In order to process contributions or create Contribution Forms, your organization must first be set up with at least one Designation and one Gateway.
Designations
Every organization will have at least one Designation that will allow you to manage your contribution data. If your organization is set up with multiple financial entities, such as when you have a c4 lobbying arm and a c3 nonprofit arm, you can add additional Designations that will help you keep these contributions separate. Contact Support if you need to set up additional Designations for your account.
Gateways
Gateways are for required payment processing and must be set up prior to creating a Contribution Form. You won't be able to save or publish a form until you set up at least one gateway.
Bonterra Payments is our preferred payment solution, offering quick setup, free credit card updating, and an expanding list of payment methods. Paragon Payment Solutions setup instructions are provided for organizations that already use it and need to add additional gateways or payment methods. Setting up any payment gateway requires information about your organization, including its federal tax ID and business address.
If you are planning to process contributions in non-US currencies, you will need to set up a Stripe gateway. Neither Bonterra Payments nor Paragon accept contributions in these currencies.