Online Donation FAQ
Why online donations?
Many people have said they rarely write checks anymore, so we’re offering online as an additional donation option for those who wish to use it.
All of the current methods for making donations to St. Joe’s will continue: Checks, cash, or direct payments that you set up through your bank’s Bill Pay feature.
How does it work?
St. Joe’s uses a payment form handled by a fundraising support organization called Zeffy.
You can use a credit card or bank transfer to donate a one-time or a monthly recurring donation. If you enable recurring donations for regular offerings you can still submit one-time donations as needed for parish charity/outreach appeals, specific use needs, and memorials.
After entering your name and email address, along with the donation amount you want to give, you can direct your donation to one or more donation categories. This eliminates the need to submit multiple checks or envelopes for different needs. If you are giving a memorial gift or for a special need, there’s a place on the form for you to give the specific details.
You can set up a Zeffy account to manage your payments, but that's not required. Payment changes can also be handled by just sending an email to info@stjosephchurchwheaton.org and explaining what you need.
What is Zeffy?
Zeffy enables nonprofits to raise money and receive online donations without incurring the usual transaction fees because Zeffy pays the fees. They are proud of their role as the only 100% free fundraising and donor management platform for nonprofits.
How does Zeffy support itself?
Zeffy relies entirely on voluntary contributions from donors to pay donation processing fees and keep their lights on. That’s why you will be given the opportunity to add a Zeffy contribution amount of your choice that enables them to provide this service.
Making a Zeffy contribution is optional, but it is strongly encouraged so that our online donations stay free to St. Joe’s. Zeffy pays processing fees that can be an additional 3% of the donation amount and they also manage an extensive technical platform.
Are my payment details safe?
Zeffy's transactions are processed through Stripe, a global leader in secure online transactions that is PCI-compliant and meets the highest industry standards for online payments.
Zeffy also uses encryption to transfer all information, including personal data, using Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) or Transport Layer Security (TLS). Zeffy does not store, use, or sell your personal data.
How will I know if my donation went through?
Once your donation is submitted, you will receive a confirmation email. In most cases, the email will arrive within a couple of minutes, but be aware that payments can take time to process--esp. bank transfers.
Will online donations be included in the tax statement that St. Joe’s sends annually?
Yes. Annual tax statements will summarize donation payments made by check, envelope, and online payments. Note that your contributions to Zeffy are not tax deductible.
What if I’m not comfortable sharing my bank or credit card information online?
If you prefer not to donate online, that’s no problem! St. Joe’s will continue to accept donations in cash or checks just like we’ve always done.