Q. What is PayPal?
A. PayPal is an online service for businesses and non-profits to accept payments/donations online. It’s a widely used and safe way for people to send money on the Internet.
Q. Do I need a PayPal account to donate?
A. No — You can simply enter your payment information through the RBC Give page, which is a secure website and the donation will be sent as a one-time gift to the church. If you have a PayPal account, you can simply transfer money without fees incurred to the church to finance@ridgefieldbaptist.org.
Q. How does the church get the money I send?
A. After you complete the payment information steps at PayPal, the funds are immediately deposited in the church’s online PayPal account. The treasurer will then transfer your donation to the church’s bank account.
Q. Are there any fees or costs to give online?
A. Not to you. The full amount that you choose to donate is considered a tax-deductible gift. There is a 3% fee to the church for the processing of credit and debit cards.
Q. Is my information safe and confidential?
A. Yes — Online giving is actually less risky than handwritten checks. An online transaction cannot be lost, stolen, or destroyed. PayPal automatically encrypts your confidential information using the Secure Sockets Layer protocol (SSL) with an encryption key length of 128-bits (the highest level commercially available). When you give through PayPal, the church does NOT see private information like your debit card or bank account number.
Q. How do I know my donation made it to the church?
A. You will receive a confirmation email immediately after you complete your donation. You can keep the email as a receipt for tax purposes.
Q. How is my contribution documented?
A. The treasurer and financial secretary are the only people who will receive an email notice each time a contribution is made online. Using the address information you provide, your contribution will be recorded for the church records.
Q. Why do you ask me for my address and other information?
A. This information is needed to confirm that your debit, credit, or bank information belongs to you.
Q. Can I use a credit card to give online?
A. When using the online giving system through PayPal, you are asked to enter your credit card information. The use of a DEBIT card attached to a checking account instead of the use of credit cards is strongly advised. If you choose to give with a credit card, we encourage you to remain financially responsible by not accruing any debt and by paying off your credit card statement on a monthly basis.
Other questions? Use the web contact form.