Arbiter Acquires Vertical Raise to Build All-in-One School Platform

SANDY, Utah – April 01, 2026 – Arbiter, a long-standing leader in K–12 athletics and activities management, today announced its acquisition of Vertical Raise, a prominent technology-driven fundraising organization. The move signals a significant consolidation in the education technology space, creating a more unified platform that integrates essential administrative functions with high-performance fundraising for schools nationwide.

For over 40 years, Arbiter has been a fixture in school operations, providing a suite of tools that manage everything from game scheduling and facility booking to referee assignments and digital payments. With this acquisition, the company aims to solve a critical and often time-consuming challenge for school programs: raising money. The integration will bring Vertical Raise's fundraising capabilities directly into the Arbiter ecosystem, which already serves over 20,000 schools and 7 million families.

"Fundraising is an essential part of youth sports and a natural extension of how Arbiter can further serve families and schools," said Kyle Ford, CEO of Arbiter, in a statement announcing the deal. "By welcoming Vertical Raise into our organization, we can deliver even more tools and more coordinated support to schools, while maintaining continuity in the products and teams they trust today."

The All-in-One Advantage for Schools

The acquisition is a direct response to a growing demand from educational institutions to reduce "tool sprawl"—the inefficient and often costly practice of using multiple, disconnected software solutions. School administrators and athletic directors frequently juggle separate platforms for registration, scheduling, communication, and fundraising, leading to data silos and administrative friction.

By absorbing Vertical Raise, Arbiter is positioning itself as a comprehensive, single-vendor solution. The strategic goal is to create a seamless experience where an athletic director can manage team rosters, schedule a season, book facilities, process registration fees, and launch a fundraiser all from one interconnected system. This consolidation promises to save valuable time and resources, allowing school staff to focus more on student development and program quality rather than on administrative tasks.

Vertical Raise's leadership, including CEO Paul Landers, will remain in place to steer the fundraising division, ensuring that existing customers experience no disruption. This approach suggests Arbiter plans to leverage Vertical Raise's expertise and brand recognition while strategically cross-promoting its services within Arbiter's vast network.

Fueling Programs with Modernized Fundraising

Founded in 2018, Vertical Raise quickly distinguished itself by combining a sophisticated digital platform with hands-on support from experienced fundraising coaches. Its model moves away from traditional methods like selling candy bars or washing cars, instead utilizing automated email, text message, and social media campaigns to dramatically expand a team's donor reach.

"Schools and teams need fundraising that's simple, secure, and proven," noted Paul Landers, CEO of Vertical Raise. "Our combination of automated digital outreach, personalized pages, and enterprise‑grade controls through Funds Manager Pro helps programs raise more money in less time."

According to the company, its methodology has helped tens of thousands of teams raise an average of 37% more per fundraiser compared to other methods. This figure typically refers to the gross amount raised before platform fees, a common practice in the digital fundraising industry. While platforms like Vertical Raise charge a percentage of funds raised—often around 20%—the significant increase in total donations through its expanded digital reach can result in a higher net profit for schools compared to more labor-intensive, traditional efforts.

The effectiveness of this model is championed by administrators like Rodney Evans, the Athletic Director at Porter High School in Texas. "This is my fifth time using Vertical Raise, and as always, they have proven to be the best fundraising platform I've ever worked with," Evans stated. "The setup process is seamless, and the results are immediate; as soon as the fundraiser launches, supporters begin rolling in."

A Strategic Play in a Consolidating Ed-Tech Market

Arbiter's acquisition of Vertical Raise is more than just an expansion of services; it's a strategic maneuver that reflects a powerful trend in the broader education technology market. The industry has been steadily moving toward consolidation, with larger platform providers acquiring specialized "all-in-one" solutions by acquiring successful point solutions that address a specific need.

This trend is driven by school districts seeking efficiency, better security, and simplified vendor management. For companies like Arbiter, acquiring a best-in-class service like Vertical Raise is often faster and more effective than building a comparable tool from scratch. It instantly adds a proven revenue stream and a specialized, high-performing team to the organization.

The move solidifies Arbiter’s competitive position in the K-12 management landscape, creating a more robust and attractive offering against rivals. By embedding a critical function like fundraising, Arbiter increases its platform's "stickiness," making it more indispensable to its school partners and more difficult for competitors to displace.

While the integration of any two companies presents challenges, including aligning technology and corporate cultures, Arbiter's decision to keep Vertical Raise's leadership intact signals a focus on synergy over a disruptive takeover. As schools continue to navigate budget constraints and the increasing complexities of managing extracurricular activities, the demand for integrated, efficient, and powerful digital tools is only expected to grow. This acquisition positions Arbiter to meet that demand head-on, aiming to become the definitive operating system for school athletics and activities across the country.