FAQs

Donor FAQ | Nonprofit FAQ

General FAQ

Q. What is a Community Foundation?

The Billings Community Foundation is your local partner for charitable giving and aims to connect donors with the organizations they care about most. Since 2007, it has been our mission to help individual donors and charitable organizations meet the needs of the Greater Yellowstone Valley through grantmaking, managing investments, and providing philanthropic council.

Community Foundations provide financial tools and capacity support for individual donors and charitable institutions, including endowment fund management, gift annuities, donor advised funds, fiscal sponsorships, and support and advocacy for the non-profit sector. These tools are imperative for the stability of generations to come, and play a pivotal role in the future vitality of our community!

Q. When is Yellowstone Valley Gives?

Yellowstone Valley Gives will start at 12:00 noon on May 2nd and end at 9pm on May 3rd. The site will open for donations on May 1st and close on May 31st. Only donations made on May 2nd and 3rd will count toward prize eligibility.

Q. Who puts on Yellowstone Valley Gives?

The event is facilitated by the Billings Community Foundation and is planned and implemented by a Steering Committee made up of representatives from area non-profit organizations and community stakeholders.

The goals of Yellowstone Valley Gives include:

  • Bringing nonprofits and donors together.
  • Increasing public awareness of the impact made by nonprofits.
  • Connecting people to the causes they care about most.
  • Providing a fun and meaningful ways for the community to give charitably.

Yellowstone Valley Gives is only possible because of our sponsors, supporters, and partner non-profits. Thank you!

Q. How can I get involved?

  • Donate online on May 2nd and 3rd at YellowstoneGives.org! Search for a nonprofit to give to by typing in a specific organization’s name (e.g. Billings Community Foundation) or search the causes you’re most passionate about to see which organizations are working in those areas.
  • Donate via check directly to the organization you support by mailing them a check ahead of Yellowstone Valley Gives with a note that you'd like it to be counted as a YVG 2024 contribution! Want to give to multiple organizations through one check? You can through the Billings Community Foundation and include instructions! Check out the Ways to Give page to learn how. "Offline" donations still count toward the total donations for the event.
  • Be a Peer-to-Peer Fundraiser  for an organization you care about.
  • Find a volunteer opportunity on your favorite organization's profile at YellowstoneGives.org
  • Help spread the word - share the initiative with your community! Check out our social media pages for fun ways to spread the word.
  • Share Yellowstone Valley Gives or news about a cause you care about on social media. Use the hashtag #givingday By doing so, you could help a nonprofit you love win one of our cash prizes  check them out here!

Nonprofit FAQ

Q. What is Yellowstone Valley Gives?

Yellowstone Valley Giving Day is a powerful two-day celebration of giving, focused on connecting community members with area nonprofits!

Working together with local nonprofits, the Billings Community Foundation is reinforcing the value of philanthropic giving, encouraging community engagement, and strengthening collaborative impact for the benefit of the Greater Yellowstone Valley Region of Montana.

Q. When is Yellowstone Valley Gives?

Yellowstone Valley Gives 2024 will start at May 2nd at noon and end at 9:00pm on May 3rd. The site will open for donations on May 1st and close May 31st.

Q. Where do I find up-to-date information on “Yellowstone Valley Gives”?

Please check the Billings Community Foundation website or Facebook page for updates, events, and other information related to #givingday.

Your organization may submit events to be listed on the schedule of events page here.

Q. Which organizations may participate?

Organizations that are verified 501(c)3 charitable nonprofits that are located and serving in the Greater Yellowstone Valley Region, Montana are eligible to participate. This includes, but is not limited to: Big Horn, Carbon, Custer, Ferguson, Musselshell, Rosebud, Stillwater, Treasure and Yellowstone County.

Schools and churches that have the proper IRS documentation are also eligible to participate.

Fiscally sponsored projects that are connected to a 501(c)3 organization.

We verify that each and every participating organization is legally able to collect donations, so donors can feel confident that their contribution is going to a legitimate and reputable organization!

Q. What is GiveGab?

GiveGab is an online giving platform that helps nonprofits raise money, engage donors, and manage volunteers quickly and efficiently. GiveGab offers a full portfolio of simple and easy-to-use products that allow organizations to function in a more streamlined manner.

Q. Is there a fee to participate?

Yes. Nonprofit Registration opens Wednesday, February 7th with an Early Bird rate of $75. Regular registration is $100 per organization and begins on February 15th. 

This fee helps to support the marketing infrastructure of the Giving Day and build buy-in from nonprofit participants. If you organization cannot afford the registration fee, please contact yvgives@billingscommunityfoundation.org.

Q. Can more than one person claim admin access on our organization’s page?

Yes, pending approval from existing administrators. All administrators will need to create profiles on GiveGab. Every person who has administrative access will receive emails about updates to their page.

Q. Why should my organization participate?

Great question! The Yellowstone Valley Gives team supports giving directly to the nonprofit of a donors choice. That's why we use a platform that will allow you to do just that - all throughout the year - by enabling you to come back and give again and/or schedule a recurring gift.

  1. Year after year, Yellowstone Valley Gives helps raise awareness for the sector. By coming together one day, we are able to leverage all of our resources to promote all of the good work charities are doing in our community!
  2. Yellowstone Valley Gives exists to support, equip, and serve the local nonprofit community through free workshops and tools and templates that can be used to fundraise year-round. We hope to provide each and every nonprofit with the tools they need to thrive!
  3. By providing access to year-round online fundraising pages, Yellowstone Gives provides many small agencies with the opportunity to engage with donors in new and fun ways while promoting social sharing!
  4. Giving is contagious and by creating an entire event dedicated to giving, we can come together as a community and encourage our friends and family to give to the causes we love the most. With so many new nonprofits to discover, there's something for everyone!

Q. How can my nonprofit participate?

Search for your organization by name or EIN here. If you do not see your organization listed, you will have the opportunity to create your organization’s profile. You can check out the support articles which walk you through the process HERE, or you can email us at yvgives@billingscommunityfoundation.org.

Q. What is the deadline to ensure my participation in Yellowstone Valley Gives?

The deadline to register and have guaranteed inclusion in Yellowstone Valley Gives is May 5 2022. Your profile on GiveGab is available 365 days a year for fundraising and volunteer management.

Q. How much of the donation will go to my organization?

Of a donation, only 6.5% + $0.30 will be retained by the credit card companies, GiveGab, and the Billings Community Foundation. The complete breakdown is as follows:

3% service charge from GiveGab for building and maintaining the hosting site. This is the only cost accrued by GiveGab and it goes to cover site building and maintenance, live event customer service, and donation processing.

2.5% + $0.30 is charged on all transactions made with any card provider. In past years, fees have been higher for transactions with American Express. These are standard charges from each credit card company for donations made online. A donor is given the option to cover the fees and if they choose this option, 100% of their online charitable gift will go to the receiving organization. All donations are final and cannot be refunded.

1% is retained by the Billings Community Foundation for hard costs related to platform management and to support the programming, training, and other opportunities offered to our nonprofit partners throughout the year.

*In 2023, 91% of donors chose to cover all of the processing fees. By choosing to cover those fees, the nonprofit(s) receive 100% of the intended gift.

Q. Who will receive the donor’s contact information?

The organization(s) a donor chooses to support will have access to their name, email address, phone number, and physical address. This information is used solely to send thank you messages, provide the option to receive future notifications, and to notify donors of future activities. The Billings Community Foundation has access to this information to assist with questions, concerns, and followup requested by the donor. Organizations will be notified that the donor gave anonymously, but will still have access to the donor's name and contact information on their donation reports.

Q. How do matching gifts work for my nonprofit?

Matches are a great way to engage committed supporters of your organization and engage new and smaller donors by helping their gift go farther. You can use sponsor matches and challenges to excite your donors and help their donations go even further thanks to the support of a sponsor. You can learn more about matches and challenges here

Q. Who do I contact for help with the registration process?

If you have questions related to the Giving Day platform or your profile, please contact GiveGab support in the blue chat bubble at the bottom right of your screen.

If you have questions related to logistics or local considerations, please contact the Billings Community Foundation at yvgives@billingscommunityfoundation.org

Q. If I have a fiscal sponsor, can I participate in Yellowstone Valley Gives?

Absolutely! GiveGab accommodates fiscal sponsorship as an option to receive tax-deductible donations if your organization is not currently eligible to receive tax-deductible gifts. You can learn more about fiscal sponsorship on GiveGab here:

What is a fiscal sponsorship?

How does a fiscal sponsorship work on GiveGab?

Q. If my organization decides not to participate after already registering, can we get a refund?

Refunds for registration will be considered by situation. No refunds will be issued after registration closes on May 5.

Q. How can I find out more about Yellowstone Valley Gives?

Stay tuned to this website for more information and detail as the event draws close. You can also follow us on Instagram @bcfgivebigbillings and "like" us on Facebook to stay updated. The Billings Community Foundation will be hosting training sessions for nonprofits to share tools, highlight matching grants and strategize together to make this day another one for the history books!

https://www.facebook.com/BCFGiveBigBillings

We also encourage all participants and their giving day team members to join the Community Foundation’s mailing list to receive up-to-date Yellowstone Valley Gives information.

Q. My donor needs a refund. How can they get one?

Refunds for donations will be considered by situation and can only be processed via GiveGab, the donation processing platform, within four business days of a gift being made.

If your donor needs a refund, an account administrator will need to complete a refund request form on the donor's behalf. Please email customersuccess@givegab.com or use the blue chat bubble in the bottom right corner of your screen to request the refund form.

If the gift in question was made more than four business days prior to the refund being requested, please work directly with the donor to process the refund offline via check or other methods

Q. Can I resend or re-issue receipts to donors?

Yes! To resend a donor's receipt, follow the steps outlined here.

Q. What else? Any fine print?

The Billings Community Foundation can modify any restrictions or conditions if, in the judgment of the Board of Directors, such restriction or condition becomes unnecessary, incapable of fulfillment or inconsistent with the charitable needs of the community.  As such, the Billings Community Foundation reserves the right to deny or condition the distribution of prize grants if, in the judgment of its Board of Directors, such restriction or condition becomes necessary.

*Any donations processed outside of the Giving Day Period (May 1 - May 31, 2023), through GiveGab.com, or subsequent recurring donations are subject to transaction fees outlined on the GiveGab.com pricing page: info.givegab.com/pricing


Donor FAQ

Q. What is Yellowstone Valley Gives?

Yellowstone Valley Giving Day is a powerful two-day online celebration of giving, focused on connecting community members with area nonprofits!

Working together with local nonprofits, the Billings Community Foundation is reinforcing the value of philanthropic giving, encouraging community engagement, and strengthening collaborative impact for the benefit of the Greater Yellowstone Valley Region of Montana!

Q. When is Yellowstone Valley Gives?

Yellowstone Valley Gives 2024 will start at noon on May 2nd, and end at 9:00pm on May 3rd. The site will open for donations on May 1st and close on May 31st.

Q. Who puts on Yellowstone Valley Gives?

The Billings Community Foundation is the driving force behind Yellowstone Valley Gives. Our mission is to help individual donors and charitable organizations meet the needs of the Greater Yellowstone Valley Region of Montana.

We encourage local philanthropy through the Yellowstone Valley Giving Day by:

  • 1. Bringing nonprofits and donors together.
  • 2. Increasing public awareness of the impact made by nonprofits.
  • 3. Connecting people to the causes they care about most.
  • 4. Providing a fun and meaningful ways for the community to give charitably.

Yellowstone Valley Gives is only possibly because of our generous community partners. All partners are listed on the homepage.

Q. Why give through Yellowstone Valley Gives?

Nonprofits play critical roles in supporting and strengthening the Yellowstone Valley – in health, arts, environment, education, social services and many other areas. In today’s challenging economic environment, these organizations are pressed to accomplish much more with much less. Unrestricted donations like those raised during Yellowstone Valley Gives provide critical support for their good work.

While we hope you will support local groups and causes all year, Yellowstone Valley Gives inspires community-wide giving during a targeted two-day period. It’s an extraordinary occasion to celebrate the spirit of generosity and support the work of nonprofits in the Yellowstone Valley.

Q. Where can I give in person during Yellowstone Valley Gives?

Please check the Billings Community Foundation website or Facebook page for updates, events, and other information related to #givingday.

You can also visit the schedule of events page here to see which organizations have submitted Live Celebration of Giving Events happening in conjunction with the annual Yellowstone Valley Giving Day.

Q. How can I become a Partner to help make Yellowstone Valley Gives a success?

In order to make an amplified impact on the fundraising effort of nonprofits participating in Yellowstone Valley Gives, we encourage local businesses and individuals to become "Event Sponsors" and "Prize Sponsors".

Sponsoring Yellowstone Valley Gives means that your business supports this initiative, while simultaneously gaining positive exposure throughout the day of events, media opportunities and high volume website traffic. In addition to ensuring administrative support and long-term sustainability for this program, 65% of all sponsorship funds are re-distributed out to participating non-profits.

To find out more about becoming a Sponsor, please contact the Billings Community Foundation, yvgives@billingscommunityfoundation.org

Please see the #givingday Partnership Packet for a full list of opportunities.

Q. Can I fundraise for my favorite nonprofit?

Yes! You can be a champion for the cause(s) you care about – we call these Peer-to-Peer Fundraisers!

Become a champion for your nonprofit. If you weren't invited to fundraise for an organization, you can still sign up to be a fundraiser!

  • Visit the organization’s page.
  • Click the "Fundraise" button!

    • Spread the word. Talk about Yellowstone Valley Gives with friends, family, and colleagues. Email your friends. Post about on it Facebook or share one of the posts on the Billings Community Foundations Facebook Page. Change your profile picture and cover photos to Yellowstone Valley Gives graphics.

    Please note that in order to create a Fundraising Page you will be prompted to sign into your GiveGab user account, or create one if you don’t already have an account.

    Q. Beyond a donation, what else can I do to support my favorite nonprofit during the event?

    Please spread the word among your friends, family and network about Yellowstone Valley Gives and the good work nonprofits do in our area. One of the best ways to help will be to use email and social media such as Facebook and Instagram to let people know you are giving and encourage others to do the same. Your favorite nonprofits may also conduct online media campaigns or carry out creative ideas and events to promote the day and compete to win incentive prizes. We hope you will support them however you can!

    Are you a decision-maker at a business? You can sign up to host a "business fundraiser" to promote the day and/or specific causes in your corporate network. Businesses can show cumulative impact from anyone (employees, shareholders, etc.) who contributes through the business page. Often businesses will choose to match donations that come through their page, making the impact even bigger!

    Q. Who can donate?

    Anyone may donate! It doesn’t matter where you live or how much you give! Collectively we can all make a significant impact for organizations in our community!

    All donations made through the Yellowstone Valley Gives online portal are tax deductible and cannot be refunded.

    Donations will be processed and receipted by GiveGab.

    Q. Can I give to more than one organization at a time?

    Yes! If giving online, look for the button that says “Add Another Organization” on your donation flow or feel free to continue shopping around the site and the gift basket will save your donations for you.

    Q. Is there a minimum for credit card donations?

    The minimum credit card donation is only $10. The minimum for ACH donations is $100. The maximum gift will be determined by the donor’s generosity and credit card limit.

    Q. Are gifts tax-deductible?

    Yes! All gifts are 100% tax deductible and will be for the unrestricted use by the recipient organization. Once you make a donation, you will immediately receive an email from the organization confirming your tax-deductible gift. Please save the email for your records for tax purposes. If you need another copy of your receipt, feel free to use the little blue chat bubble on the bottom right hand corner for assistance.

    Q. Where can I donate?

    Yellowstone Valley Gives is an online and in-person giving day. You can give online at YellowstoneGives.org or donate in person online or with a check or cash (even change!) to the organization of your choice! Please see our schedule of events page for details!

    Q. Who will receive my contact information?

    The Billings Community Foundation and the organization(s) you choose to support will have access to your name and email address. This information is used solely to send thank you messages, provide the option to receive future notifications, and to notify you of future activities.

    You have the option to make your donation anonymous. Anonymous donations will be displayed as "Anonymous." on the organization's page. Organizations will still have access to your name and email address.

    Q. Can I make donations via a mobile device?

    Yes! Simply visit YellowstoneGives.org on your mobile device.

    Q. Can I make my donation using Apple Pay, Google Pay, or Microsoft Pay?

    Yes! Here is a breakdown of the requirements for each payment method:

    To use the "Mobile Wallet integration" you must use HTTPS and a supported browser. In addition, each payment method and browser has specific requirements:

    Apple Pay

    • Safari on Mac running macOS Sierra or later.
    • An iPhone (not an iPad; Safari doesn't support them yet) with a card in its Wallet paired to your Mac with Handoff, or a Mac with TouchID. Instructions can be found on Apple's Support site.

    Mobile Safari

    • Mobile Safari on iOS 10.1 or later
    • A card in your Wallet (go to Settings → Wallet & Apple Pay)

    Google Pay

    Chrome Mobile for Android

    Microsoft Pay

    Q. Can I donate early to my favorite nonprofits?

    Yes! Donors may give in advance of Yellowstone Valley Gives starting on May 1st. By donating early, you won't need to worry about missing the Giving Day! All early gifts will count towards the nonprofit totals for Yellowstone Valley Gives. Only gifts made on between noon on May 2nd and 9:00pm on May 3rd will be counted towards the prize incentives awarded to nonprofit participants.

    Q. Do I need to create an account with GiveGab?

    No, you do not need to create an account to make a donation. The benefits of creating an account include having your tax receipts collected in one location, being able to track your donations, follow the charities you support, and engage in future volunteering and donations.

    Q. What is GiveGab?

    GiveGab is an online giving platform that helps nonprofits raise money, engage donors, and manage volunteers quickly and efficiently. GiveGab offers a full portfolio of simple and easy-to-use products that allow organizations to function in a more streamlined manner.

    Q. How will donations be reported on the donors credit card statement?

    The statement will show a charge for each organization to which a donation was made. It will show GiveGab-[organization name]. If you are making multiple gifts or high-volume gifts, it might be worth checking with your bank ahead of time so that your card is not flagged!

    Q. What if my preferred organization is not listed?

    If your preferred organization is not listed, that means they did not register for Yellowstone Valley Gives this year. Reach out to them to encourage them to participate next year! We encourage you to use the “Search” function on www.YellowstoneGives.org to find other causes that match your passions!

    Q. Can my gift be refunded?

    Refunds for donations will be considered in extenuating circumstances and can only be processed via GiveGab, the donation processing platform, within four business days of a gift being made.

    If you need a refund, an account administrator for the nonprofit you gave to will need to complete a refund request form on your behalf. Please contact the nonprofit directly and request that they email customersuccess@givegab.com in order to initiate the refund request process.

    If your gift was made more than four business days prior to the refund being requested, please work directly with the nonprofit to process the refund offline via check or other methods

    Q. Who can I contact if I have additional questions?

    Click the blue chat bubble for immediate support or email the Billings Community Foundation, yvgives@billingscommunityfoundation.org

    *Any donations processed outside of the Giving Day Period (May 1 - May 31, 2023), through GiveGab.com, or subsequent recurring donations are subject to transaction fees outlined on the GiveGab.com pricing page: info.givegab.com/pricing