How to Accept Online Donations with Stripe
Donorbox is a state-of-the-art, powerful, and effective fundraising software that enables nonprofit organizations to collect and process online donations and build long-lasting relationships with donors.
Our donation platform helps various organizations raise money for whatever mission or goal they have. Donorbox is used by nonprofits, churches, universities, politicians, and medical research organizations, among others.
Over 50,000 organizations from 40 countries around the world use Donorbox to fundraise online. People love Donorbox because it’s easy to get started with accepting donations. No coding knowledge is required to set up Donorbox on your website. And believe us it is equally simple to use Stripe as a payment processor with Donorbox.
Let’s start with what is a payment processor and then we’ll dive into the power of Stripe as one.
What is a Payment Processor?
A payment processor is a company that handles transactions so that your donors can make donations online. That means the payment processing company communicates and relays information from your customer’s credit or debit card to both your bank and your donor’s bank.
If there are enough funds on your donor’s card and it is valid, the transaction will go through. And all of this all happens in a matter of seconds. Stripe provides the technical, fraud prevention, and banking infrastructure required to operate online payment systems.
If you want to learn more about nonprofit donation processing, do check out our in-depth guide here.
What is Stripe?
Donorbox uses Stripe as its main payment processor. Stripe allows you to get paid with all major credit/debit cards from customers around the world on the web or in mobile apps. It was launched for the public in 2011 and since then, they have processed hundreds of billions for millions of global businesses.
If you are going to use one payment processor, we recommend Stripe. With 89%+ US adults having made a payment via Stripe, it should be your obvious choice for accepting donations. But we offer PayPal as well as an option. You can offer both to cover the widest range of donor needs and preferences.
Is Stripe Safe?
Yes. Stripe exceeds the most stringent security standards:
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- SSL Protected: All transactions are SSL (Secure Socket Layer) protected. Your information and your donor’s information are securely transmitted during the processing of all payments.
- PCI Compliant: Stripe is a PCI Service Provider Level 1 which is the highest grade of payment processing security. You can rest assured that your donor’s information is safe and secure.
- Encrypted: All credit card numbers are encrypted and safely stored in Stripe’s state of the art data-center. This ensures both the security and integrity of your donor’s information.
- Fraud detection with machine learning: Stripe’s radar fraud-detection system is smarter when it comes to blocking fraud and allowing legitimate donors. Not only that, it adapts quickly to shifting patterns of fraud and your nonprofit safety needs.
- No financial data is stored by Donorbox.
What does all of this mean? It means Stripe fundraising is very secure. They exceed industry security standards and are trusted by thousands of businesses of all sizes across the globe including many Fortune 500 companies.
What are Some of Stripe’s Other Advantages?
Stripe is the fastest-growing payment processor today, with about 13,000 requests a second in 35+ countries and 135+ currencies. Let us have a look at some of its biggest advantages that are sure to boost your donation processing with Donorbox.
1. Donors can use any credit/debit cards
Users in the United States can use any of these credit/debit cards to make their online donations:
- Visa
- Mastercard
- American Express
- Discover
- JCB
- Diners Club
2. A range of payment methods
Stripe also supports a range of additional payment methods, including:
- 3D Secure
- Low-cost ACH bank transfers (U.S. organizations)
- Apple Pay
- Google Pay
3. Stripe’s unbelievable uptime
Imagine an uptime of 99.99%! That’s what Stripe offers you as a payment processor. It only means you’ll always be ready to accept and process donations from your supporters – 365 days a year and 24/7. Less downtime equals happy donors!
4. Automatic updates for saved cards
When your donors’ saved card expires or they receive a new card for some other reason, Stripe automatically attempts at updating the saved card information. Most card issuers in the US support this feature and provide the information. Hence, Stripe can automatically update most American Express, Visa, Master cards, and discover cards in the US.
5. Not just safe but ultra-safe
We’ve already talked about Stripe’s radar fraud-detection system. But that is not all; it offers you an additional layer of authentication that protects you against fraudulent card payments. It lowers the risk of chargebacks with a feature called dynamic 3D secure, applicable to high-risk transactions. So the next time you’re expecting a big donation or a major gift, you know Stripe has got you covered.
Where does the Money Go?
When you receive a donation, the funds will be sent to your Stripe account. Payouts are then made to the bank account that you have linked to Stripe. This payment will be processed by Stripe, but as far as the donor knows they’re paying you directly. Unlike with PayPal, they don’t need to sign into Stripe in order to pay you – they simply enter their billing information directly into your Donorbox donation form and that’s it!
How does the payout happen?
You can set a payout schedule on your Stripe dashboard. By default, it is daily automatic. But you can change it to weekly and monthly, and even manual payout. Please note that it gives you control over when your raised funds are paid out. Not when it will be actually available because that is controlled by payout speed which varies by country.
Stripe supports 1-2 day bank payouts in the US and it takes at most a week on average internationally.
How do Donorbox and Stripe Work Together?
As part of the Donorbox set-up process, you will be prompted to select a payment processor and when you select Stripe, you will then be prompted to enter all the information you need to register an account with them. Both account setups are handled by Donorbox software as part of its own setup process, making it very convenient.
When you finish the setup you will have both a Donorbox account and a separate Stripe account. Monies donated are automatically transferred to your designated bank account by Stripe. You don’t have to do anything.
One of the best advantages of using Donorbox along with Stripe is that no coding is required — you just embed your completed Donorbox donation form into your website.
Donorbox has already helped nonprofits across the globe raise $1 billion in online donations. Our founder Charles Zhang and Stripe’s platform partnerships Jared Davis discuss how this payment processor helps supercharge your donations in the below Donorbox Webinar. Watch for helpful insights on Stripe + Donorbox.
How do I Set up Donorbox with Stripe?
When you are ready to get started with fundraising online, start by setting up your Donorbox account.
The first step is to create an Org (short for ‘Organization’) account. It’s a really simple process and we don’t require any uploaded documentation.
Step 1
Go to the Donorbox website, and select “Org Signup”.
Step 2
Complete the on-screen form to create your Donorbox Org account. Click Sign Up when you are done. You will receive a confirmation by email that you need to click to confirm.
Step 3
On the next screen, tell us a bit more about your organization, then click Done. You can edit this information later by clicking here. You will receive a confirmation by email that you need to click to confirm your new Donorbox account.
After registration, you’ll be taken directly to your Dashboard so you can get started on creating your first Donorbox donation form. You will see this screen.
You can create your first campaign from this page, or do that later. To set up Stripe first, just click on Dashboard to go to this screen:
Step 4
Click on “Create your Stripe Account”
Next is the screen where you will enter your Stripe account details to register with Stripe. Donorbox will ask you for Business Details (address, phone, type of business, etc.). Then you will be asked to enter your bank account information (account number, routing number). Finally, you enter an email and choose a password for Stripe and click on “Authorize Access to this Account”.
Once you fill out and submit the form, you will be redirected back to your Donorbox dashboard, and you’ll be ready to go!
Congratulations! You’ve set up Donorbox with Stripe.
Step 5
Now you can go back and set up your first campaign and donation form using the Form Builder shown below. For more information about setting up your donation form and how to embed it to your website, follow the additional instructions in our Getting Started Guide.
Here Are Just Some of Donorbox’s Most Popular Features!
- Monthly, Annual, Weekly, and Quarterly Recurring Donations: It takes only 1 click to set up a recurring donation. No extra registration screens or information are required.
- Donors Cover Fees: Give donors the option to cover the processing fee on their donations. The fee will be added on, so only 1 donation is processed.
- Company Matching Donations: Get other organizations and businesses to donate to your campaign. Donorbox forms support company donations.
- Pop-up Donation Forms: Set your donation form to pop up onscreen, at the click of a button. We supply the code. All you have to do is copy and paste.
- Crowdfunding: Crowdfunding campaigns work great when you’ve got to raise a huge fund within a limited period of time. It’s also effective when you have an event coming up for which you want to create momentum and raise funds concurrently. With Donorbox, you can easily enable this option from your selected campaign by only toggling a switch.
- Text-to-Give: Text-to-give is great for churches, relief campaigns, political events, and situations where you have a lot of your supporters gathered for your cause. Your donors can easily make a donation from their mobile texting system right on the spot.
- Peer-to-peer fundraising: Invite your supporters, volunteers, board members, and friends to fundraise for you with Donorbox’s simple and powerful peer-to-peer fundraising feature.
- Social Media: Share your campaign on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn to attract more interest and spread awareness.
- Donor Wall: Show all your donor messages and comments on your campaign’s very own Donor Wall.
- Goal Meter: Share your fundraising progress with the world using our goal meter. Include it as part of your form design or embed it separately.
- Donor Profile: Every recurring donor is automatically allocated a donor profile, complete with login details and a password. Donors can edit their own recurring donation plans.
- Ask Donors Custom Questions: Add up to 10 custom questions to learn more about your donors. Responses can take the form of text, radio buttons, checkboxes, and drop-down options.
- Make Notes About Donations: Add quick Internal Notes to each donor and donation. Our notes help you manage your records with a more personal touch.
- Collect Address, Phone, Employment: Gather your donors’ contact information easily. Set this information as optional, or compulsory when required (like a political fundraiser).
- Customize Colors: Donorbox donation forms can be set to match any color scheme so that it coordinates with the look and feel of your website.
- Your Own Donation Page: Get your very own donation page for free, customized with your own logo and background – hosted on our SSL-enabled servers.
- Tax Receipt: Every donor automatically receives a tax receipt for each donation. The Donorbox receipt template is completely customizable to include any necessary information.
- Year-End Tax Receipt: Easily send year-end tax receipts to all donors, with details of the donations they’ve made over that year. Perfect for tax season!
- Integrate Donorbox with your Favorite Apps: Salesforce, Zapier/API, or MailChimp for email marketing.
What Fees are Involved?
Donorbox is free to start. Donorbox charges a small platform fee of 1.5% for the month’s donations. Our fees are the lowest in the market, and we charge no setup fee. Donorbox also gives you the option of asking donors to cover their processing fees in their donation, which many will be willing to do.
Stripe charges a 2.2% – 2.9% + $0.30 processing fee per donation. Check out our pricing guide for details of what your payment processing and Donorbox fees may look like, plus a comparison of these fees vs. some of our competitors.
Do Nonprofits get the Discounted Rate by Stripe?
Yes! If you are a registered 501c3 non-profit, you can contact Stripe at . In the US, the stripe nonprofit discounted rate is typically 2.2% + $0.30. If your organization is outside of the US, the rate may be higher or lower. It is best to contact Stripe directly for the latest discounts and requirements.
How Soon do We Receive the Funds?
Stripe automatically transfers donation funds from your Stripe account to your bank account based on the transfer schedule listed on your dashboard.
In the US and Australia, transfers will be automatically completed every two business days. However, your first transfer may take a little longer (around 7 days). In most other countries, transfers are set to be completed every 7 business days.
For more information about the exact transfer time in your country, click here. You can also log in to Stripe with your Stripe email and password to access a summary of your past and upcoming transfers on your Stripe dashboard, as shown below.
For more information and details, check out our FAQ to help you start collecting online donations with Donorbox.
Raviraj heads the sales and marketing team at Donorbox. His growth-hacking abilities have helped Donorbox boost fundraising efforts for thousands of nonprofit organizations.
