Nonprofit 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. When is the deadline to register for Spring2ACTion?

The early registration deadline is February 14 for the $30 fee. Regular registration is February 15 - March 15 for $50. Any last registrants have until March 23 with a $75 fee. Unfortunately, there will be no exceptions after that date. The deadline to complete your giving day profile is March 26, but we recommend completing your profile now.

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 GiveGab. 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-$500K, medium - $500K-$1M, and large - $1M+
  • 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 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. 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: Learn more: www.actforalexandria.org.

Q. Why should my organization participate?

Spring2ACTion is a fantastic way to boost your organization’s fundraising efforts. The 24-hour online giving event provides eligible nonprofits the opportunity to reach new donors and provides the visibility that only this type of community-wide initiative can generate. To make the most of these efforts your organization should ensure that its profile is up-to-date on the site and is custom-branded to tell its unique story. ACT for Alexandria will help your organization make the most of the day. Spring2ACTion includes easy registration for Free Agent Fundraisers, quick turnaround of online gifts to nonprofits, expanded training opportunities and an improved online experience for donors and nonprofits alike. Of course, prizes and incentives provided by our generous sponsors will attract donors and new dollars on this special day.

Q. Who is able to participate?

Nonprofit 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organizations serving Alexandria are eligible to participate in Spring2ACTion. Funds raised during Spring2ACTion must benefit Alexandria.

Q. What does my nonprofit need to do?

  • Register your Nonprofit
  • Agree to the Terms of Service during the registration process.
  • Create a profile page for your organization using the Bonterra (formerly GiveGab) platform.
  • Broadcast your campaign's message using existing communication networks.
  • Utilize the Spring2ACTion logo and other provided images and messages consistent with the branding guidelines.
  • Secure matching grants and prizes to entice donors to your group.
  • Recruit individuals to be Free Agent Fundraisers for your organization.
  • Consider organizing an outreach event or community stunt to help further increase exposure for your organization.
  • Think outside the box, be engaged and have fun!!
  • For more tips, visit the Nonprofit Toolkit.

Q. Is there a fee to participate?

For nonprofits, a $30 participation fee will be charged for organizations registering by February 14, 2025. A $50 fee will be charged for registration between February 15 - March 14 and a late registration fee of $75 between March 15-25. Organizations will not be able to register after March 25, 2025 – no exceptions. ACT for Alexandria is assessing this nominal fee in order to make this important day sustainable and provide and grow the extensive marketing, advertising and outreach, corporate and foundation sponsorships, matches and prizes, live training sessions and useful resource materials to help nonprofits build capacity and reach new donors -- all that is required to make this day successful for all.

For $30 your organization can purchase a Spring2ACTion Promotion Kit. Promotion kits include 2-yard signs and 1 Spring2ACTion T-shirt. To buy a promotion ticket please indicate during registration that you would like to purchase one and an ACT staff member will send you a purchase link. Please know that your order must be paid for by February 21 and picked up from the ACT office between March 17 - April 4.

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% + 30¢ on a per transaction basis will apply. If a donor uses the bank account withdrawal (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, 74.7% of donations had fees covered by donors, 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.

Any donations processed outside of the Giving Day donation period through GiveGab.com, or subsequent recurring donations, are also subject to the transaction fees outlined above.

Q. What are the Terms of Service for participating in Spring2ACTion?

Please click here to view the Terms of Service.

Q. What is Bonterra?

Bonterra, formerly GiveGab, is an online giving platform that helps nonprofits raise money, engage donors, and manage volunteers quickly and efficiently. Bonterra offers a full portfolio of simple and easy-to-use products that allow organizations to function in a more streamlined manner. Your profile on Bonterra is available 365 days a year for fundraising and volunteer management. Bonterra team members are available to help with any platform questions, you can reach them through the blue chat bubble in the bottom right hand corner of each Spring2ACTion page. As you work on your profiles and get ready for Spring2ACTion this year, you may notice that GiveGab and Bonterra! So as you see the name “Bonterra” anywhere, don’t worry, that’s us! This doesn’t change your participation in Spring2ACTion or impact the tools you have access to, and you’ll continue to receive the same customer love and support you always have!

Q. Who can donate during Spring2ACTion?

Any individual, business, foundation, or organization with a credit card (American Express, Discover, MasterCard and Visa), a computer or other mobile-enabled device (i.e., a computer, iPad, or smartphone), and access to the Internet may donate via Spring2ACTion.org. Donations are accepted by credit card, mobile pay (Apple Pay, Microsoft Pay, and Google Pay) and for donations over $100 donors can connect to their bank account using ACH. Donations through the Spring2ACTion online portal to charitable nonprofit organizations are tax-deductible and cannot be refunded.

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! If you experience any errors while trying to make your donation, please reach out to our chat support team via the blue chat bubble, or by email at CustomerSuccess@GiveGab.com.

Q. What is a unique donor?

A unique donor refers to a person who makes a donation to a nonprofit on Spring2ACTion. The goal for Spring2ACTion is to engage thousands of individuals – or unique donors - to give to Alexandria nonprofits on April 9. Each person will be counted once in our “total donors” tally that will be updated on the Spring2ACTion landing page. If one person makes donations to multiple organizations, they will be counted once per organization on the leaderboards.

Q. What organizations are eligible to receive donations and Spring2ACTion prizes?

Alexandria nonprofit organizations (or nonprofits benefiting Alexandria) are eligible to participate in Spring2ACTion and receive donations. Online donations made through the Spring2ACTion giving platform are eligible for leaderboard prize and general prize consideration. Funds raised and prizes won must be directed towards Alexandria programs and services. Please note that private non-operating foundations are not eligible for prize consideration.

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. If a donor would like to use a DAF that does not reside at ACT to make a Spring2ACTion donation, they must contact the organization(s) to make the gift and it will count as an offline donation and will not be eligible for prize consideration.

Q. What are sponsor matches and challenges? How can I add them to my organization's profile?

Sponsor matches and challenges are great ways to help incentivize donors to make a greater impact by supporting your organization. You can use sponsor matches and challenges to excite your donors and help their donations go even further thanks to the support of a sponsor. You can learn more about matches and challenges here.

Q. If I have a fiscal sponsor, can I participate in Spring2ACTion?

Absolutely! Bonterra accommodates fiscal sponsorship as an option to receive tax-deductible donations if your organization is not currently eligible to receive tax-deductible gifts. You can learn more about fiscal sponsorship on Bonterra here:

    What is fiscal sponsorship? How does fiscal sponsorship work on Bonterra?

Q. How will an organization know who has donated to them?

All organizations that participated in Spring2ACTion will be able to download a .CSV file of their donations via their administrative dashboard on Bonterra. The report is updated in real-time and will include the donation payout date for bank account reconciliation, donation information (including a breakdown of the fees), and the donor's name and contact information, if provided by the donor.

Q. When will my organization receive the funds contributed?

Organizations will receive all online donations, less any uncovered processing fees, within 5-7 business days after the donation is made via direct deposit as long as bank routing and account information has been verified. Bonterra uses a PCI Level I compliant payment service to ensure that all financial data is secure.

Q. Do I need to issue a tax receipt to my donors?

No, donors will automatically receive an emailed receipt after making their donation through Bonterra. The receipt will include the date of the gift, amount, and the specific organization's name and EIN for donors to use for tax purposes. The receipt will be branded from the organization and include a "thank you" message. We recommend each nonprofit to personalize their "thank you" through their Giving Day Dashboard. Click here to find out how you can customize your message.

Q. Why do you require a date of birth and last four digits of the nonprofit administrator's social security number for nonprofit's donation payouts?

As an online platform that collects, processes, and distributes money in the form of donations from supporters to organizations, Bonterra must abide by the rules, regulations, and compliance laws of the United States. In particular, they are required to verify that the individual registering an organization to collect donations is authorized to do so and is who they say they are. Additionally, Bonterra needs to verify that the organization is a legitimately registered corporation.

Collecting this information helps us streamline donation processing and payouts with our underlying payment processor (Stripe) and the financial institutions that Stripe works with.

More importantly, we have a duty to our users. When donors choose to support a cause with a monetary gift, it is essential that they trust that their donation is going where they expect it to go! You can read a full explanation here, including how this information is stored.

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. These benefits are not typically available to for-profit businesses, so laws are in place to protect the public and ensure nonprofits do not abuse their financial advantages. The IRS and states all have requirements for nonprofits.

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. Perhaps worst of all, an organization can lose out on a grant or large donation because it has not kept itself in good standing.

Taking a proactive approach to compliance helps ensure the sustained success of the organization. The cost of staying compliant is small in comparison to the much larger costs of noncompliance. The saying, “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure” could not be more true in this context.

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. What are Virginia's requirements for charitable solicitation registration?

Virginia requires that before soliciting donations, a charitable organization must file a registration statement with the state. Churches, educational and health care institutions and certain other organizations are exempt from registration as well as solicitations limited in scope. More information is available on the website for the Virginia Office of Charitable and Regulatory Programs.

Q. When I check the box on Bonterra 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 Bonterra platform.

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

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

Q. How can I find out more about Spring2ACTion?

Stay tuned to this website for more information and details as the event draws near. You can also follow us on Instagram @ACTforAlexandria and "like" us on Facebook to stay updated. Spring2ACTion will be hosting training sessions for nonprofits to share tools, highlight matching grants and strategize together to make this day another one for the history books!

Q. What is the process for verifying my nonprofit to collect donations?

Every nonprofit on Bonterra goes through 4 verification steps. These steps include a check against the IRS Database, the Office of Foreign Assets Control Database, the State Fundraising Database (varies across states), and Guidestar Database.

  1. Bonterra checks organizations against the IRS database to ensure they are P78 verified. This is an automated check once the organization has entered their verification and bank account details.
  2. Once an organization enters their bank account details, Stripe completes an auto-verification to confirm that the nonprofit has not been listed by the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) as a Specifically Designated National (SDN) engaged in or supporting terrorism and are in compliance with Anti-Money Laundering Federal Regulations including US PATRIOT, BSA, and OFAC.
  3. Every nonprofit who wishes to fundraise on Bonterra must attest that their “organization is compliant with applicable fundraising requirements in the states in which they solicit donors using the Bonterra platform. [They] understand that Bonterra does not solicit donations”.
  4. Bonterra pulls in the organization's Guidestar Profile for information retrieval, if necessary.

Q. What else? Any fine print?

ACT for Alexandria can modify any restrictions or conditions if, in the judgment of the Board of Directors, such restriction or condition becomes unnecessary, incapable of fulfillment or inconsistent with the charitable needs of the community. As such, ACT for Alexandria reserves the right to deny or condition the distribution of prize grants if, in the judgment of its Board of Directors, such restriction or condition becomes necessary.