--- title: How DashPledge Protects Donation and Payment Information description: Learn how DashPledge protects donation and payment information, how Stripe processes payments, what donors and fundraiser participants can see, and what financial information you should never share. url: "https://dashpledge.com/docs/donation-and-payment-security/" updated: "2026-08-18" category: "Privacy & Security" --- # How DashPledge Protects Donation and Payment Information ## Protecting donation and payment information DashPledge is designed so donors can support fundraisers through a secure online payment process. Payment processing is handled through the payment services connected to DashPledge, while DashPledge provides the fundraising experience that connects donations to the appropriate school, organization, campaign, or student mini-fundraiser. Donors should only enter sensitive payment information through the secure donation checkout experience. ## How are donations processed? When you make a donation through DashPledge, you enter the requested payment information through the fundraiser's checkout process. The payment is processed using the payment-processing services connected to the fundraiser. For DashPledge fundraisers using Stripe, Stripe provides the underlying payment-processing infrastructure. ## Does DashPledge display my full card number? Full payment-card information should not be displayed through ordinary DashPledge fundraiser, organizer, parent, teacher, or Help Center pages. Sensitive card information is handled as part of the secure payment process. ## Where should I enter my payment information? Only enter payment information through the official donation checkout experience associated with the fundraiser you're supporting. Never provide full payment-card information through: - Donor Comments - Fundraiser stories - Email - Chat - Help Center messages - Ordinary support requests - Public campaign content ## What should I check before donating? Before entering payment information, make sure you're on the fundraiser you intend to support. DashPledge supports two donation paths: - The **main campaign page** - A **student mini-fundraiser page** If you're supporting a specific student, confirm that you're on that student's mini-fundraiser before completing the donation. ## Is donating through a student mini-fundraiser different for payment security? The fundraising attribution is different, but donors still use the applicable secure donation process. A donation through a student mini-fundraiser can contribute to: - The student's individual fundraising progress - The overall school or organization campaign The student does not receive or process the donor's payment information. ## Can a student see my payment information? No. A student mini-fundraiser provides a way to participate in and share the organization's fundraiser. Students should not receive access to sensitive donor payment credentials. ## Can parents see my payment information? Parents can manage their child's fundraiser experience, but they should not receive access to a donor's full payment-card credentials. Donation administration and payment processing remain separate from the parent's student-fundraiser tools. ## Can teachers see my payment information? Teachers may have access to appropriate classroom fundraising progress, but they should not receive access to a donor's sensitive payment credentials. Teacher access is intended for classroom participation and progress rather than payment-account administration. ## What can organizers see? Authorized organizers can have access to donation-management information needed to administer the fundraiser. This can include appropriate transaction information such as donation amount, status, date, and donor information when applicable. This does not mean organizers should receive access to a donor's full payment-card credentials. ## What information does Stripe handle? Stripe can handle information required for payment processing and connected-account functionality. This can include payment, transaction, payout, verification, and other information required to provide its payment services. Authorized organizers can access appropriate connected-account information through: **Settings → Payout Setup → Open Stripe** ## Does DashPledge store my Stripe password? Your Stripe credentials should remain private and be managed through Stripe. DashPledge Support should not need your Stripe password to investigate an ordinary payout or payment problem. Never provide your Stripe password through a DashPledge support request. ## What is an anonymous donation? When enabled, **Anonymous Donation** allows a donor to hide their identity from applicable public supporter displays. Anonymous does not mean the payment has no underlying transaction information. DashPledge and its payment-processing services may still need information to: - Process the donation - Maintain transaction records - Provide receipts - Handle refunds - Investigate disputes - Provide support - Meet applicable payment requirements ## Does donating anonymously hide my card information from the public? Sensitive card information should never be publicly displayed regardless of whether a donation is anonymous. Anonymous Donation primarily affects applicable public donor recognition. ## Are donor comments private? Do not assume so. A donor comment may be displayed according to the fundraiser's supporter-message settings. Never place payment information, passwords, account credentials, or other sensitive information in a Donor Comments field. ## How are DashPledge tips handled? A voluntary DashPledge tip is separate from the fundraiser donation. The donation form should allow donors to review the applicable fundraiser donation, optional tip, and total before completing payment. The DashPledge tip does not count toward the student or organization's fundraising goal. ## What if I enter the wrong donation amount? If you notice the error before submitting the payment, correct the amount on the donation form. If the transaction is already complete, don't make another payment simply to offset the first one. Contact DashPledge Support if the transaction needs to be reviewed. ## What if I think I was charged twice? First, check: - Donation confirmation emails - Transaction amounts - Transaction dates - Your payment-account activity If two completed donations appear, contact DashPledge Support. Do not provide your full card number when reporting the issue. ## What if my payment is declined? Review the message displayed during checkout and verify that the payment information was entered correctly. If the payment continues to be declined, contact your card issuer or financial institution when appropriate. DashPledge cannot override a payment decline issued by the payment provider. ## What if I don't recognize a DashPledge transaction? First, check whether another authorized person in your household may have made the donation. If you still don't recognize the transaction, contact DashPledge Support and your payment provider as appropriate. Provide only the information needed to identify the transaction. ## What information can I safely provide when reporting a payment problem? Useful information can include: - Donor name - Email address used for the donation - Approximate transaction date - Donation amount - School or organization - Campaign - Student mini-fundraiser, when applicable - Description of the problem This is usually much more useful than providing sensitive payment credentials. ## What should I never send to Support? Never send: - Full payment-card number - Card security code - Debit-card PIN - Online banking password - Stripe password - DashPledge password - Login verification codes - Complete banking credentials DashPledge Support should not need these credentials to locate or investigate a donation. ## How are refunds handled securely? Refunds should be processed against the original transaction through the appropriate DashPledge and payment-processing workflow. Do not send card information to request a refund. Provide enough non-sensitive transaction information to identify the original donation. See **Donations & Donors → How Donation Refunds Work**. ## What about payment disputes? Payment disputes are handled through the applicable transaction and payment-processing workflow. Authorized DashPledge administrators and organization users should use the appropriate transaction-management tools rather than asking donors for sensitive payment credentials. ## How is organization banking information protected? Authorized organizers manage payout information through: **Settings → Payout Setup** Bank-account changes should be completed using **Manage Bank** and the secure connected Stripe experience. DashPledge should display limited bank-account information in ordinary organizer screens rather than exposing the complete account number. ## What if someone asks me for my card or banking password? Do not provide it. DashPledge Support should not ask you to send full card credentials, Stripe passwords, or online banking passwords through ordinary support channels. If a request appears suspicious, don't respond with sensitive information. Instead, access DashPledge directly and contact Support through the appropriate support channel. ## What if payment information is accidentally posted publicly? If sensitive payment or financial information is accidentally entered into a public fundraiser, donor message, or other visible area, contact DashPledge Support promptly. Remove the information using the available controls when you are authorized and able to do so safely. If actual card or banking credentials were exposed, also contact the applicable financial institution or payment provider promptly. ## What's next? For related information, see: - **Donations & Donors → How to Make a Donation on DashPledge** - **Donations & Donors → How Anonymous Donations Work** - **Donations & Donors → How Donation Refunds Work** - **Payouts & Stripe → How to Connect Stripe to DashPledge** - **Payouts & Stripe → How to Use Open Stripe** - **Privacy & Security → How to Keep Your DashPledge Account Secure**