A $100 gift on a credit card rarely arrives as $100. Processing fees take a few dollars off the top, and across a year of memberships, admissions, and event registrations that adds up to real money. A growing number of nonprofits ask supporters a simple question at checkout: would you like to add a little to cover the card fee?
Doing this in Altru takes some planning. Before you build anything, settle three things: whether the extra amount is optional, how it is recorded, and what the supporter sees.
Optional contribution vs. mandatory surcharge
These two get confused all the time, and the difference matters.
- A voluntary fee-cover option is a checkbox or prompt the guest can decline. Their total goes up only if they choose to add it.
- A mandatory surcharge adds a fee to every card payment. Card network rules govern surcharging, and some states have their own restrictions. It can require advance notice to your processor, specific disclosure language, and limits on how much you can charge.
If you are leaning toward a mandatory fee, talk to your merchant processor and your finance or legal advisor first. The rest of this article assumes the voluntary approach, which has fewer rules and usually gets a better reaction from members and donors.
What you can do in Altru itself
We are not aware of a built-in “cover the processing fee” checkbox on standard Altru web forms that works across tickets, memberships, donations, and event registrations. Blackbaud does update its forms, though, so check your current version in a test environment or ask Blackbaud support before you rely on that. These are the common workarounds in the meantime.
Add a separate fee designation or fund
Set up a designation (or another revenue category your finance team agrees on) called something like “Processing fee support.” On donation forms, offer it as an optional add-on gift. Staff can also add it to phone and front desk transactions when a supporter offers. The fee money stays separate from the main gift, which makes reconciliation and reporting simple.
The weak spot is that the guest has to work out the amount. A line like “Add $3 to help cover card fees” works better than asking people to calculate a percentage.
Build it into event pricing
For special events and registrations, some organizations raise the price slightly or add a separate optional price line. A built-in increase is not a choice, so present it honestly. Don’t label it as a “fee” in one place and a ticket price in another.
Ask at the desk
For in-person sales, a short script works: “Would you like to add a couple of dollars to cover the card processing cost?” Record the yes answers to the same designation so you can see whether the ask is working.
Get accounting on board before launch
Answer these with your finance team before the option goes live:
- Is the covered fee a contribution? On a donation, most organizations treat the extra amount as part of the gift. On a ticket or admission purchase, it may be a small contribution attached to a sale. Decide how each case is coded.
- What goes on the acknowledgment? If the fee portion counts as a gift, the receipt amount should include it. Make sure your acknowledgment letters and emails pull the right total.
- How will you report it? Build an Altru query on the fee designation, with a date range and transaction type, so you can see each month how much was covered and how often supporters opted in.
- What about refunds? If a ticket is refunded, decide whether the covered fee is refunded too. Write the rule down so staff handle it the same way every time.
How supporters tend to react
When the option is optional, clearly worded, and small, supporters generally accept it. Complaints usually come from three things: a fee added without asking, a checkbox that is already ticked, or wording that makes people feel guilty for saying no.
Some tips for the wording:
- Show the actual dollar amount, not just a percentage.
- Explain the reason in one line: “This helps more of your gift go to our programs” works better than “Help us cover overhead.”
- Leave the box unchecked by default, or check with your processor and advisors before you pre-check it.
- Use the same wording on donations, memberships, and events so returning visitors recognize it.
When a workaround stops being enough
The designation approach is fine for a donation form. It starts to break down when you want the same choice on timed tickets, membership renewals, and event registrations, and you want it handled consistently at checkout instead of relying on guests to add a separate gift.
That is the gap our Cover the Credit Card Fee option fills. It is part of Social Good Checkouts, which replace Altru web forms for tickets, memberships, and donations. Guests and donors can choose to cover the processing fee at checkout, and the transaction data writes back to Altru, so your records stay where they already are.
Quick answers
Is a voluntary fee-cover option the same as surcharging?
No. Surcharging is a required fee and is regulated by card networks and some states. A voluntary option the guest can decline is generally treated differently, but confirm with your processor.
Should the covered fee appear on the donor’s receipt?
If your finance team treats it as part of the gift, yes. Agree on the rule before launch so acknowledgments match what is in Altru.
