For Backers
Whether you're a family member, a neighbor, a business owner, or a complete stranger — backing a student on BackThis is the simplest way to help someone get to college.
Every student on BackThis has a page that tells their story — why this school matters, what they plan to study, and what challenges they've faced. Their page also shows exactly what they need: tuition, housing, books, transportation, broken down by academic term.
You choose a student, pick an amount — $25, $100, $500, whatever feels right — and complete the payment through Stripe. Your backing goes directly to the student. You'll receive an email receipt, and your name (or “Anonymous”) appears on the student's page.
You can also set up monthly recurring backing if you want to support a student over time. Cancel anytime from the link in your receipt email.
You don't need to be wealthy to make a difference. Most backers give $25-100. When 50 people each give $50, that's $2,500 — enough to cover a semester of books and supplies for a student who otherwise couldn't afford them.
If you know the student personally — a niece, a neighbor's kid, a former student — share their page with your own network. The most successful students are the ones whose backers share on their behalf. Your $50 plus your share could unlock $500 more from people you know.
Churches, businesses, alumni networks, civic groups, sororities, and employers — there's a way for every organization to help students get to campus. No formal partnership needed. Just visit a student's page and back them.
Direct your congregation to a student's page instead of managing a scholarship committee. The pastor announces it Sunday, the congregation backs the student by Monday.
Your business name appears on the student's page as a backer. Community goodwill that money can't buy through traditional advertising.
Show a student's page at your next meeting. Members can back them on the spot from their phones. Real-time progress bar shows impact instantly.
Share your school's BackThis page with alumni. More personal than donating to the general fund — you see the student and watch them get closer.
Feature a BackThis student at your next philanthropy event. Members each give $10-25 and it adds up fast. Your chapter name shows up on the page.
Share BackThis with employees whose children are college-bound. Some companies back employees' children as a retention perk — costs less than a raise, means more to the family.
Every student's page shows an itemized breakdown of their expenses by academic term. Common items include tuition and fees, housing, books and supplies, transportation, and food. You can see exactly how much has been backed toward each item.
Your backing is allocated proportionally across the student's listed items. If you back $100 and their page lists tuition (60%) and housing (40%), roughly $60 goes toward tuition and $40 toward housing. This happens automatically — you just pick the total amount.
Funds go directly to the student's verified Stripe account. BackThis never holds money.
Students verify their identity through Stripe before going live. Minors require guardian verification.
Every page shows exactly what funds cover — tuition, housing, books — with real-time progress.
You receive an email receipt for every backing, including monthly renewals if recurring.
BackThis charges a 5% platform fee on each backing. At checkout, you can choose to cover transaction fees so 100% of your donation reaches the student — on a $100 backing, you'd pay about $108. If you opt out, approximately $92 reaches the student after the 5% platform fee and Stripe's processing (~2.9% + 30¢). There are no setup fees, monthly costs, or hidden charges.
Your payment is processed by Stripe and goes directly to the student's (or guardian's) connected bank account. BackThis never holds or controls funds. At checkout, you can choose to cover transaction fees so 100% of your donation reaches the student. If you don't, a 5% platform fee and Stripe's processing fees (~2.9% + 30¢) come out of your donation.
Yes. When completing your backing, you can choose to remain anonymous. Your name won't appear on the student's page.
No. BackThis is a technology platform, not a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. Backing is considered a personal gift. However, most individual backers don't need a tax deduction for amounts under $100. Consult a tax professional for your specific situation.
Yes. When backing a student, toggle the monthly option. You'll be charged automatically each month. Cancel anytime using the manage link in your receipt email — no questions asked.
Visit each student's page individually and back them. We're building a bulk backing feature for organizations — contact hello@backth.is to be first in line.
Students agree to use backing for education expenses as listed on their page. Each page shows an itemized breakdown — tuition, housing, books, etc. For students under 18, a parent or guardian manages the funds.
5% platform fee on each backing. At checkout, you'll see an option to cover transaction fees (Stripe's ~2.9% + 30¢) so 100% of your donation reaches the student — most backers leave this on. No setup fees, no monthly costs, no hidden charges.
Yes. Enter your organization's name when backing. It will appear in the backers section of the student's page — visible to everyone who visits.
Browse students, find someone whose story moves you, and show up for them.