FAQ
General FAQ
Q. What is NH Gives?
Hosted by the NH Center for Nonprofits, NH Gives is the state's largest day-of-giving - bringing together hundreds of nonprofits and tens of thousands of donors to raise as much money and awareness as possible for the causes served by NH's nonprofit sector.
It is 24-hours for Granite Staters to give back to the nonprofits that give so much to our communities every day. Since 2016, the NH Gives annual event has raised over $15 million for more than 1,000 New Hampshire nonprofit organizations.
Q. When is NH Gives?
NH Gives begins on 5 PM on June 11 and ends on 5 PM on June 12.
Q. Who is the NH Center for Nonprofits and what is their role?
The NH Center for Nonprofits (the Center) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, statewide association dedicated to providing programs and resources that support nonprofit organizational capacity building and to partnering with sector leaders, businesses, and the broader community to elevate the visibility and status of the nonprofit sector.
The Center acts as the giving day host. We partner with Bonterra Giving Days to provide a single robust site that features hundreds of nonprofits, giving Granite Staters an easy way to find a cause to support. The Center engages funders, businesses and media partners to support the activities involved in the giving day and to increase the visibility for this initiative across the state. The Center also screens all nonprofit applicants so that donors can feel confident that any organization on the NH Gives site is a tax-exempt organization eligible to receive tax-deductible donations.
Services provided by the Center also include:
- All eligible participating nonprofits get access to tips, templates, video tutorials, and e-newsletters that point you directly to what you need.
- All eligible participating nonprofits benefit from the media partnerships that we solicit, the press releases that we distribute and the ads placed in key media during critical times.
- All eligible participating nonprofits have access to free or low cost live webinars related to strategy and tactics for a successful giving day.
- All eligible participating nonprofits can benefit from some less formal learning opportunities in the form of virtual NH Gives Coffee Hours.
Q. Who is Bonterra Giving Days and what is their role?
GiveGab is now Bonterra Giving Days. It is an online giving platform that helps nonprofits raise money, engage donors, and manage volunteers quickly and efficiently. Bonterra Giving Days offers a full portfolio of simple and easy-to-use products that allow organizations to function in a more streamlined manner. Your profile on Bonterra Giving Days is available 365 days a year for fundraising and volunteer management should you choose to use it beyond the giving day.
Bonterra Giving Days is there to support nonprofits and their donors through the blue chat bubble on any page of NH Gives. They are also behind the scenes working hard to make sure that when we get $1 million dollars in donations in 5 minutes the site doesn't crash.
Q. Is the website available in other languages?
We suggest using Google Chrome and using the translate options to change the website to the preferred language.
Nonprofit FAQ
Q. Is my organization eligible to participate?
Eligible organizations are:
- 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations headquartered or providing services in New Hampshire.
- Registered with the NH Charitable Trusts Unit.
- Additional documentation may be required to verify the eligibility of:
- Fiscally sponsored organizations
- Religious entities
- School entities not required to register or file with the IRS
- Subordinate nonprofits
Q. Why should my organization participate?
NH Gives is a great way to boost your organization’s fundraising efforts. NH Gives provides eligible nonprofits the opportunity to reach potential new donors and provides the type of visibility that only a state-wide effort of this type can generate. To make the most of these efforts your organization should ensure that your profile is up-to-date on the site well ahead of NH Gives and is custom-branded to tell your story. Learn more about using the tools.
Q. How can my nonprofit participate?
Prior to applying to participate, we encourage you to visit our pre-application preparation page which outlines the information that you will need and the next steps to take.
The first step in the process for nonprofits is to complete the application to participate and pay the non-refundable fee. The NH Center for Nonprofits and Bonterra Giving Days will then confirm your eligibility to participate.
In addition to the eligibility requirements listed above, your organization must enter your banking information and be verified to accept donations prior to your profile getting final approval and being published to the site.
Please be sure that you have read and understand the pre-application page prior to filling out the application and paying the non-refundable fee.
Q. What is the deadline to ensure my participation in NH Gives?
The deadline is May 23. No applications will be accepted after May 23. Your eligibility will need to be confirmed prior to June 1 in order for your profile to be available on the day of giving.
Fees
Q. How much does it cost?
There is a non-refundable application fee of $50 for NH Gives 2024.
Q. Are there other fees?
Campaign Management fee:
- Bonterra Giving Days retains a 3.5% campaign management fee from all donations.
Processing fees:
- Credit Card processing fees (including mobile wallet) are 2.5% + $0.30.
- ACH Transfer fees are a flat fee of $3.00 per donation. The donation minimum for ACH donations is $100.
Donors are given the option to cover these fees and in past years approximately 70% of them have. If they cover the processing fees, 100% of their intended online charitable gift will go to your organization.
Q. Can I continue to accept donations via Bonterra Giving Days beyond NH Gives?
Any donations processed outside of the Giving Day donation period through GiveGab.com, or subsequent recurring donations, are also subject to the transaction fees outlined above. The donation period for NH Gives is from 5pm on June 11 through 11:59pm on June 14, 2024.
Administrative Questions
Q. How can we learn more about running a successful giving day?
The Center will be hosting educational webinars related to strategy and tactics. Visit our Trainings page for more information on the dates, times and details. Members of the NH Center for Nonprofits will have access to all online trainings at no charge and a 50% discount for in-person trainings. There will be a fee for each training for not-yet-members. To learn about becoming a member of the Center and supporting capacity building programs, advocacy for the sector and initiatives like NH Gives, visit our nonprofit membership page.
Q. Can more than one person claim admin access on our organization’s page?
Yes, pending approval from existing administrators. All administrators will need to create profiles on the platform. Every person who has administrative access will receive emails about updates to their page. If you do not have access to any of the existing admin accounts, please use the blue chat bubble to get assistance from Bonterra Giving Days.
Q. When will we receive the donated funds?
- Organizations will receive all online donations, less any uncovered processing fees, within 5-7 business days via direct deposit. Organizations will likely see several deposits over a few days rather than only one. Bonterra Giving Days uses a PCI Level I compliant payment service to ensure that all financial data is secure.
- Each organization is responsible for collecting any matching dollars or challenges that they secured for their organization.
Q. How does an organization know who has donated and how much? Can I download a donations report?
All organizations that participate in NH Gives will be able to access and download a .CSV file of their donations via their administrative dashboard on GiveGab. The report is updated in real-time and will include the donation payout date for bank account reconciliation, donation information (including a breakdown of the fees), and the donor's name and contact information. Click here to learn more about your donation report.
Q. Will my donors receive donation receipts?
A formal email tax acknowledgment from the event will be sent automatically as soon as the donation is made. The credit card statement will show a charge for each organization that the donor supported. It will show the name of the organization that was donated to, but this name may be truncated which has caused some confusion in the past. For added convenience, donors who give to multiple organizations at the same time will be able to get a consolidated receipt!
If your donor needs another copy of their email tax acknowledgement, you can resend it from your giving day dashboard.
Q. How can our organization be most successful with the NH Gives event?
Check out our tips in the Nonprofit Toolkit or attend a webinar or workshop.
Q. Why do you require the personal information from a representative of the organization in order to accept donations?
Bonterra Giving Days is an online platform that collects, processes, and distributes money in the form of donations from supporters to organizations, and they fall under certain regulations, in particular, for US based organizations, they are required to abide by the compliance laws that are part of the Patriot Act.
In short, Bonterra Giving Days needs to verify that the individual who is signing up an organization to collect donations, is who they say they are and is authorized to do so. And, we need to verify that the organization is a legitimately registered corporation. Collecting this information helps us streamline donation processing and payouts with our underlying payment processor (Stripe) and the financial institutions that they work with. More importantly, we have a duty to our users that when they choose to support a cause with a monetary gift, that money is going where they expect it to go! You can read a full explanation here, including how this information is stored.
Recently, new verification requirements were passed in the United States by financial regulators that enforce Know Your Customer (KYC) rules. This additional information is required to help create a safer and more secure financial ecosystem by helping prevent crimes like money laundering, fraud, and tax evasion. Because these requirements come from financial regulators, such as governmental entities and card networks, any platform that accepts online payments will need to comply.
In order to comply, organizations participating in NH Gives that have previously been verified to receive donations on Bonterra Giving Days may need to provide additional information to maintain their verification status. If additional information is required of your organization, Bonterra Giving Days will be reaching out with instructions on how to view and provide that information through a secure portal.
Q. What is your policy on other giving platforms?
The spirit of NH Gives is to broadcast our state’s nonprofit stories and for organizations to engage with donors in a truly meaningful way. We kindly ask you not to use other giving platforms (Facebook Fundraisers, Paypal, etc.) outside of the NH Gives platform (through Bonterra Giving Days) while still promoting your campaign as if you were a NH Give participant.
When you use other giving platforms, we do not have a true reflection of NH’s generous contributions as those funds are not included in the grand total and the organizations’ personal goals.
The teams at the NH Center for Nonprofits and Bonterra Giving Days work very hard to make the day an easy way for donors to give and an effective way for nonprofits to tell their story. A lot of time and thought goes into making the best day for NH’s nonprofits.
The more organizations that do not use the NH Gives platform – but still benefit from the marketing and general buzz of the day – the less leverage the NH Gives team has to promote this 24-hour statewide fundraiser.
We want each nonprofit to collect as many funds as they possibly can and to educate the state on all the amazing work you do. We ask you to please be respectful of NH Gives as a whole and to support the efforts taken to raise money and awareness for NH nonprofits.
Donor FAQ
Q. Which organizations can participate?
Organizations that are verified 501(c)(3) charitable nonprofits that are headquartered or provide services in New Hampshire. The NH Gives team and Bonterra Giving Days work to verify each nonprofit so that donors can trust that each organization on the platform is a nonprofit in good standing with the IRS and the NH Charitable Trusts Unit.
Q. What if my preferred organization is not listed?
If you can't find them on the site, they may not be participating in the event this year. Please encourage the nonprofit to contact us so we can be sure they are ready for next year.
Q. Why should I give through NH Gives as opposed to giving directly to the organization?
The NH Gives team always supports giving directly to the nonprofit of your choice, and that’s why we’ve designed a platform that will allow you to easily give to one or more local nonprofits on the big day.
Here are the top reasons to give through NH Gives:
SPOTLIGHT ON NONPROFITS - Each year, NH Gives helps raise awareness for the local nonprofit sector. By coming together as one community on one day, we can leverage our resources to promote all the good work nonprofits are doing in our region!
SUPPORT - NH Gives exists to support, equip, and serve the local nonprofit community through workshops, best practices, tools and templates that can be used to raise support year-round. Our goal is to equip every organization in NH with the tools they need to fulfill their important missions.
LEVERAGE - Each year, NH Gives provides prize money to organizations that participate in the event. This money is spread among the different size participants and enables organizations to maximize their efforts. Nonprofits are also encouraged to seek a matching gift for their campaign. This gives them the opportunity to leverage donations during the day and incentivize them to meet the match(es).
COMMUNITY & FRIENDLY COMPETITION - Giving is contagious and by creating an entire event dedicated to supporting our local nonprofits via social sharing, we can come together as a community and encourage our friends and family to give to the causes we love the most.
About your donation
Q. What forms of payment are accepted?
Donations can be made via credit card (MasterCard, Visa, Discover and American Express) or via the mobile wallet option on your device (Apple Pay, Google Pay, Microsoft Pay). Minimum donation via credit card or mobile wallet is $5.
You can also make a donation directly from your bank account (ACH Transfer). Minimum donation via ACH Transfer $100. You can learn more about using your bank account for your donation by viewing this article.
Q. How much of my donation goes to the nonprofit?
Bonterra Giving Days retains a 3.5% campaign management fee from all donations. Credit Card processing fees (including mobile wallet transactions) are an additional 2.5% + $0.30. You are given the option to cover the fees and if you choose this option, 100% of your online charitable gift will go to the receiving organization. All donations are final and cannot be refunded.
The NH Center for Nonprofits does not receive any portion of the donation.
Q. How will donations be distributed?
Each donation made to a participating nonprofit will be disbursed directly from Bonterra Giving Days via direct deposit within 5-7 business days.
Q. Who will receive my contact information?
The organization(s) you choose to support will have access to your name, mailing address and email address. This information is used by the organizations solely to send thank you messages, provide the option to receive future notifications, and to notify you of future activities. The NH Center for Nonprofits has access to this information as well, but does not use personal donor information in any way. You will never be contacted by the NH Center for Nonprofits because of your donation(s) to NH Gives and the Center will never distribute, sell, or lease your information to any third‐parties.
You have the option to make your donation anonymous. Anonymous donations will be displayed as "Anonymous." on the organization's page. The organization receiving the donation will still have access to your name and email address.
Q. Do I need to create an account with Bonterra Giving Days?
No, you do not need to create an account to make a donation. The benefits of creating an account include having your tax receipts collected in one location, and being able to track your donations. Your tax receipt is emailed immediately upon processing your donation. To claim a donation as a deduction on U.S. taxes, you should retain the donation receipt as an official record.
Q. Can I make donations via a mobile device?
Yes! Simply visit https://www.nhgives.org on your mobile device.
Q. Can I pre-schedule a donation for NH Gives?
Donations cannot be scheduled ahead of time. The donation window will open at 5pm on June 11. The giving day activities/prizes/matches will be active between that time and 5pm on June 12. If you miss that window, you will still be able to donate through the end of the day on Friday, June 14.
Q. What portion of a donation made on during NH Gives is tax deductible?
Tax deductibility for a donor is based on giving to a nonprofit; it's not dependent upon how that nonprofit uses the funds. On Bonterra Giving Days, the nonprofit pays for the fees, regardless if the donor elects to cover. Bonterra Giving Days gives donors the option to increase their donation by an amount equal to the fees the nonprofit will pay so that the nonprofit realizes the full amount of the intended donation after payment of the fees. Just because the donor is given this option does not make the additional amount non-deductible.
Ultimately, whether a donor decides to deduct the fees as a donation on their tax returns is their option, and we do not provide tax advice. Please consult a tax professional about what portion of the full donation amount can be claimed as a charitable contribution.
Fundraising Champions (Peer-to-Peer Campaigns)
Q: How can I create a giving campaign for the organization of my choice?
All you need to do is search for the organization on our system and click the Fundraise button. After that, an email will be delivered to your inbox with all the instructions you need to get started.
Q: Do individuals who create their own champion pages also need to pay a participation fee?
No. The participation is only paid once, and it is paid by the participating organization.
Q: Do gifts made to champion pages count toward prizes?
Yes! Champion pages act as sub-pages to the organization’s account. This means that every online dollar your friends give to your champion page rolls up to the nonprofit. That means more money raised, more opportunities for prizes, and more donors to meet!