Although many people don’t think of their favorite charity or help group as a business, nonprofits are, in fact, considered to be businesses in the eyes of the law (albeit often tax-exempt ones).
With that in mind, the best credit cards for most nonprofits are likely to be business credit cards. For one thing, they can help your nonprofit establish and build business credit.
Another, perhaps more compelling reason is that many business credit cards provide purchase rewards and secondary card benefits that are designed with companies and organizations in mind, things like office supply rewards and free employee cards. In this article, we’ll dive into our top picks for the best credit cards for nonprofits, including cards that focus on cash back perks, points, cards with no annual fee, and cards for fair credit.
Cash Back | Points | No Annual Fee | Fair Credit
Best “Cash Back” Credit Cards for Nonprofits
Every extra hour spent trying to wrangle the most value out of your credit card rewards is an hour not spent helping your organization’s cause.
Cash back rewards are generally the simplest type of rewards to earn and redeem, offering a set redemption value and easy redemption process without the need to calculate values or transfer points and miles.
Plus, you can still make the most of your rewards by choosing cash back cards with bonus categories that fit your nonprofit’s needs.
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The Ink Business Cash® Credit Card is a good option for nonprofits with smaller budgets, as it offers high bonus-category earnings rates but has a low spending cap of $25,000 per bonus tier.
This card is currently not available. Additional Disclosure: Information for this card not reviewed by or provided by Capital One.2. Capital One Spark Cash for Business
This card is a good choice for those who don’t want to bother with categories or nonprofits that don’t have a lot of spend in common categories. You’ll earn unlimited 2% cash back on every purchase, with no spending caps.
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The Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card offers unlimited 1.5% cash back on every purchase, everywhere, with no categories to track or activate. In addition to a great signup bonus and a very competitive intro-APR offer, this card charges no annual fee and offers free employee cards.
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The Capital One Spark Cash Select is the less-expensive sibling of the Spark® Cash family, offering a lower earnings rate but charging no annual fee. Applicants with good credit may also qualify for a lower regular APR than the more expensive card offers.
5. SimplyCash® Plus Business Credit Card
The SimplyCash® Plus Business Credit Card from American Express is a good choice for keeping your nonprofit’s office up to snuff, offering 5% cash back rewards for office supply and wireless service purchases, no annual fee, and a flexible credit limit.
- Earn 5% cash back on purchases at US office supply stores and with wireless service providers
- Earn 3% cash back on purchases in a category of your choice
- Pay no annual fee
The SimplyCash® Plus card also provides 3% cash back in a bonus category or your choice, which means you can customize your rewards to match your nonprofit’s needs. Choices include US gas stations, restaurants, select advertising, shipping, or certain computer-related purchases.
Best “Points” Credit Cards for Nonprofits
Although time can often be at a premium for busy nonprofits, it can be worthwhile to spend a little of it learning to maximize credit card points if a good portion of your organization’s budget goes to travel expenses.
Not only do most credit card points provide the best value when redeemed for travel-related expenses like flights and hotel stays, but most points rewards credit cards offer bonus rewards for travel-related purchases.
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The rewards points cardholders earn with the Ink Business Preferred℠ Credit Card are some of the most popular travel rewards in the game thanks to the wide range of hotel and airline travel partners to which the points can be transferred.
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Even though most points and miles enthusiasts prefer to use bonus categories to maximize rewards, not every traveler wants to keep track of categories. The Capital One® Spark® Miles for Business offers rewards on every purchase that can be redeemed for a statement credit to cover any travel-related expenses.
This card is currently not available. Additional Disclosure: Information for this card not reviewed by or provided by Capital One.8. Capital One® Spark® Miles Select for Business
If the Capital One® Spark® Miles card appeals to you but the idea of an annual fee is less appealing, then the Capital One® Spark® Miles Select for Business is a good option. You can earn and redeem the same flexible miles without paying an extra fee.
9. U.S. Bank Business Edge™ Select Rewards Card
The U.S. Bank Business Edge™ Select Rewards Card has broad bonus rewards categories that let you customize your rewards to save on the purchases you make most frequently.
- Earn 3X rewards points on a broad bonus category of your choice, including day-to-day expenses, automotive, and travel/entertainment
- Earn unlimited 1X point on all other purchases
- Pay no annual fee
In addition to customizable bonus rewards, this card offers unlimited 1X point per dollar on all other purchases. It also comes with an attainable signup bonus and an intro-APR offer for new purchases.
10. American Express Business Platinum Card®
The American Express Business Platinum Card® is a good card for nonprofits that frequently make large purchases, as it provides bonus points for purchases over $5,000.
- Earn 5X points per $1 spent on flights and hotels booked through amextravel.com
- Earn 1.5X points per $1 on purchases $5,000 and up
- Pay $595 annual fee
The card can also be a good option for nonprofits that require frequent travel, as it gives significant bonus rewards for hotel and flights, as well as an annual airline credit and global lounge access.
Best “No Annual Fee” Credit Cards for Nonprofits
By nature, nonprofit organizations are not in it for the money. Their focus is on turning funds into action for whichever cause to which they are dedicated. So it makes perfect sense that many nonprofits are focused on reducing financial waste.
While some credit cards can be worth the annual fee, there are enough great annual-fee-free cards on the market that your nonprofit can likely find a good fit without the fee.
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The Ink Business Cash® Credit Card‘s bonus categories are ideal for many organizations, offering significant cash back for office supply purchases, as well as communications services. Even better, the card comes with an intro-APR offer on new purchases to help you avoid fees when income is sporadic.
This card is currently not available.12. Capital One Spark Cash Select for Good Credit
Not only does the Capital One Spark Cash Select for Good Credit come without an annual fee, but it doesn’t skimp on the perks because of it; you can still earn unlimited cash back and enjoy an intro-APR offer good on new purchases.
This card is currently not available. Additional Disclosure: Information for this card not reviewed by or provided by Capital One.13. Capital One® Spark® Miles Select for Business
Like its cash back sibling, the Capital One® Spark® Miles Select for Business combines unlimited rewards with an introductory interest rate offer for new purchases and a fairly easy-to-reach signup bonus.
14. Blue Business Plus Credit Card from American Express
The Blue Business Plus Credit Card from American Express is a good option for nonprofits with expenses that don’t fit regular bonus categories, offering 2X points per dollar on purchases regardless of category.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per $1 on the first $50,000 in purchases each year
- Earn unlimited 1X points per $1 thereafter
- Pay no annual fee
While the Blue Business Plus card doesn’t have a points signup bonus, it does offer an introductory 0% APR deal and provides employee cards with no additional fees.
15. Business Advantage Cash Rewards Mastercard®
The Business Advantage Cash Rewards Mastercard® from Bank of America offers similar bonus categories to other business cards, offering 3% cash back on gas station and office supply purchases on up to $250,000 in combined category purchases each year.
- Earn 3% cash back at gas stations and office supply stores and 2% at restaurants
- Receive $200 cash back after spending $500 in the first 60 days
- Pay no annual fee
The card’s signup bonus, which is likely easily attainable for nonprofits with even modest budgets, paired with the lack of an annual fee likely makes this a good card for smaller nonprofits.
(The information related to Business Advantage Cash Rewards Mastercard® has been collected by CardRates.com and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer or provider of this product or service.)
Best “Fair Credit” Credit Cards for Nonprofits
For a fledgling nonprofit, establishing business credit can be a long and involved process, particularly if its owner’s credit isn’t stellar, either. But your nonprofit isn’t out of luck if your credit score leaves a little to be desired.
There are a handful of business credit card options that will accept applicants with fair credit, though most options will be for secured credit cards that require a deposit.
This card is currently not available. Additional Disclosure: Information for this card not reviewed by or provided by Capital One.16. Capital One® Spark® Classic for Business
Outside of the community banks and credit unions, the Capital One® Spark® Classic for Business is the only business credit card designed for those with fair credit. Even so, the card still offers unlimited cash back rewards and charges no annual fee.
17. Wells Fargo Business Secured Credit Card
The Wells Fargo Business Secured Credit Card requires a deposit to secure your credit line, but it can be a good way to establish and start building that all-important business credit. You’ll even earn rewards as you do so, with 1.5% cash back on every purchase.
- Earn 1.5% cash back on every purchase made with your card, redeemable as a statement credit or check
- Access credit lines from $500 to $25,000
- Receive up to 10 employee cards
Available credit lines range from $500 to $25,000. The Wells Fargo Business Secured card has a small $25 annual fee, but you won’t pay any foreign transaction fees.
(The information related to Wells Fargo Business Secured Credit Card has been collected by CardRates.com and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer or provider of this product or service.)
18. BBVA Secured Visa® Business Credit Card
The BBVA Secured Visa® Business Credit Card is also secured, so it will require a deposit to open. Cardholders earn 3X points in a category they select from the given options and 2X in a second selected category.
- Earn bonus points in categories you select, including office supplies, utilities, and travel
- Earn 1X point per $1 on all other purchases
- Pay no annual fee the first year, then $40
The minimum required deposit to open a BBVA Secured Visa® Business card is $500, and the size of your credit line will be equal to 90% of the size of your deposit.
Get the Financing Your Nonprofit Needs
Nonprofits play an important role in our society, often helping those who cannot help themselves. But for all that, they do not have the same goals as your average business, nonprofits are still, technically, businesses.
As such, nonprofits have many of the same financing needs of any business, including things like office supplies and travel. With the right business credit card, your nonprofit can save on these big expenses, making more room in the bottom line for the important things.
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