Merchant Accounts
Accept online credit card contributions.
A merchant account is a bank account that lets the holder accept credit cards, debit cards, and ACH (U.S. only) as forms of payment. Online giving and paid event registration require you to set up a merchant account.
Once your merchant account is approved, you'll automatically have two deposit accounts assigned to it. One is to accept online giving contributions and another is to accept payments for registration events. It's your choice if you want to use both or just one.
ACS Technologies has partnered with Vanco Payment Solutions, a merchant account provider, to process all online contributions. As a PCI Level 1 compliant service provider, we feel that your privacy is safe with Vanco. For more information, read their privacy policy and terms of service.
Pricing
When accepting online payments (gifts from contributors or payments for registration events), Vanco will draft fees from your church's bank account each month. You can allow contributors to help offset these fees.
Questions about your Vanco merchant account?
Contact Vanco Monday through Friday between 8:00 AM and 4:30 PM CT.
For sales questions, call 1-866-349-0613 or email sales@vancopayments.com.
For support, call 1-888-237-7850 or email cs@vancopayments.com.
Select Deposit Accounts
Select the deposit accounts you want to associate with online giving. For registration events, select a separate deposit account so each set of deposits is reconciled on its own.
You must set up a merchant account before you can manage your deposit accounts.
- In the top-left corner, click your ministry hub then Realm. Then click .
- Once you have been approved for a merchant account, click View Deposit Accounts.
- Select separate deposit accounts for online giving and registration events. The last four digits of your bank account number will display.
- Click Save.
Add Additional Deposit Accounts
Set up another deposit account with Vanco that you can assign to your giving funds.
You must set up a merchant account before you can manage your deposit accounts.
- In the top-left corner, click your ministry hub then Realm. Then click .
- Once you have been approved for a merchant account, click View Deposit Accounts.
- Click Add an Additional Deposit Account. You will be taken to a Bank Account Update Request form.
- Enter your email address, click Next, and complete the form. Vanco will notify you within 5 business days when your request is approved.
When contributions deposit into the correct bank account automatically, you don't have to transfer money from one account to the other after a gift is given. This is especially useful if you receive many contributions towards a particular fund. Additional deposit accounts are approved within 5 business days. There are no additional fees and no limit to how many deposit accounts you can use as long as they're approved by Vanco.
In this video example, we add a capital account to receive gifts for a long-term building fund campaign.
Change the Primary Contact for Your Merchant Account
Designate a new point of contact for Vanco if your current one is no longer able to fulfill his or her duties.
Complete the Merchant Account Update Form that corresponds with your location. Forms vary between the US and Canada.
- US — Merchant Account Update Form
- Canada — Merchant Account Update Form