Refunds

Donors can request a refund from the donor portal when the donation is linked to their account. Guest donors can use the receipt token from the receipt email when that token is available.

The request should include the reason, amount requested, and any note that helps the organization review it. Common reasons include duplicate payments, accidental amount, wrong campaign, or offline payment already made.

Refund access is limited on purpose. A donor can ask you to review their own eligible payment, not another supporter's donation or a private family balance.

Coaches and treasurers review refund requests from the dashboard. They should confirm the payment, remaining refundable amount, donor note, campaign details, and any offline agreement before approving.

Approving a request is a decision the team makes. Actually sending the refund to Stripe is a separate step, available when the account and payment are eligible.

SeasonKit keeps a timeline of the request, review, when it was sent, any failure, and the final reconciliation, so your treasurer can see whether a refund is pending, sent, failed, or completed.

Stripe typically processes refunds in 5-10 business days, but timing can vary by bank, card network, holiday, and the original payment method.

A refund can show as sent in SeasonKit before the donor sees it on their statement. If a donor asks about timing, check whether the refund was sent and share the date it went to Stripe.

If a refund fails, your treasurer should review the reason before retrying. Repeated retries without addressing the reason can confuse both the donor and your books.

A receipt keeps the original payment details, then shows the refund and the net deductible amount once a refund is applied. The deductible amount on the receipt reflects the portion that remains deductible after refunds.

If a full donation is refunded, the net deductible amount should be zero. If a partial donation is refunded, the remaining deductible amount should match the part the organization kept.

Receipt identity details such as organization legal name and EIN remain the original issuance snapshot. For more context, read Receipts & tax.

Review refund requests promptly, especially during a busy stretch of fundraising. A donor who receives a clear answer is less likely to dispute the charge with their bank.

Keep notes factual and short. Avoid placing sensitive participant, guardian, medical, or safety information in refund notes.

Do not delete donation records to handle a refund. Use the refund steps so the original and reversing entries stay in your books for later review.

Approval should be quick, but it should still be deliberate. Check the payment and the request before sending anything to Stripe.

• Confirm the request belongs to the donor or family payment being reviewed.
• Confirm the amount requested does not exceed the remaining refundable card amount.
• Check whether the donor already received an offline refund or credit.
• Review whether the refund affects participant credit, campaign totals, or sponsor recognition.
• Use a short reviewer note that explains the decision without exposing private participant details.
• Send the refund to Stripe only after your treasurer is comfortable with how it affects the books.

Do not use a refund to move money from one participant to another, change a public donor name, or correct campaign copy. Use the right tool for the actual problem when one exists.

If the issue is donor anonymity, sponsor approval, or receipt language, edit that record directly. A refund should represent money returning to the payer.

If a refund is part of a larger dispute, keep your notes factual and check with your treasurer before sending the refund to Stripe.

If the organization wants to offer future credit instead of returning money, record that as a credit rather than a refund through Stripe.

That separation keeps donor communication, accounting, and future family balances easier to explain.