Questions, answered plainly.
How the Impact Network works for businesses and organizations, what it costs (nothing extra), and what to expect when you switch.
For businesses
Does this cost my business anything extra?
No. The donation comes out of BrightStar's margin, not your rate. You pay the same or less than you pay today, guaranteed in writing.
Do I need new equipment?
Usually not. We work with your existing setup wherever we can. If an upgrade makes sense, we carry Clover, Square and Valor hardware and will tell you why before you spend anything.
Who receives the donation?
The organization you designate: a ministry, school, booster club, chamber or other nonprofit. It can be one already in the network, or you can nominate a new one and we will bring them in.
How is the donation amount calculated?
It is a share of the profit BrightStar earns on your account each month, so it grows with your volume. Your proposal shows the expected monthly amount for your account.
What do you need from me to start?
One recent processing statement. That is enough for a full, line-by-line comparison.
Is my statement kept private?
Yes. Statements are stored in our private system, seen only by the BrightStar team, and never shared or sold.
What if you cannot beat my current rate?
Then we tell you so, plainly. You keep what you have, and you still get a clear picture of what you are paying and why.
For organizations
What does it cost our organization?
Nothing. There is no fee to join and nothing to buy. Donations come from BrightStar's margin on the businesses' processing.
Do we have to sell anything?
No. You introduce us to business owners who already support you. We handle the statement review, the proposal and the setup.
How often are donations made?
Monthly, for as long as each business's account stays open. That makes it income you can budget against.
Can we see what we have received?
Yes. Donations are recorded by month in the network ledger, and you can choose to show your totals publicly on your organization's network page.
Which organizations qualify?
Ministries, K-12 schools, universities, foundations, endowments, chambers of commerce, booster clubs, athletic leagues, alumni associations and other community organizations.
About BrightStar
Who is BrightStar?
BrightStar Merchant Services, Inc. is a Jacksonville, Florida payments company. The BrightStar Impact Network is its program that turns card processing into recurring monthly donations for community organizations.
Who powers the payment platform?
Processing and the payment gateway are provided in partnership with NetSimple, with hardware from Clover, Square and Valor PayTech.
Do you support online and recurring payments?
Yes. Ecommerce, payment links, text to pay, invoicing, recurring billing and a virtual terminal all run on the same account as your in-person payments.
When can I reach support?
Support is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. Our office is open Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm Eastern.
Next step
Send us a recent statement.
That is the whole first step. We come back with a side-by-side comparison and the exact monthly donation your account would generate. If we cannot beat what you have, we will tell you that too.
