Arbiter Acquires Vertical Raise to Add Digital Fundraising to K–12 Athletics Platform

New updates have been reported about Arbiter.

Arbiter has acquired Vertical Raise, a nationwide fundraising platform for schools, in a move that extends Arbiter’s K–12 athletics and activities management suite into high‑performance, technology‑driven fundraising. By integrating Vertical Raise’s digital campaigns and Funds Manager Pro system, which have delivered materially higher returns per fundraiser for tens of thousands of school programs, Arbiter is positioning itself to capture a larger share of school activity spend and deepen its role in district operations.

Arbiter plans to keep Vertical Raise’s leadership and operations intact, with CEO Paul Landers continuing to lead the fundraising business, signaling an integration strategy focused on cross‑selling and platform synergies rather than operational overhaul. The acquisition is expected to enhance Arbiter’s value proposition to over 20,000 schools and 4,500 leagues by linking registration, payments, scheduling, facilities, and websites with embedded fundraising, potentially increasing customer stickiness and opening new transaction‑driven revenue streams.