What's a beneficiary? 💸
A beneficiary is an entity (an organization on Givebutter) who is designated to automatically receive funds raised by someone else (you). Adding a beneficiary for your campaign means that you can send funds raised on your own campaign straight to another organization's Givebutter account.
How it works 💵
On your own Givebutter account, you create a new campaign.
Send us your information, as detailed in the adding a beneficiary section below.
We must receive written confirmation from the beneficiary organization that they wish to opt into this connection. Their confirmation must come from an email address with admin or editor access on their Givebutter account.
Once approved by the beneficiary, we will make the connection (from your campaign to the beneficiary's Givebutter account). You can then begin raising funds!
As funds are raised, they will not appear in your account's Payouts page – they will appear directly in the beneficiary's Givebutter account for withdrawal to their own connected payout method.
Beneficiaries are connected per-campaign, and they do not apply to your entire Givebutter account. If you have multiple campaigns you would like to direct to beneficiaries, you will need to request these separately.
Adding a beneficiary ⚙️
Please first make sure that the organization you want to fundraise for also has an account on Givebutter, then contact us via email with the following details:
Your own Givebutter account login email
The campaign URL you wish to link to the beneficiary
Confirm the beneficiary account name (this is often the name of the organization)
Copy a member of the beneficiary's team in the email to approve the connection (they must be an admin or editor on their Givebutter account)
Beneficiary connections can only be made prior to raising funds on a campaign. If you intend to make a beneficiary connection, DO NOT start accepting donations until the connection is made.
Beneficiary FAQ 🤔
How can I see if my beneficiary organization already has a Givebutter account?
We cannot verify if an organization has an account on Givebutter. We recommend getting in touch with your contact at the organization directly if you aren't sure.
My beneficiary organization isn't on Givebutter!
You won't be able to set up a beneficiary campaign unless the beneficiary also has a Givebutter account. You can prompt the organization to create an account and connect up their payout information, or collect the funds yourself and write the beneficiary a check at the end of the campaign (please consult a tax professional about your tax liability in this case).
Is the name of the beneficiary shown anywhere on the campaign page?
Yes! The name of the beneficiary account will appear under the campaign's cover image, beneath the campaign organizer.
Does a beneficiary account need to be a verified nonprofit?
No, a beneficiary does not need to be a verified nonprofit on Givebutter. If they are a verified nonprofit, the beneficiary account name will also include their EIN, as shown above.
Does Givebutter give introductions? Can I pick a nonprofit beneficiary from a list?
We do not provide contact information for potential beneficiary accounts using our platform. Beneficiary connections often rely on the originating account having an existing contact at the beneficiary organization. Please see our feature request for searching and adding any verified nonprofit as a beneficiary.
I'm not affiliated with the nonprofit organization I want to raise money for. Can I still use Givebutter to fundraise for them?
It depends. If your business or organization is fundraising for a nonprofit, you can use Givebutter and add the nonprofit as your beneficiary, or collect and disburse funds independently. If you're fundraising as an individual, you'll either need to set up the nonprofit as a beneficiary, or invite someone from the nonprofit organization to be a user on your account so we can confirm the connection between your fundraiser and the nonprofit.