Your donation funds bikes, gear, race fees, and coaching for 150+ student athletes.
Donation processing setup in progress. Contact your team director to give now.
Our recommendation: Start with Donorbox (free tier) or Give Lively if you have 501(c)(3) status.
Both take under an hour to set up, require no coding, and handle tax receipts automatically.
What actually reaches the team per donation amount
| Processor | $25 donation | $100 donation | $500 donation |
|---|---|---|---|
Stripe (nonprofit) | $24.15(−$0.85) | $97.50(−$2.50) | $488.70(−$11.30) |
PayPal Giving Fund | $25.00(−$0.00) | $100.00(−$0.00) | $500.00(−$0.00) |
Donorbox + Stripe NP | $23.77(−$1.23) | $96.00(−$4.00) | $481.20(−$18.80) |
Give Lively | $24.15(−$0.85) | $97.50(−$2.50) | $488.70(−$11.30) |
Standard Stripe | $23.98(−$1.02) | $96.80(−$3.20) | $485.20(−$14.80) |
* Donorbox adds 1.5% platform fee on top of Stripe nonprofit rate (2.2%), totaling ~3.7%. Still lower than standard Stripe.
Every major option — pros, cons, and what it costs
Developer-first payments platform
Fees
2.9% + $0.30
per transaction. Nonprofit rate: 2.2% + $0.30 via Stripe for Nonprofits (must apply)
Nonprofit rate: 2.2% + $0.30 (apply via Stripe for Nonprofits)
Features
Pros & Cons
Pair with Donorbox ($0/mo free tier) for a plug-and-play donate form that uses Stripe under the hood.
Free nonprofit donations via PayPal
Fees
0%
PayPal covers all fees for enrolled nonprofits. Standard PayPal rate (2.89% + $0.49) applies if not enrolled.
Nonprofit rate: 0% if enrolled in PayPal Giving Fund
Features
Pros & Cons
Best if you are a verified 501(c)(3). Payouts go directly to your nonprofit account.
Simple peer-to-peer payments
Fees
1.9% + $0.10
for business/nonprofit profiles. No fee for personal (but personal accounts lack tracking/receipts).
Features
Pros & Cons
Fine for quick fundraisers but not scalable for a team of 150+ riders.
Nonprofit-first fundraising platform
Fees
1.5% platform + Stripe/PayPal fees
1.5% Donorbox fee on top of Stripe (2.2% nonprofit) or PayPal. Free plan available up to $1,000/mo.
Nonprofit rate: Yes — built for nonprofits, integrates Stripe nonprofit rate
Features
Pros & Cons
Recommended starting point — set up in under an hour, no code needed.
Free fundraising for nonprofits
Fees
0% platform fee
Give Lively charges nothing. Only standard Stripe processing fees (2.2% + $0.30 for nonprofits).
Nonprofit rate: Nonprofit-only platform (must verify)
Features
Pros & Cons
Seriously great option if you have nonprofit status. No catch — they are funded by Salesforce.
Crowdfunding for campaigns
Fees
0% + payment processing
0% platform fee. Payment processing: 2.9% + $0.30. Donors can optionally cover fees.
Features
Pros & Cons
Best for a specific campaign (e.g. "New trailer fund") not ongoing team support.
POS and online payments
Fees
2.6% + $0.15 (in-person), 2.9% + $0.30 (online)
No nonprofit discount. In-person rate is competitive. Online is standard.
Features
Pros & Cons
Keep a Square reader at race registration for in-person donations — pairs well with Donorbox online.
A few things to sort out first
Determines which platforms are available at no cost. PayPal Giving Fund and Give Lively require verified nonprofit status. Without it, you pay standard processing rates.
Donations need to land somewhere. Make sure the team has a dedicated bank account tied to the nonprofit EIN before going live with any processor.
Check with NorCal and NICA about any rules on fundraising, third-party platforms, or how donations are reported. Some leagues have specific requirements.
Donors who give $250+ need a formal acknowledgment letter for IRS purposes. Donorbox, Give Lively, and PayPal Giving Fund handle this automatically.
Percentage fees hurt most on large donations. If you expect many big sponsors ($1,000+), negotiate a flat or capped fee structure with the processor.