And it's one more way to solicit donations or new members. The general verdict on effectiveness is still out, since most are still tracking results. The easiest way to initiate online giving is to add a new section to an existing Web site. The Assisi Animal Foundation and Shelter in Illinois started offering secure online giving last year. But be careful when shopping for a vendor to process your secure online transactions.
Some vendors offer special rates for nonprofits.
When you walk into a restaurant, you use a credit card, they swipe it through a machine, and it receives an authorization number. We do the same thing online. To accept credit cards, nonprofits and for-profits alike must have a merchant account. Most banks offer merchant accounts, but generally only to organizations with a physical storefront. Companies like iTransact, which already work with banks, also serve as a gateway through which nonprofits can establish a merchant account.