Getting Schooled in Online Giving

Nonprofits have a new tool to better understand online giving thanks to Donation University.

The free, Web-based guide was created by online-donation gateway Qgiv to help people understand how payments make their way from donors to organizations.

“Everything in Donation University was built on the idea that people were genuinely confused about the world of online giving,” says Peter Rudden, Qgiv’s director of marketing.

“We felt the best way to address these concerns and provide the necessary guidance to those seeking to accept donations via the Web, including recurring donations, event registrations and other payment options, was to create an educational Web site. That was the genesis for Donation University.”

Donation University offers detailed courses covering the basics of online donations, how to identify the correct level of online security and how to choose an appropriate provider. The site also includes “graduate” courses that teach organizations how to maximize the potential of any online donation solution.

Rudden says the way Donation University teaches its courses is one of the best parts of the site. “It’s free and self-paced,” he says. “Anyone can proceed at their own speed to learn everything they need to know about the world of online giving.”

Those who have questions during a course can contact a Qgiv representative. It costs nothing to get help.

Rudden hopes the site will become an asset to nonprofit organizations.

“I really hope people come away with an understanding that although the industry can be confusing and that there are some serious security implications, it isn’t insurmountable,” he says. “Anyone can understand how things work and the way different providers in the online giving industry operate.”