1. Sign up at contribute.nycvotes.org/signup
After registering with the CFB, your campaign will have access to Contribute. To create your account, go to contribute.nycvotes.org/signup.
2. Create your password
Click the For Candidates tab and enter the email address listed on your CFB registration and a unique password. Only candidates and treasurers are eligible to have a Contribute account.
Best practice: Both the candidate and treasurer should create their own Contribute accounts to receive important communications from Contribute@nyccfb.info.
3. Agree to the affirmation statement
Review the affirmation statement and click I Agree.
4. Activate your account and connect with Stripe
You will receive an email, which will prompt you to activate your Contribute account. You must then connect your Contribute account with Stripe, the credit card processor Contribute uses to direct funds to your bank account. Candidates who have run in the past must create a new Stripe account for each election.
After logging into your Contribute account, click the Connect with Stripe button.
After clicking Connect with Stripe, you will be directed to a registration form to create a Stripe account. Your Stripe account is separate from your Contribute account and will be used to process contributions made to your campaign on Contribute to your campaign’s bank account. Some of the information you will need to enter in the registration form includes:
- Business Details: Enter your committee’s information in this section. You will need to complete fields such as:
- Type of business: Select “Nonprofit Organization”
- Legal business name: Enter the committee’s name (as disclosed to the IRS and CFB)
- Business website: If your committee does not have a website, you can use contribute.nycvotes.org for this field
- Business description: Select “Political Organization”
- How long after paying will customers typically receive their goods or services?: Select “Within One Day”
- Executive Details: The campaign’s Stripe account should be created by the candidate (strongly recommended), treasurer, or another campaign representative with significant managerial control. The individual who creates the account will be the Stripe account holder and will need to provide personal identifying information. (For example, home address and the last four digits of Social Security Number.)
- Credit Card Statement Details: In this section, you will be able to customize how contributions made to your campaign will appear on your contributors’ bank statements.
- Statement descriptor: This is the “business name” that will appear on your contributors’ bank statement. You should use the committee’s name to avoid disputes over unrecognized transactions.
- Support phone number: Enter a phone number that can be used to contact you and your campaign.
- Customer support address: Use the committee’s address.
- Bank Details: Enter your committee’s bank account number and routing number to set up transfers for contributions received. You must use the same bank account on file with the CFB.
- Two-Step Authentication: Choose one of Stripe’s security methods to protect your account.
- Save your Stripe account: Create your login credentials for your Stripe dashboard. Use these credentials to log in directly at www.stripe.com. You can choose to use the same email address linked to your Contribute account, but it is not necessary.
Click the Authorize access to this account button to complete the registration form for Stripe.
5. Receive Contribute link
After creating your Stripe account, you will receive an email that confirms that your Contribute account has been connected to Stripe, and that contains your unique Contribute link. This link can be used for promotional materials, campaign flyers and mailings, and social media posts.
Once you have connected your Contribute account with Stripe, your campaign can begin receiving contributions.
Best practice: Have the candidate or treasurer make a small test contribution (which may be matchable) and upload it to C-SMART.