Introducing Classy Passport

Grow Your Global Movement

Classy Community,

It’s hard to believe we’re nearing the end of 2017, a year that has constantly reminded us that the social problems we face together are truly global in nature. Time and again, we’ve witnessed people coming together from all backgrounds and beliefs—from San Diego to Seoul—to raise money on the Classy platform for causes they believe in.

Today, we’re making the global fundraising process a whole lot easier. I’m excited to announce Classy’s newest product, Classy Passport—a monumental step forward in empowering nonprofit organizations to mobilize supporters globally on behalf of a common cause.

Classy Passport is the world’s first cross-currency international fundraising solution, allowing any nonprofit organization to instantly take their fundraising global, while providing supporters around the world with a customized experience that is friendlier and more relevant to them.

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Operate Anywhere, Fundraise Everywhere

So, why did we decide to build Classy Passport?

It started with various conversations with our nonprofit partners. Many were dipping their toes in international fundraising but struggling to really find and connect with large bases of global donors, despite a recent study by Nonprofit Tech for Good which shows that almost half of worldwide donors are giving to countries outside of their own.

But the decision point for Classy Passport came when one of our most trusted global partners, Room to Read, was having trouble finding a single fundraising solution to manage their worldwide fundraising efforts. For them, the momentum was already there: from 2014 to 2016, Room to Read saw a 93 percent increase in online donations made across eight international currencies, raising $3.2 million annually. However, those donations were processed across a myriad of third-party platforms from various markets, leading to an inconsistent giving experience on the front-end and disparate data sets on the back-end. They knew that there was a big opportunity for improvement.

We agreed and also felt that this opportunity Room to Read was seeing to further grow and optimize their international operation was an opportunity for all of our customers as well. So we collaborated closely with Room to Read on what an ideal solution might look like, building the only international fundraising solution that offers “cross-currency” capability—allowing for multi-currency donations, multi-currency peer-to-peer fundraising, and U.S. dollar or international currency processing all under one campaign. Check out one of their live Classy Passport campaigns, and see fundraisers and individuals contributing in their native currencies.

Beyond Borders

Building something as complex as cross-currency comes with its challenges—such as describing how it works. If you’re wondering, here’s a high-level snapshot:

For organizations:

• Say goodbye to disparate systems or campaigns. Classy Passport can be used to consolidate international giving on a single platform and even a single campaign.

• Create campaigns in multiple currencies. Organizations can create donation, crowdfunding, and peer-to-peer campaign pages and set fundraising goals in over 130 currencies.

• Process international currencies while reducing costs. For nonprofits already operating in countries outside the U.S., Classy Passport can also be configured to support international currency processing, allowing for tax-compliant international receipting and reducing additional credit card fees.

For supporters:

• Give comfortably without thinking twice. Classy Passport leverages a donor’s browser language settings to convert donation options into their native currency, taking the guesswork out of giving. Browser detection is also used to display the supporter’s corresponding address fields, giving them a more familiar giving experience.

• Activate global networks like never before. International supporters are also able to create individual and team fundraising pages in over 130 currencies to encourage donations from their entire networks.For example, a Room to Read supporter in Australia can commit to raising funds for a U.S.-based program; set up a fundraising page and ask family and friends in London, San Diego, and Paris to make a donation; and each individual donor will be able to automatically interact with and donate to the page in their native currency, then receive a donation receipt in pounds, dollars, and euros, respectively.

Take On the World

We saved the best part for last. Right now, Classy customers can get Classy Passport free of charge.*

We’re incredibly proud of this milestone as it deepens our commitment to you, our customers and partners, while furthering our mission: we will never stop looking for new ways to mobilize and empower the world for good. And when we say “the world,” we really mean it.

Onward and upward!

-Scot

*Classy Passport transaction fees are waived until further notice. Currency setup fee for organizations electing to use international currency processing still applies.