Frequently Asked Questions about Donating

• Why is The Bay Citizen a member-supported organization?
• What benefits do I receive as a member?
• How do I make a donation?
• What is the Sustainer program?
• Is my donation tax-deductible?
• Is my payment secure?
• Can I give a gift membership?
• How can I get my employer to match my donation to The Bay Citizen?
• Will I receive a tax receipt for my donation?
• Do you refund donations?

Why is The Bay Citizen a member-supported organization?
The Bay Citizen exists to provide a valuable public service for the Bay Area community, and we rely on support from that same community to make us sustainable. Foundations and major donors have helped us get off the ground, but it’s individual members like you who will make sure we’re here to stay. In less than five years’ time we hope that the majority of our funds come from individual memberships.

What benefits do I receive as a member?
Please visit our membership page to learn more about the benefits of being a member.

How do I make a donation?
You can make a one-time or recurring donation online or by mail. If you would like to mail us a check, please print out and include this form with your donation.

What is the Sustainer program?
Our Sustainers make recurring monthly donations to support The Bay Citizen. They are our most dedicated and committed supporters who provide a dependable income stream, allowing us to focus more resources on journalism and less on raising the necessary funds. Members like our Sustainer program because it’s convenient and ensures uninterrupted membership. You can become a Sustainer here.

Is my donation tax-deductible?
Yes. The Bay Citizen is a registered 501(c)3 tax-exempt charity. Our tax ID number is 27-1707012. Your donations are tax deductible to the fullest extent of the law.

Is my payment secure?
The Bay Citizen uses Authorize.Net to process all of our online donations. Authorize.Net utilizes industry-leading technologies and protocols, such as 128-bit Secure Sockets Layer (SSL), and is compliant with a number of government and industry security initiatives.

Can I give a gift membership?
Yes. Giving a gift membership to that news-lover in your life is a perfect present for holidays, birthdays, or special occasions. Please contact our Director of Membership and Marketing at Rose_Roll@baycitizen.org with the gift member’s name and email address, as well as any gift message you would like the recipient to receive. If you prefer to give a gift by mail, please print this form and mail it to:

The Bay Citizen
Attn: Rose Roll
126 Post Street, Suite 500
San Francisco, CA 94108

How can I get my employer to match my donation to The Bay Citizen?
Many large employers have matching programs that double or even triple the amount you donate to registered tax-exempt 501(c)3 charities like The Bay Citizen. Please ask your company’s human resources department whether they match employee contributions. You may need the following information to fill out your company’s matching form:

• Tax ID number: 27-1707012
• Address: 126 Post Street, Suite 500, San Francisco CA 94108

Will I receive a tax receipt for my donation?
Yes. If you’ve made a one-time online donation, you can find your tax receipt in the confirmation email. If you make a recurring monthly donation, we will email you a tax receipt in the following January summarizing your contributions in that calendar year. If you’ve donated by mail, we will mail you a tax receipt.

Do you refund donations?
If a donation was made in error, please contact us at membership@baycitizen.org or (415) 821-8537 within one week of your donation, and we will refund it.