Charity Fundraising through Personal Web Pages

YourCause.com Frequently Asked Questions Corporate User? Click Here

How do I sign up and start a cause?

First click on the “sign up now” or “free membership” link to become a member on YourCause.com, then fill in the appropriate information and begin championing a cause.

What is a “cause” and how does it relate to a charity?

On YourCause.com, a cause is a personal campaign, goal or mission to empower and fundraise for a 501(c)(3) approved charity (or charities) of your choice.

By creating a cause, you will be part of a growing online community of caring people who wish to promote and advocate their cause through an online medium. With a Cause page you can create an event, fundraise for charities, share your link, email blast your friends and more. Your cause lets you champion a charity and help make a difference in the world…all through your computer screen!

For example:

If you choose to support Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, your “cause” may be ‘Finding a cure to end cancer’ or ‘Raising awareness about prevention of breast cancer.’ In conclusion, all money you’ve raised will go directly to Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation.

Can I raise money for myself or for personal earnings?

No, all funds go directly to selected 501(c)(3) IRS-registered charities. If you are looking to raise money for personal earnings, we suggest a website like www.microgiving.com.

How do I find a Charity I am looking for?

There are a couple ways to search for a charity:

Search by a charity’s EIN number (tax exempt ID number). This is the most precise way to find your charity. Click the magnifying button at the top right corner of YourCause.com. You will then be directed toward the search page. Next, click on the “Search by EIN” tab, input the nine digit number with no dashes and search.
By charity name, search using the search field at the top right corner of the homepage or by going to the search page and clicking on “Charity Name.”

Tips:

Remove any punctuation, such as apostrophes, dashes, commas and periods;
Use variations of a word: type “St” instead of “Saint” or try “&” instead of “and”
If you know where the charity is located, sort by state to narrow the results. In addition, you may filter by IRS designated categories.

Note:Our database search only consists of public charities recognized by the U.S. Internal Revenue Service (IRS) as tax-exempt under section 501(C)(3). In addition, a charity must be registered with our database partner, GuideStar.org to be on YourCause.com. If you still can’t find a charity, we will be glad to help with your search at Charity@yourcause.com.

How do I find a specific branch of a charity or make donations to a specific designation within the charity?

Once you have entered the name of the charity in the search field (placed in the top right corner on the homepage), you can narrow down the charity’s branches by selecting the charity’s state location in the advance search.

Note:Some charities will have individual Tax/EIN numbers for each branch. However, other charities (like the LEUKEMIA & LYMPHOMA SOCIETY INC ) do not set up individual branches separately and will only return one search result. If that is the case, before making a donation, you should specify the branch in the designation field on the donation form (for example, THE NORTH TEXAS CHAPTER). That way, the charity knows which branch to designate the funds to. Also, we recommend you specify in your cause description that you would like your donors to designate a specific branch on the donation page to ensure that that is where the donations are distributed.

The charity I selected has the wrong category assigned to it — how do I change it?

Only the nonprofit administrator can make that change. To become a nonprofit administrator, proof of affiliation with the charity is required for security purposes. Please fax or email the charity’s 501(c)(3) form to (214)889-4200 or Charity@yourcause.com to gain nonprofit administrator access.

Can I add a charity?

Yes, you may make a request to add a charity to our database. Before you make a request, we ask that you:

Try searching by the charity’s registered name and EIN number.
Validate that the charity is a 501(c)(3) certified organization.
Register the charity with GuideStar.org if it is not yet registered.

The above prerequisites are necessary before requesting to add it to YourCause.com. If not completed, our team will be unable to add it. If you still cannot find your charity, send an email to Charity@YourCause.com with the charity’s EIN number and charity name as registered with the IRS.

My Account Information

Why am I having trouble signing in?

Check to make sure you are entering your information exactly as you did when you registered - your User ID and password are Case-sensitive.

If you still have problems, please contact our customer service team at (972)755-3950 or visit our contact page to send an e-mail.

Change or recover login and/or password

I forgot my login or password. How do I recover it?

The Sign In page offers a link to reset your password. You will need the email address you registered with and the exact answer to your secret question. You will receive an email with your User ID and a link to reset your password.
How do I change my password or User ID?

Once you are signed in, click on ‘Reset Password’ under Admin Tools. You cannot change your User ID.
How do I change my email address?

Once you are signed in, click on ‘My Account’ and change your email address under Review/Edit Personal Info. Click Save to save changes.

How do I cancel my account?

Please send a cancelation request to accounts@yourcause.com. All premium membership users will be downgraded to a basic, free account unless otherwise requested.

My Cause Page

What are the guidelines for a cause page?

YourCause’s mission is to provide a community that empowers our members to raise awareness and garner support. As a part of that, we do require that all causes posted within our community do not (unintentionally or intentionally) offend others, or even run the risk of offending others. In addition, YourCause.com prides itself in the fact that all donations go directly to 501(c)(3) certified nonprofits. Therefore, please do not attempt to raise funds for personal earnings. We suggest going to microgiving.com if that is your intent.

Please also review our Terms of Use.

What are all the feature applications I can use for my profile?

YourCause users are able personalize their profile with photos, blogs, videos, favorite charities, related sources and external links. In addition, user can upload volunteer opportunities and upcoming events.

What makes a cause page complete and effective?

YourCause’s web 2.0 tools enable you to personalize your cause and interact with your social networks: photos, blogging, videos, theme color, events, favorite charities etc. Complete information and use of the web 2.0 tools will create an ideal cause page.

Try a catchy headline, and personalize your profile with a story and/or quote
Keep your profile up-to-date and refreshed to garner interest
Upload a personal photo of yourself or a cause-related image (ex. a photo of your cat adopted from the SPCA)

What is my cause page URL?

Your URL is www.yourcause.com/User ID

Can I link to more than one charity?

Yes, you are able to link up to five charities. Also, you can select your primary cause by clicking on “edit” in your supported organizations section on your cause page.

Change, adds or edits within your page

How do I change or edit my cause profile and/or about me?

To change your cause page, refer to your admin tools on the left of your profile and click on “edit my cause.” From there, click on the “edit” button of the sections you wish to change or add new information.

To change your “About Me,” click on the designated tab on the top of your profile and click on the “edit” button of the sections you wish to change or add new information.

How do I change or edit my recipient charity?

Refer to your admin tools on the left of your profile, and click on “my charities” to select which charity you would like to support, favor and/or delete.

How do I add my favorite charities?

You can add an unlimited amount of your favorite charities by clicking on “add to my charities” from the charity’s profile and will be able to manage your favorite and supported causes with check boxes on the charity management page.

YourCause Community and Social Network

What is Cause Connect?

Cause Connect is your network of friends. Once a member has accepted your request, connected causes can email each other, post messages of support, add personal testimonials and much more.

What is the best way to develop a good list of supporters?

With the power of the web, garner cause support by e-mailing your friends. Refer to your admin tools on the left of your profile and click on “e-mail your friends” to get started.

Also, promote your cause through social media (i.e. facebook, myspace, twitter, etc.). To share your cause with your social network, click on the ‘share’ button at the top of your profile next to your cause title. Then choose which social media outlet you would like to use to promote your cause.

What can I do on other member's cause pages?

The purpose of a social network is to connect, communicate and support other members and their causes. There are several things you can do to interact on the cause pages of others:

Cause Connect and make friends
Add a member’s charity to your Favorites
Add Personal Testimonials
Post messages of support
Rate the member
Donate to their cause
Share their cause with the world wide web and friends

How do I share my cause profile on Facebook, Myspace, Twitter etc.?

If you want to share your cause page through e-mail and/or social networks, click on the “cause” tab of your profile and click on the “share button” placed in your cause title.

Donations

Why donate through YourCause.com?

It's easier and quicker than writing a check and putting it in the mail
Automatically, you receive an emailed receipt for tax-purposes (from NetworkForGood.org, our transaction partner)
Processing fees are extremely low and go toward a nonprofit (NetworkForGood.org)
You are helping to support someone’s cause
You join our campaign to become the largest community of caring people

Does YourCause.com take any percentage of donations as profit?

Absolutely not! We keep our doors open through advertising and our corporate program.

Who pays for the donation processing fees?

The processing costs for completing your transaction and disbursing the funds to your selected charity is just one of the many costs Network for Good (a nonprofit helping nonprofits) incurs as part of their mission of supporting nonprofits in their fundraising efforts. A 4.75% grant is made to Network for Good with each donation transaction to fund their mission. You can deduct that grant amount from your base donation amount. Alternatively, you can add a tax deductible 4.75% grant to your donation so that 100% of your donation is granted to your charity. Either way, the full amount of your donation is tax deductible.

Is my donation transaction secure?

YourCause.com uses industry-leading Secure Socket Layer (SSL) technology to keep your personal information as secure as possible. YourCause.com helps to protect your information by working with partners that provide a secure and safe environment for credit card donations. Please see our Privacy Policy for more information.

Can I donate directly to a charity?

Yes, absolutely. Visit the charity's profile page and “Click Donate Now”.

How do I make a donation to someone's cause?

If the user is a premium member, just click on the Donate Now button under their profile photo on their cause page. The donation will be displayed on their page.

If the member is a basic member and does not have a Donate Now button on their cause page, go to the person’s cause page, click on ‘View This Charity’ under the Recipient Charity and click the ‘Donate Now’ button. This will ensure that your donation goes toward their cause.

Can I specify to a charity where I want my donation to be designated to?

Yes. When you are ready to make a donation, the form will have dedication and designation fields for you to enter your requests. This allows you to specify how you would like to have your donation used or to give a gift on someone’s behalf. Can I donate anonymously?

Yes, the donation page has a check box to anonymously donate if you wish to do so.

Are you capable of making a donation to a cause without registering for a YourCause membership?

Yes, if you would like to make a quick donation, you can click on “donate now” on a charity’s profile. You will be asked to fill out your billing and payment information, and there is a designation and a dedication box to specify how you would like to have the donation distributed.

When will a charity receive my donation?

All donations are sent out to charities on the 15th of each month for the previous month. For example, donations made from April 1st to April 30th will be sent out on May 15th. The check or funds sent will be from Network For Good, who processes all donations. It can take from two to six weeks for an organization to receive the check (depending on when in the month the donation was made). The check is accumulative per month and includes an itemized statement with specific information for each individual donation.

Is my donation tax-deductable?

Yes, donations are 100% tax deductible to the full extent allowed by law because every charity in our database is qualified to receive tax deductible donations under the Internal Revenue Service rules.

Will I get a receipt for my donation?

When you make an online donation, a donation receipt will be automatically emailed to you from Network for Good. When you file your taxes, you will need to itemize your donations on Schedule A of the 1040 form. You can download this form and the instructions for how to fill it out from the IRS Web site.

How can I confirm that I have made a donation to a free member if their cause page does not display my donation?

On your own ‘About Me’ page, your donations will show under “My Donations.” Your donation might also display on the charity's profile page under “Most Recent Donations” if you were one of the last users to make a donation.

Can I raise donations for a race or walk I am participating in?

You can raise donations for a race or walk through our event module. From your cause page, click on the fourth tab named “Events” and click “add” from the upcoming events column to begin fundraising for your event.

If I decide to change my charity on my cause page will the donations be effected?

Once a donation is made to your recipient charity, a transaction is automatically processed—allowing you to change your charity at any time while ensuring previous donations have already been processed.

Nonprofit Administrators

What does a Nonprofit Administrator do?

A nonprofit administrator gains administrator access to the charity page they are affiliated with. This means they can access the charity page 24-7 and edit it accustomed to YourCause.com terms of use. Also, your original YourCause.com membership gets bumped up to premium for free! This means more admin and fundraising tools at your fingertips!

What are the benefits of administrator access?

The following are a few benefits:

FREE full-page web profile you can update yourself with photos, events, goal tracker and more.
Automatic gift receipts sent by Network for Good, our transaction partner.
Donations distributed to you by check or EFT on the 15th of each month.
Access to a personalized goal tracker
Ability to see who your donors are, reach out to philanthropists and link with new people.
FREE promotional web space for nonprofits

Here’s a .pdf to guide to help you apply the benefits to your charity page.

How do I become an administrator for my charity?

Two quick steps to become an administrator for your charity:

Send us your IRS 501(c)(3) determination letter to validate your administrative eligibility to Charity@yourcause.com or FAX (214)889-4200. We only support IRS-registered 501(c)(3) organizations.
Make sure your organization is listed on Guidestar.org. If you’re not located in their database, please register at (https://commerce.guidestar.org/GuideStar/newaccount.aspx). We pull our information from their database, which is a trusted source of nonprofit records.

I work for a nonprofit but can’t find my charity on YourCause.com. How do I request to add it?

If you represent a 501(c)(3) certified organization and wish to empower caring people to raise awareness and funds for your nonprofit organization finish the following steps:

Validate your nonprofit organization is included within the NetworkForGood.org and GuideStar.org database. If so, continue to next step. If not, please register with GuideStar.org (it’s free)
Then, sign up with YourCause.com for a FREE membership.
Click “Submit” and register your nonprofit organization.
Discover exciting, new ways to expand your online relationships and attract new donors.

From the back end, we will receive a request to add a charity and make sure it is listed within the GuideStar.org and NetworkForGood.org database. If it is, we will add it to our database and send you a link to your new charity page. However, to be able to edit that charity page, (add photos, events, etc.) send your charity’ 501(c)(3) to Charity@yourcause.com.

Why does my charity have to be registered with NetworkForGood.org and GuideStar.org?

They are both partners of ours.

GuideStar.org provides us with records of more than 1.5 million organizations classified as 501(c)(3) by the Internal Revenue Service. GuideStar verifies that each organization is qualified under IRS rules to receive tax-deductible contributions. If an organization is not listed with GuideStar.org, we assume they are not 501c3 approved or eligible to receive tax-deductible donations through YourCause.com NetworkForGood.org is our transaction partner. Network For Good is a nonprofit that helps other nonprofits process donations online. If your charity is not listed with NetworkForGood.org they cannot receive donations on our site.

I’ve sent in my 501(c)(3) and gained administrator access, but how do I sign in to the charity page?

Sign in as you would normally, with your original User ID and password. Remember they are both case sensitive. To access your charity page, simply go to its page and begin editing.

How do I promote my charity page?

To be featured as our daily charity, send an email to Charity@yourcause.com or Help@yourcause.com. For a full day, your charity will be given prime real estate within our charity page, attracting viewers and publicity.
With the power of the web, garner charity awareness by e-mailing your friends. Refer to your admin tools on the left of your profile and click on “e-mail your friends” to get started.
Also, promote your cause through social media (i.e. facebook, myspace, twitter, etc.). To share your charity with your social network, click on the ‘share’ button at the top of your profile next to your charity title. Then choose which social media outlet you would like to use to promote your cause.
We recommend using innovative ways, like adding the yourcause.com charity page link within signatures and emails to spread awareness.

Miscellaneous

What does YourCause.com do to help support members?

YourCause.com is proud to be your partner in making a difference that matters. In addition to supply you with online tools and features, we support you by featuring causes daily. Our homepage slideshow proudly displays several randomly chosen members’ causes. Each cause is featured with a cause-related background image to attract viewer’s attention to your cause. YourCause.com also features a member cause each day on the ‘Causes’ page and a different charity each day on the ‘Charities’ page.

How does a charity get on your Website?

Non-profit listings featured on YourCause.com originate from the GuideStar database that contains records on more than 1.5 million organizations classified as 501(C)(3) by the Internal Revenue Service. GuideStar verifies that each organization is qualified under IRS rules to receive tax-deductible contributions. While we attempt to provide as much information as possible, we encourage you to do research about any charity you chose to support or promote.