# Getting Started

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💡 [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](https://help.givechariot.com/dafpay "mention") **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](https://help.givechariot.com/disbursements "mention")
* **Access your donation data** in one secure dashboard
* **Avoid unnecessary fees** and manual processing

***

### ❓What happens if I don’t claim my account?

If your account isn’t claimed:

* [dafpay](https://help.givechariot.com/dafpay "mention") **gifts will be sent by check via the** [dafpay-network](https://help.givechariot.com/dafpay/dafpay-network "mention") after a 60-day holding period\
  (with a fee of 10% or $25 — whichever is less)
* [disbursements](https://help.givechariot.com/disbursements "mention") **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

> 💡 [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:

<details>

<summary><span data-gb-custom-inline data-tag="emoji" data-code="1f4b0">💰</span> I got an email that a DAFpay grant was initiated to my organization</summary>

This means a donor used [dafpay](https://help.givechariot.com/dafpay "mention") on one of your [fundraising-platforms](https://help.givechariot.com/dafpay/editor/fundraising-platforms "mention") 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.&#x20;

Going forward, all DAFpay donations will be sent **directly from the DAF provider**—with **no delays, passthroughs, or processing hold-ups**. See [receiving-donations](https://help.givechariot.com/donation-management/receiving-donations "mention")

<figure><img src="https://2623134947-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FYeSwaMWBAjiYfXgDU5ZT%2Fuploads%2FYcf1mXRvoGDN5bLFIKoZ%2Fimage.png?alt=media&#x26;token=dc7bbaa4-9cd2-46e1-9864-d7eae789e29c" alt="" width="375"><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

</details>

<details>

<summary><span data-gb-custom-inline data-tag="emoji" data-code="1f3e6">🏦</span> I got an email that we received a grant from a DAF provider that partners with Chariot</summary>

This means one of Chariot’s grantmaker partners has initiated a grant to your organization. See [for-nonprofits](https://help.givechariot.com/disbursements/for-nonprofits "mention").

[**Claim your Chariot account**](https://dashboard.givechariot.com/signup) to receive this grant — and all future grants from our partners — **electronically, in real time**.

<figure><img src="https://2623134947-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FYeSwaMWBAjiYfXgDU5ZT%2Fuploads%2FH0pLAIugT7ug0cuuy9lI%2Fimage.png?alt=media&#x26;token=37a81658-d4ea-485e-9574-e8dd44f9ee8b" alt="" width="375"><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

</details>

<details>

<summary><span data-gb-custom-inline data-tag="emoji" data-code="1f4ec">📬</span> I received a check in the mail from the DAFpay Network</summary>

If you received a check from the **DAFpay Network**, it means a [dafpay](https://help.givechariot.com/dafpay "mention") 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**.

<figure><img src="https://2623134947-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FYeSwaMWBAjiYfXgDU5ZT%2Fuploads%2F6jkviLi6jVCsOKbPdnPs%2FGroup%2050334.png?alt=media&#x26;token=4127e482-ec7f-43f0-9b72-81918efb0283" alt="" width="563"><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

: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

{% hint style="warning" %}
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.
{% endhint %}

</details>

<details>

<summary><span data-gb-custom-inline data-tag="emoji" data-code="1f4eb">📫</span> I received a check in the mail from a DAF that partners with Chariot</summary>

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](https://help.givechariot.com/disbursements/for-nonprofits "mention")

[**Claim your Chariot account**](https://dashboard.givechariot.com/signup) to receive all future grants from our partners **securely, electronically, and without processing delays.**

<div align="center"><figure><img src="https://2623134947-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FYeSwaMWBAjiYfXgDU5ZT%2Fuploads%2FXHFWS2p6HOwy77QSITyh%2FGroup%2050331.png?alt=media&#x26;token=39c73f4c-24c7-465c-aa22-9d328abc5e21" alt="" width="563"><figcaption></figcaption></figure></div>

</details>

<details>

<summary><span data-gb-custom-inline data-tag="emoji" data-code="1f4e9">📩</span> I got an email that DAFpay was activated for my organization</summary>

This means a [fundraising-platforms](https://help.givechariot.com/dafpay/editor/fundraising-platforms "mention") used by your organization has partnered with [dafpay](https://help.givechariot.com/dafpay "mention") by Chariot to enable Donor Advised Fund (DAF) donations directly on your donation forms.

[**Claim your Chariot account**](https://dashboard.givechariot.com/signup) to receive DAFpay donations faster, with fewer fees, directly from the DAF provider.

Once you claim your Chariot account, all DAFpay donations will be sent **directly from the DAF provider**—with **no delays, passthroughs, or processing hold-ups**. See [receiving-donations](https://help.givechariot.com/donation-management/receiving-donations "mention")

<figure><img src="https://2623134947-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FYeSwaMWBAjiYfXgDU5ZT%2Fuploads%2F2CTH6ncBoeEgFuhlTwI5%2Fimage.png?alt=media&#x26;token=63b2c2df-c5ec-4196-a17a-65fce2b11df0" alt="" width="375"><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

</details>