Fundraising FAQs

This FAQ answers common Fundraising questions for Member365 administrators. Navigation and available options can vary by permissions and configuration.

How do I enable my Fundraising Module?

When would I use this? Use this when you need to enable my Fundraising Module. For example, a fundraising administrator may need this answer to run campaigns and record donations consistently.

We wish you luck in all your fundraising endeavors!

1. Log in to your Member365 Administrator Dashboard.
2. In the top bar, click 'Configuration'
3. Find the section marked ‘Fundraising’. If there is a green button marked ‘Active’, the module is already active; if not, click the red ‘ Disabled ‘ button, and then click ‘ Enable ‘ in the window that appears.
4. If you did not find the ‘Fundraising’ section, book a call with a Member365 Customer Success Coach.

View the complete step-by-step guide.

How do I create a Fundraising Campaign?

When would I use this? Use this when you need to create a Fundraising Campaign. For example, a fundraising administrator may need this answer to run campaigns and record donations consistently.

This article will guide you through creating a fundraising campaign which are of two types: Basic, and Fund-based.

1. Log in to your Member365 Administrator Dashboard.
2. Hover over ‘ Modules ‘ in the navigation bar. Then, hover over ' Fundraising ‘ in the drop-down menu that appears, and click ‘ Create Fundraiser ‘.
3. The first part of the campaign creation process presents two text fields for your campaign’s name and the description that member see.
4. The ‘Options’ section allows you to specify your fundraising goal, start date and end date.
5. The financial management page governs financial settings: use this page to permit one or multiple payment methods, and to select the campaign type as well as which ledger will be used for this campaign. Choose 'Basic' under the Campaign Type dropdown field.
6. When you are satisfied, click ‘ Save ‘.
7. Follow steps 1 - 5

View the complete step-by-step guide.

How do I edit a Fundraising Campaign?

When would I use this? Use this when you need to edit a Fundraising Campaign. For example, a fundraising administrator may need this answer to run campaigns and record donations consistently.

This article will guide you through editing an existing fundraising campaign.

1. Log in to your Member365 Administrator Dashboard.
2. From the bar at the top of the dashboard, hover over ‘ Modules ‘, then hover over ‘ Fundraising ‘ and click ' Manage Fundraisers '
3. Use the date selection and keyword tools to find the campaign you wish to edit, and then click its name or the pencil icon next to its name.
4. Editing the fundraising campaign from here is the same as creating a new campaign. Please refer to this Knowledge Base Article if you need a refresher.

View the complete step-by-step guide.

How do I configure Fundraising Receipts?

When would I use this? Use this to configure the donation receipt and its related confirmation email before opening a campaign.

1. Open Configuration → Fundraising → Setup → Receipt Configuration → Manage.
2. Choose whether donors receive an email with a receipt link, and review the foundation name and title.
3. Edit the receipt’s signature, logo, footer, data footer, and donation data in the corresponding editors. Use the available tags for personalized fields.
4. Review the donation confirmation email fields and click Save. Run a complete test donation and inspect both the receipt and all payment or purchase emails.

The organization mailing address comes from Configuration → Organization Profile → Organization Information, not the receipt editor. A separate general purchase receipt may also be sent after payment.

Fixed wording and signature: The fundraising purchase confirmation contains system-controlled wording that cannot currently be removed in Receipt Configuration. The portal-name portion of the email signature comes from Configuration → Organization Profile → Setup → Organization Information → Manage → What is the name of your portal?

How to Configure Fundraising Receipts

How do I generate a Revenue Report Limited to Fundraising Transactions?

When would I use this? Use this when you need to generate a Revenue Report Limited to Fundraising Transactions. For example, a fundraising administrator may need this answer to run campaigns and record donations consistently.

This article will guide you through creating a financial report that includes only fundraising transactions.

1. Log in to your Member365 Administrator Dashboard.
2. From the top bar, hover over ‘ Financial ‘.
3. From the dropdown that follows, hover over 'Reports' then select 'Revenue Reports'
4. Select a start and end date corresponding to the desired reporting period, select your sub-ledger, then click ‘ Generate Report ‘.
5. Depending on your browser settings, you will either automatically download or be asked to download an Excel spreadsheet. This file will include all transactions within the date range that have been categorized as fundraising transactions (i.e. donations).

View the complete step-by-step guide.

How do I share the Public Link for my Fundraiser?

When would I use this? Use this when you need to share the Public Link for my Fundraiser. For example, a fundraising administrator may need this answer to run campaigns and record donations consistently.

This article will guide you through locating and sharing the public link for a fundraiser.

1. Log in to your Member365 Administrator Dashboard.
2. From the bar at the top of the dashboard, hover over ‘ Modules ‘, then hover over ‘ Fundraising ‘ and click ' Manage Fundraisers '
3. Click the name of the fundraising campaign whose public link you would like to access.
4. Locate the public link in the bottom-right corner; select it and copy it to your clipboard.

View the complete step-by-step guide.

If an option described here is unavailable in your system, contact Member365 Support.

How should we handle a store purchase that includes a charitable portion?

When would I use this? Use this when your organization needs to handle a store purchase that includes a charitable portion. For example, a fundraising administrator may need this answer to run campaigns and record donations consistently.

Member365 automatically generates charitable receipts through the Fundraising module, not for the charitable portion of a regular Store purchase. The purchaser receives a Store transaction for the item and a separate fundraising receipt for the donation. If the amounts must remain bundled, prepare the receipt outside Member365 and confirm the required receipt treatment with your organization’s finance or tax adviser; a custom certificate is not a substitute for the Fundraising receipt workflow.

1. Confirm the item’s fair market value and the separate amount your organization treats as a donation.
2. Price the Store item at its fair market value.
3. Create or select a Fundraising campaign for the donation portion.
4. Configure the campaign’s fundraising receipt and confirmation email.
5. Process the purchase and donation as separate transactions.
6. Verify that the fundraising receipt shows only the donation amount.

View the complete step-by-step guide.

How do I start a new fundraising period without showing last period’s donations in the total?

When would I use this? Use this when a campaign continues into a new fiscal year but its landing page should show only donations for the new period.

Before you begin: Editing the dates of an existing fundraiser does not reset its accumulated donations. Plan a separate campaign and confirm its goal, payment methods, ledger, and dates.

Steps in Member365:

1. From the Administrator Dashboard, open Modules → Fundraising → Create Fundraiser.
2. Give the new campaign a distinct name and description, then enter the new period’s start date, end date, and fundraising goal under Options.
3. Configure its financial settings and choose the appropriate campaign type, such as Basic or Fund.
4. Review the landing page display choices and click Save.

Expected result: The new campaign tracks its own donations; the earlier campaign retains its historical total.

Test before going live: Preview the new campaign’s dates, public page, goal display, and payment setup before sharing its link.

What happens next? Share the new fundraiser link and review its total after the first donation. Retain the old campaign for reporting.

Create a fundraising campaign · Share its public link.

How do I offer a donation during one membership category's application or renewal?

When would I use this? Use this when applicants for a particular membership category should have an optional donation prompt.

Before you begin: Create the fundraising campaign and decide whether it should appear on application, renewal, or both.

Steps in Member365:

1. Open Membership → Category Setup and select the intended category.
2. Open Fundraising and link the appropriate campaign.
3. Enable the donation option for application, renewal, or both as needed.
4. Save the membership category and test its application link.

Expected result: That category's application or renewal offers the linked donation campaign; other categories need their own configuration.

Test before going live: Complete a test application and review the resulting invoice and donation ledger before inviting applicants.

What happens next? If donation-source questions are unwanted, review the campaign's Reference settings separately.

Membership Advanced Settings

Will a donation made during membership renewal send an automatic tax receipt?

When would I use this? Use this when a membership invoice includes a donation and you need to confirm whether a fundraising tax receipt was emailed.

Before you begin: Identify how the donation was collected. A donation added during a membership application or renewal does not trigger the standalone fundraising receipt email automatically.

Steps in Member365:

1. From the Administrator Dashboard, search for the donor and open their Contact Record.
2. Open Communication & File Log → Emails and select View All Emails to check for a receipt.
3. Review the invoice and donation transaction before following your organization’s receipt process.

Expected result: You can establish whether a receipt email was sent instead of assuming the membership invoice generated one.

Test before going live: Check a test renewal donation and a standalone fundraising donation separately.

What happens next? Ask your finance team how to issue a required receipt if none was sent; avoid sending a duplicate.

Check if an Email Was Sent · Configure Fundraising Receipts

How do I hide the days remaining on a fundraiser?

When would I use this? Use this for an ongoing fundraiser when donors should not see a countdown.

Before you begin: Confirm the fundraiser’s end date and decide whether to hide the display in both the Member Portal and public link.

Steps in Member365:

1. From the Administrator Dashboard, open Modules → Fundraising and manage the fundraiser.
2. In its display options, turn off Display Days Left? and save the campaign.
3. Open its public link and Member Portal view to compare what donors see.

Expected result: The remaining-days figure no longer appears in either view.

Test before going live: Open the public link in a private browser window and check the logged-in Member Portal view; the two can differ.

What happens next? Recheck the display when the campaign is edited or reused.

Create a Fundraising Campaign

Can I preview a fundraising receipt before donors receive it?

When would I use this? Use this when checking the layout and wording of a donation receipt before a campaign goes live.

Before you begin: The fundraising receipt setup does not have a preview action. A test donation creates a real transaction and receipt; plan how you will account for it and any refund.

Steps in Member365:

1. Open Configuration → Fundraising → Setup → Receipt Configuration and save the receipt content.
2. Make a controlled test donation to the campaign.
3. Review the resulting receipt and confirmation email, then correct the configuration and retest if needed.

Expected result: The test receipt shows what a donor receives. Review the test transaction in your financial records.

Configure Fundraising Receipts

Can an administrator get an automatic email for each donation or a large donation?

When would I use this? Use this when staff need an email alert when someone donates to a fundraiser.

Direct answer: Donation email notifications are now available. Member365 Support confirmed they can be enabled and are triggered for standalone donations and donations added to membership join or renewal forms when those forms use the fundraising campaign. An alert based on a minimum donation amount was not confirmed.

Steps in Member365:

1. Review the fundraising campaign and find its donation email notification setting; enable it for the intended staff recipients.
2. Make a controlled test donation through the public campaign, then check that the intended recipients receive the alert.
3. If a membership form also offers a donation to that campaign, test a join or renewal donation separately.

Expected result: Staff receive donation alerts for the enabled campaign and tested donation routes.

Test before going live: Verify recipients and message content with test transactions. If the setting is not visible in your account, contact Support to confirm its availability and location.

Fundraiser Analytics

How do I show only an organization’s name on its donation receipt?

When would I use this? Use this when a fundraiser accepts an organization donation and the receipt should identify the organization instead of the individual contact.

Before you begin: The fundraiser campaign has a Use Organization Name on Receipts? option; this controls the name displayed for organization donations.

Steps in Member365:

1. Open Modules → Fundraising → Manage Fundraisers and select the campaign.
2. In the fundraiser's setup, enable Use Organization Name on Receipts? and save.
3. Generate a suitable test receipt for an organization donation and review all displayed donor details.

Expected result: The organization name appears on its donation receipt and the individual contact name is omitted.

Test before going live: Inspect the entire sample receipt and have the appropriate staff confirm that its wording and fields meet your organization's requirements.

What happens next? If the option is not available in your campaign, ask Support to confirm its setup.

Configure Fundraising Receipts

How can donors enter information for a gift made in someone’s honour?

When would I use this? Use this when a donor should be able to explain who a donation recognizes.

Direct answer: Enable the fundraiser’s Recognition Text option to collect the donor’s note about the person or cause being honoured. Confirm separately how your organization will contact that person; the ticket did not verify automatic notification.

Steps in Member365:

1. Open the relevant fundraiser configuration.
2. Enable Recognition Text and save the campaign.
3. Submit a small test donation or preview its form, and review where the recognition text is recorded.

Expected result: The donor can enter the recognition information with the donation.

Test before going live: Verify what is collected and whether any notification or receipt is sent before describing it to donors.

Can a disclosure statement be added automatically to every fundraiser?

When would I use this? Use this when the same approved disclosure needs to appear on several fundraising pages.

Before you begin: Have the wording and any required script reviewed under your organization’s own disclosure process.

Direct answer: The support-confirmed standard workflow is to add the approved statement to each fundraiser’s description. Automatic insertion across every fundraiser was not confirmed as a standard feature.

Steps in Member365:

1. Keep the current approved disclosure text in your organization’s source document.
2. Add it to the Description when creating or updating each fundraiser.
3. Preview the public page and verify it appears as intended.

Expected result: Each configured fundraiser displays the statement added to its description.

Test before going live: Check every fundraiser separately; do not assume a change to one page updates all campaigns.

Can I turn off an automatic donation receipt for just one recurring donor?

When would I use this? Use this when a monthly donor asks to stop the system-generated receipt but keep the recurring donation.

Direct answer: The recurring donation receipt cannot currently be disabled for only one donor through a standard setting. Removing the contact’s email also affects their Member Portal username and other messages, so review that consequence before changing it.

Expected result: The scheduled donation continues to use the system’s receipt behaviour unless the underlying contact and payment arrangement are changed.

Why do fundraising campaign pages have a different footer from the Member Portal?

When would I use this? Use this when a donation page does not show the same Terms & Conditions link as the Member Portal.

Fundraising campaign pages operate separately from the Member Portal; the portal's standard footer terms are not necessarily included on a Fundraising campaign page.

Steps in Member365:

1. Open a test campaign page and the Member Portal to compare their current footers.
2. Review the campaign's own content and any required donation disclosures before sharing its link.
3. Ask Support about campaign-specific wording if the donation page needs additional terms.

Expected result: Staff can verify the terms displayed on each page without assuming the portal footer also appears on the donation page.

Test before going live: Review both pages before launch.