Online Fundraising 101

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Getting Started with Online Fundraising

What is Rally.org?

Rally.org makes it easy for individuals, groups, social causes, schools, and non-profit organizations to fundraise online. There are no time limits to your crowdfunding campaign, allowing you to raise funds indefinitely. On Rally.org, anyone can raise money for something they care about.

How do you fundraise online at Rally.org?
Using Rally.org is easy! Sign up to create your online fundraiser, share your fundraising website with friends and family, and then start collecting online donations without mandatory rewards or deadlines.

Rally.org removes the friction between getting inspired and giving money, making it easy for supporters to donate when they read a moving story, view a personal photo, or watch a powerful video.

Rally.org helps you quickly create an effective, attractive, social donation page. Your donation page accepts credit cards and eCheck payments online. All donation details and fundraising progress is available to review on your dashboard. Donation pages have social sharing tools built in to them so donors can share your Rally with their friends and motivate them to give as well!

Rally.org helps you build a network of supporters who want to stay updated about your progress. When you share messages, photos, and videos, your supporters receive an email update and have an opportunity to join the conversation about your Rally.

Rally.org empowers your supporters to raise money for you! If supporters decide to become Fan Fundraisers, they can personalize a version of your Rally to share with their friends and family and raise money for you. They can also post their own photos, videos, and messages to show why they care.

Is Rally.org a non-profit or for-profit company?
Rally.org is a for-profit company that works to empower non-profits, political campaigns, personal causes, and anyone else who wants to raise money online for something that they believe in.

Account Basics

Who can create a Rally?

Anyone who wants to raise money for a cause or project and has a US bank account can create a Rally. It can be for any kind of reason — a personal project, a political campaign, or for a school or charity. Your organization does not need to be registered as a 501(c)3 to use Rally.org.

Sign up with just your email address or through Facebook. To withdraw the money you've collected, link your Rally.org account to a bank account.

You must have permission from a cause to create a Rally for them. If you want to help raise money for a specific cause but aren't directly affiliated with them, we encourage you to ask them to create a Rally on our platform so you can become a Fan Fundraiser for them.

Finally, you must be 18 or older to create a Rally, or get permission from a parent or guardian.

How much does Rally.org cost?

Rally.org is free to setup and charges 5% + credit card fees (2.9% + 30 cents) for each donation processed. If you are an agency or representing a large organization, please contact us for special rates.

I forgot my username and/or password. What do I do?

Your username is the email address you signed up with. Check your email inbox for earlier correspondence from Rally.org to determine which email you provided. If this doesn't work, contact us; we'll gladly get it sorted out for you.

If you forgot your password, you can reset it by clicking on "Forgot your password?" on the Sign In form on Rally.org.

How do I update my personal information like my name, photo, and email?

Sign into your account and click on the drop-down menu in the upper right hand corner. Choose Edit Profile. From there, you can customize all of your personal settings such as your name, email, and password. Also upload your photo as your User Icon so that your picture appears next to your personal comments, and decide who you want to hear news from in your email notifications.

How does Rally.org make sure my data is safe?

We take security seriously. Rally.org offers bank-level security, following industry-standard best practices to ensure your data and your money are safe.

How do I close my Rally?

If your Rally is over, simply contact us and we will end it for you. If at any point you would like to start fundraising again, just email us and we can re-activate it. If your Rally account is completely inactive for at least 6 months, we will and close your Rally automatically for you. After your Rally is closed, you can still log in to export CSV reports and donor information.

Why does Rally.org collect screening information from campaigns?

To be compliant with Anti Money Laundering regulations, we are required to collect additional screening information from our campaigns prior to releasing funds to your bank account.

This requires an organization to provide their Employer Identification Number as well as significant owner information which includes but not limited to:

  • The significant owner's name
  • Address
  • Phone
  • Social security
  • Date of birth

Your information is safe and secure on Rally and is used for compliance purposes only.

Promoting My Online Fundraiser

How do I use Rally.org to promote my online fundraiser?

Invite Supporters: After you’ve created your crowdfunding campaign, simply invite family and friends to join your Rally via Facebook or email. Every time you share news on your Rally page, they will receive an email update. We’ve found the most successful fundraisers post several times a week. Think you don't know enough people who will support your Rally? Think again! Check out The Guide to Gather More Supporters for suggestions on how to build your contact lists.

Post Updates: Tell supporters what you’re rallying for. Be specific. Be descriptive. Supporters are more likely to give an online donation if you post photos, videos, and frequent updates. Supporters believe in what you’re doing, so keep them updated. Browse The Guide to Turning Your Story into Support for ideas on what to post.

Widgets: Get the word out by placing a Rally.org Donate widget on your website or blog. See "How should I integrate Rally.org into my website?" below for more ideas.

How do I use the fundraising goal?

Show your fundraising goal on your Rally to share the progress you are making! In your Settings under Basic Setup, enter the amount you want to raise, and Rally.org automatically calculates your progress and displays it on your Rally page.

How should I integrate Rally.org into my website?

Here are a few creative ways to integrate your Rally with the rest of your web presence:

Include a link to your website on your Rally page. Add this in Basic Setup under Settings.

Display a Donate button and donation meter on your own website or blog. Drive donors directly to your donation page. Embed the widget in Settings, under the Sharing section.

Display an activity-stream widget on your website or blog. This helps keep your visitors up-to-date with the news you are sharing on your Rally page. Get the code to embed the widget in Settings, under the Sharing section.

Online Donations

How do online donations work?

When you start an online fundraiser, you can immediately accept donations by all major credit cards or eCheck. All donations are built within a safe, secure, and trusted payment-processing system. The donor will receive a receipt within 24 hours of each donation, and you will receive an email notifying you each time someone donates. You can also check your donations by checking Analytics where you can manage your fundraising progress.

How does Rally.org handle chargebacks and donation refund requests?

Chargebacks:

When a donor denies a contribution they made on Rally.org with their credit card company or bank and issues a chargeback, Rally.org attempts to clarify the matter. If the refuting donor wins, Rally.org will refund the donor their donation in full. Rest assured! Rally.org will always notify the Rally Leader in these circumstances and provide detailed information about what is happening.

Please note that each time a chargeback occurs from a donor denying a contribution with their credit card company, the Rally Leader will be charged a $29 administration fee.

Refunds:

On occasion, a donor will contact the Rally Leader or Rally.org directly to request a refund. For these requests, Rally.org will credit the donor and will debit the cause owner for the donation amount. The Rally.org transaction fee per donation (5% to cover use of our platform, plus a 2.9% plus 30 cent credit card/bank processing fee) remains regardless of donation status. After 45 days, you must issue refunds outside of Rally.org.

How do I add custom fields to my donation page?

Go to the Donation Details section in Settings and look for the Add Extra Input Fields section. Type the names of your desired extra fields (e.g. Birth Date, Hometown, etc.). Click Save. Donors will see these fields in the Additional Information section on your donation page.

Note: These fields will be required to make a donation, so don't overwhelm your supporters with requirements.

How do I view the information I've collected from donors?
There are three ways to do this:
- Under the Supporters tab, you can click any one of your activated supporters' names to view their data.
- Under the Finances tab, click on the name of a donor to view donation details.
- To export a full finance report, click Export to CSV under the Finances tab. Rally.org will email you a link to download a .CSV spreadsheet. This spreadsheet will include all of the information donors provided when making a donation.
How do I track my fundraising progress?

In Analytics, you can examine graphs that show donation and supporter growth over different periods of time. Discover which types of content (photos, videos, or messages) are most highly viewed and raise the most money.

In Updates, you can also study statistics that highlight the number of donors and dollars raised underneath each piece of content that you post.

How do I manage Fan Fundraisers?
You can manage all of your Fan Fundraisers in Analytics. See who has raised the most money for you so far, manage which Fan Fundraisers are active, and click on a Fan Fundraiser's name to see what their page looks like.
Can I accept donations from outside the United States?
Yes, Rally.org accepts international donations as long as the donation is made by MasterCard, Visa, AmEx, or Discover. At this time donations are collected in USD, so the donor will receive a receipt from Rally.org in USD and see a charge on their credit card statement converted to their country's currency.
What is the minimum online donation amount that I can accept?
On Rally.org, you can accept a minimum donation of $1.
What do donors see on their credit card statement?
Donors see "RALLY" listed on their credit card or bank statements.
Do donors receive an email confirmation or receipt?
Rally.org sends donors an email confirmation with a link to a detailed online receipt. We encourage you to reach out to your donors to thank them by writing a brief thank-you comment beneath their donation on your Rally page.
What is a chargeback?
Sometimes a donor may not remember donating or perhaps had a change of heart. When a donor refutes a charge with their credit card company or bank, this is called a chargeback.

Supporters

Who is a supporter?
A supporter is anyone who has:
- Donated to an online fundraiser.
- Become a Fan Fundraiser on behalf of a fundraiser.
- Visited a fundraising page and chosen to support the fundraiser.
- Been added directly to a supporter list by a Rally Leader.
How do I contact supporters?

Post an update, and all the people in your supporter list will be updated via an email that contains a preview of what you posted (photos, videos, or messages) and a link back to the full story. Supporters can always choose how often they receive updates or unsubscribe altogether. When posting, you can also choose to share on Facebook and Twitter to reach even more people.

How do I invite more supporters?

Invite supporters to your supporter list so when you post news, they receive email updates about your Rally. To invite supporters go to the Supporters section of your Dashboard. People may also become supporters by visiting your page and clicking I’m In. To help build your supporter list, make sure to share your crowdfunding page on Facebook, Twitter, and by email.

Withdrawing Money

How soon can I start raising money online?
As soon as you sign up with Rally.org, you can start collecting money. However, in order to initiate deposits directly to your checking account, you will first need to link your bank account under the Finances tab.
How do I withdraw the money I've raised?
Go to the Finances tab and click Withdraw. You can specify how much you want to withdraw and which bank account the funds will be deposited into. If you haven't linked your bank account to your Rally yet, you can do so under the Finances tab as well.
How do I link a bank account to Rally.org?
Under the Finances tab, click Add Bank Account. You can link more than one bank account to Rally.org and choose to withdraw and transfer your funds into these specified accounts.
How much money can I withdraw at a time?
The withdrawal minimum is $5.00 each time you withdraw donations from your Rally.org account. There is no maximum amount, so withdraw all of your available funds if you wish!
How long does it take to receive my money?
Donations typically take 2-3 business days for the money to be available to withdraw from Rally.org. Once withdrawn from Rally.org, it can take 3-6 business days for that money to appear in your own bank account.
Are there tax reporting implications for withdrawing money?
Consult a qualified tax professional for specific information regarding your fundraiser, or read more on the IRS website.

501(c)(3) or Political Campaigning Requirements

Is there a way to set a maximum donation amount? My state's ethics commission requires that I cannot accept more than a certain amount.

Yes! You can easily set a maximum donation amount. This sets the limit for your donation page as well as all of your Fan Fundraisers' donation pages. You can do this in the Donation Details section under Settings.

How do I create reports on my donor data?
Under the Finances tab, click Export to CSV. Rally.org will email you a link to download a .CSV spreadsheet containing your entire donor report.
I am legally required to collect additional information from the donor. How do I do this?

There are 3 different ways to accomplish this. Each can be specified in the Donation Details section of your Settings and appear on your donation page.

Turn on default additional donor-information fields by clicking the checkbox that requires donor to provide gender, date of birth, employer, and occupation before making a donation.

Add a custom field by entering the name of a desired field into the Add Extra Input Fields section of your Donation Details in Settings. Donors are required to provide the information requested before completing their donation.

Enter text in the legal-compliance box to require donors to agree to conditions you specify before proceeding with the donation. Enter the text that you require donors to agree to in the legal compliance box in the Donation Details section of Settings. The text will appear on your donation page after a checkbox and the phrase "I agree to the following."

How do I tell potential donors their donation is tax deductible? I am a 501(c)(3).

Customize your Rally donation page to include footer text that explains your organization's non-profit and tax-deduction status. Even include your EIN number if you want. You can do this in the Donation Details section of your Settings by entering your text in the Disclaimer.

What is a Fan Fundraiser?

Anyone who volunteers to raise money on behalf of a cause using Rally.org is a Fan Fundraiser. They personalize a Rally page that mirrors the main cause with the goal of motivating their friends and family to donate funds.

Although all donations go directly to the cause, Fan Fundraisers can view who has donated through their crowdfunding page.

How do I become a Fan Fundraiser and help raise money for a cause I are about?

Go to the Rally page of the cause you support and click Become a Fundraiser. When prompted, personalize your duplicate Rally page and reach out to potential supporters. It takes less than 5 minutes to get started.

If the cause you are passionate about is not on Rally.org yet, invite them to join and then follow the steps above!

How many causes can I fan fundraise for?
You can fundraise for as many causes as you want. On Rally.org you can raise donations for your own cause and also be a Fan Fundraiser for other causes as well.
What do donors see on their credit card statement?
All credit card and bank statements list "RALLY." Refer to the Donors area of this support page to learn more.
How do I personalize my Fan Fundraiser pages?
Have fun! Customize your default cover with a friendly photo or video of yourself, write an inspiring description explaining why you are crowdfunding for this cause, and set your own fundraising goal. You can even create custom donation amounts with descriptions to motivate your friends and family to give. All of the updates you post to your supporters will also make your fundraiser very personal.
How do I finish my fan fundraising campaign?
There's no need to formally "finish" your fan fundraising campaign, but if you want to deactivate your page, just contact the Rally Leader and let them know.

What is this charge on my credit card from Rally.org?
You recently donated to a cause or organization that uses Rally.org for online fundraising and processing donations. You should have received an email confirmation from Rally.org with the name of the organization you donated to and a link to Rally.org for an online detailed receipt. After reviewing your email, if you believe you were charged in error, please contact us and ee'll get it sorted out.
Is my donation tax deductible?
If the organization you donated to is a 501(c)3 charity, then yes. Usually the organization makes it clear if your support is tax-deductible by listing that information in the footer of their donation page. Contact the organization directly if you have questions.
I made a recurring donation to a cause or project on Rally.org. How can I change it?
Sign in to your Rally.org account. If you haven't signed up, create one using the email address you provided when you donated. Once signed in to the Rally.org application, click on the drop-down menu in the upper right-hand corner and select Edit Profile. Under the Donations section, you can manage your recurring donations. If you don't want to create a Rally.org account to edit your recurring-donation settings, contact us directly.
Do I need to join Rally.org in order to make a donation to a cause I care about?
Joining Rally.org is not required, although it's a great way to track your donation receipts or become a Fan Fundraiser. It also makes it much easier to donate to causes in the future.
What form of payment can I use to donate?
You can donate by Visa, MasterCard, AmEx, Discover, or eCheck.
I donated to a Rally. How do I claim my receipt?
Rally.org sends every donor a confirmation email with a link to a detailed receipt that you can store online or print out. To see your stored receipts online, sign into Rally.org, click on the drop-down menu in the upper right-hand corner and choose Edit Profile. Under the Past Donations section you can view all of your receipts.
How do I update my email settings?

Any email you receive from Rally.org will include links at the bottom for you to unsubscribe and manage your email settings. You can also sign in to Rally.org and under Edit Profile (located in the upper right corner) select which causes you would like to receive email updates from.

How do I cancel my donation?
We're sorry to hear that, but things happen. If you need to cancel or want a refund of your donation, contact the organization you donated to, or for more information, contact us directly.

What is the relationship between Piryx and Rally.org?

Rally.org s a new online crowdfunding tool created by the same company that built Piryx. If you're curious to try Rally.org, no problem! Just sign up and start fundraising.

If I have a Piryx account, can I still try Rally.org?
Absolutely! Sign up and start fundraising. You can have accounts on both platforms with no conflict.
How is Rally.org different from Piryx?

Rally.org streamlines the features you love in Piryx and infuses them with the power of storytelling and social connections. With Rally.org, you can:

  • Easily share messages, photos, and videos about your cause on an attractive page.
  • Empower your supporters to raise money for you with social-sharing tools.
  • Customize beautiful donation pages.

Currently, most of the features available in Piryx are available on Rally.org. We are constantly listening to feedback and over time, Rally.org will continue to become even better.