FAQ

General FAQ | Nonprofit FAQ | Donor FAQ

General FAQ

Q. What is Missoula Gives & Bitterroot Gives?

Missoula Gives & Bitterroot Gives, an initiative of Missoula Community Foundation, is a 26-hour online celebration of the Missoula and Ravalli communities. It connects generous Missoulians and Bitterrooters with the causes they care about. It is a day to celebrate all that Missoula and Ravalli are and the role nonprofits play in making our community great.

Q. When is Missoula Gives & Bitterroot Gives?

Check the Key Dates Page for the most current schedule.

Q. What is GiveGab?

GiveGab is a nonprofit giving platform that helps nonprofits to raise money, engage donors and manage volunteers quickly and efficiently. Learn more here

Nonprofit FAQ

Q. Which organizations can participate?

Organizations that are verified 501(c)(3) charitable nonprofits that are headquartered or provide services in Missoula and Ravalli Counties.

Q. How much does it cost to participate in Missoula Gives & Bitterroot Gives?

The cost to participate is dependent on your organization's operating budget size and is as follows:

  • Small budget = 0 - $100,000
  • Medium budget = $100,000 - $499,999
  • Large budget = $500K +

    • February 1 - 29:

  • Early Bird small budget = $100
  • Early Bird medium budget = $130
  • Early Bird large budget = $175

    • March 1 - 31:

  • Regular small budget = $125
  • Regular medium budget = $150
  • Regular large budget = $ 225

    • April 1-10:

  • Late small budget = $150
  • Late medium budget = $175
  • Late large budget = $250

Additional information regarding dates can be found on the Key Dates Page.

Q. Who can donate?

Anyone may donate. Donations through the Missoula Gives & Bitterroot Gives online portal to charitable nonprofit organizations are tax-deductible and cannot be refunded. Contributions may be made via credit, debit card or ACH bank payments only. ACH bank payment method is available to donors who wish to give $100 or more.

Cash and checks will be accepted at any of the in-person events during Missoula Gives & Bitterroot Gives or at the nonprofit of your choice. Donations will be received and receipts distributed by GiveGab.

Q. How will donations be distributed?

Each donation made to a participating nonprofit will be disbursed directly from GiveGab via direct deposit within 5-7 business days.

Q. How much of each donation goes to the nonprofit?

Of each donation, only 6% + $0.30 will be retained by the credit card companies and GiveGab. The complete breakdown is as follows:

  • 3.5% service charge from GiveGab for building and maintaining the hosting site, as well as live event customer service and donation processing.
  • 2.5% is charged on all credit card, Apple/Google/Microsoft pay transactions + $0.30 per transaction.
  • ACH bank payment method is available to donors who wish to give $100 or more per nonprofit. There is a $3 per transaction/nonprofit fee will apply (and replace the typical credit card fee). Total fees per nonprofit in this instance would be 3.5% Platform Fee + $3 per gift. If you give to multiple nonprofits in one transaction, the 3.5% platform fee and $3.00 ACH fee apply to each donation.

These are standard charges from each credit card company for donations made online. Any donations processed outside of Missoula Gives & Bitterroot Gives donation period, through GiveGab.com, or subsequent recurring donations are subject to transaction fees outlined on the GiveGab.com pricing page: http://info.givegab.com/pricing.

Q. Will my donors get a receipt for their donation and where will it come from?

Yes, a formal email tax acknowledgment from the event will be sent automatically as soon as the donation is made.

The receipt will include a statement for each organization that the donor supported in ONE receipt:

  • Name of organization(s)
  • Amount(s) donated

For offline gifts entered into the GiveGab platform, the donor will only receive an emailed receipt if you include their email address and select the option to send a receipt. If your donor needs another copy of their email tax acknowledgement, you can resend it from your giving day dashboard. Learn how to resend a receipt here.

Q. How can I ensure that I have a seamless experience when visiting the Missoula Gives & Bitterroot Gives site?

While Missoula Gives & Bitterroot Gives' website will perform optimally with most browsers, we always recommend visitors use the most updated version of your browser for a better and faster user experience for both you and your donors. Of these, our recommended browser is Google Chrome.

Should you or your donors run into any challenges using the Missoula Gives & Bitterroot Gives site, please write in to the little blue chat bubble on the website for immediate assistance!

Q. Can donations be pre-scheduled for Missoula Gives?

Donations cannot be pre-scheduled, but donors may make a donation to a participating nonprofit before or after the Missoula Gives & Bitterroot Gives event. To find the Early and Late Donation schedule, please see the Key Dates Page.

Q. What is state charitable solicitation registration?

Nonprofits are held to a high standard of government regulation and public scrutiny. Eligible 501(c) nonprofits are exempt from federal corporate taxes and have access to public funding.

GiveGab prides itself on providing a platform that donors feel safe using. As such, GiveGab ensures that each organization is legally eligible to collect tax-deductible donations in accordance with federal and state-level laws.

Q. Why is state charitable solicitation registration compliance important?

While 501(c) nonprofits receive key financial benefits, the penalties for noncompliance can be serious. The IRS can revoke a nonprofit’s tax exemption and impose fines that can accrue daily. The states can administratively dissolve a nonprofit corporation and levy steep financial penalties.

Q. What are the key aspects of state charitable solicitation registration compliance?

The IRS provides tax exemptions to eligible nonprofits under IRC 501(c). Public charities and private foundations receive 501(c)(3) tax exemption. The IRS scrutinizes organizations when they apply for 501(c)(3) but also ensures that those organizations meet the ongoing obligations to remain eligible. Nonprofits must file a 990 tax form each year with the IRS to disclose their financial data for the year.

Each state has their own set of requirements. Nonprofits are typically incorporated in a given state as a nonprofit corporation. The state in which the nonprofit has incorporated will impose requirements on the nonprofit, and those responsibilities typically span across multiple state agencies. Usually nonprofits must submit an annual filing to the corporations division of the secretary of state, maintain its license to fundraise (charitable solicitation registration), file for a state business license, and maintain state-level tax exemption with the revenue department. As nonprofits expand outside of the state or operate nationwide, they must comply with the same items in each other state as well.

In addition to IRS and state filing requirements, nonprofits must keep adequate records. Keeping accurate and complete records is critical in the event that an organization is audited. It is also common that board members or donors request information from the organization. Finally, records are necessary for submitting applications and renewal filings with various government agencies.

Q. When I check the box on GiveGab to declare state charitable solicitation registration compliance, what am I attesting to?

When you check the box you are attesting (defined as "declaring that something exists or is the case") that your organization is compliant with applicable state fundraising requirements in the states in which you may solicit donors using the GiveGab platform.

In the state of Montana, you must submit a 990 tax form to be in full compliance in the state of Montana. If you solicit donations outside of Montana you will need to be compliant in those states.

Q. Do you have additional resources to reference about state charitable solicitation registration?

Yes! Here are a few more resources from Harbor Compliance to help you:

Q. When will prizes winnings and stretch pool funds be distributed?

If your organization wins a prize, it will be mailed to you from the Missoula Community Foundation after the event.

Donor FAQ

Q. Where can I donate?

Missoula Gives & Bitterroot Gives is an online focused giving day. You can give online at missoulagives.org, or donate in person at the nonprofit of your choosing with a check or cash.

Q. Can donations be made via mobile device?

Yes! Simply visit missoulagives.org on your mobile device, laptop, computer, tablet or other online device.

Q. Can I make my donation using Apple Pay, Google Pay, or Microsoft Pay?

Yes! Here is a breakdown of the requirements for each payment method:

To use the "Mobile Wallet integration" you must use HTTPS and a supported browser. In addition, each payment method and browser has specific requirements:

Apple Pay

  • Safari on Mac running macOS Sierra or later.
  • An iPhone (not an iPad; Safari doesn't support them yet) with a card in its Wallet paired to your Mac with Handoff, or a Mac with TouchID. Instructions can be found on Apple's Support site.

Mobile Safari

  • Mobile Safari on iOS 10.1 or later
  • A card in your Wallet (go to Settings → Wallet & Apple Pay)

Google Pay

Chrome Mobile for Android

Microsoft Pay

    Q. Can I donate early to my charities of choice?

    Yes! Donors will be able to give in advance of Missoula Gives, starting at 12 AM on April 27. By donating early, you won't have to worry about missing the big day. All early gifts will count towards nonprofit totals for Missoula Gives but they will not apply to hourly prizes on the day of giving.

    Q. How much of each donation goes to the nonprofit?

    Of each donation, only 6% + $0.30 will be retained by the credit card companies and GiveGab. The complete breakdown is as follows:

    • 3.5% service charge from GiveGab for building and maintaining the hosting site, as well as live event customer service and donation processing.
    • 2.5% is charged on all credit card, Apple/Google/Microsoft pay transactions + $0.30 per transaction.
    • ACH bank payment method is available to donors who wish to give $100 or more per nonprofit. There is a $3 per transaction/nonprofit fee will apply (and replace the typical credit card fee). Total fees per nonprofit in this instance would be 3.5% Platform Fee + $3 per gift. If you give to multiple nonprofits in one transaction, the 3.5% platform fee and $3.00 ACH fee apply to each donation.

    These are standard charges from each credit card company for donations made online. Any donations processed outside of Missoula Gives & Bitterroot Gives donation period, through GiveGab.com, or subsequent recurring donations are subject to transaction fees outlined on the GiveGab.com pricing page: http://info.givegab.com/pricing.

    Q. Will I get a receipt for my donation and where it will come from?

    Yes, your tax receipt is emailed to you immediately upon processing your donation. To claim a donation as a deduction on U.S. taxes, you should retain the donation receipt as an official record. You do have access to view your donation history and resend yourself a receipt by following these instructions, or contacting the nonprofit(s) that you donated to, and they will be able to email you a copy of the receipt.

    Q. Why is state charitable solicitation registration compliance important?

    Tax deductibility for a donor is based on giving to a nonprofit; it's not dependent upon how that nonprofit uses the funds. On GiveGab, the nonprofit pays for the fees, regardless if the donor elects to cover. GiveGab gives donors the option to increase their donation by an amount equal to the fees the nonprofit will pay so that the nonprofit realizes the full amount of the intended donation after payment of the fees. Just because the donor is given this option does not make the additional amount non-deductible.

    Outside of using GiveGab, nonprofits do not provide their donors a breakdown of what portion of their donation is deductible (unless the donor receives something of value in return as a dinner, etc). That's because deductibility is based on giving to the nonprofit, not how the nonprofit chooses to use the funds. You could almost consider when the donor elects to cover the fees, that portion of the donation is a restricted gift that will be used to pay for the expenses incurred to receive the gift. Restricted gifts are tax deductible, because it's based on who is receiving the gift (nonprofit) not what the gift is used for.

    Ultimately, whether a donor decides to deduct the fees as a donation on their tax returns is their option, and we do not provide tax advice. If they want to be ultra-conservative they can choose to not take a deduction for the fees when they file. Who receives the donation is what determines tax deductibility, not how the donation is used. If it were the opposite, nonprofits would have to provide a full accounting to each and every donor how every penny of each donation was used - that is obviously impractical and would increase nonprofit administrative expenses exponentially. GiveGab does not provide tax advice. Please consult your local tax professional about what portion of the full donation amount can be claimed as a charitable contribution.

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

    No. You do not need to create an account to make a donation. 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. Why should I give through Missoula Gives & Bitterroot Gives as opposed to giving directly to my favorite organizations?

    Great question! The Missoula Gives & Bitterroot Gives team always supports giving directly to the nonprofits of your choice and that's why we've designed a platform this year that will allow you to do just that, all throughout the year by enabling you to both come back and give again. While we encourage year-round and annual giving, here are the 4 main reasons to give through Missoula Gives & Bitterroot Gives as well:

    1. Year after year, Missoula Gives & Bitterroot Gives helps raise AWARENESS for the sector. By coming together one day, we are able to leverage all of our resources to promote all of the good work charities are doing in our community!
    2. Missoula Gives & Bitterroot Gives exists to SUPPORT, equip, and serve the local nonprofit community through free workshops and tools and templates that can be used to fundraise year-round. We hope to provide each and every nonprofit with the tools they need to thrive!
    3. Each year, the Missoula Gives & Bitterroot Gives team provides prize money to agencies that participate in the event. This money is spread among the different size participants and enables agencies to maximize their efforts. Nonprofits are also encouraged to seek a matching gift for their campaign. This gives them the opportunity to LEVERAGE donations during the day and incentivize them to meet the match(s).
    4. COMMUNITY & FRIENDLY COMPETITION - Giving is contagious and by creating an entire event dedicated to supporting our local nonprofits, we can come together as a community and encourage our friends and family to give to the causes we love the most. With so many nonprofits to discover, there is a mission/cause that will speak to you!

    Q. Who will receive my contact information?

    The organization(s) you choose to support will have access to your name, address, phone number and email address. This information is used solely to send thank you messages, provide the option to receive future notifications, and to inform you of future activities. Nobody else will retain your contact information. If you choose to give anonymously, the nonprofits to which you donate will not receive your contact information.

    Q. How much is the minimum donation amount?

    For only $5.00 you can make a donation to a nonprofit of your choice during Missoula Gives & Bitterroot Gives.

    Q. Can I give to more than 1 organization at a time?

    The Gift Basket on Missoula Gives & Bitterroot Gives is your very own 'shopping cart' - this allows you the opportunity to browse around the site and add gifts to your basket without needing to check out immediately. Then when you're ready to check out, you'll just enter your bank account/credit card information once and confirm your gifts.

    You can add gifts to your basket in two ways:

    1. Head to your chosen organization's profile page and click on their basket icon (It's right next to their "Donate" button!). You'll see the gift added to your basket at the top, then continue browsing to another profile page to add an additional gift, or click the Gift Basket at the top to check out!
    2. Open the Gift Basket in the top navigation bar of missoulagives.org, and search and add gifts to one or more organizations right within the basket feature. No need to search for their profile, if you already know who you want to give to!