Refund & Fraud Policy

How money is protected between the moment you give and the moment it reaches a receiver.

Last updated June 13, 2026

Pending legal review. This document is a plain-English draft provided for transparency during our beta. It is not yet reviewed by counsel and will be finalized before real payments are enabled.

The 7-day release window

When a need reaches its goal, funds are not paid out immediately. They are held for 7 days to allow for a final review. This window is how we keep our fraud protection meaningful. While funds are held, we can reverse them if something is wrong.

If a need is found to be fraudulent

If we determine a need is fraudulent, we flag the receiver's account and take the need down. All donations to it are automatically refunded. You do not need to request this. Refunds during the release window are returned to your original payment method.

After a gift is received

Once a gift is received by the recipient, it is final and cannot be refunded. However, if a recipient does not connect their bank account to receive their funds within 90 days, all gifts to that need are automatically refunded to the donors who gave them. During this 90-day window, we contact the recipient multiple times to help them complete their setup.

If you believe a need is fraudulent, report it on the need page or contact support@givolve.ca.

Processing fees on refunds

When we refund a donation, Stripe's payment processing fee is generally not returned to us. Givolve absorbs that cost. Your refund is for the full amount you gave.

Needs that never reach their goal

A donation supports a need as soon as it is made. A need does not have to be fully funded for the receiver to benefit. If a need is withdrawn before any payout, contributions are refunded. If you have a concern about a specific gift, email support@givolve.ca.

If a need has a deadline and is not fully funded in time

Some needs are posted with a deadline. That deadline can pass with the goal not yet reached. Funds already raised are not returned to givers by default. The need is still real, and partial funding still helps. Whatever has been raised is held for 14 days after the deadline. It gets the same final review as a fully-funded need. It is then released to the receiver, minus processing fees, whether or not the goal was met.

Reporting a concern