Donor FAQ

Check out the Nonprofit FAQ here


Q. What is Give DeKalb County?

Give DeKalb County is a philanthropic event featuring multiple ways for donors to support nonprofit organizations located in or serving DeKalb County, Illinois. Donors can give by check or can donate online during the 24-hour giving day at GiveDeKalbCounty.org. Learn more about Ways to Give.


Q. When is Give DeKalb County?

Give DeKalb County is on May 2nd, 2024. Donors can give online from midnight to midnight.


Q. Who can donate?

Anyone may donate to one or more organizations participating in Give DeKalb County!


Q. How can I donate?

Donors can give:

  • Online at GiveDeKalbCounty.org by MasterCard, Visa, Discover, and American Express, Mobile Wallet, or via ACH bank transfer.
  • By check using our mail-in donation form.
  • With a Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD) from an IRA.

Learn more about Ways to Give and using your bank account for donations.


Q. How do I donate by mail?

Follow these steps:

  • Download and print a mail-in donation form.
  • Complete the form indicating the organization(s) and donation amount(s).
  • Write a single check for the total amount payable to “DCCF.”
  • Mail your check and form DeKalb County Community Foundation, 475 DeKalb Avenue, Sycamore, IL 60178.

Mail-in donations must be postmarked April 18 - May 2 to be included in Give DeKalb County.

Completed donation forms and checks may also be dropped off at the DeKalb County Community Foundation using the secure exterior dropbox to the right of our main entrance.


Q. When will my mailed donations be visible on the website?

Donations will not appear on the website until the giving day on May 2. Depending on the number of donations, there is no guarantee that donations postmarked after April 25 will be visible on the website by May 2. As mailed donations continue to arrive after the giving day, they will be added to the website and the leaderboard and organizational totals will continue to increase.


Q. What else should I know about mailed donations?

A few tips:

  • Complete the donation form entirely and legibly - this makes a big difference when processing your gift.
  • Double-check your math on the form so your total donation amount equals the sum of all your individual donations (if making multiple gifts).
  • Be sure to include how you want your name to appear publicly or if you prefer to be anonymous to the public.

Q. What is the minimum donation amount?

The minimum online donation is $5. Mailed donations can be made for any amount. There is no maximum donation amount.


Q. Can I make donations via a mobile device?

Yes! Simply visit GiveDeKalbCounty.org on your mobile device.


Q. Can I give to more than one organization at one time?

Yes! You can give to multiple organizations at one time by using the multi-give feature. Learn more about the gift basket here! You may add up to 10 organizations to your gift basket at a time.

When giving to multiple organizations, your credit card will only be charged once; but your emailed receipt will itemize your donations.


Q. Can I preview how to make a gift through Give DeKalb County online?

While you won't be able to preview the donation process for Give DeKalb County before May 2, this video outlines how to make a gift and all of the options available to you!


Q. Can I make my donation anonymously?

Yes! You have three options:

1. Please do not display my name publicly

This option displays "Anonymous" in place of your name on the organization's page and on the Give DeKalb County website. The amount donated is still displayed publicly, for example, "Anonymous $50."

2. Please do not display my amount publicly

This option removes the donation amount from the donor wall on the organization's page and on the Give DeKalb County website. The donor name is still displayed publicly, for example, "Jane Smith."

This is the default option for mailed donations, unless you indicate a preference to be anonymous on your donation form.

3. Please do not display my name or my amount publicly

You can choose both options to hide your name and the amount donated. In doing so, there is no public recognition of your gift on the Give DeKalb County website. Both your name and your donation amount will be hidden.

No matter which option is selected, the organization(s) you give to still have full access to your name, amount donated, email address, and other contact information.

If you forgot to select the "Please make my donation anonymous" option, please contact the GiveGab Customer Success team at support@givegab.com or through the chat bubble in the bottom right hand corner of the Give DeKalb County website and they will assist you.


Q. Are donations tax-deductible?

Donations made through Give Dekalb County are tax-deductible as allowed by law. Consult a tax/financial advisor regarding your tax benefits for charitable gifts.


Q. Will I receive a tax-deductible receipt for my donation?

Yes!

All donations are receipted by GiveGab automatically after the donation is processed. Since donations made during Give DeKalb County pass through the DeKalb County Community Foundation, any donation made appears as a donation to the Community Foundation. These funds are distributed to the intended organizations. A receipt will be emailed to you at the address you provide when making the donation. You should print or save this receipt for your records. If you did not receive your thank you and tax-deductible receipt email, please contact GiveGab Customer Success at support@givegab.com or through the chat bubble in the bottom right hand corner of the Give DeKalb County website and they will email you another one.


Q. What if a mistake was made—can I secure a refund?

Refunds are possible if you enter an unintended amount, direct your donation to the wrong nonprofit, or for similar issues. We encourage you to carefully review the information you enter when making a donation to ensure its accuracy.


Q. How much of my donation goes to the nonprofit?

GiveGab retains a 2.25% campaign management fee from all donations. Credit card processing fees are an additional 2.5% + $0.30. You have the option to cover the fees and if you choose this option, 100% of your online charitable gift will go to the receiving organization. here is no fee for offline donations. 


Q. What nonprofits can participate in Give DeKalb County?

Access the nonprofit eligibility policy here.


Q. May I pay a pledge with my gift?

Give DeKalb County is designed to generate new support for our nonprofit community, not pay off existing pledges.


Q. May I designate how a nonprofit uses my gift?

Give DeKalb County donations are "unrestricted" gifts to the nonprofit (i.e., donations may be used for any purpose by the receiving organization). You may contact the nonprofit directly to express a desire that your gift be used for a specific program or project; but it is the responsibility of the nonprofit to follow that instruction, not the responsibility of the DeKalb County Community Foundation.


Q. How does the Bonus Pool work?

Donated by Community Partners, the Bonus Pool allows you to leverage additional dollars when you donate during Give DeKalb County! The Bonus Pool is awarded to all participating nonprofits based on the percentage of the overall Give DeKalb County total they raise. For example: If a nonprofit raises 2% of our grand total, they receive 2% of the Bonus Pool…if they raise 5% of the grand total, they get 5% of the Bonus Pool. Basically, the Bonus Pool ensures that donations go further during Give DeKalb County. No single organization may receive more than 7% of the total Bonus Pool in a given year. Learn more here!


Q. Who will receive my contact information?

The organization(s) you choose to support will have access to your name and email address. This information is used to send thank you messages, provide the option to receive future notifications, and to notify you of future activities. The DeKalb County Community Foundation also receives your contact information since donations pass through the Community Foundation.

You have the option to make your donation anonymously. This means your name and/or donation amount will not appear publicly on the giving day website; however, the organization(s) you donated to still have your name and email address.


Q. Do I need to create an account with GiveGab?

No, you do not need to create an account to make a donation. The benefits of creating an account include having your tax receipts collected in one location, being able to track your donations, an ability to follow the charities you support, and the option to engage in future volunteering and donations with your favorite nonprofits.


Q. What if my preferred organization is not listed?

If an organization is not listed, that organization is not participating in Give DeKalb County this year. You can directly contact the organization to make sure they are aware of Give DeKalb County. Please note, participating organizations must meet eligibility criteria to participate.


Q. What portion of a donation made on GiveGab is tax deductible?

GiveGab offers the option for donors to increase the amount they give to “cover the fees” associated with their online gift. Even when a donor decides to cover the fees, the entire amount is still tax-deductible as allowed by law. The total amount donated to each organization is reflected in a tax-deductible donation letter. The tax-deductible amount in the letter includes any additional contribution they made to cover the fees.


Q. If I have questions, who can I contact?

Please contact the GiveGab Customer Success team at support@givegab.com or through the chat bubble in the bottom right hand corner of the Give DeKalb County website for assistance. Note that using the chat bubble may not result in an immediate reply. If GiveGab Customer Success Representatives are unable to respond via chat, they will follow up with you by email.