About Givebutter

What is Givebutter

The MNS PTA uses Givebutter for donations and event tickets. We chose it for a simple reason: it costs the PTA nothing.

Most fundraising platforms charge nonprofits a monthly subscription, a percentage of every dollar raised, or both. Givebutter charges us zero platform fees. It funds itself through an optional tip that donors are invited to add at checkout — a tip that goes to Givebutter, not to us, and that you are free to decline.

There’s one more piece worth knowing: credit card processing fees. Every online payment costs something to process (roughly 2.9% + 30¢ per card transaction). At checkout you’ll be asked whether you’d like to cover that cost. If you decline, Givebutter covers it — the PTA still receives your full intended amount either way.

So: a $100 donation means $100 for MNS, whatever you choose at checkout.

How to give without any extra charges

Givebutter’s checkout adds a suggested tip by default (often around 15%), so if you just click through, your total will be higher than the amount you meant to give. That’s easy to change:

• Set the tip to $0. Look for the tip line — usually a set of percentage buttons or a dropdown. Choose “Other” or the custom option and enter 0.
• Decline the processing fee. There’s a checkbox or toggle offering to cover transaction costs. Uncheck it.
• Check your total before submitting. The final amount appears on the last step. It should match your intended gift exactly.

If you prefer to pay by check, please make it payable to MNS PTA (please note “Annual Appeal” and your child’s name in the memo line).

If you have any questions or comments please contact us at annualappeal@mnspta.org. Thank you for your support!

How to support Givebutter

A note on tipping: we’re not discouraging it. Tips are what keep the platform free for schools like ours. But it should be a real choice, not something you discover after the fact — so we’d rather tell you plainly how it works.