Start Guide

This guide helps a nonprofit admin go from a new CharityStack account to accepting payments and managing supporter activity.

Admin Setup Path

1. Confirm your organization details in Account and Settings.
2. Complete payment processor and compliance setup.
3. Invite teammates and assign the right permissions.
4. Create or review your first fundraiser form or event form.
5. Add CharityStack to your website with Elements.
6. Watch new activity in Payments, Contacts, and Subscriptions.
7. Reconcile funds with Payouts.

First Configuration Checklist

• Confirm legal name, public organization name, website URL, logo, brand color, and contact details in Settings > Organization.
• Confirm compliance and payout setup before publishing payment links broadly.
• Review users and permissions before inviting finance, development, event, or fundraising teammates.
• Add funds, custom input fields, FAQs, and receipt settings before sending traffic to a new form.
• Install the embed script before using embedded forms, overlays, and website elements.

What To Learn First

• Concepts explains the main objects in CharityStack.
• Forms explains how contacts make payments.
• Elements explains how forms and widgets appear on your website.
• Payments explains how completed transactions appear in the dashboard.
• Process a payment explains how admins can create a fundraiser or event payment from the dashboard.
• Payouts explains when money reaches your bank account.

Recommended First Week

Day 1: Confirm organization settings, compliance, and payout setup.

Day 2: Create a test form, review branding, custom fields, funds, and FAQs.

Day 3: Install the embed script or share a hosted page.

Day 4: Invite finance and fundraising teammates with scoped permissions.

Day 5: Review payments, contacts, subscriptions, and payout reporting.

Exports, tax document jobs, and bulk actions can appear in Activity. After starting a large export or bulk update, use Activity to check progress and download files when available.