FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
As with all matters, we encourage you to be a wise steward before signing up for online giving. Here are a few Frequently Asked Questions to help educate you about the service.
Will I get points or miles or cash back if I donate by credit or debit card?
Yes, you'll get whatever rewards your credit (or debit) card offers. Just like a business, the church pays a small amount (about 3%) for each of your donations. There is also a fixed fee for each transaction, so sending fewer, larger donations is better for the church than many, smaller donations (e.g., receiving $1,000 once a month is cheaper for the church than getting $100 a week).
We provide you an option to cover (most of) the transaction fee yourself if you want. Just check the appropriate box on the easyTithe page (like the example shown below).
Is the full amount of my donation tax deductible?
Yes, the full amount that you donate through a credit card is tax deductible. The transaction fees are a cost to the church.
Is giving online safe?
We work with a company called easyTithe to accept your online donation. easyTithe uses the same security technology as Amazon or your bank to protect your credit or debit card information. Over 7,000 churches use easyTithe to process their donations. There is always some measure of risk in using your credit or debit card online. Please contact Alan Lee if you have specific concerns about online security.
When I get my year-end donation statement for tax purposes, will it include both online and offline giving?
Yes, the hardworking finance team will add up all your donations (online, offline, donated stock), so long as we know it came from you. If you donate anonymously in small, unmarked bills stuffed in envelopes, we can't attribute them to you and those amounts will not be included in your itemized year-end donation statement.
Can I donate stock? Are there benefits for me?
Yes, we're happy to receive your donation of stock, mutual funds, or exchange traded funds (ETFs). Just donate the shares to FBC. Current tax law treats the fair market value of the stock on the day you transfer it as a donation, which means you pay no capital gains tax on any shares you've held for longer than 1 year. Important: this tax benefit does not apply if you sell the stock, and then donate the resulting cash to the church. Tax laws change frequently, so you should do your own research (for example, you can read this article on Nolo.com, publisher of legal books) or consult a tax professional for specific advice that applies to your situation. While the tax benefit of donating stocks that have fallen in value or that you've held for less than a year are not as great, we are still happy to receive those donates shares as well.
What does the donation website look like?
When you click on the Give button, your browser should open this website that looks like the screen below:
For more information about contributions, see our contribution policy.
For more giving options, click on the Give button below to open a page operated by our online donation processor easyTithe. You can set up regular donations (weekly, monthly, etc.) as well as select which funds to give to. Please contact Lawrence Chu if you need assistance setting up, or would like to donate more than $10,000 through EasyTithe.
Give online via e-check or credit card. Make a quick one-time donation with a debit or credit card using the QR code below. After you enter an amount and select Go, another page will open to complete your donation.
ONLINE GIVING
GIVING DIRECTLY FROM YOUR BANK ACCOUNT
This is our preferred way of receiving donations because the church keeps the full amount of your donation. You can send a one-time or recurring (weekly, monthly, etc.) payment from your bank using the online bill pay feature. Just add FBC as a payee using the following information:
Fellowship Bible Church
2710 Ralston Avenue
Belmont, CA 94002
(650) 591-1322
Please indicate which funds you would like to donate to in the memo field. If you don't specify a fund, the full amount will be deposited into the General Fund. If you need help setting this up, please ask one of the deacons.
GIVING TO THE BUILDING PROGRAM
“...the work is great, for the temple will not be for man but for the Lord God.” 1 Chronicles 29:1
Our building remodel is well underway and we praise the Lord for His provision and providence. We are grateful, to you, our church family who have generously donated to this building program so that our facilities can continue to be a safe and comfortable place of worship and outreach to Belmont and the greater Bay Area.
If you would like to contribute a one time or give a regular donation toward the building program, please do so above and select "Building Fund" in the dropdown options or you can mail a check made out to Fellowship Bible Church, and write “Building Fund” in the Memo line. Mail to: Fellowship Bible Church, 2710 Ralston Ave, Belmont, CA 94002.
STOCK DONATION
Did you know you can donate stock, mutual funds, and exchange traded funds (ETFs) to the church? Thanks to current tax laws and because FBC is a 503(c) non-profit organization, donating stock that has gained in value has great tax benefits for you. This benefit does not apply if you sell the stock and donate the cash to the church. (Read the Q&A and ask your tax advisor for more details.)
To donate stock, fill out your brokerage’s charitable donation form (sometimes called a Charitable Gift Letter of Authorization) to transfer the shares to FBC. You’ll need the church’s brokerage account information, which we would be happy to provide.
For any questions, contact Alan Lee.
Give of your first fruits.
Thank you for your desire to give, knowing that every good and perfect gift comes from the Lord. There are several ways you can give and make a difference for God's work through FBC. It is our desire to prayerfully and wisely use your donations for the furthering of the Gospel of Jesus Christ here in our community and beyond.
Your donations can help in the following areas. If you would like to donate toward a specific fund, please earmark on your check or designate the category when giving online:
(if you do not specify, your donations will be designated as general fund)
Benevolence Fund: Care for those in need in our congregation and community
Building Fund: Contribute to our current building remodel
General Fund: Help sustain our ongoing ministries and church operations
Missions Fund: Support the work of our global missionaries
Scholarship Fund: Assist students training for full-time ministry
DONATE THROUGH AMAZON SMILES
Consider doing your shopping through smile.amazon.com! Amazon will donate 0.5% of eligible purchases to FBC as your favorite charitable organization with no fees or extra cost.
When signing up, search for "Fellowship Bible Church San Mateo" or IRS IEN #94-2952490.
OTHER FUNDS YOU CAN GIVE TO
If God has placed a specific area on your heart that you would like to contribute to, simply designate the ministry online on the drop-down or earmark the name of the ministry on your check memo line. Below are the different ministries that you can give to:
Benevolence Fund - Our benevolence ministry encourages a spirit of compassion and caring for those within our church body and outward to our community through financial support. Please designate "Benevolence Fund" in your donation.
Missions Fund - FBC supports global missionaries who are bringing the Gospel to the unreached. If you would like to help contribute to God's work around the world, please designate "Missions Fund" in your giving.
Scholarship Fund - Support the next generation of Christian ministry workers! Give to the FBC Scholarship Fund, which directly supports FBC members training for full-time vocational ministry at pre-approved seminaries that align with FBC’s doctrine.
TAX DONATION RECEIPTS
This year's contribution reports will be distributed by email. To receive your contribution receipt, please visit the following link to register your email:
https://tinyurl.com/fbcreceipts
