Ward Youth Fundraiser: Using Venmo

[jimlaudie]

Question: anyone out there done a ward fundraiser and used Venmo to help facilitate donations?

Details:
1. Ward fundraiser (flags) for youth activities (our one/yr) and contributions come from members and nonmembers alike
2. Nonmembers can't contribute via church website
3. Hoping to collect cash, checks, but thinking most will want to contribute via Venmo
4. Would like to setup a Venmo account with a handle identifying the ward
5. Bank account tied to it that is in the ward's name and therefore doesn't have the look of any particular member's name on it

We've got the solution on the bank account. But Venmo is trickier...have to find someone who doesn't already have a Venmo account who can create it in the ward's name. Unless you know of a better way?

Thanks!

[russellhltn]

We've got the solution on the bank account.

I'm curious as to what that solution would be. Wards and branches are only allowed to have only account - usually the one provided by the church. (General Handbook 34.6.7-34.6.8)

I don't know as you'd be able to tie Venmo to a church-run account. And quite possibly Venmo might be considered a prohibited account.

[jonesrk]

2. Nonmembers can't contribute via church website

For these kinds of funds members can't contribute via the church website either.

[eblood66]

Venmo would probably also violate the rule that only the Bishop and Councilors may receive donations (Handbook 34.6.1). Venmo would essentially be a 3rd party accepting funds for the church.

Also, the normal church financial procedures and auditing aren't designed to ensure correct handling of funds using Venmo. As such the bishop, counselors and clerks would be opening themselves up to serious consequences if something happened to the funds. Personally, as a clerk I would stay far away from such a situation.

[russellhltn]

That does raise a question of how the auditors would react to this.

[Cmanrogers]

=3. Hoping to collect cash, checks, but thinking most will want to contribute via Venmo

Reading the other messages in this thread, I think your best bet would to just limit to cash and check. Also, if you used Venmo anyway it might break some form of Venmo's rules too, especially if you're going to make an account in the wards name. Now you/your ward probably wouldn't be noticed by them if you did, but I personally wouldn't. I'm sure most people wouldn't base their decision on whether to contribute to the fundraiser solely upon if the ward accepted Venmo anyway and would be fine with cash or check.

[chriswoodut]

I had this same question and searched to find this thread. As more people go cashless, this will come up more often.... especially in scenarios where the donation/funds are coming from the general public (not a ward member).

In some ways Venmo actually creates a digital paper trail where cash does not. Cash is messy too from the standpoint of being easy to steal. Checks are bad when dealing with bounced checks from strangers (insufficient funds) especially if goods were exchanged for the check.

(Come back in 5 years and someone will be asking this question about bitcoin.)