FAQ
I. GENERAL FAQ
1. What is YouGiveGoods?Back to TopYouGiveGoods is a socially conscious, for-profit company founded with the singular purpose of connecting those who want to help with those who need help most.
In these times of great need and diminishing support, YouGiveGoods believes that innovation is crucial to make sure that those who need help get it. Our technology platform is designed to make charitable drives easier to set up and run, more enjoyable to participate in and more fruitful for those they are designed to benefit. We do this by making it easy to connect with others who want to do good and by handling the "heavy lifting" of a Drive: spreading the word and getting the goods to where they are needed.
2. What is the YouGiveGoods mission?Back to TopThe YouGiveGoods mission is to help get more good done. We've created a web-based service that enables people to give and have a richer giving experience by purchasing the actual items in need and delivering them directly to the places where they will make the most difference-food pantries, animal shelters and homeless shelters.
YouGiveGoods strives to support a community of giving through the ease and utility of our web portal. YouGiveGoods fosters giving by:
- Enabling site users to start drives that benefit the charitable organizations of their choice as YouGiveGoods Drive Starters.
- Allowing people who want to do good to purchase goods on YouGiveGoods to help those in need.
YouGiveGoods is unique because we do not handle monetary donations. Instead, we allow you to quickly and easily purchase the types of goods those who are without need the most and ship them directly to where they are needed.
At YouGiveGoods, we feel that people inherently get more satisfaction from knowing, for example, that the cans of soup they bought reached someone who was hungry or that a coat went to someone without warm clothing. Our commitment is to provide the tools and cutting-edge technology to allow people to do more good for more people.
3. How can I help?Back to TopThere are three ways to help.
- Start a Drive! (we call the people and organizations who start and run drives, "Drive Starters")
- Support an existing Drive by making a purchase to contribute to the Drive or by spreading the word about a Drive.
- Become part of the YouGiveGoods Community and connect with people across the country seeking to do good and help others!
4. Can I just contribute money?Back to TopYouGiveGoods does not accept monetary contributions. Our platform is designed to support direct giving of hard goods. That way, all of the goods you give go to the intended purpose. We would rather you selected a Drive on our site and used your money to purchase goods for those in need. We think it's important that you know exactly what's happening with your good intentions. Visit Find a Drive to learn more!
5. How is YouGiveGoods green?Back to TopBeing green is about lowering energy consumption, reducing our carbon footprint and making the planet a better place to live. When making a contribution to a food drive, you make a trip to the store, buy the goods, and then take them to the drop off location. That's gas costs, travel time and scheduling that a lot of people don't have in their busy lives. Multiply that by all of the people who participate in a Drive and it adds up to a lot of resources. By replacing all of those trips with one delivery to the drive's destination, we dramatically cut down the drive's energy consumption and carbon footprint.
6. Is YouGiveGoods a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization?Back to TopNo. YouGiveGoods is a for-profit e-commerce business. We offer a platform for you to either start and manage drives or to purchase goods from us at a price that is comparable to what the item would cost if you drove to a store to buy it. Our process then allows you to donate those purchased goods to our Goods Coordinator, a registered 501(c)(3) organization. The Goods Coordinator uses our system to seamlessly deliver your donated goods to the Food Pantry, Animal Shelter or Soup Kitchen the drive supports.
7. Who is eligible to contribute to a Drive?Back to TopAlmost anyone! The only restriction is age. You can't be too old, but you can be too young. You must be at least thirteen years old (it's the law). If you're too young, ask a parent or guardian to help you. Whether you are an organization or individual, YouGiveGoods makes it easy to help.
If you want to take your giving to the next level, consider becoming a YouGiveGoods Drive Starter! Visit Driveology for drive ideas and tips on how to get started.
8. What makes a drive successful?Back to TopParticipation! YouGiveGoods provides a powerful set of social networking tools to help you get your family, friends, work colleagues-and other connections you may have to get them involved in your drive. The more people you can reach with your drive's message, the more success your drive will have. Visit Driveology for tips on how to successfully manage YouGiveGoods drives.
9. How does YouGiveGoods select the charity for a drive?Back to TopWe don't, the Drive Starter does! Anyone can come to YouGiveGoods and start a goods drive to support a charitable organization. Our site offers two options: you can select an organization that is already in YouGiveGoods database or, if you submit an organization that is not in our database, we'll check to make sure they are eligible for a delivery of goods. If they are, we'll add them to our system.
10. What kind of Drives does YouGiveGoods support?Back to TopFor starters, YouGiveGoods supports "hard goods" drives, meaning drives whose purpose is to generate items that people contribute to help others. We do not support drives intended to generate money. We believe people tend to be more generous when they know what is happening with their goods intentions and so we think "hard goods" drives will result in more good being done.
The YouGiveGoods platform currently supports Food Drives and Animal Shelter Drives. We expect to expand to other types of Drives in the near future.
11. What can YouGiveGoods do for companies that want to get involved?Back to TopYouGiveGoods is eager to work with all types of organizations to create their desired results; whether its community outreach, public relations or special event planning, we can help you reach your goal. Visit Driveology to learn about the giving applications and benefits YouGiveGoods can have for your organization or business.
12. What is the YouGiveGoods privacy policy?Back to TopYouGiveGoods is committed to protecting your privacy to ensure that your personal information is protected. Our Privacy Policy has all the details.
13. Still have questions?Back to TopGo to Contact Us and let us know what's on your mind.
II. DRIVE STARTER FAQ
1. What is Driveology?Back to TopDriveology is that special combination of art and science that, applied properly, fuels the ease and enjoyment of starting and managing successful Drives.
The Driveology section of our site is specifically tailored to provide Drive Starters with the know-how to use a combination of best practices and the innovative technology tools offered by YouGiveGoods to enable your Drive to have amazing results.
Below you'll find some quick answers you may find helpful if you have not yet started a drive at YouGiveGoods. Be sure to visit Driveology for even more help, tips, and ideas.
2. How do I start a Drive?Back to TopWe've made starting a Drive as easy as possible. When you click on the Start a Drive button, you're sent to an online form to answer a few questions to determine who you are and who you'd like to help. It only takes a few minutes to fill out so you can create your Drive.
If the food pantry, animal shelter or homeless shelter you want to help is already in the YouGiveGoods system, your Drive will be immediately registered and you can start to promote your Drive with the YouGiveGoods communication tools. If the organization you have selected is not in our system, we'll register your Drive as soon as we determine that we can add it to our database (this usually takes a day or so). We'll notify you when that's completed so you can start promoting your Drive right away.
3. What is a Drive Starter?Back to TopDrive Starter is the YouGiveGoods term for the individual who starts a YouGiveGoods Drive through our site. Becoming a Drive Starter is the most powerful way to use the YouGiveGoods website. A person can set up a Drive themselves or on behalf of an organization or group. The Drive Starter uses our social media tools and their own methods to get the word out about their Drive.
4. Who is eligible to start a Drive?Back to TopAnyone! The only restriction is age. You can't be too old, but you can be too young. You must be at least thirteen years old (it's the law). If you're too young, ask a parent or guardian to help you. Whether you are an organization or individual, YouGiveGoods makes it easy to help.
Special note: YouGiveGoods is an ecommerce platform not registered under any state laws related to charitable giving. If you are an organization or individual regulated in connection with charitable activity under state laws, such as a charitable organization, professional fundraiser or solicitor for charitable contributions or other person formally affiliated with charitable giving, YouGiveGoods welcomes you, but your activities may require registration or other regulation. For example, if you have an agreement under which you are to receive compensation in any form from a charity on whose behalf you start a Drive, you are likely subject to such laws. Please check the relevant requirements of the states for guidance. A collection of links to state government websites with information regarding state registration requirements for charities, taxation, information for employers, and more is available at the Internal Revenue Service.
5. How do I start a drive if I represent a group or organization?Back to TopIndividuals representing a larger group or organization will have the opportunity to indicate the group they represent when completing the online form to Start a Drive.
6. How do I pick the goods needed for my Drive?Back to TopYou will not need to pick the goods offered for purchase to those who will support your Drive. YouGiveGoods offers a defined selection of goods for each type of Drive our system supports (right now that's food drives and animal shelters). We've developed this list of goods based upon our research to ensure that the Drives generate the types of items that those who need help really need.
7. How do I keep track of the progress of my Drive?Back to TopThere are two ways to track the progress of your YouGiveGoods Drive. The unique homepage for your Drive has information that can help everyone interested both promote and track the drive's progress. Click here for a sample drive page. As the Drive Starter, you will also be able to use the YouGiveGoods Drive Starter Dashboard. The Dashboard enables you to monitor your Drive in real time and provides a handy way to use YouGiveGoods' communication tools.
8. How can I ensure my drive is successful?Back to TopIt starts with setting a realistic and achievable goal for your Drive-maybe something that is a bit of a stretch but not so much to be unreachable. From there, it is all about participation-individuals reaching out to networks of friends, family members and associates, or businesses reaching out to other businesses-to let them know about the Drive and to urge their support. The YouGiveGoods Drive Starter Dashboard makes it easy to communicate with your network through email blasts and social-media tools to keep people fired up about the Drive. YouGiveGoods provides a powerful set of social networking tools to help you get your family and friends involved in your drive. The more people you can reach with your drive's message, the more success your drive will have!
Visit the Driveology section for even more tips on how to manage successful YouGiveGoods drives.
9. How long does it take for the goods to be delivered after the Drive is over?Back to TopThe goods will usually be delivered within a few weeks of the end of the Drive. If a large amount of goods are purchased, YouGiveGoods will be sending multiple shipments throughout the length of the drive and a final shipment after the Drive has ended. Once YouGiveGoods has confirmed a delivery date for the purchased goods, you will be notified via email. We'll also send you an email when the goods have arrived.
10. Who may I contact at YouGiveGoods for assistance?Back to TopYouGiveGoods has a terrific set of people whose job it is to make your good work as a Drive Starter easier and better. Just email us at inquiry@yougivegoods.com or call us at 888-548-4496.
A. Communicate
1. How can I promote my drive?Back to TopYouGiveGoods allows several simple ways to share and promote your Drive. Once your Drive is started, you'll be prompted to click on our social networking links to share your drive with everyone, send email blasts through our website, or simply share your drive's unique URL! As a drive starter, you'll be able to use your Drive Dashboard to promote your drive as often as you like.
2. Am I able to upload photos or videos to my Drive page?Back to TopYou can upload two custom images for your drive. In future, we plan to add more ability for different drive images and videos to be uploaded.
3. How can I send thank you messages to all Purchasers who contribute to my drive?Back to TopThe Drive Starter's Dashboard provides you with the ability to send an email blast to everyone who has contributed to your Drive, or to your own custom email list.
4. How can I invite friends to my YouGiveGoods Drive page?Back to TopYouGiveGoods will provide you with a link that you can use to have people go directly to your Drive's home page. We will also provide you with a set of communication tools within our site that makes it easy for you to reach all your friends to provide them with the link to get to the home page. You can also contact your friends directly through your own email system, as well as popular social media sites like Facebook and Twitter.<
5. Can my friends post messages on my YouGiveGoods page? If so, will I be able to remove unwanted messages?Back to TopAnyone who is a registered user with YouGiveGoods can post messages on your Drive's home page. As the Drive's Drive Starter, you will be able to remove any unwanted messages.
6. Will YouGiveGoods list all of the Purchases contributed to my Drive on my Drive page including how much was spent by each?Back to TopEach purchase is listed on the Drive Page—who made the purchase and the goods that they purchased.
B. Logistics
1. Does YouGiveGoods ship internationally?Back to TopWe hope to at some point. For now, we will deliver goods anywhere in the United States.
C. Other
1. How long does a Drive last? Can I extend a Drive?Back to TopDrives can be as long or as short as you like. We recommend two to four weeks for the average drive, but the choice is up to you. Drive times can be extended easily through our website.
2. Once I have started and completed a Drive, do I have to re-register with YouGiveGoods to start another Drive?Back to TopNo. Your account information is saved in the system so you can easily start new drives without having to re-register.
3. Can I create a profile page to use for all the Drives I have started that includes my Drive stats, photo album, etc.?Back to TopNot yet. We hope to be able to offer that soon.
4. What registration information do you need from me in order to start a Drive and do you store that information?Back to TopIn order to register for YouGiveGoods, we'll need your name and a telephone number. We'll store that information as part of your User Account.
5. Do I have to provide proof that the charity I am trying to help is a qualified 501(c)(3) charity?Back to TopNo. If your chosen charitable organization is not already in our system, we will contact them directly to ensure that they are a valid recipient of our goods.
6. Can I set up a Drive in honor of someone?Back to TopAbsolutely. A YouGiveGoods drive is a wonderful way to honor someone—a lost loved one, or for a birthday, anniversary, or other special event.
7. What information does YouGiveGoods provide to charitable organization I'm supporting?Back to TopYour personal information is never shared with the charitable organization you've decided to support with a YouGiveGoods drive without your consent.
8. Why can't I find the charitable organization I want to support at YouGiveGoods?Back to TopIt may just be that the charitable organization you want to support is not yet in our system. If you enter their information, we'll be able to confirm that we are able to deliver goods to them and add them to our site.
9. How do I contribute to my own Drive?Back to TopYou can purchase items to contribute to your Drive just like anyone else who is participating in the Drive.
10. Will YouGiveGoods allow simultaneous Drives for the same charity?Back to TopThere is no limit to the number of simultaneous drives on YouGiveGoods.
11. Is YouGiveGoods free?Back to TopWe provide the YouGiveGoods site and site tools free of charge to all users. It costs nothing to start a Drive. The only costs are the price of the goods you buy for the Drive.
12. Will YouGiveGoods make a donation to my Drive?Back to TopYouGiveGoods, LLC makes charitable contributions at its discretion from time to time.
13. Can I start more than one Drive at a time?Back to TopYes, but be careful not to over extend yourself if you're using the same social network for your Drives, as you may find that your drives compete with each other.
14. Are there any fees associated with YouGiveGoods?Back to TopThere are no fees to use our system. YouGiveGoods is 100 percent free for anyone to use.
15. Can I choose a charitable organization of my choice or does YouGiveGoods have a say in it?Back to TopYou can elect any charitable organization to support with your YouGiveGoods drive. The only criteria we must first confirm with the organization you've chosen is that YouGiveGoods is able to ship goods from your Drive to them. If you select an organization that is already in our database, we'll confirm it immediately. If the organization is not in our database, it will take us a day or so to check to make sure we can add them to our database.
III. PURCHASER FAQ
A. General
1. Is my purchase tax deductible?Back to TopYes. Because the goods you've purchased are donated to a qualified 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, purchases are, once delivered, tax deductible. YouGiveGoods encourages you to consult your personal tax advisor.
2. Who provides the tax receipt?Back to TopYouGiveGoods will send you an email that you can use as a receipt. Additionally, you will be able to access your user account at any time to obtain a record of your purchases.
3. How will I be able to confirm delivery of my purchased goods?Back to TopEveryone who purchases goods to contribute to a Drive receives an email notification when the goods are delivered to the charitable organization the Drive is supporting.
4. Who do I contact at YouGiveGoods for technical support?Back to TopYou can contact YouGiveGoods's customer service team by e-mail or by calling us at 888-548-4496.
5. Does YouGiveGoods have a privacy and security policy?Back to TopYou can find our Privacy Policy here.
6. Will YouGiveGoods provide any of my information to the non-profit organization, Drive Starter, or anyone else?Back to TopYouGiveGoods won't share your information with anyone without your permission. Our Privacy Policy outlines this in great detail. Your contact information is used by the Drive Starter to communicate with you-to keep you updated on a Drive's status, and to thank you for your purchase. Your name, address and purchase are shared with the charity you made a donation to so that you can receive a tax receipt.
7. How do I know if the charities on YouGiveGoods are legitimate?Back to TopYouGiveGoods uses best practices to check out the charities that Drive Starters identify for their Drives. We use Guidestar and other information sources to do our best to ensure that those who say they need help really need it.
8. Does YouGiveGoods have testimonials from anyone?Back to TopAbsolutely! Although we have just recently launched, we're proud to have some early success stories and some great testimonials-visit our site's Community to find out more.
9. How do I pay for the goods I want to purchase?Back to TopYouGiveGoods accepts Mastercard, Visa, and American Express.
10. Can't I just donate money?Back to TopWe're sorry, but YouGiveGoods cannot accept monetary contributions to Drives. We feel strongly that people participating in Drives need to know exactly what's happening with their money. By purchasing goods to contribute to the Drive through our site, we think we've accomplished that.
11. How do I find a friend's Drive on YouGiveGoods?Back to TopIf your friend has provided you with a link to the Drive, it will send you directly to the Drive's home page. If you're starting off at the YouGiveGoods homepage, all you have to do is click on "Find a Drive" to search for the Drive in a number of ways—by your friend's name, the name of the charity, location of the charity (town, state or ZIP code), or by the organization that's promoting the Drive. If you have any trouble, contact us at admin@YouGiveGoods.com or by calling us at 888-548-4496.
12. When will my Credit Card be charged for my purchase?Back to TopYour credit card will be charged when YouGiveGoods confirms a shipment date for the goods you purchased. This will generally be within a few weeks of when you placed your order.
13. What will appear on my credit card statement?Back to TopYouGiveGoods, LLC will appear on your credit card statement.
14. I'd like to give regularly. Does YouGiveGoods have a monthly purchase program?Back to TopCurrently, we do not offer a monthly purchase program. However, we expect to launch this program soon. If you would like to be notified once we have this program in place, send an email to inquiry@YouGiveGoods.com
B. Other
1. How can I find out more about the charitable organization that I want to help?Back to TopOne way to do that is to either contact the charity directly to ask them any questions that you have or to go to GuideStar and review the information they have about the charity.
2. Are my purchases secured?Back to TopYouGiveGoods uses the best available commercial practices to protect your credit card information.
3. Who is YouGiveGoods and how long have they been in business? Where can I read the company Bio?Back to TopTo learn more about us visit our About Us page!
4. Will YouGiveGoods store my credit card information?Back to TopYouGiveGoods securely stores your credit card information until the time we confirm the shipment of your goods, at which time your credit card is charged for the purchase that you've made. After that, you can opt in for us to keep your credit card on file so you may use it for future purchases. Otherwise, we will remove your credit card information after your purchase is confirmed.
5. Can I store my information for future Drive purchases?Back to TopAbsolutely. When you register as a user at YouGiveGoods, we will set up an account that you can use at any time. Once you have made a purchase, we provide an option to store your credit card information as part of your account information so that it is all available for you every time you want to make a purchase.
6. Does YouGiveGoods have a matching gifts program?Back to TopNot yet, but it is a feature we hope to offer soon.
7. Can I trust the YouGiveGoods web site?Back to TopWe hope, through the transparency of the YouGiveGoods process, that we will earn your trust. First, you will always know exactly what is happening with the money you've spent to make a purchase—the goods you've bought, where those goods are going and when they get there. Second, YouGiveGoods utilizes best available commercial practices to see that the organizations people are trying to help—the food pantries, animal shelters and homeless shelters—need the help. Third, we use the same practices as some of the largest e-commerce companies in the world to keep your information secure. If you suspect the slightest dishonesty by anyone using YouGiveGoods.com, please contact us immediately at 888-548-4496.
8. Is there any way to keep track of my purchases?Back to TopYouGiveGoods.com is your one-stop shopping site for doing good. You will have a password-protected account that will keep track of all your purchases and other activities at YouGiveGoods. You can access your account information at any time. At the end of the year you can print out all your receipts for tax purposes.
9. Can I purchase a gift card?Back to TopWe don't offer gift cards yet, but we will. Stay tuned!
10. Can I make an anonymous purchase to contribute to a Drive?Back to TopYes, you can. When you are ready to make a purchase, after you click on the "Purchase and Contribute to the Drive" button, you will be prompted to supply your credit card information. At that point, you can designate yourself as a registered user or as a guest. By making a purchase as a guest, you make the purchase anonymously. Note that "Guest" purchasers will not receive a receipt.
11. What is a Goods Coordinator?Back to TopEach drive is assigned a Goods Coordinator, which is a qualified 501(c)(3) organization that assists in the process of ensuring the goods from the drive are delivered to where they are supposed to go and provides information needed for tax purposes to document each donation by each person who contributed goods to a Drive. We're proud that United Aid Foundation has agreed to be YouGiveGoods' initial Goods Coordinator.