Why Giv Local?
Processing with a Purpose
Giv Local is a merchant servicing company bringing purpose to payment processing. A B-Corp Certified, Benefit Corporation, Giv Local’s mission is to interrupt the flow of processing fees and redirect those funds to local nonprofits. By repurposing fees for charitable causes, annual donations will be made in the name of each partnered business and paid toward a nonprofit of that business’s choosing. It’s a force devoted to helping one’s neighbors, rather than letting traditional processing fees land directly in the pockets of big corporations.
How It Works
Giv Local aims to empower businesses with the ability to give back to organizations of their choosing, at no extra cost, on a recurring basis.
Traditionally, businesses process payments with their bank, Square system, or other third-party vendors, each of which is set up with the same processing companies who are unaware and disconnected from the local communities of the businesses who pay them. The processing system and its fees are largely invisible to consumers, but Giv Local hopes to change that by making people more conscious of where their money goes.
Traditionally, the average credit card processing fee is around 2% or more per transaction, all of which typically goes to a large credit card processing company. When someone uses a credit card to make a purchase with a Giv-partnered business, 20% of that business’s processing fee will be donated to a nonprofit of their choosing.
What Sets Us Apart
Transparent Pricing
Each business has the option to choose from:
Interchange Plus: A fixed markup to interchange (VISA, MasterCard, Discover, etc.) charges. This amount will vary depending on the risk of the business or industry.
Cash Discount: The customer pays the processing fee and the business pays a low flat monthly fee.
Flat Rate Pricing: Each transaction costs the same percentage + transaction fee, regardless of the wholesale cost.
Unique Model
While only a few give-back processing companies exist, their mission does not focus on local communities – instead, donations are given to a small group of preselected organizations, and the funds donated are based on a percentage of the merchant servicing company’s profits.
On the other hand, Giv Local’s per-transaction model gives power to its partners, and the amount donated annually is based on how much each partnered company processes, thereby widening the range of local impact. The money donated falls only in the hands of nonprofits in your local community, chosen specifically by each partnered business.
Personalized Packages
Giv Local is equipped to match or beat your current merchant servicing fees. While offering flat rate, interchange-plus, and cash discount systems, Giv Local will collect and analyze your existing processing statements to provide the best route to partnership. By understanding your existing processing, they can create a system that maximizes the impact your donation can make in your community.
Giv Local can also design custom pricing packages for larger businesses, associations, and financial institutions.
To learn more or start a conversation with one of our reps, check out our pricing page.
Customizable Impact
Giv Local partners not only have the option to donate to charities of their choosing but also have the option to widen their impact by selecting multiple recipients. With our split model, a business can divide their donation between two nonprofits, where each will receive one half of their 20% donation. With our collaborative model, a business with several locations can opt to focus all donations on one singular entity.
With the individual model, a business with several locations can donate as each sees fit, thereby dispersing their impact on several different causes.
Adaptable
Giv Local can use nearly any processing device on the market. From EMV to online virtual terminals, shopping carts, mobile, and much more, Giv Local is proud to offer processing solutions for all types of businesses. Spanning a wide range of equipment from bare-bones to above-and-beyond, there’s something for everyone.
Whether it’s a restaurant, retail store, local government, freelance designer, local bank, or e-commerce website, Giv can work for you. Check out more on our products page.
Secure
Giv Local uses the same technology as big banks, so the entire process – from encryption to authorization – is as safe as any other transaction.
Additionally, partnered businesses can be confident that the funds they raise for local nonprofits are directed to the proper recipients. In becoming B-Corp Certified, a bi-annual study is conducted which analyzes Giv Local’s performance and ensures its commitment to a 20% donation.
Giv Local also has a certified accountant who performs an annual attestation of the business, further guaranteeing that no less than 20% is donated back to its partners.
Fast
As soon as all paperwork is complete, Giv Local can – in most cases – have your new account live in just two business days, and that’s not all.
Once a company is set up to process with Giv Local, they will immediately see donations beginning to add up. These figures, as well as other reports, are available in Giv Local’s own easy-to-navigate digital platform.
Human
“We wanted to think of it not as B2B or B2C, but H2H – Human to Human.”
- Christian Baum, co-founder
At its core, Giv Local is community-minded. Putting people before profits can’t be done without a truly human approach. That’s why we offer the ultimate customer service – including annual reports which outline processing and impact data - delivered by real humans.
There will always be a human to advocate for you. No robots or automation, ever.
The Team Behind It All
The founders of Giv Local saw the need for innovative, sustainable, and socially responsible forces for good, and they rose to meet the occasion. Meet our team.
