Best Banks For Nonprofits (2024)

Banking is just another uphill task for nonprofits, among fundraising, marketing, and getting people to support your cause. A nonprofit’s banking needs are different from a business’s, so it’s important to find a bank that understands their unique concerns.

Wise Business, a champion of cost-saving and efficiency, is one of the partners we'll be covering – it’s especially great for international nonprofits looking to trim overseas transaction costs. So, let’s go through some of the best banks for nonprofits so you can get closer to your mission's success!

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12 key factors when opening a nonprofit bank account online

The best bank for your nonprofit should be more of a partner than just a place to store funds. Just like any partnership, it’s important to consider certain factors before making the jump. Let's take a look at these considerations to make sure your nonprofit is pairing up with the right banking ally. Here are some of the factors you should keep an eye on:

1. Interest rates: In the nonprofit world, every penny counts. So, try to find an account where your money earns interest over time. Look for banks that offer competitive interest rates, giving your nonprofit that extra cash flow boost when you least expect it.
2. Reputation: It’s always a smart move to use a bank known for its reliable services. An established bank with a good reputation among nonprofits will give you the confidence that they understand your specific needs and challenges. Check client testimonials, do some thorough research, or ask for recommendations from other nonprofits.
3. Additional value: Do they offer workshops, seminars, webinars, or financial courses? Banks providing these additional services show a level of commitment to nonprofits or small businesses. These resources can empower your team to make informed, wise decisions around your financial management.
4. Ease of opening an account: Complex paperwork and endless requirements can make opening an account much more difficult than it should be. For nonprofits busy with running their operations, a simple, straightforward process should be number one. Banks that offer a hassle-free, online account-opening option could help save time and resources.
5. Nonprofit-specialized services: Does the bank offer customized financial solutions tailored specifically for nonprofits? Products and services designed with nonprofits in mind can provide your organization with the right tools to manage donations, fundraising, grants, and other revenue streams.
6. Donation processing: Donations are essential to many nonprofits. So, choosing a bank that offers straightforward and affordable donation processing is a must. You'll want to understand transaction fees, reporting features, and ease of use for donors.
7. Fees: Some banks charge service fees even for nonprofit accounts. As nonprofits often face many financial difficulties and constraints, you’ll want to choose banks that have minimal to no fees.²
8. Ease of use: Online banking should be easy and seamless. An over-complicated interface can lead to wasted time and resources, something few nonprofits can afford.
9. International transactions: For international nonprofits, transfer fees matter. The World Bank reports that the global average cost of sending money abroad is 6.25% of the amount sent. The right international nonprofit banking options will have much lower costs, freeing up more funds for your noble cause.
10. Accessibility: In order to manage your funds whenever and wherever you want, you’ll want to find a bank that offers 24/7 accessibility.
11. Customer service: Picking a bank with great customer service can make sure you get any issues resolved quickly and that you're in good hands.
12. Security: Among the many factors, the security of your funds is the most important. The bank or company that you choose should have state-of-the-art security measures to protect your transactions and account information. Fraud and identity theft are on the rise, so be sure to prioritize secure banking.¹⁵

Best Bank Accounts and Bank Alternatives for Nonprofits

Now that we’ve gone through a few things to look for, it’s time to check out some bank accounts for nonprofit organizations. Our list will take into account factors such as low fees, user-friendly interfaces, international transactions, accessibility, and top-notch customer service. With the right banking partner, you can streamline operations, save money, and focus on the core mission of your organization.

Wise Business Account for International Nonprofits

If your nonprofit works on an international scale, then you’ll want to choose the Wise account. Wise understands the financial challenges nonprofits face, and that's why they've designed a low-fee account model.

With Wise, not only will you waive local fees but the heavy fees that come with international transactions. And even though Wise doesn’t provide a traditional nonprofit checking account, they hold your money with established financial institutions and have dedicated fraud and security teams to ensure your money is safe.

Beyond affordability, Wise is passionate about efficiency. From streamlining your finances to simplifying your workflow, a Wise Business Account is designed with your nonprofit needs in mind. The platform makes it easy for you to manage your organization's finances from anywhere in the world. So, if you want to save money and easily manage your organization, the Wise Business Account could be the best nonprofit alternative you've been looking for.

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Truist

Truist provides a special nonprofit checking account called the Truist Community Checking account.³ Nonprofits can enjoy unlimited cash processing per month at no charge, no monthly maintenance fees, business debit cards for you and your employees, and 225 monthly transactions at no charge.

There’s also their Fraud Inspector feature that helps curb fraud. Truist is also personally committed to the community with their Truist Foundation. The foundation partners directly with nonprofit organizations to help with economic mobility and support small businesses.

Bank of America

Although Bank of America doesn’t have an account specially made for nonprofit organizations, their business checking accounts are curated to fit the specialized needs of smaller businesses. They've got the Business Advantage Fundamentals Banking account and the Business Advantage Relationship Banking that come with access to dedicated small business specialists, fraud protection and security, and efficiency tools like Cash Flow Monitor. The Relationship Banking account additionally comes with no fees for incoming wires, stop payments, e-deposits, and more.

As a bonus, they offer nonprofit grant funding for those that are eligible.⁴ They award grants ranging from $2,500 to $50,000 for organizations and programs particularly focused on hunger, housing, and jobs.⁵

U.S. Bank

U.S. Bank has a Nonprofit Business Checking account that comes with 1800 free transactions annually, which is less than what's offered at Truist.⁶ However, you’ll get the option to earn interest and enjoy access to their business EZ Switch Kit to transition your activity when you open a U.S. Bank business account. There are also $30,000 free cash deposits or 300 free cash transactions annually – whichever comes first.

What’s most unique about U.S. Bank is their nonprofit payment processing feature.⁷ It’s something that’ll help you manage donations effectively and improve cash flow for operational expenses. Donors will get a variety of ways to contribute, and you’ll be able to manage your payables and receivables programs.

PNC Bank

PNC’s Non-Profit Checking account comes with plenty of features that’ll benefit your organization.⁸ To ease your monthly costs, you can enjoy no monthly account maintenance fees when you have an average monthly collected balance of $500. Other benefits include 150 monthly transactions at no charge and a free PNC Bank Visa Business Debit Card that will get you rewards and discounts.

The bank also shows extra love to nonprofits. They have a rich history of community involvement with their PNC Foundation, and they specifically support those which focus on early childhood education and economic development.⁹

Chase

Serving a wide spectrum of customers, including nonprofits, Chase is a household name in the banking industry. Choosing Chase will get you a bank account with a suite of industry-leading business support products.

Chase has three tiers of business checking accounts, Chase Business Complete Banking, Chase Performance Business Checking, and Chase Platinum Business Checking, to scale with your nonprofit.¹⁰ Depending on your needs, you can choose the account that fits your preferences, whether you’re looking for 250 free transactions per month or 500.

Capital One

Capital One has a specialty Not-for-Profit Banking Group that has over 75 years of experience in the field. They’ve got a variety of banking products and services, including payables and receivables management and credit services to help out nonprofits.

Their two accounts, the Basic Checking and the Enhanced Checking, can accommodate a range of needs. For the Basic Checking, standard wire fees apply, whereas you can get free incoming domestic wires and the first five domestic outgoing wires free each month. And with their merchant services, you can provide many secure payment methods for donations.¹¹

TIAA Bank

TIAA provides a Non-Profit Checking account that’s available across all 50 states. It’s an interest-yielding account that boasts no charge on incoming domestic or international wire transfers. That’s great news for nonprofits that use wire transfers on a regular basis.

While the account is interest-yielding, the APY is only 0.10%, which is quite low. As well, you’ll need a very high minimum deposit of $1,500 to open an account and a minimum balance of $5,000 to waive the $14.95 monthly fee.¹²

The interesting part is that TIAA is owned by a not-for-profit company, which means they know firsthand what the experience is like. Since 1918, they’ve sought to help and strengthen nonprofit institutions, colleges, and universities.

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LendingClub

LendingClub boasts an experienced team of not-for-profit specialists that can provide customizable banking solutions(see LendingClub alternatives). They exist to reinvent the banking experience by making day-to-day banking easier, so growth can take over as the number one priority.

As a digital-first bank, they ensure your safety with 356-bit encryption and FDIC insurance. With easily navigable online banking, you get to focus more on your mission and less on figuring out complex banking procedures.

One of the best things about LendingClub is that they understand that nonprofits need to squeeze as much value as possible out of every dollar. With their Business Checking Account, there are no monthly maintenance fees if you maintain a monthly balance of $500+, and you can even receive 1% cash back on qualified purchases.¹³

Fifth Third Bank

Fifth Third Bank doesn’t just understand nonprofits but also wants to empower them. They specialize in helping small businesses with their SBA loans and resources for growing a business.

All their business checking accounts come with a business debit Mastercard and online and mobile banking, but they also offer 1,100 full-service banking centers so you can talk to someone in person if needed.¹⁴

Their checking accounts are tiered, like Chase Bank, with the standard Business Checking Account coming with no monthly service fee or minimum balance requirements. You’ll also get up to 100 transactions and up to $5,000 in cash deposits free every month. If your nonprofit needs more, you can upgrade to the Premium Checking Account or the Elite Checking Account.¹⁴

Wise for International Nonprofits

One of the biggest strengths of Wise is that customers can rely on the ability to receive and send international transfers at the mid-market exchange rate. This means you get transparency on your transactions and understand where your fees come from, so you can keep operate your nonprofit with the utmost clarity.

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