Making a Donation FAQs
How do I make a donation?
To make a donation, choose a nonprofit from the list, enter your donation details and pay securely with your credit card.
What payment methods does Connect Your Cause™ accept?
Connect Your Cause™ accepts donations by credit card, including Visa, MasterCard.
I don’t want to give online, can I send a check to Connect Your Cause™?
No. Connect Your Cause™ accepts donations made online through our secure website only. To give by check, please send the donation directly to the nonprofit, not Connect Your Cause™.
Can I request that the nonprofit I give to use my donation in a particular way?
If the fund you wish to designate the donation for is not available, you can include a message or instruction with your donation that will be received by your nonprofit.
Can I designate my donation in honor or in memory of someone?
Yes. You can designate all donations in honor or in memory of someone.
Can I have Connect Your Cause™ send a card to my honoree or to the family of the person who has passed away?
Connect Your Cause™ offers free ecards for any donation you make in honor or in memory of someone. Ecards are available for any occasion, including birthdays, weddings, sympathy, Christmas, Hanukah and more.
How much money gets sent to my Nonprofit?
Connect Your Cause™ assesses 7 cents per dollar as a transaction fee on donations before disbursement to pay for credit card charges and administration.
When does the Nonprofit get my donation? How?
ConnectYourCause.com™ sends a monthly disbursement to nonprofits. We batch donations monthly, and disburse checks by the 10th of the following month.
Can I cancel my donation?
No. Donations are non-refundable.
Must I create an account?
No. it is not necessary to create an account to make a donation or send a gift care, but creating an account allows you to:
- Store your donation receipts and giving history
- Store your personal, privacy and contact preferences so that next time, there is no need to re-enter.
- Store and encrypt your payment details.
- Create a "favorite nonprofits" list.
Finding a Nonprofit
How do I find a Nonprofit to give to?
You can search on Connect Your Cause™ for a nonprofit. You can also search by Nonprofit category or cause, including Animals, Arts & Culture, Education, Environment, Health, Religious Organizations and Social Services. Start your search here: browse nonprofits.
How many Nonprofits are on the Connect Your Cause™ website?
Connect Your Cause™ is adding organizations continually. Please check the list of current Nonprofits served by Connect Your Cause.
My Nonprofit does not show up in the category search. Why?
Nonprofits may register through our site. Once registered, nonprofits can add keywords, upload their logos, enhance their profiles, and accept monthly donations. Registering with Connect Your Cause™ is free for nonprofits.
Receipting
How do I get my receipt?
The nonprofit will furnish a receipt. You can print your record from Connect Your Cause™ for proof of donation. You can always access your account online.
Is my receipt valid for tax credits?
Yes. Both the mailed and electronic receipts are valid for tax filing by the IRS.
I haven’t received my receipt after 60 days or I have lost my receipt.
You can log into your account to receive proof of payment.
Why can't I have tax receipts issued in someone else's name?
Receipts can only be issued to the payee of a donation. The donor/payee of a donation makes the cash donation to Nonprofit and therefore qualifies for the tax credit. If you would like to dedicate your gift, you can make a donation in honor of someone, or give them a Giving Gift Card – but only the donor or payee can receive the tax receipt.
Privacy
Why do you collect my email address?
Your email address is used as a login for future donations and communication. As an online entity, Connect Your Cause™ does not mail donors newsletters or receipts.
What information do you collect and what information is passed onto the Nonprofit support?
All payment details are private and secure. We pass only the information you want us to pass on to the Nonprofits you give to; you can give the Nonprofits your name only, name and email, all contact information, or make your donation anonymously to the Nonprofits.
Connect Your Cause™ collects your email address, name, phone and address at registration. This information is private.
Do you sell/trade donor information?
Registrations are private and never shared.
Nonprofit Gift Cards
What are Nonprofit Gift Cards?
The Connect Your Cause™ Nonprofit Gift Cards allow donors to give a charitable donation to friends and family. Purchase a gift card of any value and your gift recipient chooses which Nonprofit receives the donation amount. Nonprofit Gift Cards are a great way to give a meaningful gift for any occasion: weddings, birthdays, Christmas, Hanukah, teachers’ gifts... any occasion!
How do Gift Cards work?
It’s easy! First, you select the amount of the gift card and choose from one of our attractive designs available for any occasion. Next, choose whether you want the card delivered by email to your recipient of if you want to print it off to give. The recipient then visits www.connectyourcause.com to enter their Gift Card number and select which Nonprofit will receive the donation.
Can I print a copy of the card to give to my gift recipient?
Yes. Once you've paid for the donation, you are given a link to your Gift Card to print out.
Will Connect Your Cause™ mail a real card to my gift recipient?
No. You are able to send your gift card by email or print a copy of the gift card to give to the recipient.
Can I buy Nonprofit Gift Cards in stores?
No. The only place to buy ™ Nonprofit Gift Cards is online at www.connectyourcause.com/giftcards.
What does my gift card recipient get?
If you choose to send the gift card by email, your gift card recipient will get an email from Connect Your Cause™ with the link to the gift card online, the message you entered and their gift card number. The link will guide them through selecting a Nonprofit. If you choose to print out the gift card, you will print out a page that includes the gift card image, your message, the gift card number and instructions for going online to select a Nonprofit.
What if my recipient does not redeem his/her gift card?
If the gift recipient does not redeem his/her gift card to the Nonprofit of his/her choice within 6 months, Connect Your Cause™ will contact you. You will then be asked to designate the donation to the Nonprofit of your choice.
What if I lose the gift card number or did not print out the card?
Connect Your Cause™ sends you the link to your gift card so you can print it out at your convenience. If you don’t have that email, please contact us. We can resend you the link to print out the card.
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