Model A Only
Raft expense cards are only available to Model A projects.
Overview
Expense cards are a privilege (not a right)!
Unlike our standard expense process in Open Collective, expense cards allow cardholders, acting on behalf of one of our sponsored projects, to spend funds from Raft’s account, without pre-review by the Raft admin team. This is a risk - that funds will be used improperly, putting our nonprofit status or financial good standing at risk - and thus we have put in place certain safeguards to ensure that this risk is limited.
If a Raft cardholder or project continually fails to meet the requirements described here, it may, at the discretion of the Raft team, permanently or temporarily (e.g., for six months) lose their expense card privileges.
Platform
Raft uses a platform called Brex to administer its expense cards. That is where cardholders will be able to review card details, upload receipts, and add memos for their expenses.
Foreign transaction fees
Card use outside the United States will result in foreign transaction fees. These fees will be passed on to the project balance.
Card procurement process
- Cardholder submits cardholder sign-up form
- Cardholder or a representative submits card request form (can handle multiple expenses)
- Raft reviews project balance and the card request and decides whether or not to issue the card via Brex
Info
In some cases, we can also issue a physical card, where necessary, although our preference is to issue expense cards on an expense-by-expense basis.
Updating a card limit
Request a card limit increase within the Brex platform.
Closing out a card
If a card is no longer needed, just send us an email.
Submitting documentation
An itemized receipt and short memo (i.e., description of expense) must be added to every card transaction within 15 calendar days.
After each transaction, Brex will send the cardholder an email. It also provides reminders, which include a list and the number of expenses requiring additional information.
The Raft team will review the submitted documentation for all card expenses. if we have any questions or concerns, we will reach out directly.
No “done” button
On the transaction page, once all of the required fields are filled, it marks the task as “done” silently. No need to click any buttons.
Ink fades!~
Make sure to take photos of physical receipts quickly, before the ink fades!
Missing receipts
If a receipt has been lost, please fill out our missing receipt form.
Repeated missing receipts will result in the loss of card privileges.
Improper expenses
In the event that an expenses is deemed to be improper, per the below Cardholder Agreements, Raft will require the cardholder to pay back those amounts, via Brex. In the rare case that a cardholder uses funds in a way that is not approved by the project, and Raft is not able to facilitate the pay-back of funds, the funds will still be debited from the project balance.
Cardholder Agreements
Raft’s cardholder agreements are as follows:
- I agree to be the sole user of any Raft card issued to me. I will not allow any other person to use the card on my behalf.
- I will only use the card for charitable purposes, and for expenses that are in alignment with Raft’s expense policies found in this documentation, and whenever I am in doubt I will contact team@raft.foundation in advance of my use of the card.
- I will only use the card for expenses that are in alignment with the purposes of the fiscally sponsored project, as stated in its fiscal sponsorship agreement with Raft.
- I will only use the card for expenses that are approved by the leadership of the associated Raft fiscally sponsored project’s leadership (i.e., Project Lead or Project Committee).
- I will not use the card for lobbying expenses or to contribute to any political organization.
- I will not use the card in a way that results in financial benefit to myself, any organization in which I have an ownership stake, any close friend or relative, or any organization in whcih they have an ownership stake.
- I will collect an itemized receipt for every purchase and promptly upload a scan, photograph, image, or pdf of it to Raft’s expense card platform, adding a short “memo” describing the expense. I will do this within 15 calendar days.
- I understand that the fiscally sponsored project will be responsible for an international transaction or other miscellaneous fees associated with card expenses.
- I understand that I may be required to pay back any amounts that do not meet the above requirements, at the sole discretion of Raft Foundation.
Whenever Raft makes changes to the cardholder agreements, it will email all cardholders with the updated language.