CheqrPay

Through her vast experience in the nonprofit sector, Leslie Vaillancourt knows firsthand how critical fundraising is. She also knows that the easier the experience, the more likely donors are to give. She observed that there wasn’t an effective way for many small nonprofit organizations to fundraise online and in-person using one tool. 

In 2019, Vaillancourt conceived of CheqrPay as a way for organizations to bridge the gap between online and in-person fundraising. She envisioned an app that would enable even small nonprofits to make the most of fundraising opportunities they might otherwise miss — without a steep learning curve. She knew her app would be game-changing but didn’t know where to start building it.

CheqrPay needed to be streamlined and simple for both donors and organizations. Vaillancourt envisioned a fundraising app that had online capability for web users. But what would set CheqrPay apart was an integrated QR code to allow for donations in the moment at a fundraising event. Apple Pay and Google Pay integration meant donors could give in just a few taps rather than filling out cumbersome forms in a browser. That’s the kind of barrier that frustrates donors and might even prevent some from completing their gifts — creating more missed opportunities.

The promise of CheqrPay is a simple, seamless connection with donors, wherever they may be.  It enables organizations to easily accept credit card and bank transfer payments without platform limitations.

As a sole owner of a bootstrap startup, Vaillancourt knew she needed a development team to bring her vision for CheqrPay to life. She partnered with MentorMate to make it all happen. We collaborated to identify the essential functionality CheqrPay needed. Then worked to build in more of what she envisioned to attract and serve her clients. 

MentorMate’s flexibility is a boon for Vaillancourt, as feedback from her clients directly drives design and sprint goals. “As a very small startup, I have a close relationship with my clients. If they want something, if they have a need, I want to get it done for them.” Switching gears comes with the territory, so her MentorMate team is prepared to lend support and reprioritize. “They’re always very flexible and responsive. That’s something I appreciate very much, as do my clients.”

Vaillancourt also appreciates MentorMate’s hybrid team structure. She initially tried working with a different, 100% remote team but found that our model gave her the comfort level and cost-effectiveness she needed to pursue her project. “Our kickoff meeting was wonderful. We got into a room together, and they walked me through the process because honestly, I had no idea what I was doing!” 

Now that CheqrPay has entered continuation engineering with MentorMate, the team is smaller, and the work is focused on maintaining and updating functionality. In the beginning, the team helped Vaillancourt translate her ideas and needs into user stories for the development team. “Now, going into continuation engineering, we’ve evolved to where I create the user story myself. Our relationship has gotten much closer, and I know how I need to communicate things.”

CheqrPay helps nonprofits maximize their fundraising by removing barriers and streamlining the giving process. Client organizations, who don’t often have internal tech teams, love the simplicity of CheqrPay’s plug-and-play capabilities. Some use the web app as a complete solution, integrated into their websites, then use the QR codes for mobile, real-time giving at in-person and virtual events. They can even use the codes for direct mail or other print campaigns. 

Clients who prefer to integrate web payments with their CRM systems love the portability of CheqrPay for fundraising at special events. “Clients don’t even need a website,” says Vaillancourt. “If they just wanted to go out the door with a business card and the QR code, they can get donations. They can get those payments right on the spot.”

And CheqrPay is having an impact. It plays an integral part in the efforts of the Steve Rummler HOPE Network in Saint Paul, MN, to heighten awareness and address the effects of the opioid crisis. The organization uses CheqrPay to accept donations via a QR code on its website, marketing collateral, annual report, and training surveys. It also processes credit card payments for Naloxone provided to partner organizations. In 2021, Edina Give and Go, a small community nonprofit in Edina, MN, leveraged CheqrPay as part of a multi-channel campaign to raise $25,000 from a single, 30-minute event. One year later, the organization raised almost $50,000, with $16,000 from individual donors on the CheqrPay platform. 

“It’s such a sense of accomplishment that I’ve brought this idea into the world with the help of MentorMate,” says Vaillancourt. “I could never have done it alone, and I’m so appreciative.”