Questions about Click & Pledge
Do I have to sign up for Click & Pledge to have a profile on The Seattle Foundation website?
An active Click & Pledge account is required to participate in future online giving events like GiveBIG.
How do I sign up for Click & Pledge?
Please fill out this simple form to get started.
You will be contacted by Click & Pledge with the information you need to complete the process.
Can you explain how the online donation process works?
After reviewing an online profile of a nonprofit organization, a donor decides to make a financial gift to that organization. They click on a "donate now" button and are taken to a simple online form that will take less than 5 minutes to complete. The donor will not be required to set up an account. Once the gift is submitted the donor will receive an online thank you notice listing the organization's name and the amount of the gift. They will also receive a follow up email that can be used as proof of the gift. Their credit card statement will reflect the name of the organization as the recipient.
How will I receive information about donations made to my organization?
Information about your donations, including donor contact information, will be available to you online with your unique login to the Click & Pledge website.
How are these financial transactions processed?
The Foundation has chosen Click & Pledge and their merchant banking partner TransFirst to help with the processing of these online donations. For organizations that chose to receive donations via our website, the first step is to supply merchant banking information to TransFirst so that a direct deposit account can be established. TransFirst will then set up the account and administer the processing of payments online. As donations are received, the funds will automatically be deposited into the nonprofits’ bank account within 48 hours.
Our bank statements shows a very small deposit (from $.25 - $.50) from Click & Pledge. Who made this deposit and why is it for such a small amount?
This is a test transaction made by Click & Pledge to ensure that your account has been setup properly. You should have also received a copy of the receipt for this test transaction.
What transaction fees are charged for these online donations?
Our agreement with Click & Pledge includes the following terms:
- They have waived their customary $150 fee for your nonprofit to establish an account.
- They will retain 2.95% of the total transaction as a processing fee.
- The financial transaction will be processed via an electronic fund transfer.
- There is no minimum donation amount. All gifts regardless of the amount will be processed.
- It will take up to 48 hours for the transaction to be completed.
The Foundation will NOT receive any portion of these transaction fees.
Can you tell us more about Click & Pledge?
Click & Pledge is a leading vendor of online fundraising tools and payment solutions for nonprofit organizations. The Company, a Virginia Corporation, now serves nearly 10,000 nonprofits in 46 countries. This success has been achieved by providing nonprofits with practical, affordable, easy-to-use technology solutions and excellent customer support. In addition to a payment platform, you will have access to an online store, unlimited forms, event registration, ticketing, name badges, a social networking platform, video widgets and much more.
Click & Pledge is PCI/CISP certified which is tested on a quarterly basis to ensure that it meets specifications developed and implemented by VISA and other credit card companies to ensure the privacy and security of financial data. Click & Pledge is also a licensee of the TRUSTe Privacy Program. Please visit the Click & Pledge's website for more information on security.
What if I have concerns or comments about Click & Pledge?
We welcome any feedback you might have about Click & Pledge. Please contact us at webprofile@seattlefoundation.org.
Online Donation Questions
My organization already has a merchant account to accept online donations, although not with TransFirst. Is there a way for the interested donor to be routed to our already-in-place online donation page?
Unfortunately, not at this time. We're planning future phases where we’ll be making improvements to the nonprofit profiles. One of the key things that will be added will be the ability for an organization to edit their own profile (currently all changes need to be made by Foundation staff members). This change will allow a great deal more flexibility and we’ll be revisiting this decision during our planning process for that phase.
I have sent my 501(c)(3) Determination letter and a voided check to TransFirst. Can you explain the next steps in the process?
- You will receive the following email from TransFirst:
- When you're ready to proceed, click on the Terms and Conditions link and review the provisions to ensure that they are acceptable to your organization.
- After reviewing the Terms and Conditions, click on the link Begin Signing and you will be taken to a the following web page to begin the process:
- Click on the link Read or Print Document and your Merchant Bank Application will open for your review. Carefully review the application for accuracy. If you need to make corrections to the application, contact Tonya Crompton in the Application Support Group at TransFirst. Tonya can be reached by calling 1-800-571-6199 X4617 or via email at tcrompton@transfirst.com.
- Once the application meets with your approval, click the box "I Agree" and then click on the link Start Signing to finish the process.
- Once the application is approved, you will receive a welcome message from Click & Pledge with information about your account.
Our Application for Merchant Card Processing contains inaccurate information. How can I get this corrected?
Contact Tonya Crompton in the Application Support Group at TransFirst. Tonya can be reached by calling 1-800-571-6199 X4617 or via email at tcrompton@transfirst.com.
What is a merchant account?
A merchant account is an account at a financial institution that allows you to accept donations via credit card.
Is it possible to review a sample of the Merchant Bank Application?
Yes, you can download a 
sample of the Merchant Bank Application.
Is there a copy of the Terms and Conditions that we can review prior to starting the process?
Yes, you can download the Terms & Conditions.
My contract from TransFirst mentioned a $35 chargeback and a $15 ACH return fee. What are these?
The chargeback is a fee charged by Visa or Mastercard if there is a disputed transaction by a cardholder. The ACH return fee is charged when TransFirst tries to take the funds out for a chargeback and can't.
Why does my contract from TransFirst include early termination fees?
Your contract is in error; TransFirst has eliminated all Seattle Foundation clients from incurring any termination fees. If your contract did not come with an addendum eliminating these fees, you should be receiving the addendum to the contract from TransFirst via email. It will not require another signature.
The link in my e-signature email has expired, what do I do?
The link in your email for e-signature is only valid for 21 days. If your link has expired, contact Tonya Crompton in the Application Support Group at TransFirst to have an new email issued for e-signature. Tonya can be reached by calling 1-800-571-6199 X4617 or via email at tcrompton@transfirst.com.
Can you tell us more about TransFirst?
You can learn more about TransFirst by visiting their Frequently Asked Questions page.