Network for Good Donation took over 4 months to reach Nonprofit, Internet

Our nonprofit listed with GuideStar a number of years ago, prior to Network for Good. Initially used JustGive to process donations, but realized they took about a month or so before we'd receive a check, without any prior notice that a donation had been received on our behalf. We dropped their service and now use Paypal on our new Website. Our online donations have only been in-state.

We received a call last week on April 11, 2013, from Network for Good in Washington D.C., to verify our address and stated a donation they had mailed to us had been returned. I provided the address, which they verified as being correct on their envelope, and said they would re-send it. We received the mailing 4/18/13.

After opening the envelope and viewing the paperwork associated with the check, we discovered the Donor had actually made the donation on December 2, 2012, and the check was dated January 15, 2013, that's over 4 months from the time Donor made the donation.  This places the nonprofit in a position of apologizing for the delayed "Thank you" for their donation, because of NFG's poor service. We don't consider that service. It does not help us in cultivating new Donors, and it certainly does not warrant a fee.

This, I'veread is one of NFG's complaints about nonprofit's not following up with Donors after receipt of funds. If the nonprofit is not receiving donations until 4 months later, this would explain that problem. Donors would expect to be provided a more timely response.

Furthermore, NFG adds a phrase on the paperwork attached to the check that states: "By depositing this check you agree to the Network For Good Giving System Agreement at www.networkforgoodcheck.org, then provides the Customer Support # 888-284-7978. With this type of service, I feel a nonprofit is being coerced into using them to get the funds a Donor has already provided.

I'm inclined to believe Donors are not informed their donation could take over 4 months in actual receipt by their selected nonprofit.   NFG's service requirements should close off this gaping hole and provide immediate notification to the nonprofit of any donation received, while they process.  Paypal is great! They provide donor account privacy, low fees , a tax receipt and the nonprofit gets their donation in days.

 A check dated January 15, 2013, certainly should have been re-routed sooner than 3 mos. It calls into question the reality of the returned mail reason given, for a potential practice of holding of funds for  quarterly interest gain on accumulated bank investment reserves. Needless to say, based on our experience, Network for Good is not good for us.