Whether you’re a nonprofit looking for a new fundraising stream or a fintech helping people build better financial habits, rounding can be a powerful tool. Done right, it turns everyday actions into meaningful outcomes. Your goal could be planting trees, supporting shelters or building up savings a few cents at a time.
But behind the scenes, launching a rounding program takes more than just good intentions. It requires planning, alignment and clarity around the experience you’re building.
If you’re thinking about launching one, here are the eight key things to consider before you go live.
1. What’s your goal?
Rounding is a flexible tool. It can support charitable causes, savings goals, investment growth, or even collective action (like climate impact). That flexibility is powerful—but it also means you need to get specific.
Are you trying to:
- Raise unrestricted donations for your nonprofit?
- Help users build up emergency savings?
- Support a rotating roster of partner causes?
The more clearly you define the purpose, the better you can design your messaging, track progress, and communicate success.
2. Who’s your audience and what will motivate them?
Not every rounding program resonates with every user. Before you launch, take a beat to understand your audience. What do they care about? What causes or outcomes would they want to support?
If you're a savings app, your users likely care about financial control and future planning. If you're a retailer, your customers may prefer local impact or environmental causes. For nonprofits, it’s important to frame the impact in ways that feel both personal and achievable.
Keep it simple, and make the link between the cents and the outcome crystal clear.
3. What’s the experience you want to create?
There are many ways to structure a rounding program. Some are automatic opt-ins. Others give users the choice to round once, always, or only when they decide. Some collect cents at checkout. Others do it in the background with every transaction.
Ask yourself:
- Will this be donation-based, savings-based, or something else?
- Will it run year-round or just for a specific campaign?
- How often will users see the impact?
Think of rounding as a touchpoint in a larger journey. Design the experience like you would any other product feature—clear, intentional, and user-friendly.
4. Do you have the right tools in place?
You’ll need technology that makes the experience smooth and secure. That usually means:
If you’re a nonprofit or mission-based org, it’s especially important to partner with a platform that takes care of the tech—so you can focus on the message and the mission.
5. How will you tell the story?
The success of a rounding program often comes down to storytelling. Donors and users want to know: “Did this actually do anything?”
Plan from day one how you’ll share progress:
- Highlight total impact (“Together, we donated $12,435 last quarter”
- Share personal stories from beneficiaries
- Offer milestones and thank-you messages along the way
People will opt in because they care—but they’ll stay if they see results.
6. Who’s involved internally?
Rounding programs aren’t just a product feature or a fundraising initiative—they touch multiple teams. Make sure you’ve got internal alignment across:
- Product or tech
- Legal/finance
- Marketing and comms
- Customer support
You’ll need these groups to work together, especially if your program is new or seasonal. Clear roles and timelines go a long way.
7. Are you legally and financially ready?
If your rounding program involves charitable giving, check your legal requirements first. You may need to:
- Register as a fundraising platform or third-party fundraiser
- Issue tax receipts
- Clearly disclose how donations are processed and distributed
Even if your program isn’t donation-based (like auto-saving or investing), transparency matters. Be upfront about how funds are handled, stored, or transferred.
8. What happens after launch?
Like any program, rounding is not “set it and forget it.” You’ll want to:
- Monitor opt-in and opt-out rates
- Collect user feedback
- Track impact metrics and share results
Start with a pilot if possible. Test it with a smaller audience, learn what works, and scale thoughtfully. Iteration beats perfection—especially when your users are involved.
Final thoughts
Rounding programs are small by design—but they add up fast. With the right prep, they can build lasting loyalty, steady donations, and measurable change.
Want a checklist to help you prep your program? We made one! Download the checklist here.