Frequently Asked Questions

Naturally, you may have questions about us and how we operate. If you don't find the answer you're looking for here, please reach out to us on the contact page.

What makes giving on DonorSee different?

Trust: We only work with highly vetted, on-the-ground partners who truly understand the issues and needs. So you can donate with confidence, knowing that it will have a transformational impact.

Effectiveness: Quickly and easily help people in the world's poorest countries. Your donation goes directly to the person.

Transparency: See the difference you make in people's lives with video updates and share in the joy you create. Receiving a personalized thank you video from the people whose lives you touch will leave a lasting impact on you.

Can I trust that my donation is used appropriately?

We work with highly vetted local partners who understand the culture and the opportunities for real impact so you have peace of mind, knowing your donation will make a real difference.

How do you vet your on-the-ground Partners?

Our partners apply to work with DonorSee through a rigorous application process that usually takes months to complete. Because of our high standards, we turn down more than 90% of organizations that apply. Each application is unique and context-specific. In general, we partner with aid workers who have a deep understanding of the people they are serving and who will be able to show you the impact your dollars are making.

Are my donations tax-deductible?

Yes, any project that mentions “100% tax-deductible” is tax-deductible for U.S. donors. You will be sent a tax-receipt or be able to download one off of your profile. Projects that are not tax-deductible are still vetted and worth funding. Often their lack of tax-deduction has to do with their incorporation in another country (like the U.K.).

What are DonorSee's overhead costs?

The vast majority of every dollar goes to the actual person in need. But we still need to run our organization. Our Financial Transparency section has a full explanation but, our average overhead costs are 13.75% per donation. We use that to maintain our website, host video content, improve features, coordinate with our partners, handle customer service inquiries and market.

How are donations classified?

In order to not over-burden our partners, all DonorSee donations are designated as “unrestricted funds.” This means that if something unexpected happens with a particular project, then the funds can be repurposed without having to fill out strenuous amounts of paperwork for relatively small amounts of money. This is a rare situation and our Partners are trained to be uncompromisingly transparent about use of funds in all instances.

How can we further support DonorSee?

Thank you for asking! You can join our monthly giving program where your donations will go to the most urgent projects on DonorSee every month. You can also support us directly with this link. And you can learn more about our Founder and opportunities to support our mission here.

Are payments secure?

All donations are securely processed via Stripe so you have peace of mind knowing that you have the highest level of protection at all times. DonorSee is SSL Protected, PCI compliant, and encrypted, with 24/7 monitoring to protect you against fraud.