Link to:
General Questions |
FAQs for Nonprofits |
Donor Questions
General Questions:
Q: What is the Best Friends Network?
A: The Best Friends Network, operated by Best Friends Animal Society, is the platform for social networking to save lives. This online community has resources, breaking news, ways you can help, descriptions of adoptable animals, volunteer opportunities and events! The Network tunes you in to what's happening in animal welfare in your region and beyond, and shows you how to make a difference. It's also your Network! This is where you can share your triumphs and challenges with people just like you. The Network gives you the tools to make a difference for the animal causes you love and enables you to connect with your colleagues to help realize a time of No More Homeless Pets. Sign up for the Network today by
clicking here.
Q: What is No More Homeless Pets?
A: Achieving a time of No More Homeless Pets is Best Friends’ mission. Best Friends is working with you and with humane groups all across the country to bring about a time when homeless, unwanted animals are no longer being destroyed in shelters and communities. We want to help increase the number of animals who are getting out of shelters and into homes, and decrease the number of animals going into shelters. Our four campaigns and the Network Charities program are designed to help achieve those goals.
Q: What is the Best Friends Network Charities program?
A: Best Friends wants to support the local grassroots groups that are working to save lives every day in their communities.
Every 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that applies and is accepted to participate in the Best Friends Network Charities program can create their own mini-website on the Best Friends Network. Network Charities organizations can accept donations online, directly from their Network site, showcase their activities, and connect with tens of thousands of animal lovers excited to help them continue and expand vital programs. Participating charities will also receive increased exposure for their volunteer positions among thousands of Best Friends volunteers around the country. Best Friends does not charge groups to participate in the Network Charities program.
Q: Why is Best Friends launching Network Charities?
A: Best Friends recognizes that it will take all of the many animal welfare groups working together to truly create a time of No More Homeless Pets. Best Friends is committed to supporting and partnering with rescue groups to fulfill our mission of a world where there are No More Homeless Pets. To help fulfill this mission, we have created Network Charities, a program that provides rescue groups with the tools and support they need to fundraise, increase adoptions, and connect with their local community to promote their organization and increase the number of volunteers. Network Charities is an exciting and innovative way for Best Friends to support the important work that grassroots groups are doing all over the country.
Back to top
FAQ’s for Nonprofits:
Q: What are the benefits of joining Network Charities?
A: In addition to having a free and easy-to-maintain interactive website, as a participating charity, your group has the opportunity to:
- Accept online donations.
- Take advantage of Best Friends’ marketing of the Network and the Network Charities program to raise money and increase awareness about your organization.
- Participate in Best Friends’ promotional programs for Network Charities. You could win money from Best Friends!
- Recruit volunteers. We will post your volunteer opportunities on the Best Friends volunteer database, where thousands of animal lovers from all over the country have already indicated they want to help the animals.
Q: What is the difference between a Network Charities page and a Group page?
A: All shelters and rescues with Group pages have the ability to:
- Promote adoptions. If your group has adoptable animals on Petfinder.com, you can display them right on your Network Charities site without having to upload them again.
- Educate site visitors. Set up articles or pages to talk about your organization’s work, issues, and ways to help.
- Provide basic and up-to-date information. Draw new members and donors by showcasing your mission, history, events, programs, contact information, and links to your own website.
- Announce and advertise upcoming events. Engage others in your organization’s cause by posting information about your events and encouraging volunteer participation.
An animal-welfare group can set up a Group page without getting approval. However, you will not have the additional benefits of the Network Charities program. (See
What are the benefits of joining Network Charities?)
Q: Does it cost money to participate?
A: Best Friends is committed to helping local groups fundraise and promote their work in order to create a world where there are No More Homeless Pets. The only cost to participating organizations is the cost of online donation processing, which is paid to a third-party donation processor. Best Friends does not receive any money - in fact, we’ve invested money to create this site and we’re investing money to promote the Network Charities program.
Q: How is Best Friends benefitting from the Network Charities program?
A: For many years, Best Friends has been sharing its resources with other grassroots groups - through our
Community Animal Assistance department and our online resources. We’ve shared our knowledge of successful programs from around the world through our No More Homeless Pets conferences, our regular workshops at the sanctuary and Best Friends magazine. We do all this because we know that the more successful groups and individuals are at saving animals, the more likely we are to achieve a nation of No More Homeless Pets.
With the Best Friends Network and Network Charities program, we are taking our support to the next level. Best Friends has invested in creating an infrastructure (the Network site) and will invest in marketing and promotional programs designed to bring direct support to grassroots groups. This single online location gives donors an easy way to support animal welfare groups across the nation - or one right in their own backyard. Best Friends does receive the information from donations to Network Charities and reserves the right to send mailings from Best Friends to donors. Each donor has the ability to opt out of such mailings from Best Friends.
Through the Network Charities Program, Best Friends is paving the way - connecting the many animal lovers wishing to help animals in their communities to the local groups that make happy endings possible.
Q: How are contributions routed to the chosen charity?
A: Donors designate the participating charity they would like to support by clicking on the donate button on the chosen Network Charities page. Best Friends has engaged Sage, a third-party processing company, to process donations and route them directly to the chosen organization’s Sage account.
Back to top
Q: Is Best Friends taking a percentage of the donations made to my group?
A: Best Friends does not receive any portion of the donations that are designated to an organization participating in the Network Charities program.
Q: What requirements does my organization need to meet to participate in the Network Charities program?
A: There are two basic requirements for participation in the Network Charities program. First, your organization must be an approved 501(c)(3) nonprofit, per the IRS code, and in good standing with
GuideStar Charity Check.. Best Friends will research your group through Charity Check to verify that your organization is 100-percent compliant with IRS and state guidelines for charitable status. Your organization’s good standing will need to be maintained to participate in the program. Best Friends will routinely check your organization’s status on an annual basis.
Second, your organization must also be actively working toward No More Homeless Pets. You will need to show this through your organizational mission statement, strategic goals, and programming.
Q: What is a 501(c)(3)?
A: Under the Internal Revenue Service code, a 501(c)(3) is a nonprofit organization that is exempt from some federal income taxes. The designation includes various charitable, nonprofit, religious, and educational organizations. For more information, please visit the
IRS website.
Q: What if my organization is not currently a 501(c)(3) but is involved in the application process to become one?
A: To meet IRS regulations for charitable giving, donations through the Network Charities program can only be distributed to approved 501(c)(3) organizations. However, any animal-welfare group or individual can always
create a Group on the Network. Doing so will allow you to feature your work, highlight adoptable animals, and connect with fans through blogs and forums. However, a Network Group cannot receive online donations through the Network Charities program, participate in promotional contests or other available benefits.
As soon as your organization receives 501(c)(3) status, you can apply to become part of Network Charities. For more information on how to become a 501(c)(3), please visit the
IRS website.
Q: Can municipal shelters participate in the Network Charities program?
A: Yes, a municipal shelter may be accepted to participate in the Network Charities program either through a separate 501(c)(3) Friends of the Shelter organization or by setting up a restricted fund that is used exclusively for public purposes. Please check with your local government for information on how to set up a restricted fund for your shelter.
Q: How can I participate in the Network Charities program?
A: Organizations interested in participating in the Network Charities program will need to complete an application. The application is available
here. As soon as you complete your application, you will receive an automated e-mail response from Best Friends that will include your application number. Please save that e-mail and number for future reference, as you will need to provide your application number should you have questions or concerns about the processing of your application.
Q: How long will it take to process my application?
A: From the time that Best Friends receives your completed application, it will take 2-3 weeks for Best Friends to verify that your organization meets the requirements to participate in the Network Charities program and to notify you of your status.
Q: How do I know if I am approved to be in the Network Charities program?
A: Applicants will be notified of their status via an e-mail from Best Friends within 2-3 weeks of receipt of a completed application. If an application is approved, the applicant must then sign an agreement with Best Friends in order to be considered a Network Charity. A copy of this agreement will be included in the approval e-mail.
Q: How can I learn more about the Network Charities program?
A: E-mail us at
networkcharities@bestfriends.org with your detailed questions. If you would like to speak with a Network Charities representative, please provide daytime and evening phone numbers.
Q: How do I set up a Network Charities page for my group?
A: Once your organization has completed the approval process, Best Friends will provide detailed setup instructions for creating a Network Charities page.
Q: What if I have problems or need to make changes to my organization’s information?
A: You can conveniently manage your Network Charities page online. The
Network Help section can guide you through your technical support needs. Changes to anything that may impact your eligibility may mean having to re-submit the application.
Q: Who is responsible for the "upkeep" of my Network Charities site?
A: Each organization is responsible for updating and maintaining their organization’s site on the Network. Remember, the more activity the site has, the more likely your organization will be featured and attract new fans. You can specify multiple site "owners" who can go in and update your pages for you. It’s simple enough that anyone can do it! Using their Network IDs for access, site owners will be able to make changes to your pages whenever they want to.
Back to top
Questions from Donors:
Q: How are the participating Network Charities chosen?
A: Organizations in the Network Charities program are required to submit an application and must show they are a 501(c)(3) animal-related organization that is in good standing with
GuideStar’s Charity Check. Also, we ask participating organizations to demonstrate a commitment to No More Homeless Pets. However, participation in the Best Friends Network Charities program does not imply an endorsement from Best Friends on the organization’s vision, mission, values or financial stability. Best Friends encourages donors to do their own research before making a donation.
Q: I’d like to donate to a local group, but how can I be assured that it’s a good organization? Does Best Friends have a list of approved groups?
A: Inclusion in the Network Charities program does not indicate an endorsement by Best Friends or that it is a no-kill organization. Best Friends does check organizations that apply for the Network Charities program to see that they have nonprofit status and that they have a mission and programs that help save animals. We want all organizations that are helping to save animals to have a chance to promote their work and do more for the animals.
We strongly recommend that you research an organization before donating. When researching an organization, you’ll want to inquire about an organization’s mission and policies. An organization’s policies and circumstances can change at any time, so it’s important for you to become familiar with the organization you want to help. You can look up an organization’s annual reports, latest financial statements, board of directors, and federal 990 form by visiting
GuideStar's website.
Q: I don’t see my favorite charity, so how do I get them added to Network Charities?
A: The best and easiest way to get your favorite charity listed in the Network Charities program is to encourage them to complete a Network Charities application. The application is available online
here..
Q: How do donations get to the chosen charity?
A: The Best Friends Network acts as a channel, connecting animal lovers with animal-welfare groups. Donors choose a group to support and click the donate button on that group’s page. A third-party processing agent (Sage) processes the transaction and sends your donation directly to the account of your chosen Network Charities organization. It’s that simple!
Q: Why shouldn’t I just donate directly to the nonprofit?
A: The intent of the Best Friends Network Charities program is to benefit smaller groups with limited ability to manage their own websites and accept donations online. Contributions sent via the Internet have less processing fees associated with them than checks sent by mail or credit card contributions done over the phone. Online giving is now the most common method of donating.
Best Friends has negotiated favorable rates with our donation processor, so the group’s online processing costs are equal to or below some other sites. The result is that more of your money goes to your charity when you donate via the Network. In addition, if we are running a contest or matching donation promotion, your online donation could bring in even more money for the charity you are supporting. Stay tuned for more details on promotions!
Q: Is Best Friends keeping a portion of my donation?
A: Best Friends does not receive any of the money donated to participating Network Charities, nor does Best Friends charge setup or hosting fees. The charity receives your full donation amount (but is charged standard transaction fees by the donation processing company, Sage).
Q: How can I be sure that funds reach my designated nonprofit?
A: Your donation will be automatically routed to a donation form that is specifically for your chosen charity. Each participating charity has its own account with Sage, a third-party donation processing company. Sage will directly route your donation to the appropriate charity’s account. You will receive an e-mail acknowledgement that your donation pledge was submitted to your chosen charity. In addition, you can contact the organization directly to confirm that your donation went to their account. The organization’s contact information will be listed on their Network Charities page.
Q: Are donations given to Network Charities tax-deductible?
A: To participate in the Network Charities program, organizations are required to be a 501(c)(3) nonprofit in good standing. Therefore, all donations made to participating Network Charities organizations should be 100-percent tax-deductible. The organization receiving your donation is responsible for sending you a receipt for tax purposes. If you do not receive it, please contact your chosen Network Charity directly; their contact information will be on their Network Charities page.
Q: Will the receiving charity be notified of the source of the donation?
A: Absolutely! Your donation and your information will go to both Best Friends Animal Society and the receiving charity.
Q: Is the transaction secure?
A: Best Friends uses VeriSign to protect your private information for all donations to Best Friends and Network Charities. All donations to participating Network Charities are processed by our donation processing company, Sage Payment Solutions. Sage takes security very seriously and is PCI (Payment Card Industry) compliant according to VISA/MasterCard data security standards. An intensive outside audit is performed to ensure that Sage’s systems and processes protect sensitive merchant and consumer data. The virtual terminal offers additional fraud and risk prevention features like AVS, CVV and CVV2 and a staff of risk specialists monitor transactions to protect merchants from chargeback exposures. For more information on Sage Payment Solutions, visit their website:
www.sagepaymentsolutions.com.
Q: Will the donor’s privacy be protected?
A: When you donate to a Network Charity, your information is collected by both the receiving charity and Best Friends, and you may subsequently receive mailings from both organizations. See Best Friends’
privacy policy for more information regarding your privacy. You can opt out of receiving mailings from Best Friends at the time that you make your donation to the participating charity. To opt out of mailings from the participating charity, please contact that organization directly.
Best Friends cannot attest to the privacy policy of the recipient organization, so we encourage donors to contact the charity directly to find out their privacy policy. The organization’s contact information is located on their Network Charities page.
Q: How do I report questionable activities of an organization participating in the Network Charities program?
A: If you suspect that a participating charity is operating without proper licenses, is misusing donor funds, or is not in keeping with Best Friends’ mission and values, we encourage you to first contact the organization directly. Please e-mail Best Friends directly at
networkcharities@bestfriends.org knowledge about tax status and serious legal issues that might impact eligibility.
All other concerns will be brought to the attention of the participating organization to address.
Also, we encourage you to file a complaint with the IRS Exempt Organizations Examination Division:
http://www.irs.gov/irs/article/0,,id=178241,00.html
- By mail: IRS EO Classification, Mail Code 4910DAL, 1100 Commerce St., Dallas, TX 75242-1198
- By fax: (214) 413-5415/li>
- By e-mail: eoclass@irs.gov.
You can also file a complaint with the Better Business Bureau:
Back to top