The top five reasons why founders hesitate to pledge - and why they join anyway

Signing a pledge is a big decision. It’s a personal commitment about your future, and it’s normal to have questions or even hesitations.

At Founders Pledge, we’ve spoken to thousands of entrepreneurs, investors, changemakers, and problem solvers who’ve considered making a commitment to give. Some signed right away. Others took their time. All of them had thoughtful reasons for pausing – and in many cases, those same concerns became the reasons they chose to join.

Here are the five most common hesitations we hear, and what we’ve learned from working through them together.

1. “I’m years away from liquidity. Founders Pledge only makes sense for those with money to give now.”

Why it’s a common hesitation:

It can feel premature to think about philanthropy when you’re still in the build phase, especially when so many things feel unpredictable in those early stages. You’re keen to give back, but you want to wait until the ‘right moment’ to do so.

Why founders still join:

Many of our members sign at seed stage. Joining early sets your intention, gives you access to expert advice, and connects you with peers who also want to do good – on their terms and timelines. You don’t have to give a cent until you’re ready, but planning early means you’re not starting from scratch when liquidity comes.

2. “I’m already giving – I know exactly where I want to give.”

Why it’s a common hesitation:

As a mission-driven entrepreneur, it’s likely that you already have specific causes close to your heart. You might feel you’ve already done enough due diligence and research on those charities, or you simply don’t have time to do this and so would rather stick with what works currently.

Why founders still join:

We’re not here to override your values – we’re here to help you realize them more effectively. As a member, you have the option to give to a charity of your choice, or to allocate your giving into one of our high impact funds. Our role is to support your giving with rigor, data, and infrastructure – only if and when you want it.

3. “I don’t have time.”

Why it’s a common hesitation:

You're running a company and your bandwidth is stretched. You might think that signing the Pledge means spending time getting involved with the member community and one more commitment feels like too much.

Why founders still join:

Signing the Pledge takes two minutes. That’s it. There’s no required time commitment beyond that and you can dial your involvement up or down over time. Some members get deeply involved with our research and community. Others check in once a year. We meet you where you are.

4. “I’m uncomfortable being public.”

Why it’s a common hesitation:

Public commitments can feel performative—or risky. You might think it’s not an option to remain anonymous about your giving.

Why founders still join:

We encourage members to share their pledge because it inspires others. But it’s not required. Many choose to remain anonymous or keep their giving private. We respect that. Your values don’t need a spotlight to matter.

5. “I already have a donor-advised fund, a foundation, or give directly.”

Why it’s a common hesitation:

You’ve already set up a structure that works for you, so why change?

Why founders still join:

You don’t need to use our infrastructure to be a member. Our in-house Donor-Advised Fund (DAF) is an option – but it’s just one of many tools. If you have a system you like, great! We can support you within that framework, or simply offer advice when you want it. The difference with Founders Pledge is that you have access to our expert Advisory and Community team who can help you have the most impact with your giving.