Two new products extend Fundraise Up’s conversion-optimized technology beyond the donation page — into events, in-person moments, and supporter-led campaigns.

BROOKLYN, N.Y., July 29, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Fundraise Up today announced Tap to Donate and Peer-to-Peer Fundraising, now in early access, extending the same checkout technology that has driven an average 30% lift in conversion for nonprofits that switched to Fundraise Up. Both products run on the payments infrastructure, compliance layer, and donor record already trusted by nonprofits including UNICEF USA and the Canadian Red Cross — the same unified donor record that lets a gift made at a gala, through a friend’s fundraising page, or online all update one profile, instead of three disconnected systems.

“The future of fundraising isn’t confined to a donation page. It lives wherever people are inspired to give. These new products extend the same donor-first design and conversion expertise that powers our online giving experience into every one of those moments.” 
— Peter Byrnes, CEO and Co-founder, Fundraise Up

Tap to Donate

In-person giving has long been the weakest link in the donor experience — proprietary card readers and manual reconciliation that leaves gifts unmatched to campaigns for weeks and months. Tap to Donate lets any staff member or volunteer accept a gift on a phone or iPad at a gala, walkathon, or luncheon. Every gift posts instantly to the donor’s existing record. It’s included in the Fundraise Up platform at no additional cost. In its first month, early-access nonprofits using Tap to Donate saw average gift sizes rise 24% compared to the tools they used previously for in-person giving.

“We’ve missed so many opportunities when someone says, ‘I love what you do. I want to support you,’ and all we could say was, ‘Go to our website.’ With Tap to Donate, we can now say, ‘You can do it right now’.”
 — Teresa Harland, Senior Vice President, Advancement, Our Rescue

Peer-to-Peer Fundraising

The vast majority of registered peer-to-peer fundraisers never raise anything beyond their own registration fee — an industry problem long known as the “zero-dollar fundraiser.” Fundraise Up’s Peer-to-Peer product, now available in early access, pairs an AI coach — which helps supporters write their story, track progress, and know their next milestone — with the same checkout and donor portal already proven to convert and retain more donors. In early access, nonprofits using Fundraise Up’s platform saw the share of fundraisers raising at least one gift nearly doubled.

“Nonprofits thrive when they empower supporters to connect with and inspire their own networks. Peer-to-Peer is a fresh, AI-powered approach that takes the fear out of fundraising, making it easier for anyone to become an effective fundraiser.” 
— Brandon Nott, Chief Product Officer, Fundraise Up

Nonprofits can sign up for Tap to Donate and Peer-to-Peer Fundraising at fundraiseup.com/[early-access-link].

About Fundraise Up

Fundraise Up exists to unlock the world’s generosity. Founded in 2017, Fundraise Up is the AI-powered fundraising platform helping leading nonprofits create better donor experiences and raise more for their mission. Combining industry-leading conversion optimization with intelligent automation, Fundraise Up enables organizations to maximize every giving opportunity while reducing operational complexity. Backed by Telescope Partners and Summit Partners, nonprofit organizations including The Salvation Army UK, USO and American Diabetes Association use Fundraise Up to turn more supporters into donors and more donors into lifelong advocates. Learn more at fundraiseup.com.

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SOURCE Fundraise Up

A 60-second scan tells any U.S. business if its Google, Yelp, Trustpilot and TripAdvisor reviews have already earned it a 2026 award

NEW YORK, July 29, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Awardy.US today launched nationally, giving any U.S. business a 60-second way to find out whether its existing customer reviews have already earned it a formal award.

Awardy is the public-facing arm of the Consumer Ratings Institute (CRI), headquartered at One World Trade Center, New York.

Awardy’s engine crawls a business’s verified public reviews across Google Business, Yelp, Trustpilot and TripAdvisor, then scores it against the 826,000+ U.S. businesses already indexed in the CRI registry. Businesses clearing the minimum threshold — 10+ verified reviews and a 4.4★ average — qualify for a 2026 Business Excellence Insignia. Other businesses that have more reviews and higher average scores will unlock options to receive a special business title. Those that don’t quite reach those heights, will receive a no-cost playbook to improve.

The model is a deliberate departure from an awards industry built largely on entry fees and judging panels. Awardy has neither. Recognition through Awardy is always free to earn, and qualification is determined entirely by customers who have already left reviews.

“My favorite restaurant in town had been steady but quiet. Then they got nominated for an award — and the local news picked it up — the next night I couldn’t get a table” said Brad Christian of Awardy.US and owner of BlackOak Mountain Vineyards in Cool, California. “Recognition changes how customers decide. It shortens the debate, kills objections and gets you more yeses.”

Awards built to be used, not shelved

Where Awardy departs furthest from the trophy business is what happens after a business qualifies. The digital Insignia, the CRI Registry listing and the amplification playbook are all free to any business that qualifies — everything a winner needs to put the recognition to work.

Winners who want amplification of the win handled for them can upgrade to a done-for-you amplification package: distribution of a local press release, and the licensed right to market as “award-winning” across social media, advertising and sales material. Physical plaques and trophies are also available to order, but payment plays no part in qualification — a business either clears the threshold on its verified reviews or it doesn’t. 

Businesses can run a free scan at https://awardy.us.

About Awardy.US

Awardy.US is the public-facing arm of the Consumer Ratings Institute, One World Trade Center, New York. Awardy turns verified customer reputation into earned recognition, helping best-in-class businesses get the awards they deserve — without submissions, committees, high entry fees, or waiting years to be found.

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SOURCE Awardy

The Legendary Brand Begins a New Chapter with Premium Music and Pop Culture Trading Cards

NEW YORK, July 29, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Exhibit Supply Company (ESCO), the legendary trading card brand founded in 1901 and credited with helping invent the modern trading card, officially returns today, ushering one of the hobby’s most historic names into a new era.

Originally based in Chicago, the Exhibit Supply Company brand was considered one of the earliest producers of collectible picture cards featuring entertainers, athletes and cultural icons, including Charlie Chaplin, Babe Ruth, Marilyn Monroe, The Beatles and The Rolling Stones. ESCO was also the first company to release trading cards independently of other consumer products such as tobacco or gum, helping define the category as it exists today.

More than 125 years after its founding, the iconic ESCO brand returns for a new era, with a renewed focus on premium music and pop culture collectibles. Honoring its rich heritage while embracing the future of collecting, the ESCO Trading Cards brand will feature innovative products celebrating the world’s most influential artists and cultural icons.

Beginning in 2026, ESCO Trading Cards will find themselves distributed into mass retail and specialty hobby stores. The brand will introduce premium boxed collections featuring some of the world’s biggest music artists, including authentic autographs and relic cards containing stage-worn items, continuing ESCO’s legacy of innovation while setting a new standard for music and pop culture collectibles.

“The Exhibit Supply Company brand helped shape the history of trading cards more than a century ago, and we’re honored to build on that legacy for today’s generation of collectors,” said Robert Thomsen, CEO of ESCO Trading Cards. “Music and pop culture deserve a dedicated home in the hobby, and the ESCO moniker gives us the opportunity to create premium collectibles that honor artists, resonate with fans and continue pushing the category forward.”

With its return, ESCO Trading Cards stands as the only premium trading card brand dedicated exclusively to music and pop culture, bridging more than a century of collecting history with the future of the hobby.

For more information, visit: escotradingcards.com and follow @escotradingcards on Instagram and TikTok and @escotrdingcards on X .

ABOUT ESCO

Exhibit Supply Company (ESCO), is the legendary collectibles brand founded in 1901 and credited with helping invent the modern trading card. Exhibit Supply Company was among the earliest producers of collectible picture cards featuring entertainers, athletes and cultural icons, including Charlie Chaplin, Babe Ruth, Marilyn Monroe, The Beatles and The Rolling Stones as well as the first company to release trading cards independently of other consumer products such as tobacco or gum. ESCO Trading Cards stands as the only premium trading card brand dedicated exclusively to music and pop culture, bridging more than a century of collecting history with the future of the hobby.

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SOURCE ESCO