Sponsors choose a coverage package
A sponsor starts from the package section, creates a sponsor account, and submits basic sponsor information, interests, exclusions, and collateral.
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Sapling Pay sponsorships
Sponsored fees, without separating the sponsor from the gift.
Sapling Pay sponsorships are built for programs where a sponsor helps cover eligible processing fees so donors do not have to add fees and the nonprofit does not have to absorb that covered cost.*
*Sapling Pay sponsorships are designed primarily for for-profit companies. Nonprofits and political organizations or PACs may also purchase sponsorships where appropriate. Sapling reviews sponsor-client alignment and reserves the right to approve, decline, or match placements based on program fit, nonprofit acceptance, and applicable IRS, FEC, state, platform, and payment-rail requirements.
Purchase path coming soonSponsor portal gated
How it works
Sponsors buy coverage. Nonprofits accept the fit. Sapling keeps the record clear.
Sapling reviews placement fit
Sapling reviews sponsor-client alignment, nonprofit acceptance, eligible giving surfaces, and any relevant IRS, FEC, state, platform, or payment-rail requirements.
Approved coverage appears in the giving flow
When a sponsor placement is active for an eligible page or program, checkout can explain that eligible fees are covered instead of asking the donor or nonprofit to carry them.
The record stays connected
Sapling keeps sponsor, gift, receipt, processor, reimbursement, and reporting context together so finance, stewardship, and audit review do not become separate spreadsheets.
Payment + sponsor flow
The operational trail from package purchase to covered gift.
1
Sponsor selects coverage
The sponsor chooses a package, interests, exclusions, and the collateral they want Sapling to review.
2
Sapling reviews fit
Sapling checks the package, nonprofit fit, sponsor message, CTA, and donor-facing language before launch.
3
Nonprofit accepts
Nonprofits appear by name only after they accept the sponsorship relationship.
4
Donor gives
Eligible checkout fees can be covered while the donor, gift, receipt, and payment context stay connected.
5
Sponsor sees results
The sponsor dashboard can report coverage funded, used, remaining, gifts influenced, impressions, clicks, and CTR.
A no-fee giving experience when covered
When a sponsor funds eligible processing costs, donors can give without being asked to cover fees and the nonprofit can avoid absorbing that covered cost.
Sponsor context stays attached
Sapling can keep sponsor, program, gift, page, receipt, and reimbursement context together so the coverage is explainable later.
Receipt and notice language can match the flow
Sponsor messaging can appear where it helps donors understand why fees are covered, while staff keep the operational record inside Sapling.
How coverage works
The sponsor can cover the fee. Sapling keeps the trail.
Fee sponsorship should not become a spreadsheet beside the payment system. Sapling Pay keeps sponsor coverage close to donation pages, gifts, receipts, reimbursements, imports, and reconciliation.
- 1Sapling records the sponsor program, eligible giving surfaces, and sponsor collateral.
- 2A donor gives through an eligible Sapling Pay path after the nonprofit has accepted the sponsor relationship.
- 3The checkout can show sponsor-covered fee language instead of asking the donor to carry that eligible fee.
- 4Sapling keeps the gift, processor reference, covered-fee amount, sponsor, receipt context, and reimbursement state available for review.
Fee structure
Clear fee categories, with sponsor coverage when the path supports it.
Sponsors can help create a no-fee donor experience for eligible giving paths. Sapling Pay still keeps the fee category, processor cost, sponsor coverage, and reimbursement context visible for finance and stewardship.
Regular donations
1.5% + $0.05
Sapling Pay fee for standard donation charges processed through Sapling Pay.
Event registrations and event gifts
2.0% + $0.05
Sapling Pay fee for event payments and registration-linked giving flows.
Stripe card processing
2.9% + $0.30
Underlying Stripe card rail fee, separate from Sapling Pay’s fee category.
Political contributions
Separate treatment
Political and campaign-finance giving can require different compliance and receipt handling.
Memberships and dues
Separate treatment
Membership payments can carry benefit, deductibility, renewal, and receipt context.
Sponsor-covered fee paths
Program-specific
Sponsor coverage can fund eligible fees while Sapling preserves the underlying fee category.
On top of Sapling’s fee, Stripe’s standard card processing fee is currently 2.9% + $0.30. Subsequent payment rail fees are to be announced. Final treatment can vary by agreement, payment rail, sponsor program, Stripe updates, refunds, disputes, and special pricing arrangements.
*No-fee giving depends on an active sponsor coverage arrangement, eligible transaction scope, and available payment rails. Sponsor coverage may not apply to every donation page, event, payment method, refund, dispute, or special agreement.
Sponsorship purchase path
Packages are visible, but purchase is gated while the flow is finished.
Sponsors cannot buy, create an account, sign, or fund a sponsorship from this public page yet. The package cards stay here as a product preview until Sapling finishes the reviewed purchase, agreement, collateral, and funding workflow.
Local brands and board-led campaigns
Community Checkout Coverage
$2,500/mo
Starter checkout sponsorship for public giving pages, receipts, and basic performance reporting.
- Checkout sponsor message and logo placement
- Sponsor-funded fee coverage pool
- Monthly impressions, clicks, CTR, and gifts influenced
- Collateral review before donor-facing publication
Regional companies and community banks
Regional Mission Sponsor
$7,500/mo
Expanded sponsorship coverage across multiple accepted nonprofits, events, and seasonal giving pushes.
- Multiple nonprofit assignments after acceptance
- Renewal and top-up purchase paths
- Receipt and confirmation message insertion copy
- Interest and exclusion controls for placement review
Foundations, enterprise partners, and lead sponsors
Premier Giving Partner
$15,000/mo
High-visibility sponsor package with more exclusive opportunities and richer reporting context.
- Exclusive placement opportunities when available
- Advanced dashboard and sponsor stewardship exports
- Custom CTA and redirect review
- Priority Sapling review for collateral updates
Add-ons
Add-ons can extend a sponsorship after the base package is selected.
These are placeholders for the sponsor purchase path while Sapling finalizes which premium placements, review options, and reporting upgrades should be available.
TBD
Featured checkout placement
Higher-visibility placement review for eligible donation pages or campaign moments.
TBD
Event campaign bundle
Sponsor coverage and messaging packaged around accepted event registration or event-giving flows.
TBD
Receipt and email insertion upgrade
Expanded sponsor language review for confirmation, receipt, and follow-up surfaces.
TBD
Seasonal top-up
Additional sponsor-funded coverage for year-end, giving day, disaster, or special campaign pushes.
TBD
Interest and exclusion review
More detailed placement preferences for causes, regions, and nonprofit categories to avoid.
TBD
Sponsor stewardship export
A richer reporting package for board, partner, or marketing teams reviewing sponsorship outcomes.
Questions and answers
The basics before a sponsor starts the purchase flow.
Who can buy a Sapling Pay sponsorship?
Sapling Pay sponsorships are designed primarily for for-profit companies. Nonprofits and political organizations or PACs may also purchase sponsorships where appropriate, subject to Sapling review and applicable requirements.
Does a sponsorship automatically appear on every nonprofit checkout?
No. Sponsor placement depends on nonprofit acceptance, eligible transaction scope, sponsor-client alignment, available payment rails, and Sapling review before anything becomes donor-facing.
What does the sponsor cover?
A sponsor can cover eligible fees for approved giving paths. Sapling still preserves the underlying Sapling Pay fee category, Stripe or payment-rail cost, sponsor coverage, and reimbursement context.
Can donors still receive normal receipts and confirmations?
Yes. The point is to keep sponsor language, receipt impact, donor gift context, and payment details connected so the donor experience stays understandable.
What can sponsors manage after purchase?
The sponsor area is designed to show active sponsorships, assigned nonprofits after acceptance, funded and remaining pools, fees covered, gifts influenced, impressions, clicks, collateral, renewals, and top-ups.
Are final rates and add-ons fixed yet?
Regular donation and event fee categories are shown from current Sapling Pay fee structure. Other payment paths, add-ons, special agreements, sponsor programs, and subsequent rails may vary or be announced later.
Built for sponsor stewardship, not just checkout.
A sponsor-covered fee program should help the nonprofit thank the sponsor, explain the donor experience, reconcile the payments, and understand which campaigns or pages benefited from coverage. That is why the sponsorship layer belongs inside Sapling Pay instead of living as an isolated payment setting.
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