Giving FAQS

1. What method of giving does VBM accept?
  • One Time Gift or Automated Monthly Giving by ACH Bank Transfer (“eCheck”): This method has the lowest fee structure, costing only $2.30 per transaction. 
  • One Time Gift or Automated Monthly Giving by Credit/Debit Card: This method has a higher fee structure than ACH Bank Transfer. The fee to give by Credit or Debit card costs at least $5.20 per transaction. VBM accepts VISA, MasterCard, Discover, or American Express credit/debit cards.
  • Online Bill Pay Checks*: Reference the missionary/ies, intern/s, or project/s and the amount/s that you want to designate in the “memo.” (If you have multiple designations, contact VBM at admin@visionmissions.com or 770-456-5881 with the details of your designations. Often Bill Pay Checks will not have space to print the entire list of designations.)
  • Personal/Business Check or Money Order*: Make payable to “Vision Baptist Missions.” Include the return portion from your last donation receipt or a copy of your email receipt. Reference the missionary/ies, intern/s, or project/s and the amount/s that you want to designate in the “memo.” Mail to the following address: Vision Baptist Missions, P.O. Box 647, Dawsonville, GA 30534.
  • Cash*: Physical cash bills and coins can be given and receipted in person during normal working hours (typically Monday to Friday 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.) at the VBM office located at 77 Hugh Stowers Rd, Dawsonville, GA 30534. Please do not mail physical cash bills or coins.
  • Marketable Securities: A gift of securities is a non-cash gift that may be transferred to VBM electronically or delivered physically. See FAQ 7 for more information

*Support Processing Fee applies. See FAQ 11 for more information.

2. How to give by ACH Bank Transfer (“eCheck”)?
  • Choose the “eCheck” option when giving and enter your bank account information. 
  • Be sure to clarify whether you want your gift to be “Once” or “Monthly” and whether it is from an “Individual” or on behalf of a Church (“Organization”).
  • Select the missionary, intern, or project to whom you would like to designate your gift. You may choose more than one. (Please also consider giving a donation to “VBM Global Operations” to help fund all the training and support functions of VBM.)
  • When checking out, you can also choose to cover the processing fee so your entire donation goes to the missionary, intern, or project. (The fee for ACH Bank Transfers is $2.30 per transaction.)
3. How to give by Credit/Debit Card?
  • Choose “Credit” or “Debit” and enter your card information. VBM accepts VISA, MasterCard, Discover, or American Express credit/debit cards.
  • Be sure to clarify whether you want your gift to be “Once” or “Monthly” and whether it is from an “Individual” or on behalf of a Church (“Organization”).
  • Select the missionary, intern, or project to whom you would like to designate your gift. You may choose more than one. (Please also consider giving a donation to “VBM Global Operations” to help fund all the training and support functions of VBM.)
  • When checking out, you can also choose to cover the processing fee so your entire donation goes to the missionary, intern, or project. (The fee to give by Credit or Debit is at least $5.20 per transaction).
4. How to give with an Online Bill Pay Check?
  • Log in to your online banking platform.
  • Make the check payable to “Vision Baptist Missions” and mail it to the following address: Vision Baptist Missions, P.O. Box 647, Dawsonville, GA 30534
  • Reference the missionary/ies, intern/s, or project/s and the amount/s that you want to designate in the “memo.” (If you have multiple designations, contact VBM at admin@visionmissions.com or 770-456-5881 with the details of your designations. Often Bill Pay Checks will not have space to print the entire list of designations.)
5. How to give with a Personal or Business Check or Money Order?
  • Make payable to “Vision Baptist Missions.” 
  • Include the return portion from your last donation receipt or a copy of your email receipt.
  • Reference the missionary/ies, intern/s, or project/s and the amount/s that you want to designate in the “memo.”
  • Mail to the following address: Vision Baptist Missions, P.O. Box 647, Dawsonville, GA 30534
6. How to give Cash?
  • Physical cash bills and coins can be given and receipted in person during normal working hours (typically Monday to Friday 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.) at the VBM office located at: 77 Hugh Stowers Rd, Dawsonville, GA 30534
  • Please do not mail physical cash bills or coins.
7. How to give a Marketable Security?
  • A gift of securities is a non-cash gift. 
  • When appreciated (current value exceeds your cost), they should be transferred to VBM and sold by VBM. This permits donors to receive a tax deduction for the full value without being taxed on any of the gains. 
  • Your transfer can be made electronically to VBM’s brokerage account or delivered physically with your endorsement or signed stock power (with appropriate signature guarantees) attached.
  • Securities, which have declined in value since you purchased them, should be sold and the proceeds sent, so that you can take the loss as a tax deduction.
  • Contact admin@visionmissions.com or call 770-456-5881 for more information about giving a marketable security.
8. How to give via Trusts, Commercial Annuities, Retirement Plans, and Life Insurance Policies?
  • Bequests and Beneficiary Designations under Revocable Trusts, Commercial Annuities, and Retirement Plans: Donors are encouraged to make bequests to VBM under their wills, and to name “Vision Baptist Missions, Inc.” as the beneficiary under trusts, life insurance policies, commercial annuities, and retirement plans.
  • Charitable Remainder Trusts: VBM will accept designation as a remainder beneficiary of charitable remainder trusts.
  • Charitable Lead Trusts: VBM will accept designation as an income beneficiary of charitable lead trusts.
  • Life Insurance Policies: Donors are encouraged to make bequests to VBM and to name “Vision Baptist Missions, Inc.” as the beneficiary under life insurance policies. VBM must be named as both beneficiary and irrevocable owner of the insurance policy. The donor must agree to pay, before due, any future premium payments owing on the policy.
9. Can I give Tangible Personal Property and Real Estate?
  • Before gifts of personal tangible personal property or real estate will be accepted they must be reviewed by the VBM Board of Directors.
10. Who should I contact if I need assistance with making a donation?
11. How much of my donation will go to the missionary, intern, or project?
  • VBM provides many services for missionaries and interns. To help cover the cost of these services, VBM requires ONE of the following:
    1. A $3.50 Support Processing Fee (SPF) be charged for every designated gift*, OR
    2. The missionary, intern, or their sending church give by faith a monthly donation larger than the total of all their SPFs.
  • The fees and donations received from missionaries and interns cover the following services:
    1. Donation processing and receipting
    2. Expense report processing
    3. Annual tax form preparation
    4. Bank and audit fees
    5. Liability insurance
    6. Office expenses & supplies

*Donors may choose to cover the cost of the Support Processing Fee by adding $3.50 per designated gift to the support check. i.e. If a single check includes three designated gifts, the SPF cost would be $10.50 (3 x $3.50). Four gifts would be $14.00, etc. The Support Processing Fee does not apply to online donations. Separate fees apply to online donations and are the at-cost price of processing. See FAQ #2 and #3 for more information.

12. What happens to donations designated for a specified missionary, intern, or project?
  • As a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt non-profit organization, VBM makes every effort to abide by the Revenue Code governing non-profit organizations. All contributions to VBM become the unconditional property of VBM and are under the complete discretion and control of VBM. 
  • VBM will attempt to honor all designations of donors consistent with VBM policies and revenue laws. As a general rule, funds given to a specified project or Missionary will be applied to the project or Missionary as designated by the donor out of ethical, not legal, obligation to the donor and all designated contributions shall be deemed advisory rather than legally mandatory in nature and shall remain subject to the exclusive control and discretion of VBM. 
  • No fiduciary obligation shall be created by any designated contribution made to any missionary or to VBM other than to use the contribution for the general furtherance of any of the exempt purposes stated in VBM’s bylaws. 
  • If any designation is unacceptable, the donor will be contacted and asked to redesignate (in writing) their donation to an acceptable one or to make the donation to the VBM Global Fund. For any unacceptable donations where the donor cannot be contacted, the VBM Board of Directors will determine where the funds will go.
13. How is the work of VBM maintained?
  • VBM is a work of faith. Every program, missionary, intern, and project is maintained by faith. God continually uses many churches, individuals, and organizations to provide the finances needed for all aspects of the work of VBM including the Training Center, the Home Office, campus expenses, capital improvements, as well as the support of all our missionaries, interns, and projects.
  • Some of the ways that the operational costs of VBM are maintained are:
    • Voluntary donations from churches, individuals, and organizations to the VBM Global Operations Fund.
    • Charging a Support Processing Fee (SPF) on all (off-line) gifts OR receiving a monthly donation from missionary, interns, or their home church that is larger than the total of all the SPFs.
    • Tuition and rent payments from OGTC students.
    • Bank interest from retained funds.
14. How accountable is VBM?
  • VBM is governed by an independent Board of Directors whose purpose is to provide independent oversight and governance to ensure that the leadership pursues the mission of the organization in accordance with its policies and procedures, financial guidelines, and doctrinal statement.
  • The Board of Directors also ensures that VBM has external audit and legal consultation in place for fiscal, tax, and legal compliance.
  • VBM also files a Form 990 each year with the IRS.
15. Are donations to VBM tax deductible?
  • VBM is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt non-profit organization. Contributions are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law. While tax-deductible contributions are made with the understanding that VBM has complete discretion and control over the use of the donated funds, every effort will be made to apply donations to a preference, if indicated.
  • If goods or services are exchanged for the gift, the value of the goods or services is not tax-deductible.
16. What is the EIN for VBM?
  • An EIN (Employer Identification Number) is the tax ID assigned to VBM by the IRS.
  • The EIN for VBM (Vision Baptist Missions, Inc.) is 81-4837230.
17. What can I expect to receive after sending a donation to VBM?
  • VBM will issue a receipt after your donation is processed. Receipts will meet all IRS requirements for substantiating your tax deduction for support and ministry donations.
  • You will also receive information from time to time about VBM events, projects, and activities.
18. What happens to donations designated for the ministry of a specified missionary or intern if they leave VBM?
  • If a missionary or intern leaves VBM with a balance remaining in funds specified for them, VBM reserves the right to use the balance as it deems best toward its charitable purposes. These funds were set up by VBM to track the income and expenses of the specified missionary or intern.
  • Although VBM has complete control and discretion of these missionary and intern accounts, generally VBM will seek to apply these balances to other missionaries or project funds in the same country or region where the prior missionary served. Recommendations of the departing missionary will also be reviewed and considered. However, the departing missionary is not entitled to receive these funds back and cannot designate how these funds will be used going forward, nor are the donors generally entitled to refunds.
  • If VBM receives donations designated for a specified missionary or intern after the missionary has left VBM, the funds will be returned to the donor for three months and then redistributed into the VBM Global Fund.
19. Does VBM offer refunds?
  • All donations to VBM are final.
  • If you’ve made an error while entering your donation information, please contact VBM on 770-456-5881 or admin@visionmissions.com immediately. Refunds for online errors are made on a case-by-case basis, and if approved, will be issued to the original method of payment.
20. How long will it take for my donation to be processed?
  • We make every effort to enter donations as quickly as possible. The following are guidelines, and vary depending on the volume of gifts we receive:
    • Checks: 7-10 business days
    • Online donations: 2-3 business days
  • Donations sent to our previous post office box (P.O. Box 442) will take much longer as they must be redirected to us.
21. How do I request a duplicate receipt or change my receipt preference?
22. Can I give extra support to a missionary for Christmas or a birthday?
  • Donations to VBM preferences for missionaries or interns as “Christmas offerings” or “birthday gifts” are received as regular support and handled/receipted accordingly. 
  • Missionaries can then use this support for personal or ministry expenses according to VBM policies.
  • Anyone who wants to give a personal gift to a missionary or intern that is not under the administrative control of VBM should do so directly to the missionary or intern.
23. How can I access my end-of-year giving summary information?