If a giving opportunity has a donation goal, a progress bar provides users with an estimate of the total amount raised, displayed in the user’s local currency. This enhances transparency and engagement, allowing users to easily track how much progress has been made toward a fundraising target. Understanding how the progress bar works will help you monitor donations and resolve any issues that may arise.
Please note that although the progress bar adjusts to display the local currency of whoever is viewing it, Benevity does not track or provide real-time exchange rate data, so this may not be completely accurate. For example, if the goal is $100 CAD, someone in the US might see a goal of approximately $75 USD.
Permissions
Both users and admins can set a donation goal when creating a giving opportunity.
Tracking donations in the progress bar
The progress bar calculates and displays the total funds raised toward the donation goal. One-time donations paid either using your rewards, a card, or your paypal account are typically included within an hour, when the platform refreshes the data. Some donation types, including payroll donations, are displayed in other, specific ways.
Tracking payroll donations
One-time payroll donations
One-time payroll donations and their estimated matches are included in the donation total immediately after the donation is made.
Recurring payroll donations
When you make a recurring payroll donation, the donation and match for the first donation is included in the donation total immediately.
Donations and matches processed in subsequent payroll periods are added to the total on the user's scheduled payroll date. Each user is assigned to a payroll schedule indicating when their next deduction will occur.
Future-dated payroll donations
For one-time payroll donations that are scheduled to occur in the future, only the donation amount is included in the total immediately. Estimated matching contributions are included on the selected pay date.
For recurring payroll donations scheduled for a future start date, the first donation acts like a one-time donation. All subsequent donations and match contributions are included in the donation total on the user’s pay date.
When scheduling future-dated payroll donations, the following message appears to inform the donor of this:
"Your match cannot be estimated when donations are scheduled for a future date. Your donation will receive the maximum match available at the time it occurs."
Why can’t I see the donation total?
Minimum threshold
It’s important to note that the progress bar doesn’t appear until at least 1% of the donation goal has been reached. If the progress bar is not visible, use the Reporting Tool to check the total amount of donations made.
Contribution source
The progress bar doesn’t appear if all donations come from the Community Impact portal as it doesn’t track donations from this source.
Inactive donor accounts
If a donor’s account becomes inactive, their contribution is no longer included in the donation total.
NOTE: We always recommend using the Reporting tool to get the full information on donations into specific giving opportunities, due to the discrepancies that can occur.