How a non-US charity can receive donations on Facebook?

March 11, 2010 1:22 PM

How a non-US charity can receive donations on Facebook?

I recently asked MeFi how to fundraise online for charity here in Colombia.

We set up a facebook page and spent a lot of time on text and media content. We put a paypal 'Donate' button which worked until they turned it off saying we had to prove the charity had a US bank account and correct 501c3 status, which it doesn't. Same applies to Google checkout.

So what are my options? Direct wire to the Charity's bank?

posted by lapsang to Human Relations (2 answers total)

You're going to be challenged here. There are no online giving portals that allow you to (ethically, correctly) collect donations without a 501(c)3. Additionally, donations to your organization aren't tax-deductible without that status.

You may be able to get around Google's issue by putting up a "store" with "items" that donors can "purchase." This is a solid tactic that reputable 501(c)3 nonprofits use. For example, you can sell "One week of healthy meals" for $50, or "A parenting workshop" for $10. You just need to be very, very clear on your merchant page that purchases are symbolic of the support your organization gives to the underprivileged, and that purchases are not tax-deductible.

There are other ways to accept credit card payments, you're not limited to paypal and google. The term you want to google for more information about processing credit cards online is "Merchant Account."

If you have a contact in the States who can help you, you might be well-served to actually create a non-profit private foundation whose mission it is to donate money to your organization. That way, gifts can go to the foundation, who will cut checks to Fundacion Chreme.

MeFi Mail me if you need more help.
posted by juniperesque at 1:49 PM on March 11, 2010 [1 favorite]

I thought that you couldn't use PayPal to collect donations? Wasn't that the problem that mathowie ran into?
posted by radioamy at 1:59 PM on March 11, 2010