Frequently Asked Questions
General Questions & Answers
Updating Your Profile
Customizing Your Personal Page
Message Board Posts
Fundraising Goal
Importing Contacts and Sending Emails
Managing Sponsors and Donations
Entering Donations I Collected In Person
Charitable Tax Receipts
General Questions & Answers
Is it secure to enter my credit card information online through this site?
All credit card transactions are secure. Your credit card information is encrypted and is not publically available to any user of the system. This site uses a third-party organization called Artez. They are PCI Level 1 compliant which is the highest level of security standards as set by the Payment Card Industry. This means that they undergo a rigorous audit process every year to make sure your data is safe.
What if I find inappropriate content on a personal or team fundraising page?
The FFB is making every effort to monitor content on this site and appreciates your help. Content you deem inappropriate can be reported by e-mailing support or by phoning 1-800-461-3331.
I forgot my username. Can you send it to me?
Yes, click here to be prompted for your username.
I forgot my password. Can you send it to me?
Yes, click here to be prompted for your password.
Updating your Profile
How is my profile information being used?
Your name and e-mail address will be used to communicate with you about your fundraising campaign. See our Privacy Policy
How do I change my password?
After logging into Sight Saver Central, you change your password by clicking on 'Change Password' from the left hand navigation of the 'My Profile' tab.
How do I change the e-mail address or other information associated with my account?
After logging into Sight Saver Central, you can change your contact information by clicking on 'Edit Contact Information' from the left hand navigation of the 'My Profile' tab.
Can I limit who can find and donate to my page?
Yes, you can make your page so it can only be found by those with whom you share your personal fundraising page link. After logging into Sight Saver Central, you change your privacy options by clicking on 'Edit Contact Information' from the left hand navigation of the 'My Profile' tab. De-select 'Allow the general public to find and donate to my page.' and hit 'Submit'.
Why can't my sponsors find my page?
Your sponsors may not be able to find you because of the privacy settings you chose during registration. Login to Sight Saver Central to make your page public, so that anyone can search for you. Then click on 'Edit Contact Information' from the left hand navigation of the 'My Profile' tab. Select 'Allow the general public to find and donate to my page.' and hit 'Submit'.
I don’t want to be listed on the Sight Saver Scoreboard. How do I remove myself?
After logging into Sight Saver Central, you can make your fundraising results private by clicking on ‘Edit Contact Information’ from the left hand navigation of the 'My Profile' tab. De-select 'Make my fundraising results public.' and hit 'Submit'.
I think I’m a top Sight Saver, why doesn’t my name appear on the Scoreboard?
You may not appear on the Scoreboard because of a privacy option you choose during registration. Login to Sight Saver Central to make your fundraising results public. Then click on 'Edit Contact Information' from the left hand navigation of the 'My Profile' tab. Select 'Make my fundraising results public.' and hit 'Submit'.
Can I use Facebook to promote my fundraising page?
Absolutely! You can promote your fundraising campaign on Facebook. After logging into Sight Saver Central, click on ‘Get Sponsors’ from the left hand navigation under the 'Fundraising' tab. On the bottom of the page you will see the Facebook icon. After clicking on the icon, you will be prompted to login to Facebook. You will then be asked to edit the personal message that will accompany the link to your personal fundraising page on your Wall’s News Feed.
Can I use Twitter to promote my fundraising page?
Yes, you can promote your fundraising campaign on Twitter. After logging in to Sight Saver Central, click on 'Get Sponsors' from the left hand navigation under the 'Fundraising' tab. On the bottom of the page you will see the Twitter icon. By clicking on the icon, you will be prompted to login to Twitter. The link to your personal fundraising page will then be shortened. You will then have an opportunity to edit the Tweet that accompanies it before posting to your Twitter page.
Customizing your Personal Page
How do I change my page title?
After logging into Sight Saver Central, you can change your page title at any time by going to ‘Customize my page’ under the 'Fundraising' tab. Just enter how you would like your page title to appear in the field provided and click 'Update Page Title'.
How do I upload, change, or delete my personal page image?
After logging into Sight Saver Central, you can upload, change, or delete your personal page image by clicking on 'Customize my page' from the left hand navigation of the 'Fundraising' tab. Your current image will be saved there. Proceed by clicking on the 'Images' tab. You can choose from one of the default images or 'Add an Image' to use one of your own. 'Browse' for a specific image on your computer and then click on 'Open' to add it to your page. It will appear if uploaded successfully. Add a title and click 'Save'. The system accepts .gif, .jpg, or .jpeg for images. The maximum file size accepted is 300k. We recommend 400 pixels by 400 pixels.
If you wish to delete this image and revert back to one of the default files, simply select a different image from those available. The system accepts .gif, .jpg, .jpeg, .gif files. Your image file size can be no larger than 300k.
What if the photo I want to use is too large for the system?
Your computer likely comes with a program made just for this purpose. If you are using a PC with Microsoft Office installed, find the image you want to use, right click on the image, and choose 'Open With…Microsoft Picture Manager'. Choose 'Edit Picture' from the top menu and then 'Compress Image' on the right-hand menu. Choose 'web pages' from the options provided and hit okay. Save the new image somewhere accessible and as something like 'My Profile Picture'. For MAC users, iPhoto provides a similar process. Just select the photo you want to use in the library, click on 'E-mail' and the file size you'd prefer. The maximum size image that can be uploaded is 300k.
How do I upload, change, or delete my personal video message?
A video can be used on your personal fundraising page in lieu of an image. The video needs to be uploaded to YouTube first to be used on your page. For help uploading videos to YouTube, visit the YouTube help section.
Upon logging in to Sight Saver Central, you can add or change your personal page video by clicking on 'Customize my page' from the left hand navigation under the 'Fundraising' tab. Your current image will be saved there. Then proceed by clicking on the 'Videos' tab. Enter the URL associated with your video. Your video URL can be found just to the left of your video on YouTube. It will then become the video on your Personal Page. If you wish to delete the video and revert back to a default image go to the 'Images' tab and choose the image you would prefer.
How do I add, remove, or edit the personal message on my fundraising page?
After logging into Sight Saver Central, you can upload, change, or delete your personal page message at any time by clicking on 'Customize my page' from the left hand navigation under the 'Fundraising' tab. Click next on the 'Messages' tab, type in your preferred message and click 'Save'. Your new message will now appear on your fundraising page.
Can I format the text in my personal message?
The interactive messages centre (see above) can accommodate basic html formatting. This is a great resource for basic HTML formatting. You can also change the basic styles and colours of your font. This is a great resource for that type of formatting.
Message Board Posts
How do I know when a sponsor has posted a message on my page?
The system automatically e-mails a notification to you when a sponsor has left a message board post. If not received, check your spam filter settings by adding 'message@e2rm.com' to your safe list
Where can I view messages left on my page?
After logging into Sight Saver Central, you can view messages left by your sponsors from the bottom of the 'Welcome Back' page. By clicking 'Show All Messages', all of your message board posts will appear.
Can I delete messages left by my sponsors on my page?
Upon logging into Sight Saver Central, you can delete messages left by your sponsors from the bottom of the 'Welcome Back' page. All of your messages will appear here. If unable to see all of the messages, try clicking 'Show All Messages'. Each message has a red 'X' next to it. By clicking on the 'X' you are indicating that you wish to delete this post from your page. You will be asked to confirm your selection, and then the post will be automatically removed from your personal fundraising page.
Can I respond to message board posts left by my donors?
You can leave your own messages on your personal fundraising page at any time. Login to Sight Saver Central, scroll to the bottom of the Welcome Back page. Type your message in the field provided as you would like it to appear on your page. Enter your name and click 'Post'.
Fundraising Goal
How do I update or increase my fundraising goal on my personal page?
Once logged into Sight Saver Central, you can update or increase your fundraising goal. Click on 'My Fundraising Goal' from the left hand navigation under the 'Fundraising' tab. Don't forget to click 'Submit' to save your changes!
How can I add a personal fundraising goal tracker / thermometer to my personal fundraising page?
Login to Sight Saver Central to add a fundraising goal tracker / thermometer to your personal page. Click on 'Customize my page' from the left hand navigation of the 'Fundraising' tab. Next, click onto the 'Widgets' tab. You can choose either a thermometer or a pie chart to track your fundraising success. Don't forget to hit 'Save' to finalize your choice!
How can I remove a personal fundraising goal tracker / thermometer to my personal fundraising page?
Once logged in to Sight Saver Central, you can add a fundraising goal tracker / thermometer to your personal page image. Click on 'Customize my page' from the left hand navigation of the 'Fundraising' tab. Next, click on the 'Widgets' tab. De-select 'Enable' by checking on the tick box. Don’t forget to hit 'Save' to finalize your change!
For donations I received in person, when will they be reflected in my fundraising total?
To reflect donations you collected in person in your fundraising total, first enter those donations online. They can be entered through the 'Enter Donations I Collected in Person' area under the 'Fundraising' tab. For cash gifts or cheques that were made payable to you, please pay those donations in with your personal credit card. You must provide a valid e-mail address of your sponsor in order for them to receive their charitable tax receipt.
Once paid in with your credit card, these donations will automatically be reflected in your fundraising total. If you collected cheques that were made payable to the FFB, then you will need to mail those cheques into the FFB to be verified. Please do not mail cash. Verified donations are reflected in your personal fundraising goal. For more information on offline donations visit the 'Entering Donations I Collected in Person' section of this FAQ.
Importing Contacts and Sending Emails
How can I send e-mails to my friends, family and coworkers asking for support?
After logging in to Sight Saver Central, you can send e-mails by clicking on 'Get Sponsors' from the left hand navigation under the 'Fundraising' tab. From there, you can: 1) use your own personal e-mail to ask for support. We will send you all the pertinent information you need by e-mail to be included with your message. Or 2) use the e-mail system provided. See the following Q&A for instructions on using our tool.
How do I import contacts into the Address Book?
Login to Sight Saver Central and send e-mails by clicking on 'Get Sponsors' from the left hand navigation under the 'Fundraising' tab. Option #2 allows you to use our system to send e-mails. Next, click on the 'Add From My Address Book' button and follow the on-screen instructions. You will then need to choose your e-mail service provider, sign-in to your account, and select the contacts. Click "Submit" to ensure those contacts are imported. For privacy reasons, neither your contacts nor your e-mail user and password will be retained by the system.
Which e-mail service providers can be imported through the Address Book?
The import tool supports: Outlook, Outlook Express, Yahoo, Gmail, and Plaxo. If using another provider, try importing your contacts by first saving them as a comma separated value file (.csv).
What is a CSV file and how do I save my contacts that way?
Click on 'Detailed Instructions' within the 'Other' option in the import tool ('Add From My Address Book' button). A step-by-step guide is then provided on how to save as a CSV file.
How do I manually add contacts in order to send e-mails?
Manually adding names can be done at any time. Enter the e-mail addresses separated by commas or semi-colons in the field provided under 'Get Sponsors', Option #2.
How do I send e-mails to my contacts?
If using your own personal e-mail account to send e-mail donation requests, refer to the e-mail you received with your personal fundraising page link. Then copy and paste the information from that e-mail and personalize it with your own message.
If you are using our tool to send e-mails to your contacts, you must first add or import the e-mails (see above). Once imported, you are ready to send e-mails asking for support. You can enter a personal message to accompany the default message from the FFB. Click on 'Send E-mail' and your message will be automatically sent
Can I customize the messages?
If you are using our tool to send e-mails to your contacts, you must first add or import the e-mails (see above). Once imported, you are ready to send e-mails to ask for support. Personal messages can also be added to customize your e-mail. Your customized message will be added to the default message from the FFB. Click on 'Send E-mail' and your message will be automatically sent.
Your personal e-mail account can also be used to send messages which allows for more flexibility to customize. Choose Option #1 under 'Get Sponsors' and send yourself an e-mail. Be sure to include the important information in your e-mail, such as the link to where your prospective sponsors can make their gift and the reasons why you are supporting the FFB.
Where will bounced-back / undelivered e-mails be sent?
If the Sight Saver is the sender of the e-mail, he or she will receive any bounce backs. Bounce-backs will be sent to the fundraiser's e-mail that was entered during registration.
Managing Sponsors and Donations
Can I donate to my own page?
Definitely! Donating to your own page demonstrates your commitment to your friends and family. You can donate to your campaign at any time, by logging in to Sight Saver Central. Once you do so, select 'Donate to My Page' from the left navigation under the 'Fundraising' tab. Your contribution will automatically appear in your fundraising total and on your fundraising tracker / thermometer. If you don't already have a tracker / thermometer set up, click on 'Customize my page' from the left hand navigation of the 'Fundraising' tab.
Will my sponsors receive a tax receipt?
Online credit-card donations made by your sponsors of $20+ will automatically receive an e-receipt. For information on tax receipts for donations you collect in person, please see the 'Entering Donations I Collected in Person' section of this FAQ.
Will my sponsors be thanked by the Foundation Fighting Blindness?
Yes. Automatic e-mail acknowledgements will be sent to those making credit card donations through this site. Another e-mail is sent after their donation has been processed with the official receipt for tax purposes attached.
What's the difference between a verified and an unverified donation?
"Verified" donations were made online by credit card or cheques collected in person successfully received by the FFB or paid in with your personal credit card. "Unverified" donations were entered manually through the 'Enter Donations I Collected in Person' area, but have not been paid in OR the cheques (made payable to the FFB) have not yet been received by us. These types of donations will appear as "unverified".
Can I thank my sponsors personally with the system?
Yes. Your list of sponsors can be thanked with a personal e-mail or with an e-card. Thank you e-mails and e-cards can be sent by logging in and clicking on 'Manage Sponsors' from the left hand navigation under the 'Fundraising' tab. Choose the option you prefer and send your note or e-card.
Why doesn't my sponsor's name appear on my Honour Roll?
For sponsors who have not consented to being acknowledged publicly on the Honour Roll, 'Friend of the FFB' will appear instead. Sponsors may choose to include only their name, only their donation amount (name as Friend of the FFB), or to be excluded from your Honour Roll.
Why doesn't my sponsor's donation amount appear on my Donor Honor Roll?
For sponsors who have chosen to only have their name appear, their donation amounts will be blank along-side their name.
Entering Donations I Collected in Person
What do I do if a sponsor wants to donate in cash?
Not a problem. You can collect cash donations from friends or family. Once received, login to Sight Saver Central. Go to the 'Enter Donations I Collected in Person' area under the 'Fundraising' tab. There you can enter the name, e-mail address, and donation amount of your cash sponsor. Remember to ask for their e-mail address, as we require one in order to issue a tax receipt! You will need to pay in that donation with your personal credit card in order for that donation to be processed.
What if a sponsor gives me a cheque?
No problem. If collecting cheque donations from friends or family, there are two options. 1) Ask sponsors to make cheques payable to you and make their gifts personally with your credit card. You must provide a valid e-mail address for your sponsor in order for them to receive a tax receipt. 2) Request that the cheques be made payable to the FFB and enter their info online. These cheques should then be mailed to the FFB's office (address below). Be sure to indicate that you are a Sight Saver, so that your donation can be easily identified.
The Foundation Fighting Blindness
Attn: Sight Savers
12th Floor, 890 Yonge Street
Toronto, ON
M4W 3P4
Will my fundraising total increase when I enter donations I collected in person?
Only verified donations will be reflected in your fundraising total or on your fundraising tracker / thermometer. If you don't already have a tracker / thermometer set up, click on 'Customize my page' from the left hand navigation of the 'Fundraising' tab.
You can get all your offline donations verified by either using your credit card to pay-in those gifts or by mailing in cheques payable to the FFB
Where do I mail gifts I received in person?
You can mail cheque donations that are made payable to the FFB to the address below. Be sure to indicate that you are a Sight Saver, so your donation can be easily identified. Please remember not mail cash through the mail.
The Foundation Fighting Blindness
Attn: Sight Savers
12th Floor, 890 Yonge Street
Toronto, ON
M4W 3P4
Will sponsors who donate by cash or cheque receive a charitable tax receipt?
If you provide a valid e-mail address when entering those cheque or cash gifts online, and you pay those gifts in with your personal credit card, then your sponsor will receive a charitable tax receipt. If you collect cheques made payable to the FFB, then those gifts will be receipted once those cheques have been received.
Can I pay for the cash donations I receive with my credit card?
Yes, you can pay in cash donations you receive with your own credit card. Enter any cash donations online through the 'Enter Donations I Receive in Person' area under the 'Fundraising' tab. From there, select to charge those gifts to your credit card.
If I pay for donations I receive in person using my credit card, who receives the tax receipt?
Donations that you pay in with your tax receipt are automatically verified. If you provided a valid e-mail address for your sponsor, then they will receive the tax receipt. If no e-mail address is provided, no tax receipt is issued.
What if I don't know the e-mail address of a sponsor who gave me cash or cheque?
Try to obtain an e-mail address for your sponsor. You can add it to their donation at any time, but clicking on 'Edit' next to their donation in the 'Enter Donations I Collected in Person' area under the 'Fundraising' tab. If unable to do so, please contact support either by e-mail or phone (1-800-461-3331) to secure a tax receipt for them.
Charitable Tax Receipts
Will my sponsors receive a tax receipt?
Yes, all of your sponsors are considered donors to the Foundation Fighting Blindness, which is a registered Canadian charity. They will receive an e-receipt if they donate online using their credit card, you pay-in their cash or cheque gift and provide a valid e-mail address, OR you mail in their cheque made payable to the FFB.
I misplaced or lost my tax receipt. Can I get another one?
Yes, you can request a duplicate receipt at any time by contacting support by e-mail or by phone at 1-800-461-3331.
I paid for some of sponsor's donations with my credit card. Will they still receive a charitable tax receipt?
Yes, when you enter their cash gift in the 'Enter Donations I Collected in Person' section of the site, you must include the e-mail address of your sponsor. This is so a charitable tax receipt and thank you e-mail can be sent to them personally.
Privacy Policy for additional information on how the FFB may use the data collected during this campaign.[back to top]