About Charity Charge
What is Charity Charge?
Charity Charge is a Public Benefit Corporation based in Austin, Texas. We created the Charity Charge World MasterCard that empowers our cardholders to earn 1% Cash Back¹ in the form of a donation every time they make a purchase. Through our partnerships with GuideStar and Network for Good cardholder’s can choose any 501(c)(3) organization, K-12 school, or religious organization to automatically donate their Cash Back¹ to. To read more about us visit our About Us page.
Are you a for-profit business?
Yes, we are a for-profit Public Benefit Corporation. As a Public Benefit Corporation, we have included making a positive impact on society along with generating profits into our legally defined goals. We strive to make the world a better place, one swipe of the Charity Charge World MasterCard at a time.
How do you make money?
We make money the same way any other co-branded credit card programs do. When new customers sign up, our banking partner pays us a one time fee for bringing them a new customer. We also generate a small amount of revenue on each purchase cardholder’s make; however, with these profits, unlike other programs, we cover all the processing fees for your donations so that the full 1% of rewards you earn goes to the nonprofits you’re supporting.
About Our Partners
Who is MasterCard?
MasterCard is an international credit card processing company
What is a co-brand card program?
A co-brand program brings together a card processor (MasterCard), an issuing bank (Commerce Bank), and a partner company (Charity Charge) to create a card program that is then marketed to each partner’s customer base. This type of program adds value to cardholders that wouldn’t be possible without the partner company.
Where can I use my Charity Charge World MasterCard?
The Charity Charge World MasterCard can be used anywhere that MasterCard is accepted.
Commerce Bank
Who is Commerce Bank?
Commerce Bank is a top 20 credit card issuer in the US. They are located in Kansas City, MO and have a large regional presence in the midwest. They are a national bank that provides card services for many national brands, businesses, and banks.
Where can I learn more about Commerce Bank?
You can learn more about Commerce Bank on their website.
GuideStar
What is the GuideStar database?
In GuideStar’s own words:
“GuideStar is the world’s largest source of information on nonprofit organizations. They provide as much information as possible about each nonprofit’s mission, legitimacy, impact, reputation, finances, programs, transparency, governance, and so much more. GuideStar’s Nonprofit Profiles provide you with the information you need to make smart decisions, build connections,and learn from each other to achieve your missions.”
How reliable is the GuideStar database?
The GuideStar database is based on IRS records therefore it is very accurate. If the organization you are looking for has recently received 501(c)(3) status they may not appear in the GuideStar database.
Network for Good
Who is Network For Good?
We think they explain it best:
“Network for Good is a hybrid organization—a nonprofit-owned for-profit. Network for Good’s nonprofit donor-advised fund uses the Internet and mobile technology to securely and efficiently distribute thousands of donations from donors to their favorite charities each year. Our donor-advised fund is accredited by the Better Business Bureau Wise Giving Alliance and meets all 20 of its standards for charity accountability. Since 2001, NFG has processed over $1.4 billion in donations for over 125,000 nonprofits.”
Are my donations and information safe with Network for Good?
Definitely! Network for Good leads the industry when it comes to protecting your information. For more information about their privacy policies and security please visit their website.
The Charity Charge World MasterCard
How does the Charity Charge World MasterCard work?
The Charity Charge World MasterCard works wherever MasterCard is accepted. With each purchase, you earn 1% Cash Back¹ in the form of an automatic donation to any nonprofit of your choice. Unlike other rewards credit cards, the donations you earn with your Charity Charge World MasterCard are automatically distributed to the nonprofits you care about instead of going unused or unappreciated.
What bank and network are you partnered with?
We are partnered with Commerce Bank and MasterCard.
Is the Charity Charge World MasterCard a secured or unsecured credit card?
The Charity Charge World MasterCard is a unsecured credit card.
I live outside of the US. Can I get a Charity Charge credit card?
Currently, the Charity Charge World MasterCard is only available for US residents.
Does the Charity Charge World MasterCard have an annual fee?
There is no annual fee for the Charity Charge World MasterCard.
What are the financial details of the card (i.e. APR, Balance Transfer fees, etc.)?
You can find all standard financial information for the Charity Charge World MasterCard on this pricing information document.
Do you prequalify applicants for this card or have instant approval?
We do not currently have the ability to prequalify applicants or do instant approval.
If I apply for the Charity Charge World MasterCard will I be approved?
This is a difficult question to answer for everyone at once because everyone’s financial situations are different. In general, those with good to great credit are often approved for the Charity Charge World MasterCard, however, exceptions do occur.
How will applying for the Charity Charge World MasterCard affect my credit score?
Everyone’s financial situation is different and unique so it is hard to predict how applying for a new credit card will affect your credit score without knowing your specific situation. There have been many helpful articles written on this topic that can help shed some light, a few of which are:
How Credit Cards Impact Your Credit Score (CreditCards.com)
FICO’s 5 Factors: The Components of a Credit Score (CreditCards.com)
Which credit bureau does Commerce Bank pull credit information from?
Commerce Bank will pull credit information from TransUnion when evaluating your application.
What is the credit limit for the Charity Charge World MasterCard?
This varies based on your personal financial situation, please call Commerce Bank at 800-645-2103 to discuss your unique situation further.
How long will it take for Commerce Bank to make a decision on my application?
Commerce Bank takes 1-2 weeks to make a decision on applications. If you are wondering about the status of your application please call Commerce Bank at 800-645-2103.
What benefits do I get from having a World MasterCard?
World MasterCard benefits include:
- Extended warranty
- Liability coverage
- ID theft protection
- Price protection
- MasterCard Global Service
- MasterCard luxury hotels & resorts portfolio
- Concierge services
- MasterCard airport concierge
- Personal travel advisor
- World travel and vacation programs
- Special offers
For more information visit MasterCard’s website here.
Donations
Can I choose to support multiple charities?
Yes you can support up to 3 nonprofits, K-12 schools, universities, or religious organizations at a time. Your donation will be split equally between the nonprofits you choose, for example:
- 1 nonprofit = 100% of the 1% Cash Back¹ you earn on each purchase
- 2 nonprofits = each nonprofit gets 50% of the 1% Cash Back¹ you earn on each purchase
- 3 nonprofits = each nonprofit gets 33% of the 1% Cash Back¹ you earn on each purchase
Is my nonprofit in your system?
Yes! Our system pulls from the GuideStar database that contains all 501(c)(3) organizations, K-12 schools, universities, and religious organizations in the US, therefore, any organization will be available for cardholders to donate to. If for some reason you are having difficulty finding a nonprofit in our system just email us at: info@charitycharge.com.
Are my donations be tax deductible?
Rewards earned with your Charity Charge World MasterCard are tax deductible. Cardholder’s can find their tax receipts in their donation dashboard at the end of the calendar year. It is always wise to consult your personal tax advisor to see how your tax-deductible donations impact your individual tax situation.
How are donations processed?
Donations are processed by Network for Good. Donations are sent to nonprofits quarterly, to make the accounting process easier and more efficient for them. Nonprofits will receive donations by either check or money order depending on their preference with Network for Good.
Cardholder
What can be found on my donation dashboard?
The cardholder donation dashboard shows:
- Your lifetime impact
- Your total impact towards each cause you support
- Your weekly history of impact towards the nonprofits you support
- The ability to change or add up to 3 nonprofits
- Your tax receipt
- FAQ’s about your card and Charity Charge
- Account management:
- Change your password
- Change your email preferences
I can’t login to my donation dashboard!
If this is your first time logging into your dashboard or if you have forgotten your password please click the “Need A Password?” button. You will then be prompted to reset your password and try logging in again with your new password.
If you are still having difficulty logging in please email info@charitycharge.com and we will help you out.
Are my donations be tax deductible?
Rewards earned with your Charity Charge World MasterCard are tax deductible. You can find your tax receipts in their donation dashboard at the end of the calendar year. It is always wise to consult your personal tax advisor to see how your tax-deductible donations impact your individual tax situation.
What happens to my donations if I decide to cancel my card?
Any donations you earn up to the point when you cancel your card will be sent to your selected nonprofit(s).
How will I be notified of my donations and spending?
All the information about your monthly contributions can be found on the homepage of your donation dashboard when you’re logged in as well as in the monthly donation summary you received via email. This is also where you can change or add nonprofits and view your tax receipts.
Commerce Bank Account Questions
What is the status of my application?
For inquiries regarding the status of your application, please contact Commerce Bank at 800-645-2103. Their call center representatives will be happy to answer your questions.
I want to view my account balance, pay my bill, configure automatic payments, bank online, update my name, add an authorized user, or receive travel notifications.
In order to maintain your Charity Charge World MasterCard® account please sign in to the Commerce Bank Online Banking, www.commercebank.com/cardaccess, system to view and manage your account. They also have a Commerce Bank mobile banking app so you can access your account on the go.
If this is your first time logging in, please select ‘Activate Online Banking’ and follow the prompts.
Through the online banking system, you can check your balance, make a payment, access paperless statements, and request other account maintenance functions.
For other account inquiries, please call Commerce Bank at 800-645-2103.
I have a question about a fee or transaction.
Contact Commerce Bank at 800-645-2103 and an agent will assist you.
My card was lost, stolen, or I suspect fraudulent activity on my account.
Call Commerce Bank immediately at 800-645-2103.
All other inquiries regarding your account
Call Commerce Bank at 800-645-2103 or send an email to mymoney@commercebank.com.
Nonprofit Partnerships
How does our organization get in your database?
Our platform pulls from the GuideStar database of every registered 501(c)(3) in the US; therefore, there is nothing you need to do to sign up.
I can’t find my organization in your system
The most accurate way to find your organization in our system is to search by your nonprofit’s EIN or School ID number. We have every registered 501(c)(3) and public school in the US because of our partnership with GuideStar. If you are having difficulty locating your organization it is most likely a name search error, please email us at info@charitycharge.com and we can help you locate it. To make finding your organization easier for your donors we can create a unique landing page for your, please visit our Nonprofit Information page and fill out the intake form to receive your custom link.
How can I change my nonprofit information (logo, name, address, etc.)?
You can change your nonprofit’s information on GuideStar’s website. We pull all of our data from their platform so updating your information there will update our system as well.
What database do you use for K-12 schools and universities?
We pull school data from the National Center for Education Statistics database, provided to us by GuideStar.
How are donations processed?
Donations are processed by Network for Good. Donations are sent to nonprofits quarterly, to make the accounting process easier and more efficient for them. Nonprofits will receive donations by either check or money order depending on their preference with Network for Good.
Will we actually receive a full 1%?
Yes! It’s important to us that 100% of donations that cardholders earn go directly to their favorite nonprofit. Therefore, we underwrite all donation processing fees so that there is no cost for any nonprofit to fundraise with Charity Charge.
Is there a minimum donation amount?
Short answer: no.
Long answer: technically yes.
The minimum donation amount is $10 in order for us to send a check to a nonprofit. No donations go wasted though. Each nonprofit will be sent a check after the first quarter they receive $10 in total donations. For example, if a nonprofit earns $5 in Q1 from cardholders they will not receive a check for that quarter; however, if they then earn an additional $6 from cardholders in Q2 they will receive a check for $11 at the end of that quarter. Therefore, all donations are processed once they reach $10 or over and donations are never forfeited.
How can we tell our donors about Charity Charge?
We’d love to talk to you about getting the word out to your supporters! Please email abby@charitycharge.com to set up a short introductory phone conversation about how we can help you start earning sustainable recurring revenue.
Can we get our logo on the card?
Yes, however, this is a paid option that we provide for certain groups. Please email abby@charitycharge.com to discuss this opportunity and get more information.
Can we get donor contact information?
We currently only provide donor contact information to nonprofits who also have our 501(c)(3) Business Card.
What about…
Will you expand to other countries?
Hopefully one day! Currently, we are focused on growing our base throughout the US.
This is a great idea! Has it really never been done before?
Most charitable credit cards to date have been co-branded directly with a very large nonprofit. Although these programs successfully generate funds for said nonprofit they are expensive to implement and are out of reach for most nonprofits, we wanted to broaden this field of opportunity so that anyone can support their favorite nonprofit and any nonprofit can gain a reliable fundraising source. We are proud to put the cardholder in control of which charity, and how many charities, they give to each month. This way each cardholder gets to see the impact they have on the causes closest to their hearts just by making everyday purchases.
Who do I contact if I have further questions?
You can send any further questions to info@charitycharge.com.
Who should I contact for press inquiries?
Please send press inquiries to press@charitycharge.com.
Nonprofit Business Card
Is there a Charity Charge credit card that I can use for my nonprofit’s business purchases?
Yes, we have created the only business credit card design for nonprofits. This card has many benefits for your nonprofit, you can explore them all on the nonprofit business card details page.
How is my organization rewarded by making everyday purchases?
The Charity Charge Nonprofit Business Card allows your organization to earn 1% Cash Back on every purchase you make, this Cash Back is then applied to your monthly statement. You’ll see the amount earned on your paper monthly bill or in your Commerce Bank online account dashboard.
Is the credit line based on personal or organizational credit history?
Our card does not require a personal guarantor by being underwritten to the organization. This reduces your leadership team, board, and founders overall financial risk.
Can our organization add employee cards?
Yes. You can order as many employee cards as you like. You can also restrict the usage of these employee cards by many different factors, see below.
How can employee cards be restricted?
- Merchants by MCC Code
- Single purchase limit
- Number of daily transaction allowed
- Daily spending amount allowed
- Number of cycle transactions allowed
- Cycle spending amount allowed
What are the rates and fees?
There is no annual fee to use the Charity Charge Nonprofit Business Card. To learn more about Commerce Bank’s rates and fees, see this sheet.
What are the extra benefits?
Mastercard has included many extra benefits that come with your Charity Charge Nonprofit Mastercard, you can read about them here*.
*Note that “MasterAssist Travel Services” is not included with the Charity Charge Nonprofit Business card.
How do we get our card customized?
Customizing a Charity Charge Nonprofit Business Card with your logo has fees and set up time associated with it. We don’t explore this route until you first have the generic business card and have been able to experience the benefits of the product first. After this initial period, we are happy to discuss branding the card with your logo and replacing the generic cards you already have in hand.
Small Business Card
Is there a Charity Charge credit card that I can use for my business purchases?
We are currently working on this product. For more information please email alexandra@charitycharge.com.
If you have any further questions please email us at info@charitycharge.com.
For press inquiries please visit our press page or email us at press@charitycharge.com.