# Getting Started
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đź’ˇ [Claim your account](https://dashboard.givechariot.com/signup) to receive donations quickly, securely, and with full visibility.
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### ✨ Claim Your Chariot Account
Claiming your Chariot account is the first step to unlocking faster, more secure, and lower-cost donations for your nonprofit
With an active Chariot account, your organization can:
* **Receive** [DAFpay](/dafpay/editor.md) **gifts directly from the DAF provider** — no delays, passthroughs, or processing hold-ups
* **Receive real-time electronic payments from Chariot’s** [Default Sources](https://givechariot.com/disbursements)**. See** [Disbursements](/disbursements/how-it-works.md)
* **Access your donation data** in one secure dashboard
* **Avoid unnecessary fees** and manual processing
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### ❓What happens if I don’t claim my account?
If your account isn’t claimed:
* [DAFpay](/dafpay/editor.md) **gifts will be sent by check via the** [DAFpay Network](/dafpay/dafpay-network.md) after a 60-day holding period\
(with a fee of 10% or $25 — whichever is less)
* [Disbursements](/disbursements/how-it-works.md) **gifts will also be mailed by check** after a holding period (typically 7 days)
* You won’t have access to the Chariot dashboard for real-time gift tracking, reporting, and donation data
> đź’ˇ [Claim your account](https://dashboard.givechariot.com/signup) to receive donations quickly, securely, and with full visibility.
***
### 🛎️ Why did Chariot contact me?
If you received an email or check from Chariot or the DAFpay Network, it likely means your organization has received a donation or is eligible to begin receiving donations through Chariot. Here’s what each message means and what to do next:
đź’° I got an email that a DAFpay grant was initiated to my organization
This means a donor used [DAFpay](/dafpay/editor.md) on one of your [Fundraising Platforms](/dafpay/fundraising-platforms.md) to initiate a grant to your organization.
[**Claim your Chariot account**](https://dashboard.givechariot.com/signup) to receive this payment directly in your dashboard, along with its associated grant details.
Going forward, all DAFpay donations will be sent **directly from the DAF provider**—with **no delays, passthroughs, or processing hold-ups**. See [Using Chariot](/getting-started/using-chariot.md)
🏦 I got an email that we received a grant from a DAF provider that partners with Chariot
This means one of Chariot’s grantmaker partners has initiated a grant to your organization. See [For Nonprofits](/disbursements/for-nonprofits.md).
[**Claim your Chariot account**](https://dashboard.givechariot.com/signup) to receive this grant — and all future grants from our partners — **electronically, in real time**.
📬 I received a check in the mail from the DAFpay Network
If you received a check from the **DAFpay Network**, it means a [DAFpay](/dafpay/editor.md) donation was sent to your organization, held for **60 days,** and then sent via check because you hadn’t yet claimed your Chariot account.
[**Claim your Chariot account**](https://dashboard.givechariot.com/signup) to receive all future DAFpay donations faster, with fewer fees, and directly from the DAF provider.
After you claim your account, all future DAFpay donations will be sent **directly from the DAF provider**—with **no delays, passthroughs, or processing hold-ups**.
:question:**What to do:**
1. [**Claim your Chariot account**](https://dashboard.givechariot.com/signup)
2. Cash the check through your usual process
3. Log in to your Chariot dashboard and go to the **Donations** tab
4. Filter by Tracking ID, External ID or donor identifying information to locate the corresponding donation
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Some DAF providers do not send DAFpay Tracking IDs. **If the Tracking ID and DAFpay note are not available,** first check for an **External Grant ID**. If you cannot find one, use the **donor’s fund name, gift amount, and other grant details** to match the inbound gift to the correct DAFpay donation line item.
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đź“« I received a check in the mail from a DAF that partners with Chariot
If you received a check from one of Chariot’s grantmaker partners, it means the grant was sent by check **after a 7-day holding period** because your Chariot account was not claimed. See [For Nonprofits](/disbursements/for-nonprofits.md)
[**Claim your Chariot account**](https://dashboard.givechariot.com/signup) to receive all future grants from our partners **securely, electronically, and without processing delays.**