Enabling the Setting on Your Campaign
When creating a Registration, Sponsorship, or Memorial campaign, you will find the Participant Approval Process setting in your campaign Settings. You have two options:
- No Application Required: Participants can automatically sign up and pay when applicable. You will not need to approve or reject applications.
- Require Applications + Review: You will need to review participants and approve them to finalize their registration and send payment links when applicable.
This setting is available on Registration, Sponsorship, and Memorial campaigns.
You do not need to charge a price to use this feature. Many communities use Require Applications + Review on free campaigns simply to control who participates, such as parade registration or a free vendor fair.
This setting is permanent once your campaign is created and cannot be changed. Switching it afterward would disrupt any existing payment links and applications already in progress, so be sure to choose the option you want before completing your campaign setup.
How This Impacts Your Participation Options
When you create an option inside a campaign with Require Applications + Review turned on, you will see all the same option settings you are used to. A callout will appear letting you know this option is part of a campaign that requires you to approve participants before their registration can be finalized.
If you set a price on the option, that price will still be visible to applicants before they apply, but the payment itself is not collected until after you approve their application.
Applicants will also see a tag on the option letting them know an application is required before participating.
How Applicants Apply
Applicants can apply using either the Standard Form or a Custom Form, just like any other campaign. Custom Forms let you collect additional application questions, file uploads, e-signatures, and more, which is especially useful if you need supporting documents or details before making a decision.
Once submitted, applicants automatically receive a confirmation email letting them know their application has been received and is under review.
Click image to view email or download PDF example here. Download PDF Example →
You can personalize this confirmation email by adding a custom message under Customize Email for Participants in your Campaign Notifications. This is a great place to let applicants know how long you expect review to take and to include any contact information for questions.
You can also add Campaign Organizers to your campaign. Their contact information is included in the email applicants receive, so applicants have a direct way to reach out with questions.
On your end, you will receive an email notifying you that a new application has been submitted for review. We recommend responding to applicants in a timely manner so they know where they stand.
Reviewing Pending Applications
Your Activity Log shows exactly how many applicants are awaiting your review at a glance, along with your total approved applicants, total applicants, and total revenue.
Use the Application Status filter to narrow your view by Pending Your Review, Approved, or Rejected. Click into any record to see the full application details, including any uploads or custom answers submitted with the application.
Approving an Application
From an application record, select Approve.
If the option includes a price, you can adjust the exact amount to charge that specific participant. This defaults to the standard price of the option but can be overridden to apply a discount or account for add ons. You can also include a custom note that will appear in their acceptance email.
If the option does not require a price, approving simply sends the acceptance email along with your custom note, no payment amount needed.
Click image to view email or download PDF example here. Download PDF Example →
Rejecting an Applicant
Rejecting an applicant is simple, but it is a permanent decision. From the applicant's record, select Reject. You can add a custom message to include in their rejection email, which is a great place to encourage them to apply again in the future if appropriate.
Once you reject an applicant, they automatically receive an email letting them know they were not selected.
Click image to view email or download PDF example here. Download PDF Example →
How Approved Applicants Pay
Every approved applicant receives an email with your custom note and a payment link to finish their registration, sponsorship, or dedication. This payment link is dynamic and allows the applicant to pay using any of the three accepted payment methods: Credit/Debit Card, US Bank Account, or Google Pay.
You can always access an approved applicant's payment link directly. Open their record in the Activity Log and copy the URL from there if you ever need to resend it.
Recording Offline Payments
If an approved participant pays you in person with cash or check, you can record that payment directly in the platform. Open their approved participant record and click the Record Payment button next to their Payment Status. This lets you log the payment and mark their status as Paid, keeping your records accurate even when the payment did not happen online.
Tracking Payment Progress
Approved participants who have not yet submitted payment automatically receive a reminder email 72 hours after their original approval, so you do not need to chase down payments yourself.
You can filter your Activity Log by Payment Status at any time to see exactly who is Awaiting Payment, who has Paid, and which applicants had options marked as Not Required. This gives you a clear, real time view of where every approved participant stands.