Understanding Payment Options for Your Campaign

Offering convenient and clear payment options is crucial for a smooth donor experience and successful fundraising. We provide several methods to cater to different preferences, though some require more manual oversight than others. This guide will help you understand each option.

Stripe (Credit/Debit Card) - Recommended

We highly recommend Stripe for processing online payments. It's the most seamless, secure, and efficient method for both you and your donors.

• Easy for Donors: Supporters can quickly and securely pay using their credit or debit cards without leaving your campaign page.
• Automatic Reconciliation: Payments are automatically tracked and marked as paid in your dashboard. No manual matching needed!
• Secure & Reliable: Stripe is a global leader in online payments, ensuring top-notch security for all transactions.
• Faster Payouts: Funds collected via Stripe are typically processed and paid out to you more quickly.

Encouraging your supporters to use card payments via Stripe will save you significant administrative time and reduce the risk of errors.

Bank Transfer

Bank transfers allow supporters to send funds directly from their bank account to an account you specify. While this option is available, it involves manual effort on your part.

• How it Works: Donors are provided with your designated bank account number and a unique reference code for their specific contribution.
• Crucial Reference Code: Supporters must use the exact reference code provided when making their transfer. Without it, matching the payment to the donor can be very difficult or impossible.
• Manual Reconciliation Required: You will need to regularly check your bank statements, identify incoming transfers, match them to contributions using the reference code, and then manually mark those contributions as paid in your dashboard.

To mark a payment as paid: Navigate to your Raised Dashboard, select the fundraiser, select "View all orders", click "Manage" on the order you want to mark as paid, select "Modify" next to "Payment Status", check "Paid" and save this.

You will want to check you have received the funds in your bank account before marking as paid.

Consider bank transfers for specific situations where donors prefer it, but be prepared for the additional administrative work involved in tracking and reconciling these payments.

Cash Payments

Accepting cash can be useful for in-person fundraising events or for supporters who prefer not to pay online. However, like bank transfers, this method requires careful manual management.

• How it Works: When a supporter commits to paying in cash, their contribution can be recorded in the system. It is your responsibility to then collect the physical cash from the supporter.
• Manual Collection & Tracking: You must arrange cash collection, keep accurate records of who has paid, and then manually update the contribution status in your dashboard.
• Security & Handling: Be mindful of the security implications of handling and storing cash.

Cash is best suited for controlled environments like events. Ensure you have a robust system for tracking and reconciling these payments to maintain accurate campaign records.

Key Considerations

• Prioritize Stripe: For ease of use, security, and minimal administration, always encourage Stripe (credit/debit card) payments where possible.
• Be Prepared for Manual Work: If offering bank transfer or cash, allocate time for manual reconciliation and diligent record-keeping.
• Clear Instructions for Donors: If using manual methods, ensure donors receive very clear instructions, especially regarding reference codes for bank transfers.