Donor FAQ

Q. What is Spring2ACTion?

Spring2ACTion is a 24-hour online event that provides a simple way to connect donors to the charitable causes they care about most and encourages them to take action. This virtual fundraising effort, presented by ACT for Alexandria, with the help of generous sponsors, offers local nonprofits the chance to raise thousands of dollars to ensure that Alexandria is a strong, vibrant community for all. Last year, 7,808 donors gave $2.97M to 188 nonprofits serving Alexandria. This year is our 15th anniversary of Alexandria's Giving Day!

Q. When is Spring2ACTion?

Spring2ACTion is on Wednesday, April 9, 2025 from midnight to 11:59 PM. Early giving will begin on Wednesday, March 26, 2025 and run through Tuesday, April 8, 2025 at 11:59 PM.

Q. I'm receiving an error message when trying to make my gift. What am I doing wrong?

Because our top priority is the security of our users and their information, certain browsers which are not updated frequently are not compatible with the stringent security measures built into our platform. If you accessed the site via an Android or using Internet Explorer, NetScape, Microsoft Edge or an outdated version of Safari/Firefox (on a phone or computer), this may result in degraded site performance and issues making your gift. Please try making your gift using another browser.

Q. How does it work?

On April 9, 2025, ACT will host Spring2ACTion, a 24-hour giving event encouraging charitable donations through our online giving platform, hosted by Bonterra. ACT will provide toolkits, training sessions, outreach support, mass media and extensive social media coverage to make it easy for all nonprofits to participate. Each participating organization will have an individualized web page to promote their cause. Individuals will be able to donate money to the nonprofit organizations of their choice on April 9, 2025 with early giving beginning on March 26, 2025. All donations are tax deductible and irrevocable. (Donations will not be refunded). Donors will receive a receipt for their gift. The nonprofit will receive contact information for each donor, unless the donor elects to remain anonymous. Leaderboards will add a sense of competition and excitement during the build-up and event day. Additional cash grants will be awarded to the top winners in each leaderboard category for the day:

• Nonprofits that have the Most Donors - we will award prizes based on operational budget size broken down into three categories - small - $0-$100K, medium - $100K-$500K, and large - $500K+
• Free Agent Fundraisers that have the Most Donors - these prizes will be awarded to the organization designated by the Free Agent Fundraiser

In addition to Leaderboard prizes, there will be additional prizes including power hours, ACTion Heroes, and others - some will be awarded based on number of dollars and donors and others will be randomly drawn.

Q. What is the goal?

Let’s encourage 10,000 donors to raise $2M for our community! The vision of Spring2ACTion is a community where everyone contributes to our nonprofit organizations. There are three primary goals:

1. Grow philanthropy – Create a fun and engaging way to learn about the critical issues impacting our community and inspire people to give
2. Grow revenue – Bring new donors and develop a new funding stream to the organizations that make our community and its future strong
3. Grow supporters – Educate the community on the positive impact Alexandria’s nonprofit organizations have on their lives.

Q. Why give during Spring2ACTion vs. any other time of year?

Spring2ACTion was created to celebrate and support our local nonprofits that make this a better community for everyone, while engaging all to come together and give. On this day, your gift has the ability to be matched by generous sponsors and give your favorite nonprofits a chance to win cash prizes throughout Spring2ACTion. In 2024, $893,940 was available in matching dollars and ACT awarded nearly $25,000 in prizes. The day is intended to make it easy for donors to give on one platform to your favorite organizations and find new ones to support.

Q. Who is behind it?

Spring2ACTion is hosted by ACT for Alexandria, a community foundation that catalyzes change through strategic initiatives and smart philanthropy. Founded in 2004, ACT amplifies the work of our community by bringing people and resources together. Learn more: www.actforalexandria.org.

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

For each online donation, a 7% + $0.30 will be applied at checkout. This covers a small management fee of 2.5% for ACT for Alexandria to partially offset extensive staff support, marketing, training, planning and hosting Spring2ACTion; a Bonterra platform fee of 2% for building & maintaining a secure site and live support; and a standard credit card company fee of 2.5% + $0.30 on a per transaction basis will apply. If a donor uses the bank account withdrawl (ACH) payment option, there is a flat rate $3 charged instead of the credit card processing fee. ACH payments will be available for donations of $100 or more.

Donors have the option to cover these fees for the organization. In 2024, 70.3% of donors covered fees, meaning the nonprofit(s) received 100% of the intended gift.

100% of ACT management fee goes directly to support, build and improve Spring2ACTion year over year. Without the financial support generated through fees this event would not be possible.

The fees for Spring2ACTion are significantly less than other types of fundraisers. A 65%-75% net profit is standard for events such as galas, golf tournaments, luncheons, races/runs etc.

For Spring2ACTion, nonprofits are making 93%+ net profit on donations. For more information on the value of Spring2ACTion, click here.

Q. Do I need an account on Bonterra to donate?

No, donors do not need to create an account to make a donation. A donor account will, however, collect tax receipts in one location, enable tracking of donations, provide the ability to follow supported charities, and engage in future volunteering and donations. A tax receipt is emailed to the donor immediately after their donation is processed. To claim a donation as a deduction on U.S. Taxes, the donor should retain the email donation receipt as an official record.

Q. Is there a minimum or maximum donation?

The minimum donation for Spring2ACTion is $5. There is no maximum donation limit for Spring2ACTion.

Q. How do I make a donation?

You can watch this video to learn how you can make a gift to the organization(s) of your choice! You can also give to multiple organizations at one time by using the multi-give feature. Check it out here!

When donating online, please make sure your device and/or web browser is updated to the latest version. Due to Bonterra's strict security standards, Internet Explorer and other browsers that are less frequently updated or maintained such as Safari and Netscape can often lead to display or loading issues. We currently recommend the use of Google Chrome, as this is the browser that is most frequently updated and most compatible with our site.

Q. Is there a limit to the amount an organization can receive?

There is no maximum amount an organization may receive for Spring2ACTion.

Q. Can I donate to Spring2ACTion on my smartphone?

Yes – this site is mobile friendly! Simply visit www.Spring2ACTion.org on your smartphone to browse all the amazing nonprofits participating. 

Q. Can I make my donation early for Spring2ACTion?

Yes! Starting March 26, donors will be able to make their Spring2ACTion donation in advance, while still having it count toward the giving day. Simply go to www.Spring2ACTion.org, search for the nonprofit you wish to support and make a donation.

Q. What is a Donor Advised Fund (DAF) at ACT for Alexandria and how does it work during Spring2ACTion?

A donor advised fund (DAF) is a simple and personal way to give charitably. DAFs are like a charitable bank account where the donor can control when and how much to give to causes they care about anywhere in the world. Benefits include an immediate tax deduction for the value of the assets deposited into the fund, a simple, flexible, and powerful tool to manage philanthropy, and legacy of giving for families to give for generations. Individuals and families with DAFs at ACT are able to use their Fund to support Spring2ACTion and make donations from their Fund to participating nonprofit organizations. DAF gifts are processed offline and will not be eligible for prize consideration. To learn more about ACT DAFs, please contact Tricia Ritchie at tricia.ritchie@actforalexandria.org. 

Q. If I am unsatisfied with my donation, can I get a refund?

No, all donations made through Spring2ACTion are final and non-refundable.

Q. When individuals donate for Spring2ACTion, who will receive their information?

The nonprofit organization receiving the donation will receive the contact information for the donor, unless the donor chose to make their donation anonymous from the organization. Donors will have the option to identify as an anonymous donor to the public and/or the nonprofit organization. Donors will also have the option to keep their donation amount hidden from the public. As the host of Spring2ACTion, ACT for Alexandria will also receive the information in order to send news and updates about Spring2ACTion related activities. We will not share your information.

Q. Can I fundraise for my favorite nonprofit?

Yes! You can be a champion for the cause(s) you care about – we call these Free Agent Fundraisers!

1. Become a champion for your nonprofit. If you weren't invited to fundraise for an organization, you can still sign up to be a fundraiser!
• Visit the organization’s profile.
• Click the "Fundraise" button!
• Use the toolkit for ideas, sample text and all you need to fundraise.
2. Spread the word. Talk about Spring2ACTion with friends, family, and colleagues. Email your friends. Post about on it Facebook or share one of the posts on the Spring2ACTion Facebook Page. Tweet about it or retweet one of ours from Spring2ACTion Twitter Page. Change your profile picture and cover photos to Spring2ACTion graphics.

Please note that in order to create a Fundraising Page you will be prompted to sign into your Bonterra user account, or create one if you don’t already have an account.

Free Agent Fundraisers also have the opportunity to win up to $1,500 for their favorite nonprofit on a separate leaderboard.