Donor FAQs

Yes! Donations to Bold.org are made through the Bold Foundation, a 501(c)(3) non-profit, so your contribution is tax-deductible. You'll receive an email with documentation for tax purposes after your donation is processed.

No, we do not charge any fees on donations. Every dollar you contribute goes directly to support students, ensuring 100% of your donation impacts educational expenses.

All donations are managed by the Bold Foundation and directly fund scholarships.

Donations that are ready for distribution as scholarship awards are held in cash, while other funds are invested in U.S. Treasury bills. This approach allows us to operate fee-free and ensures 100% of your donation goes to students.

Credit card donations process immediately. ACH donations may take 3-5 business days to complete.

Funding upfront ensures scholarships are fully backed before students apply, guaranteeing the award will be available to recipients.

Your tax-deductible donation goes directly to a deserving recipient based on your scholarship's criteria. Awards are generally applied to tuition or student loans, and we require documentation to confirm appropriate use.

Not yet, but we hope to add this feature soon! Reach out to our team at donors@bold.org if you're interested in making a recurring gift.

Awards can cover tuition, student loans, or other educational expenses that enhance a recipient's academic or artistic growth.

Our Scholarship Evaluation Specialists review each application carefully to ensure alignment with your criteria. Applications undergo a multi-point assessment, scoring various aspects of the student's profile, background, and goals related to the scholarship's purpose. We also evaluate the essay for originality, checking for AI usage and plagiarism to maintain fairness and authenticity.

Currently, each donor account supports one login. You can add reviewers to your account by inviting them through the "Team Members" tab.

Yes! For more details, see our Award Features page.

Live or scheduled interviews with applicants aren't possible. However, if seeing or hearing from your candidate is important, you can request a video or audio submission as part of the application.

Yes, you can request recommendation letters as part of the application. However, please note that we do not validate these materials.

No-essay awards are evaluated based on applicants' profiles, which provide detailed information about their backgrounds, goals, and achievements.

Absolutely! Sharing your scholarship can help attract applicants, especially if the eligibility criteria are specific or narrow.

We promote published scholarships to eligible students within our network to ensure qualified applicants apply.

To create a fund, sign up as a donor, then submit your fund goal through your donor dashboard. Our team will work closely with you to launch it within 2-3 days. For more details, review our guide on How to Propose a Scholarship or Fund.

A fund is a fundraising page, while a scholarship is where students apply. You can have either individually or both together. The fund outlines your mission and goal amount, while the scholarship includes applicant criteria and background. Students apply through the scholarship page, not the fund page.

Once your goal is met, transfer the funds to your scholarship proposal in your dashboard. Click "review proposal," then "fund the scholarship," and select your fund as the payment method. For directions, review our guide on How to Fund & Publish Your Scholarship.

No, you'll need to create a scholarship draft first and manually fund it through your dashboard once your goal is met. For more details, review our guide on How to Propose a Scholarship or Fund.

No, all funds must support scholarships on Bold.org.

No, donations made to scholarship funds do not accrue interest.

Application numbers depend on the award's criteria and timeline. Scholarships with narrow criteria typically receive 50-200 applications, while broader scholarships can receive hundreds.

Our student users range from high school students to recent graduates and those repaying student debt or pursuing advanced degrees. We connect eligible applicants to the scholarship based on the award criteria to ensure quality candidates apply.

Yes! Many of our members are graduates focused on paying off student debt.

Recipients are notified directly through our platform on the announcement date. We send them a congratulatory message and immediately begin verifying their eligibility to ensure prompt award distribution.

Criteria cannot be narrowed after launch but can be expanded if you're seeking a larger applicant pool.

Bold Points are awarded to students for actively engaging on the platform, such as by completing their profiles thoroughly and applying to scholarships. These points help students stand out and demonstrate their commitment to personal and academic growth.

Our support team is available at contact@bold.org to assist students throughout the application process.

Our mission is to eliminate student debt by empowering students to access education affordably and sustainably. We provide funding opportunities and raise awareness about financial resources, including scholarships and grants. Bold.org aims to inspire a lifelong commitment to learning and growth, fostering collective progress for society.

The Bold Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that works closely with Bold.org to ensure that all donations are tax-deductible and go directly toward funding scholarships. Through this partnership, we handle every step of the scholarship process—from proposal evaluation and donor onboarding to scholarship management and award distribution—ensuring that 100% of each donation reaches students without any administrative deductions.

Our donors include individuals, families, businesses of all sizes, foundations, and more. We make it simple for anyone to create and manage customized scholarships, fellowships, and grants in just minutes.

You can reach us directly at donors@bold.org. For more information, please refer to our guide on contacting the Bold.org Donor Team.