Active discussions in GiveForward Community Forum
What is GiveForward?
How does online fundraising work?
Why isn’t GiveForward a non-profit?
How much does GiveForward cost to use?
How are fundraisers on GiveForward verified as legitimate? Is there fraud protection?
Should people use GiveForward even if they have insurance?
Organizing a Fundraiser on GiveForward:
What does the red validation message at the top of the screen mean?
Will there be tax implications for the beneficiary for money raised?
How does the money get to the beneficiary after the fundraiser is over?
What happens if the goal isn’t reached at the end of the fundraiser?
Why is the fundraiser that was just created not showing up in search results?
How can the address for the beneficiary be changed?
Are fundraisers able to be edited once the page is published on GiveForward?
Can the end date be extended to a year from now?
Will the organizer be able to view donors and make updates after the end date?
Can a fundraiser be reopened after the end date?
How can thank you notes and letters be sent to donors?
Can a check be issued before the fundraiser ends?
Why has the beneficiary still not received the check from the fundraiser?
Can someone outside of the U.S. fundraise on GiveForward?
PayPal:
What is PayPal?
Are the fees any different with PayPal?
What if the beneficiary doesn’t have a PayPal account?
Can PayPal be added as a payment option later on, after the page is published?
What are the steps to add PayPal as an option for donations on the GiveForward page?
If some of the funds are needed before the end date, can a payment be made while the fundraiser stays active?
Making a Donation on GiveForward:
Are donations on GiveForward tax-deductible?
Can donors send checks instead of using a credit card to make a donation?
How much of the donation amount goes to the beneficiary?
What could cause a credit card to be declined on GiveForward?
How would a donor know if their donation was successful?
How does matching donations program work?
How does someone become a matching donor?
How GiveForward Works:
GiveForward is a website that provides personalized fundraising webpages to raise money for loved ones during times of need.
Beyond just an online tool, GiveForward is a fundraising support system. From simple tips about getting started to one-on-one coaching, GiveForward’s team works with all of our fundraisers to help them meet and surpass their goals.
How does online fundraising work?
By creating a customized, online fundraising page, you eliminate a lot of the headaches of traditional fundraising mechanisms. Direct mailing, solicitation calls, and donation boxes can be costly, wasteful, time consuming, and intrusive. But online fundraising is essentially free, and it allows your donors to support you on their time.
It is also important to remember that fundraising online does not remove the personal element of raising money for a loved one. GiveForward is a tool that makes your fundraising easier, but you still have to share your story, find supporters, and demonstrate why this fundraiser is important to you. Think of GiveForward as a complement to your other fundraising efforts.
Why isn’t GiveForward a non-profit?
There are several reasons why GiveForward is not and cannot be a 501(c)3. First, in order to be able to send money to fundraisers that are not affiliated with a registered 501(c)3 organization, GiveForward had to be registered as a Corporation.
Second, GiveForward strives to be a model among a growing list of mission-driven social ventures. Many non-profits spend up to 40% of their resources fundraising. That means less time for programmatic work that is behind their missions. But that can also mean that only 60% of your donations make it to their intended purpose. At GiveForward, 93% of donations go directly to a person or family. The remaining 7% goes to expanding our services so we can continue to provide our community with the easiest way to raise money for loved ones in need.
How much does GiveForward cost to use?
It is free to create and maintain a fundraiser, and there are no annual or monthly fees to use GiveForward’s services. GiveForward deducts 7% on each transaction, which covers credit card processing (usually around 2.6% depending on which card you use), all PayPay fees and overhead. Just to give an idea of where GiveForward falls in the spectrum, other online fundraising sites charge between 7.5% to over 10%.
How are fundraisers on GiveForward verified as legitimate? Is there fraud protection?
This is a great question, because as a donor, you can never be too cautious. GiveForward makes every effort to investigate suspect fundraisers, but unfortunately, we cannot claim responsibility for the accuracy of each fundraiser. The GiveForward staff works very closely with projects on our site. Any suspect or questionable projects are asked to provide more information and will be removed and funds returned if an investigation brings us to question the legitimacy of any fundraiser.
Although GiveForward has a due diligence process, we strongly believe that our users are some of the best security out there. Because GiveForward is a community of people looking to help each other, our users are watchful of projects that don’t seem to fit the model of a good fundraising effort. Please keep an eye out for suspicious posts and flag any projects you think are questionable. GiveForward will investigate all flagged projects to make sure the quality of the projects on our site remains high. Any information you provide will remain anonymous and your identity will always remain confidential.
Please, only donate if you feel comfortable and confident about the fundraiser and it’s organizer.
Organizing a Fundraiser on GiveForward:
What does the red validation message at the top of the screen mean?
If you are receiving a message alerting you that “If you are starting a fundraiser, you must first validate and complete your account.”, this means that your account is still pending. There are two things you must do to insure that your account is complete and active.
You should have received an email with a validation link. If you think you may have lost that email, don’t worry! Click here to get a new one. There also might be some information missing from your account. When you log-in, it should say “Welcome Back!”. Click the green button that says “Finish Account” to take you to your account settings and preferences screen so you can complete any fields that are missing information. If you have done both of these and still see the error message, contact one of the fundraising coaches at info@giveforward.com and we’ll help you activate your account.
Will there be tax implications for the beneficiary for money raised?
Because GiveForward is not authorized to give tax or legal advice, beneficiaries should always consult with a tax accountant or attorney if there is any question regarding the implications of the donations aggregated on GiveForward. It is our understanding that funds raised are treated like a birthday or wedding gift, and do not count as taxable income. If an individual contribution is higher than the annual gift tax amount, approximately $13,000, the donor may be subject to tax liability, please refer to IRS.gov for information about Gift Taxes. In addition, beneficiaries on medicaid or SSI should check with a benefits specialist before depositing a GiveForward check. Please check with the Patient Advocate Foundation or the Cancer Legal Resource Center if you have questions.
How does the money get to the beneficiary after the fundraiser is over?
Unfortunately, we haven’t mastered the art of magically making money appear in their hands (but we’re working on it). Until we do though, we process the funds (minus the fees) as a check made out to the beneficiary listed or through a direct transfer to PayPal if the fundraiser has PayPal activated. When sending a check, we will send it to the beneficiary’s address or a separate mailing address if you choose to enter one. The check will be sent along with a letter that includes donor information, comments and the contact information of any donor who wished to include it. The check will be mailed via USPS within 10 days of the fundraiser’s end date.
Please note that GiveForward will return funds to donors for any project that raises less than $50.
What happens if the goal isn’t reached at the end of the fundraiser?
We’ll send the funds regardless of whether or not your goal has been reached. We understand that GiveForward is one of many tools to help your fundraising efforts. So when you reach your end date, if you are a little shy of your goal or if you exceed it, we’ll send the funds. You also have the ability to raise or lower your goal throughout the duration of the fundraiser, so we recommend starting with a lower, more manageable goal. If you reach it early, you can always raise it and use it as a way to encourage more donations and keep that momentum alive!
Why is the fundraiser that was just created not showing up in search results?
If you just created the fundraising page only a few moments ago, it will not show up in search results right away. Our system updates the search database continuously throughout the day. So check back later and it should be there. Remember though- if you chose to keep your fundraiser “private” when you created the page, it will never show up in any search results. You will only be able to access the fundraising page by going directly through a link or by typing the unique URL given during the set-up process into your browser.
How can the address for the beneficiary be changed?
For security purposes, we do not allow changes to the beneficiary information while the fundraising page is open. As part of our many ways to ensure donor protection- this prevents an organizer from changing the destination of the final check at the very end of the fundraiser after all the donors have already made their donations based on the previous beneficiary information. If the beneficiary information needs to be changed, please provide us with the new name/address/email/etc. with a quick explanation of why the changes need to be made. We can then have it changed for you as fast as we can!
Are fundraisers able to be edited once the page is published on GiveForward?
Yes. Throughout the duration of your fundraiser, you will be able to edit the description, summary, pictures, links, goal and end date. When you login to your account or click “My Account”, you will see your “user dashboard” which displays all the information for your current and previous fundaisers. You can then make changes to your active fundraiser by clicking “Edit” next to the name of the fundraiser.
Can the end date be extended to a year from now?
Of course! We can edit the end date to any date you would like. However we’ve seen that the most successful fundraisers typically last 2-3 months as people are more inclined to donate when there is a shorter time frame.
Will the organizer be able to view donors and make updates after the end date?
Yes. After the fundraisers closes and even after we issue payment for the fundraiser, the fundraising page will be archived and forever viewable through the page’s URL. You will still be able to access donor information and create updates when you login to your account. If you need to make any edits to your fundraising page, you will be unable to do this anymore. However, shoot us a quick email and we can make changes for you!
Can a fundraiser be reopened after the end date?
Unfortunately, you cannot renew or reopen your previous fundraiser if we have already issued payment. You are more than welcome to start a brand new fundraising page under your current user account. The old fundraiser (as you probably can see) will still remain viewable on the GiveForward site, so you can put a link to it on your new fundraising page in case your donors wish to look at the previous information.
How can thank you notes and letters be sent to donors?
In order to protect the privacy of donors, we cannot give out contact information unless a donor has agreed to share it during the checkout process. The organizer may be able to help you obtain donors’ mailing addresses if they are friends or family. And, you can always contact donors directly through the user dashboard, even if they chose to remain anonymous.
To thank donors directly through the system, login to your account and click “View Donors” in your user dashboard. If your fundraiser has already closed, you can view your donors by clicking “Thank donors” in the right hand column of the page where your previous fundraisers are located.
Can a check be issued before the fundraiser ends?
We understand that most of the beneficiaries have many different expenses that are a direct result of their overall need for fundraising, thus having a need for continuous funds. Unfortunately we cannot issue checks in the middle of the fundraiser while the page is still active. You can end the fundraiser early by logging into your account and editing your fundraising page on step two. You are more than welcome to create a brand new fundraising page- we don’t put a limit on how many fundraisers you can have! If you have enabled PayPal as a payment method for your fundraising page, you may be able to access some of the funds before the fundraiser closes. Read more about that feature here
Why has the beneficiary still not received the check from the fundraiser?
If you still haven’t received the check within two weeks of the end date, feel free to contact us to find out when it was sent and to confirm the mailing address it went out to. Because we send checks within 10 days via USPS, we cannot guarantee an exact delivery day, but we’d be happy to work out other options if it may have gotten lost in the mail.
Can someone outside of the U.S. fundraise on GiveForward?
Unfortunately, GiveForward hasn’t gone international yet. Although anyone in the world can make a donation on GiveForward, we cannot send checks to beneficiaries based outside of the U.S. If you would like to speak with us regarding other solutions, feel free to send us an email at info@giveforward.com.
PayPal:
PayPal is a service that enables you to pay, send money, and accept payments without revealing your financial information. You can read more about how it works here
Are the fees any different with PayPal?
No. When you make a donation through GiveForward with your PayPal account, the fees are exactly the same as if you made a donation with your credit or debit card. 7% of the donation is deducted to cover any and all fees.
Similarly, it doesn’t cost anything for your beneficiary to receive funds raised through PayPal. Other sites that allow funds to be received through PayPal may charge you an additional fee on top of the normal PayPal Fee. So using GiveForward as a way to facilitate credit/debit card donations as well as your PayPal donations is the easiest and most efficient way to collect donations.
What if the beneficiary doesn’t have a PayPal account?
If the beneficiary does not have a PayPal account, they can easily set one up for themselves. You can add it to the page as a payment option for the fundraiser later on via the Dashboard.
Can PayPal be added as a payment option later on, after the page is published?
Yes, PayPal can be added as a payment option at any time by via the Dashboard. If you’re still waiting to obtain the PayPal information from the beneficiary, don’t let that stop you from starting your fundraising efforts– because you can always add it later!
What are the steps to add PayPal as an option for donations on the GiveForward page?
In order to activate PayPal, you need to have a verifed PayPal Account. Once you have verified the account, you can use the email address associated with the account to activate PayPal on the fundraiser via the Dashboard.
If some of the funds are needed before the end date, can a payment be made while the fundraiser stays active?
An early payment can be requested by the organizer of a fundraising page for a partial amount of the funds that are raised if PayPal has been enabled as the preferred payment method. A button to make a payment request will appear in the organizer’s user dashboard once a fundraiser has reached this threshold to make an early payment request. Only funds that are over two weeks old are eligible to be paid out, and a minimum amount of $500 must remain in the fundraising account; the maximum available amount will be shown when the request is made.
A fundraising coach will review the payment request, processing may take up to 3 business days. The organizer and beneficiary will receive confirmation when this early payment has been made. The fundraiser will remain active and open to receive donations. After the end date, all remaining funds raised will be paid out in one final payment (minus 7% fees and any previous payments that have already been made before the end date), and GiveForward will send a letter in the mail to the beneficiary, including the donor list and comments.
Making a Donation on GiveForward:
Are donations on GiveForward tax-deductible?
Donations made on GiveForward are not tax-deductible because they are not going directly to a registered 501(c)3 non-profit organization with a government issued EIN tax id #.
Can donors send checks instead of using a credit card to make a donation?
Fundraisers on GiveForward can only accept donations made through the site with credit cards or debit cards. If you would like to send a check directly to the beneficiary, feel free to contact the organizer of the fundraiser to make arrangements. You can do this by viewing their user bios by rolling your mouse over their name at the top of the fundraising page and sending a message directly through the system.
How much of the donation amount goes to the beneficiary?
GiveForward deducts 7% of each transaction. In general, for every $100 donation, GiveForward will deduct $7 in total fees. This fee covers all credit card/ bank processing fees (usally around 2.6% depending on your credit card), PayPal fees, as well as GiveForward fees. The GiveForward fees cover basic overhead; from maintenance of the site so we have the most up-to-date security software to protect the privacy of our users to the cost of sending out the the final payment to the beneficiary.
What could cause a credit card to be declined on GiveForward?
Your card may not be going through for a couple of different reasons. Most likely, the information being entered on the checkout page may not match the information your bank has. If you are trying to make a donation internationally, please note that even though our checkout page is equipped to handle these transactions, banks in other countries may have higher security measures in place. Because each card and each transaction is different, we can’t tell you exactly what the problem could be without speaking with you individually. Feel free to contact us at info@giveforward.com and we will try and help you make a successful donation.
How would a donor know if their donation was successful?
If your donation was successful, you should have immediately been taken to a confirmation page that says “Donation Successful!” which includes the confirmation number for your transaction. You would have also been emailed a receipt of this donation for your records. If you did not see either one of these and did not receive an order number, the donation probably did not go through.
How does matching donations program work?
A donor who is making a donation of $500 or more can set it as a ‘matching donation’ which sets their donation amount as a goal for everyone else. For example, if someone set $1,000 as a matching donation amount, all other donors would be challenged to raise $1,000 of their own within the next 72 hours. This way, a very generous donation of $1,000 has now encouraged others and generated an additional $1,000. It is a great way to encourage and inspire other donors to double their impact by giving during a matching donation drive, and we give you an easy way to make this possible.
How do I become a matching donor?
Go to the checkout page to make a donation on the fundraising page you’re trying to donate to, just like you normally would. After you fill in the donation amount of at least $500, you will be asked whether you want to make this a matching donation. Click ‘yes’.
You will receive an email letting you know when your matching donation drive has begun, along with some instructions on how to effectively promote your generous match in order to help the organizer encourage and inspire others to match your amount through their collective donations. The drive will only last 72 hours, so make sure you’re telling everyone about your generosity and asking them to donate!
