Arbiter, a platform that supports K–12 athletics and school activity operations, announced it has acquired Vertical Raise, a fundraising organization focused on schools and youth programs. The deal is aimed at strengthening Arbiter’s ability to provide integrated fundraising capabilities alongside its existing tools for registration, payments, scheduling, facilities, and website management.
Vertical Raise, founded in 2018, has built a reputation for combining digital fundraising technology with hands-on campaign management. Over the past five years, the company has supported tens of thousands of teams and schools, delivering an average of 37% more per fundraiser through its digital campaigns and its Funds Manager Pro platform.
With this acquisition, Arbiter is expanding its platform to include more robust, technology-enabled fundraising solutions. The company, which supports over 20,000 schools, 4,500 leagues and associations, and 7 million families nationwide, is positioning fundraising as a natural extension of its existing services for school communities.
Vertical Raise’s leadership and operations will remain in place, with CEO Paul Landers continuing to lead the fundraising business under Arbiter’s umbrella.
KEY QUOTES:
“Fundraising is an essential part of youth sports and a natural extension of how Arbiter can further serve families and schools. By welcoming Vertical Raise into our organization, we can deliver even more tools and more coordinated support to schools, while maintaining continuity in the products and teams they trust today.”
Kyle Ford, CEO of Arbiter
“Schools and teams need fundraising that’s simple, secure, and proven. Our combination of automated digital outreach, personalized pages, and enterprise-grade controls through Funds Manager Pro helps programs raise more money in less time. Now as part of Arbiter and their network of schools, leagues and families, we are excited to help even more teams and programs thrive.”
Paul Landers, CEO of Vertical Raise
“This is my fifth time using Vertical Raise, and as always, they have proven to be the best fundraising platform I’ve ever worked with. Their team is consistently outstanding—knowledgeable, responsive, and incredibly easy to partner with. The setup process is seamless, and the results are immediate; as soon as the fundraiser launches, supporters begin rolling in. I will absolutely continue using Vertical Raise to help our program grow, succeed, and achieve our goals.”
Rodney Evans, Athletic Director at Porter High School
