Nonprofits - FAQs

How can you organization be listed on JustGive?

Who is GuideStar?

What is the JustGive Guide and can your organization be listed?

How do you update your listing in Guidestar or the Guide?

How can you sign up for a "Donate Now" button?

Do you receive 100% of donations made through JustGive?

What are some sites using our "Donate Now" button?

How long does it take to receive donations?

What if you didn't receive your check?

Can your organization be listed on JustGive?
As long as your organization has 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, you can be listed on our website. Register with Guidestar to create or update your listing.

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Who is GuideStar?
GuideStar is an initiative of Philanthropic Research, Inc., a 501(c)(3) public charity founded in 1994. GuideStar's mission is to revolutionize philanthropy and philanthropic practices through information. GuideStar provides JustGive's comprehensive database of 1,000,000 public charities, making it easy for individuals to find detailed information about charities that match their interests.

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What is the JustGive Guide and can your organization be listed?
The JustGive Guide compiles 1,000 nationally recognized charities and categorizes them into 19 cause areas for easy-to-use navigation. It was developed for those who care about a particular cause but are not necessarily familiar with relevant charities. Before contacting us about being listed on the Guide, please make sure you meet certain criteria.

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How do you update your organization's information on JustGive?
Register with GuideStar, the database that powers our site, to update your listing. Once your listing is updated at GuideStar, the data will automatically update on JustGive.

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How can you sign up for a "Donate Now" button so I can fundraise online?
Please register with our Nonprofit Resources to use our "Donate Now" buttons. There is no set-up cost or monthly fees, but we deduct 3% to cover the transaction costs.

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Do you receive 100% of donations made through JustGive?
We deduct 3% of donations to cover the transaction costs.

What are some sites currently using our "Donate Now" button?
Please feel free to visit the following websites:
Boston Children’s Futures
Heart for Ethiopia
Project Easton
Maine Coon Adoptions
The Arc of York County

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How long does it take to receive donations?
Donations are processed the month following the donation. For example, a donation made in January is processed and mailed by February 10th. If you have not received the check by the end of the following month, please contact us.

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What if you didn't receive your check?
Checks are sent via first class mail to the address listed on GuideStar. If you have not received the check by the end of the following month, please contact us to initiate a check reissue request. Reissued checks are sent quarterly to the address listed on GuideStar. If your address is out of date, please read FAQ "How do you update your listing in Guidestar or the Guide?" to learn how to update your address with Guidestar. There is no service fee for the reissuance of stale checks, but if a check is not stale, we deduct $10 from the donations to stop payment on the original check.

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What is a stale check?
If your check is over 180 days old, it is no longer negotiable so you'll need to GuideStar. If your address is out of date, please read FAQ "How do you update your listing in Guidestar or the Guide?" to learn how to update your address with Guidestar. There is no service fee for the reissuance of stale checks.

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Can you use JustGive to process offline donations?
Our service is meant to encourage giving and inspire people to give more and more consistently by having access to our service and their personal account that they can reference each year. We encourage nonprofits NOT to use our service as a backend processing service. When this happens we are not encouraging, inspiring or even communicating with the donor. Donors dispute their credit card charges because they see JustGive as a charge on their credit card -- not the charity they intended to donate to. If they don't know who we are and what we do, they assume it is fraudulent and dispute the charge. This process costs money for JustGive. Additionally, if multiple cards are processed under one account, only the last name and billing information entered with show in your donation report.

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Can you view an online report of donations to your organization?
Donations can be viewed online by registering our Nonprofit Resources.

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Do you need to send a donation receipt to the donor?
The donors have already received electronic acknowledgments of their gifts from JustGive to be used as a tax receipt, so it is not required that you send a tax receipt to donors. JustGive is a donor advised fund (DAF), so donations made through our website are donations to JustGive.

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What is a donor advised Fund?
A donor advised fund (DAF) is a charitable giving vehicle sponsored by a public charity. JustGive makes grants to the 501(c)(3) organizations based upon donor recommendation. There are three characteristics of a DAF:

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Will you be provided with donor information so you can contact donors?
When you receive your check from JustGive, it will include the donation detail. Depending on the donor's preference, you will receive the donor name, email address, and/or mailing address, unless the donor chooses to remain anonymous. Please do not contact JustGive for donor information, as we must respect the privacy of donors.

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Should you add JustGive to your mailing list?
Please do not add JustGive to your mailing list. This creates a lot of work for JustGive and a lot of unnecessary cost to you - not to mention it is a waste of resources. Thank you!

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