Non-profit uses TransactU to raise capital, accept fees online

Next Generation Mentoring Raises Capital, Accepts Fees Online with Ease

Next Generation Mentoring (NGM) is a unique ministry that identifies qualified mentors and connects them with eager next-generation leaders in small groups for a ten-month term. The ministry was founded by Regi Campbell, a successful businessman and entrepreneur who authored Mentor Like Jesus in 2009. The book offers insights into the mentoring model that Campbell has employed over the past ten years and was foundational in developing Next Generation Mentoring’s ministry goal: to have great Kingdom impact through small, focused mentoring groups.

Although NGM is a small non-profit, the organization decided to do a capital campaign at the end of 2009. They needed a simple, straightforward way to take donations online that would streamline the process for both the benefactors and the office staff.

“I called two or three other credit card processing companies and was frustrated in their lack of responsiveness to us. Although we’re small, I wanted to find a service provider that took us seriously,” says Angie Bevilacqua, director of operations for Next Generation Mentoring. “When ServiceU was recommended to us and I got in touch with them, there just wasn’t any comparison – they were so helpful and responsive to our needs.”

In addition to raising funds for their general program, NGM also collects fees from small group participants for the 10-month program.

“When we first set out to talk with ServiceU, it was about our capital campaigns. But then I realized I could take fees online as well and alleviate our mentors from collecting them. I thought that if we could use ServiceU to serve our mentors and for our capital campaign, it would become more than a one-time fix, but an everyday solution to our financial administration needs.”

For NGM, the top benefits of offering online donations are:
1) Capital campaigns: “It makes it really easy for people that want to give sizable amounts, they simply click on links to provide a secure and highly reputable way to accept funds.”
2) Fee payment: “Collecting participant fees through ServiceU allows us to take that burden off of our mentors so that they can remain focused on mentoring the men in their group.”

“Another incredible benefit of using ServiceU has been that we’ve seen people who responded to our capital campaign begin to give on a monthly basis. The real win for us is in these folks who have chosen to support us on a monthly basis—TransactU makes it totally possible and immensely benefits our ministry,” adds Bevilacqua.

Once a new NGM group gets started, a link to the online payment form is sent via email to the mentor and mentorees so that they can quickly and easily pay the $200 fee that covers books and materials.

“We’ve launched 28 groups in the last 90 days and 170 people have used the payment link. That’s 170 checks I have not had to deposit in the bank, which is great,” says Bevilacqua.

Currently NGM is facilitating over 50 different mentoring groups around the country. Beyond the connection with their mentor and the other men in the group, each person is matched with a ‘Growth Partner’ for additional accountability during their journey.  Many growth partners (and groups) form such tight bonds that they remain in close contact long after the 10 months is over.

Bevilacqua adds, “Working with Sean George – what can I say, he knocked it out of the park. He was incredibly relational. I felt like a number when I talked with PayPal and some of the other providers out there. Not so with Sean - he really wanted to help us accomplish our goals any way he could. He followed up with me and took care of our needs. Since then, he’s helped every time I needed assistance all along the way.”