Ten Questions You Should Ask
If you have decided that online donations and payment processing is something that is right for your organization, you'll need to decide on a provider. If you have been through Donation University, you should have a good foundation about how the process works and what the most common industry terms mean.
With this knowledge you are ready to decide on a provider. The following ten questions are designed to provide you with the information to make your decision. Basic security, decisions regarding payment options and disbursement and fee structure questions to give you a detailed profile on each company.
We have included Qgiv's answers to these questions below. You can download a blank version of this question sheet here, you can then write in the answers as you ask other online donation providers.
1) What Payment Options do you offer?
Qgiv allows your organization to accept Visa, MasterCard, Discover, American Express and eCheck/ACH transactions. We also allow international transactions if you are using an Approved or Qgiv Provided Merchant Account.
2) Do I get my own Merchant Account?
Qgiv will provide you with a Merchant Account, all transactions on a donor's credit card or bank statement will reflect "Your Organization," not Qgiv.
3) How are funds distributed and do you ever have control of my organization's funds?
Once authenticated and approved, funds are moved from the credit card companies or banks directly into your organization's merchant account for settlement. Because that merchant account was set up by Qgiv in your Organization's name, Qgiv never has access to (or control of) your organization's funds.
From time of donation, funds usually arrive automatically in you bank account in about 48 business hours. Qgiv does not issue checks or hold money for specific distribution dates, 100% of every donation is deposited electronically, up front.
4) Will my donation form look EXACTLY like my website? And who does the initial customization of my donation form?
Qgiv provides a complete replication of your website's look and feel. Although the transaction occurs on Qgiv's secure servers, your website's look is preserved as closely as possible to put the donor at ease.
Qgiv provides the initial configuration and skinning of your site as part of our setup process.
5) Do you allow recurring payments and are they included or is there an extra charge?
Recurring payments such as recurring donations, pledging, tithing and other recurring transactions are included at no extra charge. Management of recurring payments though the Administration Area allows your organization complete control of your own recurring payments.
6) Do I have instant access to update my forms or do I have to send off a request and wait for it to be completed?
You have complete and instant control over your Qgiv Installation. Your own Administration Area provides all the tools and reporting options you'll need to manage your online transactions.
7) Are you PCI Compliant? Who performed your last On-Site Annual Audit?
Qgiv is a Level 1 Certified Payment Gateway, Qgiv is subject to the highest security requirements mandated by the PCI Data Security Standards.
Our Quarterly Security Scans and Annual On-Site Audits are provided by SecurityMetrics, a certified Qualified Security Assessor by the PCI Security Standards Council. To see the list of QSA's, click here.
8) Are you Certified by Visa as CISP Compliant? Are you Certified by MasterCard as Site Data Compliant?
In recognition of our compliance with PCI Standards, you can view Qgiv's acceptance as compliant with all Cardholder Information Security Program Standards at Visa's website, click here for the pdf report.
Qgiv is also featured as a Compliant Service Provider by MasterCard's Site Data Protection Program. To see that list please click here and select "Compliant Service Provider List" at the bottom of the page.
9) What are your rates and fees?
To see Qgiv's Fee Structure, please contact Qgiv.
10) Do you require time-limited contracts?
Qgiv never locks organizations into fixed-length contracts. No annual commitments or fees, all Qgiv services are month to month, always.