Getting Started With Memberships

Memberships allow you to offer level-based memberships via GC Online Giving. Donors select a membership type, and you get clear records linking payments to members.

This feature is currently in beta and is available to schools in GC Labs.

How memberships work

Here's the basic structure:

• Membership types are the tiers you offer — think "Silver," "Gold," or "Platinum". Each type gets a display name, a description, and a display order so donors see them exactly the way you want. You get to decide if donors pay for this recurring (annual) or at once (lifetime).
• Membership forms are giving forms with the form subtype set to "membership." They work just like your regular giving forms but display membership types instead of open-ended gift amounts.

When a donor completes a membership form, GiveCampus creates a membership payment record that ties together the donor, their chosen level and type, any fields you have added to the form. This includes recurring subscriptions if they chose a recurring billing option for future payments.

Creating a membership form

A membership form is a giving form with a few extra settings. Our new left nav item is relabeled to "Forms" and will house all of your giving forms, pledge forms, and now membership forms as well. 

To create a form, start under the Online Giving forms tab and select 'Membership' as the form type.

Configuring designation routing

Membership forms include settings for how payments are designated. The donor will not see this information on their form:

• Designation for membership funds — where the tax-deductible portion of each payment is routed
• Designation for fair market value — where the fair market value portion is routed (for memberships with tangible benefits)

This ensures your advancement services team sees clean, properly designated transactions. Not seeing your preferred designation in the drop down? Make sure it is added under School-level settings > Designations first. 

Setting up your membership types

Before you launch a membership form, you'll want to define the membership types available on this form.

For each type, you'll configure:

• Name — an internal slug for your reference (e.g., "gold," "presidents-circle")
• Benefits — a short explanation of what the level includes or why it matters
• Display order — the order levels appear on your form. Drag and drop to re-order.
• Price (annual and lifetime) — the amount charged
• Fair market value (annual and lifetime) — if the membership includes tangible benefits (e.g., event tickets, merchandise), enter the fair market value here so donors receive accurate tax receipts

What donors see

When a donor visits a membership form, they'll see the available membership levels displayed in order with descriptions under the "view benefits" link. After selecting a level, they choose from the available billing types for that level, complete their payment information, enter in any other form fields you have added, and check out.

If they select a recurring option, GiveCampus automatically creates a recurring subscription — just like a regular recurring gift.

After completing checkout, each donor receives a confirmation number for their membership. Every payment they make for recurring membership options is linked to their membership record, giving you a complete history in one place.

Reporting and managing memberships

Each membership includes:

• The donor's information
• Their selected membership level and type along with the designation & FMV information
• Their confirmation number
• Their initial contribution
• Any associated recurring subscription
• The commitment length (if applicable)

Fair market value and tax receipts

If your membership levels include tangible benefits — things like event access, branded merchandise, or parking passes — you can set a fair market value on the membership level type. GiveCampus will automatically calculate the tax-deductible portion of each payment and reflect it on the donor's receipt.

For example, if a donor pays $100 for a membership that includes $25 in tangible benefits, their receipt will show a $75 tax-deductible amount and a $25 fair market value. 

Tips for a successful membership program

• Keep your levels simple. Three to five tiers is the sweet spot. Too many options can overwhelm. You can always have multiple forms with various options.
• Write clear descriptions. Help donors understand what makes each level different and why it matters.
• Offer flexible billing. Giving donors a choice between annual and lifetime payment options lowers the barrier to entry.
• Set FMV accurately. This protects your institution and builds donor trust.
• Use multiple forms for different programs. A booster club and an alumni association can share the same levels or have entirely separate ones — it's up to you.

FAQ's

Who has access to GC Memberships?

While in Beta, GC memberships is only available to schools in GC labs. Once generally released, the feature will be available to all schools using GC Online Giving and are using Stripe as a payment processor. Use the link in the School Dashboard to get to the Partner Portal to opt in using GC Labs if you're interested in the beta program.

Which payment methods are available for memberships?

When a multi-year membership is selected, PayPal is disabled. Apple Pay / Google Pay wallets, credit cards, and ACH bank payment methods (Stripe, USD) are supported.

Can I refund a membership?

Yes, although they are full-amount only and will not auto-cancel a recurring membership subscription.

Can I edit the FMV?

Yes, although FMV edits apply to future installments only and past receipts aren't re-issued.

Can I use memberships if I'm using another payment processor?

No, our memberships feature is offered exclusively for schools leveraging our partnership with Stripe.