Donor FAQ

Q. Who can I contact for assistance?

Between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. (Eastern Time), you can use the blue chat bubble on the bottom right corner of your screen to message with Support. If you want to contact staff at the Community Foundation of Fayette County or need assistance outside of the Support hours, please call 724-437-8600.

Q. What is Fayette Gives?

Fayette Gives is a “day of giving” hosted by the Community Foundation of Fayette County that aims to build a stronger Fayette by engaging the community in philanthropy and supporting local nonprofits. During this fundraising marathon, the public donates to participating nonprofits, and match incentives for nonprofits enhance the impact of each gift. Fayette Gives provides an opportunity for nonprofits to fundraise, promote their mission, and invite everyone to be a philanthropist in a community-wide effort to give back.

Q. When is Fayette Gives?

Fayette Gives will take place on Thursday, November 5, 2026 from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Q. What is the Community Foundation of Fayette County?

The Community Foundation of Fayette County (CFFC) is the host and organizer of Fayette Gives. CFFC’s mission is to build a stronger Fayette County by inspiring charitable giving, supporting nonprofits, and nurturing positive community impact. The foundation offers personalized donor services, grants to nonprofits, scholarships to students, and leadership in the local nonprofit community. To learn more about CFFC’s commitment to building a stronger Fayette through philanthropy, visit www.cffayettepa.org.

Q. What is GiveGab/Bonterra?

GiveGab/Bonterra is a charity giving platform that helps nonprofits to raise money, engage donors, and manage volunteers quickly and efficiently. GiveGab offers a full portfolio of simple and easy to use products that allows nonprofits to function in a more streamlined manner.

Q. How much of my donation will go to the nonprofit?

GiveGab/Bonterra retains a 3.5% platform management fee from all online donations. Credit card processing fees are an additional 2.5% + $0.30 for all major credit cards (Visa, MasterCard, American Express, and Discover). Any online gift of $100 or more will have an ACH payment option, with a $3.00 processing fee. You are given the option to cover the fees. If you choose this option, 100% of your online charitable gift will benefit your selected charity/ies. If you do not choose to cover the fees, your selected charity/ies will receive the donation less the fees. Offline donations (checks, donor advised funds, IRS contributions, stock transfers) will not have fees.

The Community Foundation of Fayette County does not charge any fees to donors or participating nonprofits.

Q. Why should I donate through Fayette Gives?

Your Fayette Gives donation will be joined with others across the region, as part of a collective effort to build a stronger Fayette County. This special “day of giving” celebrates the power of charitable giving and raises money for nonprofits that are making a positive impact in the community.

This year, participating nonprofits will receive a 10% match on eligible Fayette Gives donations, up to a maximum of $10,000 per nonprofit.

Q. Do I need to create an account with GiveGab/Bonterra?

No. You do not need to create an account to make a donation. However, the benefits of creating an account include having your tax receipts collected in one location, being able to track your donations, follow the charities you support, and engage in future volunteering and donations.

Q. What are the participation requirements for nonprofits?

Must be a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and must not be a private foundation as defined in section 509(a) of the Internal Revenue Code.
Must be located in or providing service in Fayette County, PA.
Must file the Federal Form 990, 990 EZ, or 990 N annually.
Must attend at least one (1) training session. Available sessions: July 14 at 3:00; July 29 at 9:00; August 6 at 9:00; August 11 at 3:00. All training sessions will take place in-person at the CFFC office.
Must agree to use all Fayette Gives money to benefit Fayette County.

Fayette Gives donors will be able to claim a tax deduction for their gift; therefore, we must ensure that nonprofit recipients of these gifts are qualified tax-exempt organizations. The IRS website may be used, among other documents and resources, to verify eligibility.

The Community Foundation of Fayette County has the discretion to deny participation or remove a participant for failure to meet requirements, unethical conduct, or conflict with the foundation's values, mission, or the spirit of foundation programs. Determination of such conflicts is subject to the foundation's interpretation.

Q. What if I can't find my favorite nonprofit on the website?

If you can't find them on the site, they may not be participating in the event this year or they may not meet the eligibility requirements. You may encourage the nonprofit to contact the Community Foundation of Fayette County to help prepare them for future opportunities to participate. Registration timelines and eligibility requirements are posted on the Fayette Gives website.

Q. Is there a minimum gift?

Yes. There is a $25 minimum donation per nonprofit. There is no maximum donation; however, a donor may need to contact their credit card provider before a large transaction will be accepted.

Q. Do you have a refund policy?

All donations are final and no refunds will be issued. Please review your donation for accuracy.

Q. Who will receive my contact information?

The nonprofit(s) to which you donate will have access to your name, address, email, phone number, and donation amount. Participating nonprofits are encouraged to send thank-you communication to donors.

Donors who mark themselves as “Super Anonymous” will remain anonymous to their selected nonprofits.

As the host of Fayette Gives, the Community Foundation of Fayette County will also have access to this contact information. The foundation does not solicit donors using the information acquired during Fayette Gives (except for donors who directly donate to the foundation as a selected nonprofit). The foundation will maintain the information to acknowledge donors and invite them to attend events or join an e-newsletter.

Q. Who can donate?

All donations must be from individuals or businesses. Nonprofits are not eligible to make donations to themselves. Supporting organizations that directly support or fundraise for a participating nonprofit are not eligible to make donations to that nonprofit. No collected donations will be accepted.

Q. What is a "unique donor"?

A unique donor is one individual or company. Multiple donations from one donor to the same nonprofit will count as one unique donor, even though there are multiple donation entries. Nonprofits cannot donate to themselves.

Q. When can I make my donation?

Online donations are available during the 12-hour period on Fayette Gives day. Offline donations, however, are available prior to Fayette Gives day (date to be determined and announced). The required, official Check Contribution Form will become available on the Fayette Gives website in the month of September and will be shared with participating nonprofits via email. (Offline donations include checks, donor advised funds, charitable IRA, and stock transfers.)

No donations will be accepted before the official announcement of offline donations in September.

Q. How does the match work?

Participating nonprofits will receive a 10% match on eligible Fayette Gives donations, up to a maximum of $10,000 per nonprofit.

To qualify, donations must:

Be at least $25 per nonprofit
Be made through an approved Fayette Gives donation method
Be received at the CFFC office by 8:00 p.m. on November 5, 2026 (not postmarked)

If funds remain in the match pool after all 10% matches are distributed, CFFC may increase the match percentage. Match dollars will be added to each nonprofit's Fayette Gives total after Fayette Gives Day.

Q. When will I know how much the nonprofits received?

Preliminary results are posted on the Fayette Gives website during Fayette Gives. The Community Foundation of Fayette County will notify participating nonprofits of their totals once all donations are finalized and reconciled. Final results are announced by mid-December.

Q. What will my Fayette Gives donation be used for by the nonprofit(s)?

Participating nonprofits must confirm that all Fayette Gives monies will be used to benefit Fayette County, PA. Monies are otherwise unrestricted.

Q. May I designate how a nonprofit uses my gift?

No. Unless a nonprofit specifies in their profile, all donations made during Fayette Gives are considered unrestricted gifts. Thank you for trusting nonprofits to use their discretion in how to best apply Fayette Gives donations to support their work in Fayette County. This flexibility is very valuable to the nonprofits.

Q. What forms of donations are accepted?

Acceptable donation methods include credit card, debit card, mobile wallet, ACH* (for donations of $100+), check, donor advised fund, charitable IRA, and stock transfers. Credit card gift cards will not be accepted. Cash will not be accepted. Money orders and counter checks will not be accepted.

*ACH payments are processed through a third party, Plaid. Please note that your local bank may or may not be accepted through Plaid as an approved partner for an ACH payment. For more information on approved Plaid institutions please go to plaid.com/docs/institutions/

Q. How do I donate online?

Credit card and debit card donations are accepted through the Fayette Gives website during the 12-hour event. MasterCard, Visa, Discover, and American Express donations are accepted. Mobile wallet options are also available. ACH payments* are available for donations of $100+. Credit card processing fees and platform management fee apply.

Q. Can I make donations via a mobile device?

Yes. Visit www.fayettegives.org on November 6, 2025 between 8:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m.

Q. I don’t have an email address – how do I donate online?

Online donations require you to enter an email address in the donation form. If you do not have an email address, contact the Community Foundation of Fayette County office at 724-437-8600 for assistance with completing your donation.

Q. My credit card was declined. What should I do?

First, verify that you are entering all information correctly for your donation form. A transposed number or entering the wrong billing address or zip code can cause a card to be declined. Then, if all information looks correct, contact your credit card company directly.

Q. How do I donate by check?

Check donations are accepted at the Community Foundation of Fayette County office, located at 250 West Main Street, Uniontown, PA 15401. Check-writing donors can support one or more nonprofit by submitting one check payable to “CFFC” for the total amount, along with a completed Check Contribution Form to specify the selected nonprofit(s).

The Check Contribution Form will be available for download on the Fayette Gives website, in addition to hard copies at the foundation office beginning in mid-September.

Donations will be accepted starting in September (date to be determined and announced), once the Check Contribution Form is available.

Q. Can I donate through a donor advised fund, IRA charitable transfer, or stock transfer?

Yes. Donor advised fund donations, charitable IRA distributions, and stock transfer donations will be accepted once the Check Contribution Form is available in September.

Please allow extra time for processing, as these transfers may take several weeks to verify and process. The Community Foundation of Fayette County is not responsible for coordinating such donations. However, donors should call the foundation at 724-437-8600 with any questions regarding these giving methods and/or ACH transfers.

Donors are encouraged to submit a completed Check Contribution Form to ensure the delivery of donation details.

Q. Is my donation tax-deductible?

Yes. When donations are submitted, a tax receipt is automatically generated for the gross amount of a donor’s gift. This is sent to the email address provided by the donor. Their donation is tax-deductible to the full extent of the law. To claim a donation as a deduction on U.S. taxes, donors should retain the donation receipt as an official record.

Donors who do not provide an email address will not receive a receipt unless they request a printed copy to be mailed or if their donation is $250 or more.

Fayette Gives donation acknowledgements are sent on behalf of the Community Foundation of Fayette County. Participating nonprofits should not send donors an additional tax receipt, however, nonprofits are encouraged to send thank-you communications.

Q. Why didn’t I receive an email receipt?

The email receipt could be in your junk/spam folder, or an incorrect email address could have been entered.

If you did not provide an email address with your donation, you will not receive a receipt. Call the Community Foundation of Fayette County at 724-437-8600 for assistance.

Q. How can I get another copy of my donation receipt?

Donors who provide an email address with their donation can be re-sent their email receipt. Please call the Community Foundation of Fayette County at 724-437-8600 to request a copy of your donation receipt.

If a donor did not provide an email address with their donation and would like a receipt, they may call the Community Foundation of Fayette County at 724-437-8600 to request one.

Q. Why are donations recorded as gifts to the Community Foundation of Fayette County?

As the host of Fayette Gives, the Community Foundation of Fayette County processes all donations and distributes the final amount to participating nonprofits after Fayette Gives day. This streamlines the processing and reporting, by providing each nonprofit with one payment for their Fayette Gives total.

Q. Can I submit my donation for an employer match?

Yes. Donors are encouraged to submit their contribution for matching gift programs. You are responsible for initiating and completing the match program’s paperwork. Please make the matching organization aware that all Fayette Gives gifts are made to the Community Foundation of Fayette County (CFFC), with the end recipient as your selected nonprofit(s). Matching gifts should indicate the selected nonprofit(s) and/or the name of the donor whose gift is being matched. Please contact the Community Foundation of Fayette County at 724-437-8600 with any questions.

Q. May nonprofits use Fayette Gives as an opportunity to collect payments for sponsorships, event registrations, or membership dues?

No. Donations may not be used to pay for anything that might be perceived as a material benefit to the donor, advisor, or other disqualified person - including dinner tickets, membership fees, golf fees, admission tickets, or other gifts.

Donors will receive a receipt confirming that their gift is fully tax-deductible, so quid pro quo contributions cannot be accepted (meaning a payment made partially as a contribution and partially for goods or services provided to the donor or by the receiving charity). Please contact the Community Foundation of Fayette County if you have questions.