Free fundraising thermometer maker
Type in your target and what you've raised so far, and download a thermometer for your poster, newsletter or social post. No sign-up, nothing to install.
Make your thermometer
A thermometer that keeps itself up to date
A downloaded picture is out of date the moment the next donation arrives. A live Sum Effort thermometer is a web page with its own link: add a donation and the bar moves for everyone who has the link, straight away.
Put the link in your WhatsApp group, email footer or the description of your fundraising page. Supporters can check progress whenever they like, and nobody needs to remake the poster.
Thermometer or totaliser?
They're the same thing. Americans tend to say fundraising thermometer; in the UK you'll often hear totaliser, after the giant boards outside village halls and churches that get filled in a bit at a time. Either way it's a bar that fills up as you get closer to your target. The maker above draws it across the page or upright, whichever suits your poster.
Where a fundraising thermometer works
Charity appeals and sponsored events
Show supporters how close you are and when you need one last push. People are keener to chip in when they can see the target is within reach.
School and PTA fundraisers
Put the live page up on the hall screen in assembly and watch the bar move. See our school fundraising tracker for ideas.
Church roofs, village halls and community buildings
Long appeals need a visible sense of progress. Share the link in the parish newsletter and update it after every collection.
Clubs and societies
New kit, a minibus, a tour fund: give members one link to check rather than a spreadsheet nobody opens.
Not just money
Your target doesn't have to be in pounds. Count miles walked, lengths swum, books read or peas shelled. Sum Effort lets you name your own unit, and the thermometer reads 412 of 500 miles as happily as £3,240 of £5,000.
How to make a live fundraising thermometer
- Set your target. Register (free), create a tracker, and enter your goal and unit.
- Share the link. Every tracker gets its own page at makesumeffort.com.
- Add donations as they come in. The bar and total update for everyone instantly.
Want supporters to log their own contributions, a leaderboard, an upright bar, your logo or your own colours? Upgrade that tracker for 12 months, with a full refund within 14 days if you change your mind.
Go on — make sum effort.
A live progress page in a couple of minutes, free to start.
Frequently asked questions
Is the fundraising thermometer maker really free?
Yes. The image maker on this page is free with no sign-up, and so is a basic live tracker. Paid upgrades add participant logins, a leaderboard, a vertical bar, your logo and custom colours to a single tracker for 12 months.
What's the difference between a thermometer and a totaliser?
Nothing but the name. Totaliser is the more common word in the UK; thermometer is the more common word in the US. Both show progress towards a target.
Can the thermometer update automatically?
A live Sum Effort tracker updates the moment you add a donation, for everyone who has the link. The downloaded image is a snapshot, so you'd make a new one each time.
Does Sum Effort collect donations?
No. Sum Effort shows your progress; it doesn't take or hold money. Keep collecting through your bank, JustGiving, a bucket or however you already do it, and add the amounts to your tracker.
Can I track something other than money?
Yes. Name any unit you like, such as miles, laps, books or cakes, and choose whether it goes before or after the number.
Can I put my logo on it?
On a paid tracker, yes. You can also choose your own bar and page colours.
Can I show it on a screen at an event?
Yes. Open the tracker's link on any screen or projector. Add contributions from your phone and the screen shows the new total when it's refreshed.
Do people need an account to see it?
No. Anyone with the link can see the tracker. Only you, and participants you allow to join, can add to it.