Adding a Beneficiary to Your Fundraiser? Here’s Everything You Need to Know

First of all, thank you for using Give A Hand to raise funds for someone in need. We aim to make your online fundraising effort as safe, easy, and seamless as possible.

Part of that process includes adding a beneficiary to your fundraiser.

If your fundraiser is created for the purpose of raising funds for someone else, adding that individual as a beneficiary is a great idea. But there are a few things to consider before doing so…

Adding a beneficiary gives that person the ability to transfer funds directly to their own account.
Before adding a beneficiary, make sure he or she is willing to add their bank information and handle the responsibility of transferring funds. They must also be willing to have their name associated with the fundraiser, as it will show on the fundraiser page.
No matter how funds will be received, we recommend adding these details to the fundraiser story for the sake of transparency. This is especially important if you will be receiving the funds on behalf of the individual for which the fundraiser has been created.
There can only be one beneficiary (and one bank account) per fundraiser. If the funds need to be split among multiple parties, consider receiving the funds on behalf of those individuals, then splitting and transferring the funds to them outside of Give A Hand.
The beneficiary must be a person. The funds cannot be directly transferred to a service provider, such as a veterinarian or funeral home, from Give A Hand. Instead, the funds must be transferred to an individual’s bank account, and the individual can then use the funds to pay for the service.

TIP: If the beneficiary is unable or unwilling to be responsible for the transferring of funds, consider receiving funds on their behalf, and later transferring those funds to the individual outside of Give A Hand.

Why You Should Consider Adding a Beneficiary

It’s the easiest and most secure way to get the funds to the person for which they were raised.
When donors know the funds are going directly to the beneficiary, they have more trust in the fundraiser and are more likely to complete the donation process.
It makes it faster and easier for the beneficiary to receive funds.