What Documents Do You Need to Set Up Stripe for Your Fundraiser?

Short answer: To receive donations, you connect a Stripe account — and before Stripe can pay you, it has to verify who you are. Have these ready and setup takes minutes: a representative's ID details, your bank account (routing + account number), and — for companies and nonprofits — your EIN and legal business name.

We want to be upfront about this, because it's the part people don't expect: connecting Stripe isn't just a button. Stripe is a regulated payment processor, so it must confirm your identity before it turns on payouts. Gather the items below first and your account activates fast — skip them and your funds can sit on hold.

Why Stripe asks for documents

By law, payment processors have to verify the businesses and people they pay out to (this is called "Know Your Customer," or KYC). It protects donors and prevents fraud. The upside for you: because Stripe verifies you directly, donations deposit straight into your own bank account — CalendarFundraiser never holds your money or takes a cut of donations.

The trade-off is that Stripe needs real information before it can enable charges and payouts. Here's exactly what that is.

First, choose your account type

Stripe will ask whether you're an individual or a business. Pick the row that matches you:

Account type	Best for	Key thing you'll need
Individual / Sole proprietor	A parent, coach, or organizer running it personally; informal teams or clubs with no EIN	Your name + SSN (US)
Company / Nonprofit	Registered PTAs, booster clubs, churches, schools, and nonprofits	Your EIN + legal business name

Not sure? If your group doesn't have an EIN, the simplest path is to have one trusted organizer set up as an individual and route donations to a personal or group bank account.

What everyone needs

No matter the account type, the person setting up the account (the "representative") should have:

• Legal full name (as it appears on government ID)
• Date of birth
• Home address
• Last 4 digits of SSN (US) — occasionally Stripe asks for the full SSN
• Email and phone number
• A bank account for payouts — the routing number and account number
• A short description of what you're raising money for — your public campaign page works perfectly for this
• A government-issued photo ID (driver's license or passport) ready to upload, in case Stripe asks to confirm your identity

If you're an individual or sole proprietor

That's essentially the full list above. You'll enter your personal details and your bank account, and in most cases you're verified on the spot. Keep a photo ID handy in case Stripe requests it.

If you're a company or nonprofit

In addition to the representative's details above, have your organization's paperwork ready:

• EIN (Employer Identification Number) — your federal tax ID
• Legal business name exactly as registered with the IRS — this is the #1 cause of delays; even small mismatches ("PTA" vs "P.T.A.") can trigger a review
• Business address and phone number
• Business structure (nonprofit, LLC, association, etc.)
• Beneficial owners — details for anyone who owns 25% or more (most nonprofits and PTAs have none, but you may need to confirm a director/executive)
• Nonprofits: your 501(c)(3) or tax-exempt status information when prompted

Your bank account for payouts

This is where your donations land. You'll need the routing number and account number, and the account name should match your business or personal name on the account. A mismatch here is another common reason payouts get held.

What can delay or restrict your account

Almost every hold comes down to one of these:

• Legal name or EIN doesn't exactly match IRS records
• No photo ID provided when Stripe requested one
• Bank account name doesn't match the account holder
• Missing beneficial-owner or representative information

If your account shows as restricted, open your Stripe dashboard — it lists precisely what's missing. Complete those items and the restriction clears, usually right away.

How long does it take?

• Most accounts: verified instantly or within a few minutes.
• If Stripe requests a photo ID or extra documents: one to two business days.

Payouts then follow Stripe's schedule (often a couple of business days for the first one, faster after that).

How to set it up in CalendarFundraiser

When you're ready, open Billing in your dashboard and choose Stripe. You'll be handed off to Stripe's own secure onboarding to enter the details above. Your documents and bank info go directly to Stripe — they never pass through CalendarFundraiser. Once you're verified, donations deposit straight to your bank, and donors can pay with cards, Apple Pay, Google Pay, and Cash App.

Set up your payout account →

Gather the checklist above before you start, and the whole thing usually takes just a few minutes — with no surprise holds on your money.