Virtuous Raise includes an open API that allows your organization to connect Raise with external systems and processes. An Application Programming Interface (API) is a set of defined rules that allows different software applications to communicate with each other. The Virtuous Raise API is commonly used to build integrations between systems, automate workflows, and enable third-party developers to extend native Raise functionality. Using the API can save time, reduce errors, and support innovation.
Table of Contents
Overview
Before working with the Virtuous Raise API it's recommended to review the API documentation in detail. This article is a high level summary of the material available in the linked API documentation.
You can access the full API documentation via this link. Here, you can find guidance for use of Webhooks, Bulk Endpoints, common workflows, integration recipes, and more. Use the search bar for key works or ask the AI assistant for help.
Authentication
The Raise API authenticates requests via a JSON Web Token (JWT) passed in the Authorization header using the Bearer scheme. Every request to a Raise endpoint requires this header — there are no public, unauthenticated endpoints on the API. Every API request must include the header:
Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_TOKENClick here to learn more about Authentication.
Error Responses
If a call to an endpoint fails for one reason or another, be sure to read the returned message. Our API endpoints use standard error codes with error messages in response payloads to help with troubleshooting. Almost anytime you receive a status code other than 200 (success) you should receive a message explaining why that code was received. Please check these and make the corrections prior to reaching out to support. Click here to learn more about how to handle errors.
Core Concepts
Before building with the Raise API, it's worth familiarizing yourself with how Virtuous Raise structures its data. The Core Concepts section of the API documentation covers the foundational building blocks of Raise: the data model that connects Donors, Gifts, and Forms; how data flows from Raise to CRM+, and more. Reading through these pages before working with the API helps you avoid common integration mistakes — like creating duplicate records or misrouting gift details — and gives you a clear mental model of how your data maps. Click here to view the Core Concepts.
Workflows and Recipes
Once you're comfortable with the data structure, the Workflows and Recipes sections provide practical guidance for building with the API. Workflows are step-by-step walkthroughs of common tasks like processing a donation, creating a donor or form, querying records, or handling failed payments that show exactly which endpoints to call and in what order. Find workflows for each task here.
Recipes take a higher-level view, walking through complete end-to-end integration patterns for specific real-world scenarios like embedding a form, Zapier trigger patterns, and Recurring Giving patterns. If you're starting a new integration, Recipes are a good place to see how the pieces fit together before diving into the individual Workflow pages. Click here to view the recipes.