PayPal is one of two payment processors your organization can connect to receive donations through HopeGives. When you connect PayPal, you're authorizing your organization's own PayPal business account directly — HopeGives never holds your funds for PayPal transactions, they move straight from donor to your account.
What You'll Need
- An existing PayPal Business account, or the information to create one (legal business/organization name, EIN, banking details)
- Your organization's 501(c)(3) determination letter, if you plan to apply for PayPal's nonprofit rate (see below)
- Admin-level access to your HopeGives organization dashboard
How to Connect PayPal
- Go to Your Dashboard — Log in to HopeGives and head to your dashboard homepage
- Open Your Organization — Under "Your Organizations," click on your organization
- Click General Settings — Select "General Settings" from the left-hand menu
- Choose PayPal — Select PayPal as your payment option
- Authorize Your Account — You'll be redirected to PayPal to log in (or create a business account) and authorize HopeGives to process donations on your organization's behalf
- Complete Verification — PayPal may ask for additional business or banking information to verify your account before donations can be received
PayPal Fees
PayPal's processing fee is not a single flat rate — it varies based on a few factors. See PayPal's official pricing page for the current, authoritative rate schedule.
| Rate Type | Fee |
|---|---|
| Standard (domestic) | 2.89% + $0.49 |
| Approved nonprofit (domestic) | 1.99% + $0.49 |
| International transactions | +1.50% on top of the applicable rate above |
| Currency conversion | Additional spread applies |
Is there a nonprofit rate?
Yes. Verified 501(c)(3) organizations can apply for PayPal's discounted rate directly with PayPal, using their own EIN and 501(c)(3) determination letter, through PayPal's nonprofit signup page. Because you're connecting your own PayPal account rather than processing through HopeGives as merchant of record, your organization can apply for this rate on its own.
Can I Change Processors Later?
Yes. You can return to General Settings at any time to disconnect PayPal and connect a different processor, or reconnect a new PayPal account. Only users with admin-level access to your organization can view and update payment settings.
Note: Changing your processor only applies to new campaigns created after the change. Any existing campaign will remain on the processor it was created with.
What If Onboarding Doesn't Finish?
No problem — if you're interrupted partway through, just head back to General Settings and pick up right where you left off.
Need a hand? Our support team is happy to walk you through PayPal setup or answer any questions along the way.