The short version
If a campaign you backed delivered most of what was promised but not all of it, you'll see a credit in your account covering the portion that wasn't delivered. The credit goes onto your Cajole balance automatically — no action needed on your end.
This article walks through exactly how the credit amount is calculated, so you can see why you got what you got.
Two ways a credit can land
There are two situations where part of a campaign might not get delivered:
1. A stretch goal was hit but the target can't honor that specific stretch goal.
2. A leaderboard perk you qualified for can't be delivered.
Each one uses the same idea — the money you sent toward goals that DID come through stays with the target, and only the money tied to the part that didn't come through comes back to you.
Walking through a real example
Imagine a campaign where the target promises to perform at a fan's wedding. Main goal $1,000. Stretch goal 1 at $1,200 — they'll perform a second song. Stretch goal 2 at $1,400 — they'll invite one lucky backer up on stage. Stretch goal 3 at $1,800 — they'll do a costume change. There's also a leaderboard perk: the top 10 backers get a special signed photo.
The campaign ends with $1,580 backed. So:
Main goal: hit and being delivered.
Stretch goal 1 ($1,200): hit and being delivered.
Stretch goal 2 ($1,400): hit and being delivered.
Stretch goal 3 ($1,800): NOT hit — wasn't promised, no expectation.
The highest hit goal was stretch goal 2 at $1,400.
Scenario 1 — A stretch goal isn't delivered
Let's say at payout the target tells Cajole they actually can't invite a backer up on stage (stretch goal 2 isn't going to happen, even though it was hit). What you get depends on when your backing landed:
If you backed when the pot was below $1,200 (still chasing stretch goal 1), all your dollars stayed in the goal-1 phase. They're not affected — those goals are being delivered. No credit.
If you backed when the pot was between $1,200 and $1,400, your dollars landed inside the stretch-goal-2 window. THIS is the part that comes back as a credit.
If your single backing straddled the $1,200 line, only the part above $1,200 lands in the stretch-goal-2 window and comes back.
Scenario 2 — A leaderboard perk isn't delivered
Same campaign, but this time stretch goal 2 IS delivered as promised. The piece that fell through is the leaderboard perk — the target can't get the signed photos out. You were one of the top 10 backers, so the perk was yours.
What you get back: only the dollars you contributed past the highest hit goal ($1,400 in this campaign).
If you contributed $80 when the pot was already at $1,500, that $80 was perk-chasing money — it pushed your position on the leaderboard. You'll see an $80 credit.
If your entire contribution stayed at or below $1,400 of pot value, you got into the top 10 with money that funded goals that ARE being delivered. You don't get a credit — and we know that can feel surprising. Here's why: those dollars worked. They put the campaign over the line on goals the target is delivering on. The leaderboard standing was a bonus on top of that — not the only reason your money mattered.
The honored-perk rule
If you earned the declined perk AND another perk on the same campaign that IS being delivered, you keep the delivered perk and we don't issue a credit for the declined one.
If both a stretch goal and a leaderboard perk are undelivered
Each gets calculated separately, then combined. A single dollar of your backing can only come back to you once — even if it qualifies for both refund types. The math caps at your total contribution and never refunds the same dollar twice.
Why credits, not cash
Credits land in your Cajole account immediately. They can be used to back any active campaign on the platform, without paying transaction fees again.
If you originally paid by direct deposit and the amount was over $50, you may be eligible for a cash refund instead — see the Refund Policy for details.
Where to see your credits
Your credit balance lives in your account menu at cajole.com — there's a balance at the top of the menu.
Questions
Email Support at [email protected] if anything about a credit you received doesn't add up. We can walk through the math on any specific campaign with you.