How can I get started with Giving as a nonprofit?

Adyen is a financial technology platform that processes payments for some of the world's leading businesses, handling the entire payment chain—from when a customer makes a payment to when those funds reach the merchant's bank account. Due to our unique position in this process, we created Giving. This product enables Adyen's merchants to unlock additional donation revenue by fundraising at checkout for causes they care about, such as yours. Traditionally, donation technology has been complex, but Giving simplifies it by ensuring that purchases and donations remain separate transactions, preventing donations from mixing with the initial payments. When you start fundraising with Giving, donations are collected and paid out directly to you by Adyen. Because of this direct payout structure, an onboarding process is required before we can begin processing donations.

The Onboarding Process

To officially begin the onboarding process, you must complete two key components first:

  • Nonprofit Questionnaire
  • Customer Area Application

Once we receive these, we forward them to our screening teams for due diligence. Screening teams may request additional documents or follow-up questions during this review process.

While waiting, we recommend reviewing the Merchant Agreement for Nonprofits in parallel to address any questions early and avoid delays. Once ready, your chosen signatory will receive the agreement through DocuSign for signature.

 

Nonprofit Questionnaire

The Nonprofit Questionnaire collects key information about your organization, including:

  • How funds are gathered and distributed
  • Organizational operations and policies
  • Any partnerships with other entities

To streamline screening, ensure you:

  • Provide detailed responses
  • Attach relevant policies (AML Policy, Safeguarding Policy, Staff Policies, etc.)
  • Avoid referencing policy sections—instead, summarize key points
  • Have a full-time employee of your organization sign the questionnaire before submission

The more thorough your responses, the fewer follow-ups will be needed, making the process faster and smoother.

Customer Area Application

As a nonprofit using Giving, you’ll have access to your own Adyen account to:

  • Track campaigns
  • Generate/download reports
  • Manage donation payouts

The application includes:

  • Legal entity details (registration, address, etc.)
  • Payout account details
  • Point of contact details
  • Controlling persons' details (full name, DOB, address, and ID document)
  • Agreement signatory details

Adyen must first create the account and grant you access. Once set up, you’ll receive an email from sales@adyen.com with the subject line "Your Adyen test account for [NPO]". Follow the steps to:

  1. Set your password
  2. Log in
  3. Complete the application

You can find a video guiding you through applying here.

Note: In addition to the questionnaire, application, and contract, we may request:

  • Filled and Signed the Tax Integrity Questionnaire
  • Signed Organizational Chart (must be signed by an eligible individual such as a lawyer, accountant, or external legal consultant)
  • Identification documents for all controlling persons listed in the organizational chart
  • Annual Report
  • Nonprofit Registration Document

Merchant Agreement for Nonprofits

Since Adyen processes donations on your behalf while absorbing all associated costs and fees, this agreement formalizes the partnership's zero-cost nature.

Agreement Components:

  • Template: A preview is shared early for review. This agreement is standardized with limited modification capacity.
  • Pricing Schedule: States all fees as 0 EUR (or local currency) / 0%, meaning no service charges.
  • Data Processing Agreement (DPA): Covers how personal data is handled.
  • Signatory: We send the agreement via DocuSign to a controlling person for signature.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

How long does this process take?

The duration of the onboarding can take anywhere from 4 to 8 weeks and depends on various factors, such as where the nonprofit operates. However, it's important to note that the onboarding does not officially begin until both the Nonprofit Questionnaire and Customer Area Application are submitted.

Do we get funds from Adyen or our partner?

Adyen will send you the funds. We won't pay you out per donation. The default is set to daily, but you can customize that once the campaign is live (weekly, monthly, etc.)

Some of the questions in the questionnaire don’t apply to our partnership with Adyen. Do I still need to answer them?

The questionnaire is for how the organization operates normally, not only for the partnership with Giving, so we advise answering any and all questions with as much detail as possible.

What countries are considered high-risk?

As this list varies regularly, we do not share it. However, we consider any country sanctioned by the EU, UN, and/or OFAC high-risk.

Does my application auto-save?

Yes! You can fill in parts of the application, leave it, and fill in the rest when you can.