ACH Frequently Asked Questions

We aim to keep our grant and vendor payments process clear and transparent.

Greater Cincinnati Foundation prefers to make grant and vendor payments via ACH when possible. Below are answers to some of the most commonly asked questions regarding our ACH enrollment and payments processes. 

If you have any additional questions, please contact us.

Connect

Kelly Smith
Staff Accountant
513-768-6168
ach@gcfdn.org

Frequently Asked Questions About ACH Payments

What are the steps in the ACH authorization process?
  1. Register for a login to access the authorization form. The person registering for the login should have access to your organization's bank account.
  2. Login at gcfdn.org/ach and fill out your organization's contact information.
    • If you've been directed from a P&G grant application, please note that you may need to provide information you've already entered in the application. This is to ensure the information can be matched across the separate systems. 
  3. Add your organization's bank account information. Click on Add Account and follow the prompts from the Plaid connector. Plaid authenticates your bank account information through instant and manual verification processes.
    • Select Instant to provide your organization's bank account information by securely logging into your online bank account.
    • Select Manual to enter your account number and ACH routing number and verify the information with a microdeposit and a copy of a voided check or letter from your bank.
  4. If you select Manual verification, a microdeposit of $0.01 will appear in your organization's bank account within 1-2 business days. Login to your account at gcfdn.org/ach to confirm the code in the microdeposit description. 
  5. Confirm the contact and account information. If you select Instant verification or you have confirmed your microdeposit, the person you selected as your verifier will receive a summary email of the contact and account information provided. They will need to click the link at the bottom of the summary email to confirm the information. 
  6. You're all set! The GCF team will take it from here! 
What is Plaid?

Plaid is a tool that allows users to securely connect and share information from their bank accounts with an app. Over 7,000 apps and services use Plaid to connect banking information, including some philanthropic services, such as Pledge and YourCause from Blackbaud. More information can be found on their website.

Why use Plaid?

Plaid offers a secure way to collect and verify your bank account information. It avoids the user error that can occur when manually filling out an ACH authorization form, and it provides fraud protection by offering multiple methods of verifying account ownership.

When will I start receiving payments via ACH?

Please allow 7 business days for GCF to enable ACH payments for your organization.

How is my organization’s account information secured?

Plaid’s data handling standards can be found on their website.

What parts of my organization’s account information can GCF see?

GCF will use Plaid to see your account number, routing number, banking institution, account holder name, account holder contact information and the account name. We DO NOT use Plaid to pull any transaction or account balance information.

I need to change the contact information for our organization. What do I do?

Please contact us at ach@gcfdn.org or call our office at 513-768-6168.

I think I'm experiencing an error. What should I do?

Please contact Kelly Smith via email at ach@gcfdn.org or by phone at 513-768-6168.