All nonprofits can benefit by adding a Paypal “Donate” button to their website, but few do.  Why?  It’s one of those maddeninly simple yet sublimely difficult tasks that are tedious to take on.  With that said, I’d like to show off a brand new PayPal “Donate” button that I just established this week on a nonprofit website.  It took me about two months, start to finish.  Don’t despair, you can do it too!  The time consuming part was asking different people for their part of the paperwork, and since the organization was in the process of changing bank accounts, we had to wait for that to conclude.

Check out my handiwork:  Blochman PTA.  Also, feel free to try out the process by making a donation to the Blochman PTA!  It might give the PTA president a heart attack to see hundreds of donations, wouldn’t that be grand???  (Oh, she’s a nice lady, we don’t want to actually give her a heart attack, maybe a fit of the giggles!)

Here’s what you’ll need to do, start to finish:

• Have a website!  If you don’t already have a website, please click on the upper right of this website on the GoDaddy icon.  They are absolutely FABULOUS to work with!  They have 24 hour phone support, and you can purchase your domain from them as well as hosting.  If you need help launching the software, just leave a comment on this post, I’m a volunteer webmaster to help non-profits get up and running.
• Have contact information!  You’ll need to tell PayPal who the spokesperson is.
• Have an email address and bank account!  You’ll need to provide this information, so start the ball rolling with these items!  The bank account will need to be in the name of your non-profit.
• Have a PayPal account!  Sign up here:  PayPal  Keep track of your userid and password for your organization.  You’ll only be able to open one for your organization.  PayPal is just like a bank account, so be smart with your security, keep the password safeguarded, and make on that is not easy to guess.
• Have the paperwork showing your official non-profit status!  (501(c)3 paperwork, etc.)
• Have access to a copy machine and fax!  Make a copy of your voided check. 
• Register through PayPal for the type of account you’d like, and how you’d like to receive donations. 
• Write up your business description, and fax the required paperwork to PayPal.  You’ll have the opportunity to sign up online for a fax cover sheet that you will use to submit your paperwork.
• Create a “Thanks” page on your website.  Once you’re approved you’ll be guided through the process to set up your “Donate” button.  You’ll be asked for the URL to direct to upon completion.  Want to see what I did for this?  (It’ll cost you a dollar!  Please …???)
• You’ll be given the opportunity to select the button you want to use.  Copy the code, and paste it onto a page or sidebar of your website.
• Test it!  Make a donation through your website!
• Ready to take your website to the next level?  Check out a mentoring website to learn how to make money online:  The Keyword Academy
• Did you have success, or are you stuck???  Leave a comment and let us know how it went for you!

Here’s what you need to do to make money for charity with paypal:

1. Gather together some documents first, this is the time consuming part.  You’ll need your email address, a cancelled check or bank statement for your charity organization, and the documents awarding your organization your tax free status.  (Your 501(c)3 paperwork.  Paypal will require that you submit this information, so before you can make money for Charity with Paypal take a few minutes to organize yourself.  If you have a registered 501(c)3 organization, it’s possible the fees charged by Paypal will be reduced from the normal amount.
2. Go to the Paypal site when you’re all ready.  You’re not required to have a cup of coffe nearby, however I have found this additional step to be helpful.  (Don’t worry, it’s really not that hard to make money for charity with Paypal!)  Here’s a link right to the Paypal site for you to get started:  Paypal  You can sign up for a business account for your organization also.  So you have some options here, you can get the “donate” button once you’ve opened an account, and you can also get a “merchant account” with Paypal, which means you’ll be able to accept credit cards for donations and payments.  If you’d like to take payments over the phone or by email, you can look into the “virtual terminal” option.  But don’t get confused here, if you only want the “donate button” you don’t need the “merchant account.”
3. Once you’ve opened your Paypal account, you’ll need to get the code for the button and either put it on your website yourself, or give the code to your webmaster. 

So how was that?  Instructions helpful or not?  Did we leave out a frustrating part you got stuck on?  Please post a comment if we need your opinion!  And thanks!

What to do first for website fundraising:

• What you’ll need to do for your website fundraising campaign to add a PayPal Donate button to your website: 
• Click on the PayPal for Business link below, and open an account.  You’ll be able to look into accepting credit cards as well as PayPal.  You can also set up recurring payments. 
• Are your donors looking to make a steady monthly donation by subscription?  (Wonderful!)  PayPal is a great solution

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Please contact Paypal with your charity organization info. If you are a registered 501 (C) 3 Tax Exempt organization, your PayPal fees could be reduced. If you are conducting charitable fundraising with PayPal, your status must be first verified by PayPal. You’ll need to submit your URL, your contact information, and description of your business for starters. You’ll need to send an email to PayPal at this email address: Compliance @ PayPal . com to begin the process. Get ready to gather up some additional information to submit, such as your proof of tax exempt status or registration from a regulatory body, and a copy of a bank statement or voided check in the name of your organization.

In addition to helping non-profits and charitable organizations with website fundraising, PayPal is a great merchant account solution for new and small businesses. If you’ve been told by your bank that you need a “high risk merchant account” this means that you’ll need to look at several options for credit card processing. If you sell merchandise over the internet, or sell information, or are a new small business you may be experiencing rejection when you apply for a merchant account. If you’re in the high risk category for merchant services, please click the link above and give PayPal a try!