Onboarding - Documents Your Organization Submitted (2024)

Your organization has successfully submitted various documentation to complete the onboarding process. Below is a review of all documents you provided The Giving Block.

Who Is the Control Person?

The Control Person is a crucial individual who holds responsibility for managing, controlling, or directing your organization. They play a vital role in the client onboarding process and act as the primary contact person for the account.

To learn more about who the control person typically is and the required information from the person taking on that role, please visit the "Onboarding - Your Application Guide" article.

What Documents and Information Are Required to Complete My Onboarding Application?

To complete your onboarding application you will have to complete the Gemini application and gather the below documents.

Gemini Application Information:

• Organization information
• Contact Person (if applicable)
• Organization activity Information
• Control Person’s information (SSN, address, etc.)
• Signature of authorized personnel

Documents

• Most recent bank statement
• Article of Incorporation
• Listed DBA Name(s) Documents
• W-9 Form (US) / W-8 (non-US)
• Mission statements & Donor Description
• Passport / ID

Articles of Incorporation

The Articles of Incorporation/business formation document(s) with your Organization Name. Must Include a signature or stamp from the Secretary of State of the state that the organization is registered with. If you do not have a copy, you can download it from the website of your registered Secretary of State.

• A copy without a signature or stamp can not be accepted
• IRS documents are not accepted as Articles of Incorporation.

Certificate of Name Amendment

If your organization has changed its name please provide the Certificate of Name Amendment document(s) with both names on the document showing the from and to name. Please ensure that it includes a signature or stamp from the Secretary of State. If possible please provide the original Article of incorporation as it may be required.

We Operate With a DBA Name, What Documents Do I Have to Submit?

If your organization assumes an Assumed Name/Fictitious Name/DBA (Doing Business As) persona, specific documents step into the limelight. To gracefully wield these names, ensure you possess the following:

Original Articles of Incorporation: Deliver the original Articles of Incorporation, anchoring the legal standing of your organization. This document is a testament to the birth and structure of your business.

Assumed Name/Fictitious Name/DBA Documents: In tandem with the Articles of Incorporation, submit the Assumed Name/Fictitious Name/DBA documents. These papers articulate the names you intend to use and should bear the signature or stamp from the Secretary of State or the pertinent governing body.

W-9 Form: A linchpin for tax-related affairs, imprint the Assumed Name/Fictitious Name/DBA name(s) onto the W-9 Form. This document unfolds crucial information, and it's imperative that the listed DBA names align with those specified on the DBA/Assumed Name documents.

By providing the original Articles of Incorporation and the Assumed Name/Fictitious Name/DBA documents with the specified names, you can adeptly navigate the client onboarding process under your chosen name.

Why Do I Need to Complete a W-8BEN-E Form? How Do I Complete a W-8BEN-E Form?

The Giving Block is a U.S. registered company and your organization is going through compliance approval via our exchange partner which is a U.S. corporation. All Non-US based Organizations are required to complete and submit the form.

W-8BEN-E Form (For Non-U.S. Organizations)

The entire form does not need to be completed. You only need to complete the following fields:

Part I

• Field 1 - Input your organization’s name exactly as it is listed on your business formation document(s).
• Field 2 - Provide your Country of incorporation or organization
• Field 4 - Choose your entity type
• Field 5 - Choose Nonprofit organization
• Field 6 - Input your organization’s permanent address
• Field 7 - If different from field 5, input your organization’s mailing address
• Field 8 - If required, input U.S. taxpayer identification number
• Field 9 - Input your applicable foreign tax number/company number/charity registry number
• Part XXII - Field 36, check the box
• Part XXX - check the box and be sure to sign and date the form

Who Can Be the Control Person and Applications Signer?

Please allocate an Individual with significant responsibility to control the account and manage these funds. It can be a CFO, CEO, COO, or any other person the organization deems fit to manage the project. The Control Person is considered the main user and contact person of the account, therefore our compliance team has to verify that the user is of good standing.

We would advise you to allocate the same person to be the Control Person and Application Signer for faster approval. If the Signer is a different person the ID and SSN will be required as well.

Why Do I Have to Provide My SSN?

You may wonder why providing your Social Security Number (SSN) is necessary during the client onboarding process. As a regulated entity, our compliance team is obligated to adhere to local and federal regulations, similar to opening a bank account.

Here are the key reasons for collecting your SSN:

1. Compliance with Regulations: To comply with the USA Patriot Act's Customer Identification Program (CIP) requirements, we are obligated to obtain personal identifying information, including the SSN. This is a crucial step in verifying the identity of individuals engaging in financial transactions at our institution.
2. Control Person and Application Signer: Any employee designated as the Control Person or application signer, regardless of their role on the account, must provide their SSN and identification documents. These requirements stem from banking regulations that we must adhere to. Please note that this is a mandatory process and we cannot proceed with onboarding without this information.
3. Precedence with Nonprofit Clients: It's important to note that this SSN requirement is not unique to your organization. All our nonprofit clients, including prominent organizations like Save the Children, No Kid Hungry, St. Jude, International Medical Corps, Team Rubicon, and Children International, have gone through the same process. This ensures consistency and compliance across the board.

For non-US applications or non-US Control Person, please enter the Passport Number instead of the SSN, as per the specified instructions.

By providing the necessary identification information, including the SSN, you enable us to comply with regulations and ensure the integrity and security of financial transactions.

We sincerely appreciate your understanding and cooperation in this matter.

Why Was My ID Rejected?

As per our compliance team guidelines, all documents have to be valid and readable. Please make sure that all submitted photo IDs are:

• Not expired
• Fully visible (no portion cropped off)
• High-quality resolution
• Free of any visible glares or shadows impeding names and/or numbers

Why Are Both ACH & WIRE Routing Numbers Required?

In order to link the bank account, we can only use a WIRE routing number. The ACH routing number will not work to link your organization’s bank account. However, when we initiate weekly withdrawals to your organization’s bank account it is preferred that we use the ACH routing number.