As an organizer, you can track member dues and event fees on your group’s Money page.

Accessing your Money page

To see a complete history of transactions for your group:

Desktop / Mobile web

1. Go to your Meetup group’s homepage.
2. Click Manage group. 
3. Select Manage money.

Depending on your privacy settings, you can grant group members access to your Money page. If your group is public, you’ll see the option to Make private to members. If your group is private, you’ll see the option to Make public to members.

• If the Money page is public, members can view transactions but not who made them.
• Only the organizer and co-organizers of a group can add, edit, or delete transactions.

Manually recording payments

Desktop / Mobile web

1. Click Record a payment received beneath All transactions.
2. Select the type of payment you’d like to record.
3. Enter the requested information and click Submit.

Viewing payments received

As an organizer, you can view all the payments you’ve received from your Payments Received page. Click the Member dues or Meetup events tabs at the top of the page to filter your views.

Meetup and Stripe make it easy for organizers in the United States to refund members dues. Organizers with event fees can manage their payments in PayPal. (Organizers outside the U.S. can use PayPal for both dues and event fees.)

You can issue and review refunds on your group’s Money page.

Desktop / Mobile web

1. Go to your Meetup group's Money page.
2. Scroll down to “All transactions.”
3. Select the arrow icon to the right of the transaction you want to refund.
4. Select Yes, I'm sure to confirm.

Payment resolutions

Meetup’s Trust and Safety team may intervene and provide a refund in cases of fraud or misuse of our payment system. Please refer to our Terms of Service for the official fees, payment, and offers policy. 

Meetup cannot mediate disputes regarding payments made using a third-party payment processor, any fees associated with the use of third-party payment processors, or in cash.

When you turn on member dues, you can create a Stripe account. Stripe is Meetup’s integrated payment system for organizers in the United States. If you’re located outside of the U.S., set up a PayPal account.

Linking your Stripe account

If you’re the organizer of more than one Meetup group, you’ll need to complete these steps for each group that you organize.

Desktop / Mobile web

1. Navigate to your group’s Money page.
2. Select Go to Stripe. You will be redirected to Stripe’s site.
3. Log into Stripe using your Meetup email address and password, then click Log in. (Do not click “Sign up.”)
4. Follow the steps to enter your personal and bank account information. When you click Finish, you will be returned to your group’s homepage.

Certain kinds of businesses are restricted from creating a Stripe account. If you believe your group does not fall under these categories, you can contact Stripe Support.

There is a 7 day waiting period from the time of first charge to the first payout. Learn more from Stripe about payout schedules.

Stripe security

Stripe follows industry standard data security protocols to protect your information. We have chosen Stripe as our payment partner because they value your privacy and security.

Transaction fees

A transaction fee of 7.5% + $0.50 is taken from the total amount an organizer charges. 

Organizers can use PayPal to collect event fees.

Linking your PayPal account

If you’re the organizer of more than one Meetup group, you’ll need to complete these steps for each group that you organize.

Desktop / Mobile web

1. If you don't have a PayPal account, visit PayPal to create an account.
2. Log into your Meetup account and visit your Account Settings page.
3. Select Payments received.
4. Click Add PayPal account.
5. Enter your PayPal email address and country, then press Next.
6. Enter your PayPal password, then press Log In.
7. Review the permissions, then press Agree and Connect!

If you're an organizer outside of the United States and you'd like to use PayPal to charge member dues, please submit a request to a Support Specialist.

Transaction fees

A small transaction fee is taken from the total amount an organizer charges per ticket. Please check with PayPal to determine the exact fees for your region, then adjust your event fee accordingly.

Troubleshooting PayPal issues

If you're experiencing problems using PayPal to collect member dues or event fees, please contact PayPal Support directly.