Is this donation secure?

Firstgiving is committed to maintaining the highest possible standards of data security. We have implemented key international standards of best practice in online and data security.

Thousands of non-profits outsource their transaction security to us. It is our top priority to ensure that transaction data is kept secure at all times.

We take an active role in the overall reduction of identity theft and fraud on the internet by guaranteeing the security of our IT systems, personnel and infrastructure.

Our staff is trained in all aspects of web application security, including infrastructure vulnerabilities, cross-site scripting, secure data storage, and using the software development life cycle to maintain and improve security.

Firstgiving has been certified PCI compliant by Trustwave, an official Visa Qualified Security Assessor. This means our systems and services comply with the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard and that we actively protect our customers' identities, personal information and financial details.

 

For more information, please visit Firstgiving Security Policy.

Does it cost anything to make a donation?

No, Firstgiving’s services are free for fundraisers and donors. Firstgiving takes a small transaction fee before sending the donation to your nonprofit.

What form of payment can I use to make a donation?

Firstgiving accepts MasterCard, VISA, American Express, or Discover debit or credit cards.

Can I make a donation if I live outside USA?

Yes, you can donate to a fundraising page with a MasterCard, Visa, American Express, or Discover debit or credit card, but not an international debit card. Please note, all donations made to a fundraising page are in US dollars.

How do I make a donation via personal check?

If you prefer to make an offline donation, please contact the fundraiser. Firstgiving only processes online donations.

I do not want to be solicited by Firstgiving, what should I do?

When you make a donation, if you do not want to receive communication from Firstgiving, please contact us at support@firstgiving.com and we will change the status of your record.

After this, the only e-mails you will receive from Firstgiving are 1) to confirm your donation submission and 2) once your donation has been processed.

Also be sure to review our privacy policy

Please note that we do share your contact information with the nonprofit so that you get recognition and for tax purposes. You may want to contact the nonprofit as well, to make sure they don't share your information or solicit you.

After you have submitted your credit card information, the next page titled Please confirm your donation has a text field located at the bottom of the screen titled display name.

If you do not want your name to display on your friend's fundraising page, replace your name with something else ("anonymous" or "a friend" are most common) and click confirm.

Please note - Your real name will be shared with the page owner in their secure online account and also with the organization for which they are raising funds. For more information, please visit our privacy policy.

What causes a card validation error?

There could be a number of reasons why you are unable to proceed. Please check all of the following:

1. Are you using a VISA, MasterCard, American Express or Discover card? These are the only forms of payment you can use to make a donation via a Firstgiving fundraising page.
2. Are you using an international debit card? Firstgiving’s system is not set-up to take international debit cards, even if it has VISA, MasterCard, American Express or Discover functionality.
3. Have you entered spaces in the card number box? If so, please remove them.

If you are still having issues making a donation, please contact us at support@firstgiving.com.

My company can provide a matching gift, what do I do?

If your company runs a matching gift program, here's how to make sure that your company pitches in and matches your donation:

1. Ask your Human Resources Department for their instructions regarding matching gifts (they may have a paper form for you to fill out or a web address for you to visit).
2. Look at the instructions to make sure you know what information you'll have to fill in. Contact the fundraiser you donated to and ask them for the nonprofit’s information (nonprofit name and address, contact name, phone number, etc).
3. Fill in the nonprofit information according to your Human Resources Department instructions. For proof of your donation, Firstgiving sends you an email titled Donation Acknowledgement after your donation has been processed - this should be sufficient proof. If not, please contact the nonprofit directly.

How do I make a donation via personal check?

If you prefer to make an offline donation, please contact the fundraiser. Firstgiving only processes online donations.

Do I get a receipt of my donation?

Once your donation has been processed, you will receive an e-mail titled Donation Acknowledgement. You can print this e-mail for your records.

However, please note that Firstgiving is not an accounting, taxation or financial advisor, and you should not rely on information given on this site to determine the accounting, tax or financial consequences of making donations to nonprofit organizations. We strongly recommend that you consult your own advisor/s about any accounting, taxation or financial consequences that may affect you.

If you prefer to receive a receipt from the nonprofit, please contact them directly.

My company can provide a matching gift, what do I do?

If your company runs a matching gift program, here's how to make sure that your company pitches in and matches your donation:

1. Ask your Human Resources Department for their instructions regarding matching gifts (they may have a paper form for you to fill out or a web address for you to visit).
2. Look at the instructions to make sure you know what information you'll have to fill in. Contact the fundraiser you donated to and ask them for the nonprofit’s information (nonprofit name and address, contact name, phone number, etc).
3. Fill in the nonprofit information according to your Human Resources Department instructions. For proof of your donation, Firstgiving sends you an email titled Donation Acknowledgement after your donation has been processed - this should be sufficient proof. If not, please contact the nonprofit directly.

How do I edit my donation display name and/or comment?

There are two ways to edit your donation display name and/or comment:

Immediately after you submit your donation

On the screen Thank you! Your donation is now complete, select option two – Edit the name and message that appears with your donation.

1. Enter your donation reference number* and the last four digits of your credit card and click Continue
2. Edit the desired text box and click Continue to save changes

Once you receive the e-mail Confirmation of Donation Submission

1. Visit: http://www.firstgiving.com/process/editsponsormessage/default.asp?did=1; this link can be found in your Confirmation of Donation Submission email
2. Enter your donation reference number* and the last four digits of your credit card and click Continue
3. Edit the desired text box and click Continue to save changes

*Your donation reference number is the letter D followed by six numbers and can be found on the screen Thank you! Your donation is now complete or in your Confirmation of Donation Submission email.

Where is my donation? How come it is no longer displayed?

The only reason your donation dissappeared from your friend’s fundraising page is because your credit card was rejected by your bank at the authorization stage. A card can be rejected for a variety of reasons – you may have entered an incorrect expiration date or card number, for instance.

You should receive an automatically generated e-mail within 24 hours explaining the problem and inviting you to donate again. Once you have contributed successfully, the donation will re-appear.

Can I get a refund?

Only in extreme circumstances will Firstgiving issue refunds. Please refer to our terms and conditions. If you would like a refund, please contact the charity you made your donation to and inquire about their refund policy.

Why can’t I access my account?

When you make a donation, you are not required to create an account. If you have created an account (by registering for an event and/or making a fundraising page) and you cannot access your account, please contact support@firstgiving.com.