Transaction Categories

California Assembly Bill 488 (CA AB 488) prohibits charitable fundraising platforms — including Blackbaud — from assisting organizations that aren't in “good standing” in California with soliciting donations or receiving funds from California residents.

To comply with CA AB 488, every transaction you enter through Virtual Terminal needs a category.

Warning: If your organization is not in good standing, donations from California residents will fail with gateway code 812 and the result: “California state law prohibits this transaction. Contact the organization to donate.” After you resolve your status, you can schedule payment for a future date.

Note: All U.S. charitable organizations that operate or solicit donations in California must maintain "good standing" in California, even if they’re organized elsewhere.

Category	Description
Contract	A fee charged by a party to a party for the execution of a contract.
Donation	A charitable contribution to a nonprofit or organization.
Event	A payment for a non-ticketed event registration, such as a conference, fundraiser, or gala.
Grant	A payment awarded to an organization by a government agency or private institution for a specific purpose.
Membership	A payment for a time-specified membership that can include access to events, benefits, or programs.
Merchandise	A payment for branded products or items sold or given as benefits, such as clothing or gift certificates.
Other	A payment that is not represented by an existing category in this list.
Platform	The fee charged to a customer to use a software platform.
Pledge	A payment toward a pledge commitment.
Property	A gift deed or document recording the transfer of ownership of property from one party to another.
Purchase	A payment for non-branded goods, such as an auction purchase.
Service	A fee for services, such as consulting, training, or education from a nonprofit.
Sponsorship	A payment made by businesses or individuals to sponsor a specific part of a program, event, or project.
Stock	As deferred compensation, a payment in the form of Common Stock shares or an option or other right to purchase shares.
Ticket	A payment for an event that requires a ticket to gain access, participate, or attend, such as a raffle, concert, play, or exhibition.
Tuition	A payment made to a school or institution for tuition fees associated with education.