If you are a consultant or fundraiser and are suggesting to a nonprofit that they use Better Giving, it is very important to be transparent about the relationship between you and Better Giving. The following article provides some suggested text or first person conversation starters you can use with nonprofits in your network.
If you are a nonprofit yourself, it may be very interesting anyway as a background to what the referral program is all about and why it is used.
A 'win-win' scenario is so often mythical, it's great to create something that actually has a chance of being good for all parties concerned!
Donations Remain 100% Intact
I want to be completely transparent about our referral arrangement with Better Giving. This partnership will not reduce your nonprofit's donations by a single penny. Here's exactly how it works:
You receive 100% of all donor gifts: Every donation made to your organization comes to you in full (minus standard payment processing fees)
No platform fees deducted: Better Giving doesn't charge nonprofits any platform fees whatsoever
Your donor relationships remain yours: You maintain complete control over your donor data and relationships
How Better Giving's Fee-Free Model Works
Unlike most fundraising platforms that charge nonprofits 3-8% in fees, Better Giving operates on a completely different model:
Donor-Supported Platform: Instead of charging nonprofits, Better Giving invites donors to make small optional contributions (averaging about 5% of their donation) to help keep the platform free for nonprofits like yours.
Completely Optional: Donors can choose whether or not to support Better Giving. There's no pressure or requirement. Your donors give what they want to your cause, and if they choose, they can add a small voluntary tip to help keep the platform running.
100% Transparent: Donors see exactly what they're contributing to Better Giving (if anything) and can adjust or remove this optional support at any time.
How This Actually Increases Your Net Donations
By switching to Better Giving, you'll likely see a significant increase in the money you keep from donations:
Eliminate Platform Fees: If you're currently using a platform that charges 3-8% in fees, switching to Better Giving means you keep that entire percentage. On $100,000 in donations, that's $3,000-$8,000 more for your mission.
Higher Conversion Rates: Better Giving's user-friendly donation experience typically increases completion rates, meaning more attempted donations actually succeed.
Recurring Donation Growth: The platform's tools make it easy for donors to set up recurring gifts, building sustainable long-term funding.
Cost Savings for Growth: The money you save on platform fees can be reinvested in donor acquisition, programs, or other fundraising activities.
Complete Transparency About My Referral Compensation
Yes, I do receive compensation when you join Better Giving through my referral. Here are the specific details:
What I Earn: I receive 30% of any voluntary contributions that donors choose to make to Better Giving (not from your donations to your nonprofit) for the 3 years after you sign up.
Real Numbers: If your donors contribute $100,000 to your nonprofit and voluntarily add an average of 5% ($5,000) to support Better Giving, I would earn about $1,500 over that period. Your nonprofit still receives the full $100,000.
Zero Impact on Your Funding: My compensation comes exclusively from donor contributions to Better Giving, never from donations to your organization. Your fundraising totals are completely unaffected.
Why This Arrangement Benefits Everyone
For Your Nonprofit: You get a powerful, fee-free fundraising platform that increases your net revenue while providing excellent donor experience.
For Your Donors: They get a smooth, modern giving experience and the option (not obligation) to support the free platform that serves nonprofits.
For Me: I'm compensated for introducing you to a tool that genuinely saves you money and improves your fundraising, creating a sustainable way for me to continue helping nonprofits discover better solutions.
For Better Giving: They get sustainable funding to keep improving their free platform for nonprofits while growing their user base.
Why I Recommend Better Giving
My recommendation is based on the platform's unique value proposition:
Truly Free for Nonprofits: No setup fees, monthly fees, or percentage charges
Better Donor Experience: Modern, mobile-optimized giving that increases completion rates
Complete Transparency: Both donors and nonprofits see exactly where every dollar goes
Proven Results: Organizations typically see both increased donation volume and higher net revenue
The Bottom Line
This referral arrangement is designed to help nonprofits like yours keep more of every dollar raised. Rather than paying 3-8% in platform fees to other providers, you keep 100% of donations while giving your donors the choice to voluntarily support the free platform that makes this possible.
The compensation I receive is essentially Better Giving's way of rewarding successful referrals, similar to how a real estate agent gets paid when they help someone find the right house.
The key difference is that in this case, you're not paying for it; voluntary donor contributions are.
Would you like me to show you a demo of the platform so you can see first-hand how it could increase your net fundraising revenue?