Does Bold.org charge donation fees?
No. Bold.org does not take any fees from your donation.
Every dollar you contribute goes directly to the scholarship or fund you’ve selected—no platform fees, no percentage cuts, and no overhead. We built Bold.org to ensure that 100% of every donation reaches students.
Where does my donation go?
Your donation is handled by the Bold Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. The Foundation exists to make sure every dollar you give goes to students.
If a donation hasn’t yet been awarded through a scholarship, it may be temporarily invested in short-term U.S. Treasury bills. This earns interest without affecting contributions, helping us keep the platform running at no cost to students or donors.
What’s the “Help Keep Bold.org 100% Free” Option?
We recently introduced an optional donation that helps keep Bold.org free for both students and donors.
The screenshot below shows where you can adjust or remove this additional donation during the giving process.
This is a tax-deductible donation to the Bold Foundation’s Operating Fund, which powers everything that happens behind the scenes to keep Bold.org running—without taking a cent from students or scholarships.
Your support helps us:
Maintain a 100% fee-free experience for both students and donors
Power the small but mighty team behind every scholarship:
Our Donor Relations Managers, Scholarship Review Specialists, and Award Operations staff work hands-on to ensure your scholarship reaches the right students—and delivers on your philanthropic goals with care and efficiency.
Cover core infrastructure—from secure payment processing and fraud prevention to ongoing tech development and customer support.
Build and improve tools that make it easier for donors like you to find, fund, and follow the students and causes that matter to you.
Expand access to education by helping more students find and apply to the scholarships they qualify for.
In short, this fund keeps Bold.org free, personal, and impactful—for you, and for every student who’s counting on us.
Is this optional contribution required?
No.
You can adjust the amount or remove it completely. It’s there if you want to help power Bold.org’s mission, but it’s always your choice.
What’s the difference between the primary donation and the optional contribution?
Donation Type | Goes To |
Primary Donation | To the scholarship or fund you selected (100% to students) |
Optional Contribution | To Bold Foundation’s Operating Fund (supports the platform behind the scenes) |
Why offer an optional contribution?
We believe no student should have to pay for access to scholarships.
We believe donors should see every dollar go where it matters most—directly to students. That’s why we don’t take a cut from scholarship awards or charge platform fees. Instead, we invite those who believe in our mission to voluntarily support the work behind the scenes.
Your support keeps Bold.org sustainable and free—for this generation and the next. 💜
Still have questions?
We’re happy to help! Email us at donors@bold.org.