Recording Offline Donations

Recording Offline Donations

Not all donations come through online payments. Supporters may give cash, checks, or other forms of offline giving. GO lets you track these alongside online donations.

Adding an Offline Donation

1. Go to the Donations tab
2. Click "Record Donation"
3. Enter the donor's name, amount, and payment method (cash, check, etc.)
4. Select which team member the donation is for (or "Team" for a team-wide gift)
5. Click Save

Turn-In Workflow

When participants collect cash or checks from supporters, they need to turn the money in to the trip leader or treasurer. The turn-in workflow helps track this:

1. The participant records the offline donation
2. The donation is marked as pending turn-in
3. When the participant gives the cash/check to the leader, the leader marks it as received

Donation Batching

Leaders can batch multiple offline donations together for easier tracking and deposit. This is especially helpful when multiple participants turn in cash or checks at the same time (e.g., after a team meeting or church service).

Important Notes

• Offline donations update the participant's fundraising progress just like online donations
• The trip leader should verify offline donation amounts when they receive the funds
• Keep physical records (receipts) of cash and check donations as backup

When does a check count toward the raised total?

It depends on who records it:

• Recorded by a leader or finance person (they're holding the money): it counts immediately.
• Recorded by a team member (they still have the check): it does not count yet. It counts the moment a leader marks it Collected — after the member turns in the physical check or cash. This keeps the fundraising numbers honest: a raised total always means money the team actually holds.

Members see their entry under My Donations to Turn In with a reminder to hand it off. Online donations count immediately, since the money is captured at payment.