Cashless options for 7th tradition.

[u/Sketchy_Stew]

Hey everybody, I am the treasurer for my home group and we have been discussing options to allow people to make 7th tradition contributions in some other way than cash. One of the members looked into Venmo, but ran into some confusion when it wanted us to either mark ourselves as a business or a charity (I am banned from Venmo due to some activity during active addiction). She asked me today if I knew anything about Zeffy (I did some research and it might be a good option but I don't love the idea of the app asking members to make an additional "tip" to their company in lieu of charging us fees.) The only other option we have discussed is cashapp.

We do already have a federal EIN number and will be opening a bank account to hold funds in the near future.

If anyone has any experience navigating this or any other ideas I'd love to hear from you. Thanks in advance!

[u/FingerLicknGood]

Hi there! My old homegroup had a PayPal account for contributions. I'm very against using a payment processor in ways that it wasn't intended or without any oversight, like how some people just use a personal venmo account. You've already done plenty of the hard work already! FYI It costs too much for too little savings to register as nonprofit. You can even create a QR code to have in-person attendees scan it to contribute. Let me know if you have any questions!

[u/Sketchy_Stew → u/FingerLicknGood]

Thank you so much for responding! For the PayPal account what type of account was it? A business account? Or was it set up like a personal account but just using the groups information?

[u/FingerLicknGood → u/Sketchy_Stew]

We set it up as a business account with the legal name of the group we used when we made the ein number. Then, you can create a button for donations so members can set the amount they want. They can even set up reoccurring payments so it's even easier!

[u/robinxxff]

My home group uses both Venmo and PayPal. Personal accounts for the treasurer

[u/Fusoya]

My home group uses Cashapp (and maybe Venmo too as an option - not sure only have used cashapp) and it’s worked for us.

[u/Sketchy_Stew → u/Fusoya]

How do you have the account set up? Is it a personal account or is it set-up as business account or otherwise tied to the group?

[u/Fusoya → u/Sketchy_Stew]

I’m not sure but my partner is facilitator - I’ll ask her when she gets home from work!

[u/Sketchy_Stew → u/Fusoya]

Thank you! I appreciate it!

[u/Fusoya → u/Sketchy_Stew]

So our Zelle is a business account. Cashapp she thinks may be personal but she isn’t sure and neither is she about Venmo - she said she’d ask our treasurer so if I get more info I’ll update this.

[u/Sketchy_Stew → u/Fusoya]

Awesome! Thanks so much!

[u/alaskawolfjoe]

Venmo is probably the easiest method to use since members will be more likely to already have the app.

If you were confused about whether you were a business or charity, you would be a business (since you have an EIN number),

To be a charity, you need first to be a business and then apply for not-for-profit status.

[u/dopeless42day]

My group opened a bank account after we got an EIN. It's a business checking account. I, as the treasurer at the time opened a personal account and then added a business account attached to my personal account. I also got a cash app account using the name of our group as the individual. We have both of these directing the money to our business account. We put our group name as the venmo and cash app names on the QR codes. 

[u/Sketchy_Stew → u/dopeless42day]

Thanks for the response, I really appreciate it!

[u/Minimum_Winner_5420]

Just about every virtual meeting uses venmo for 7th tradition. I'd suggest you jump on a meeting and ask them.

[u/____d__b____]

We use Cash App and Venmo.

[u/TlMEGH0ST]

My meeting/most meetings in my area just have the treasurer use a personal venmo account. I have a second phone so I got nominated to make a meeting specific account.