At Springly, we know nonprofits inside and out — and we're committed to supporting the full diversity of organizations out there.
Available Features
In general, many features are available regardless of your organization's legal structure, provided you comply with our Terms of Service:
- Community (CRM — for managing members, individuals, and organizations)
- Forms (Memberships, Events, Donations, Online Shop)
- Communication (email, website).
✋ Some features are restricted to nonprofits and similar organizations listed below. For example:
- Accounting: the nonprofit chart of accounts may not be compatible with organizations that have commercial accounting obligations or that follow a different accounting framework.
- Tax Receipts: only certain organizations are authorized to issue tax receipts (e.g., 501(c)(3) nonprofits, recognized foundations). Springly cannot be held liable if an organization issues tax receipts without the proper authorization.
- Online payment and the Business Account (see below).
Terms of Use
To access all of Springly's features — especially Online Payment or the Business Account — organizations must meet certain administrative and legal requirements:
Registration number (EIN or equivalent): serves as proof of the organization's legal existence.
A bank account in the organization's name: required to manage financial transactions (dues, online payments).
Verified Legal Representative: an officially designated individual authorized to legally commit the organization.
In Practice
Standard organization types that can use Springly without restrictions
- Registered nonprofits (501(c)(3) and similar)
- Registered associations (Alsace-Moselle law)
- Labor unions and trade associations
Possible use, with conditions
Unincorporated associations
Unincorporated or informal associations are perfectly legal and quite common, but because they haven't completed formal registration, they face certain limitations.
On Springly, online payment and access to the Business Account are not available for these organizations (a registration number and governing documents are required, among other things). All other features remain accessible.
Endowment funds, Foundations, Cooperatives, Economic interest groups...
⚠️ Each of these organization types has its own specific characteristics. It's up to you to assess whether a platform designed for nonprofits like Springly is the right fit for your needs.
Our team does not provide legal or accounting advice. We encourage you to research the obligations specific to your organization type and to be aware of the potential limitations of our platform.
Features restricted to registered nonprofits (and equivalent organizations)
Online Payment
To use online payments on Springly, your organization must be verified (review of governing documents, registration status, nature of activities, etc.).
- ⛔️ For-profit organizations are not eligible for online payments on Springly.
- 🔍 Organizations with non-standard legal structures (cooperatives, foundations, etc.) always go through a thorough manual review.
💬 If your situation is unique, feel free to reach out to our Support team to explore your options together. Please note that we cannot guarantee your organization will be approved.
| Legal Structure | Verification possible? | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Registered Nonprofit (Loi 1901) | ✅ Yes | Standard verification |
| Registered Association (Alsace-Moselle, Loi 1908) | ✅ Yes | Subject to registration in the local register |
| Labor Unions / Trade Associations | ✅ Yes | Only if the organization is registered with a valid registration number In-depth review may be required |
| Recognized Foundation (RUP) | ✅ Yes | In-depth review may be required |
| Endowment Fund | ✅ Yes | If nonprofit status is confirmed |
| SCIC (Cooperative) | 🔶 Exceptionally | Verification possible if governing documents explicitly state the nonprofit nature of the activity |
| SCOP (Worker Cooperative) | ❌ Not eligible | Typically treated as a standard for-profit company by payment processors |
| GIE / GIP (Economic Interest Groups) | ❌ Not eligible | Too far removed from nonprofit organizations |
| Unincorporated Association (unregistered) | ❌ Not eligible | No governing documents or registration number — required for verification |
| For-profit Business (LLC, Corporation, etc.) | ❌ Not eligible | Does not comply with Springly's Terms of Service |
The Business Account
Just like online payments, activating the Springly Business Account requires a thorough review of your organization.
Enforceability of Our Terms of Service
Regardless of legal structure, our Terms of Service apply to all customers. Springly reserves the right to refuse service or close an account — including for registered nonprofits — particularly in cases of misuse.
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