10 Best Credit Cards for Nonprofits

Nonprofits need business financing to keep championing their cause, and no financing tool gives you greater flexibility than a business credit card. If your organization has an especially tight budget, you may want to focus on nonprofit credit cards that have no annual fee and offer cash back incentives to supplement your budget.

If you need to travel frequently, a card that maximizes the amount of miles or points you earn would be an ideal way to capitalize on savings. And if you’ve been more focused on your cause than your personal finances, look into cards that accept lower credit scores, and that can help you build your score back up.

Here are our top picks for nonprofit business credit cards that work (almost) as hard as you do.

1. Chase Ink Business Cash
2. Capital One Spark Cash Select for Business
3. American Express Blue Cash Business
4. Bank of America Business Advantage Cash Rewards Mastercard
5. Capital One Spark Miles Select for Business
6. American Express Blue Business Plus
7. Chase Ink Business Preferred
8. Capital One Spark Classic for Business
9. Wells Fargo Business Secured
10. BBVA Compass Secured Visa Business Credit Card

Let’s say your nonprofit organization is still getting its sea legs, or hasn’t yet gotten the traction it needs to lure in big donations. A cash back business credit card will help you increase your bottom line as much as possible, so you can then increase your ability to help those that you serve. Here are the best nonprofit credit cards that can help in this regard:

On nearly every list of the best business credit cards, you’ll find one of Chase’s Ink Business cards. There’s a good reason for this—all of Chase’s business-specific credit cards boast quite a few attractive attributes. But in particular, nonprofit organizations might want to consider the Chase Ink Business Cash credit card for its no annual fee and generous tiered rewards program, which incentivizes spending on typical business purchases.

Here’s a more detailed look at the Chase Ink Business Cash card’s major features:

• Score a one-time generous sign-up offer if you meet the spending threshold.
• Earn 5% cash back on the first $25,000 spent on purchases per year at office supply stores, as well as internet, cable, and phone services.
• Earn 2% cash back on the first $25,000 spent on purchases per year at gas stations and restaurants.
• Earn 1% cash back on all other purchases, with no limits on the amount of cash back you can earn.

Aside from cash, rewards can be redeemed for gift cards, travel, and other products and services. Employee cards are also available, either with equal spending power or set spending limits.

And if you need extra time to pay down a large purchase—maybe you’re planning a sizable fundraising campaign, for instance— you can take advantage of the Chase Ink Business Cash’s 12-month 0% introductory APR period. During this time, you won’t need to pay any interest on your balance, so you can essentially treat this as a year-long business loan. Just be aware that after these 12 months, your APR will set in at a rate that will vary with the market Prime Rate, so be sure to see the issuer’s terms and conditions for the latest APR information.

Still, Chase Ink Business’s cash back rewards make it one of the best credit cards for nonprofits.

Like Chase, Capital One has multiple business credit cards on their docket. But with a straightforward cash bonus and no annual fee, the Capital One Spark Cash Select for Business is an especially attractive nonprofit credit card.

You’ll earn an unlimited 1.5% cash back on every purchase, with no minimum to redeem. That takes the guesswork out of sometimes complicated rewards systems, so you can spend less time decoding your credit card and more time working on your cause.

On top of its standard (and foolproof) cash back rewards system, you’ll earn a one-time $200 cash bonus once you spend $3,000 on purchases within the first three months after opening your account.

Just as there are more nonprofit organizations than we can name in one article, it seems that there are more American Express business credit cards than we can list. But if you’re looking for a cash back option in particular, look toward the American Express Blue Business Cash as your nonprofit credit card of choice.

Amex Blue Business Cash earns cardholders 2% cash back on all eligible purchases on the first $50,000 each calendar year, then 1% back on all purchases after.

Keep in mind, after your 12 interest-free months are up, a variable APR sets in at a rate depending on your creditworthiness. This rate will also vary with the market, so check the issuer’s terms and conditions for the latest APR information.

A few other perks include:

• The ability to spend above your credit limit, depending on your payment history, income, credit score, and other factors
• Employee cards with flexible spending limits and rewards earned on their eligible purchases
• No annual fee

The Bank of America® Business Advantage Cash Rewards credit card makes the list of best credit cards for nonprofits because of its easy-to-reach signup bonus: All you have to do is spend $3,000 within the first 90 days of opening your account, and you’ll earn a $300 statement credit. That makes this an ideal nonprofit credit card for those who just can’t reach the high spending thresholds that other signup bonuses require.

And if you need options for how you can earn cash back for your spending, this may be a good bet for you. Your ongoing rewards with this card include:

• 3% cash back on your choice of one of the following six spending categories: gas stations, office supply stores, travel, TV/telecom and wireless, computer services, or business consulting services
• 2% cash back on purchases at restaurants (for the first $50,000 in combined choice category/dining purchases each calendar year)
• 1% cash back on all other purchases
• No annual fee

You can redeem your rewards once you’ve earned just $25. Bank of America also offers account management tools, travel and emergency services, fraud monitoring, and zero liability fraud protection for unauthorized transactions.

Plus, if you’re enrolled in the bank’s Preferred Rewards for Business program, you can earn even greater rewards on your card—BofA loyalists earn an added 25% to 75% rewards bonus on every eligible purchase.

If your organization requires a lot of travel, or if you’d like to offer gift certificates as incentives to donate to your cause, you might want to take advantage of the added flexibility of rewards points or miles over cash back in your nonprofit credit card. Here are some options to consider:

The Capital One Spark Miles Select for Business credit card is the rewards counterpart to the Capital One Spark Cash Select for Business card mentioned above. So, if your nonprofit requires constant travel (which may be true if your organization addresses overseas issues)—but you like Capital One Spark’s no-fuss rewards program and no annual fee—look into their Miles Select card instead.

With this card, you’ll get a flat rate of 1.5x miles back per dollar on every purchase, with no limit to the amount of miles you can earn. Plus, you’ll get a one-time signup bonus of 20,000 miles, which equals $200 in travel, after you’ve spent $3,000 on purchases within the first three months of opening your account. And since this is a travel-friendly card, you won’t need to pay a foreign transaction fee. Employee cards are also available at no additional cost, enabling you to earn rewards for purchases made on their cards.

If you liked the sound of the American Express Blue Business Cash credit card but prefer to earn points over cash back, then the American Express Blue Business Plus credit card may fit the bill as your best nonprofit credit card.

With this card, you’ll earn 2x points per $1 spent on everyday business purchases up to $50,000, with no category restrictions. Then, you’ll earn 1 point per $1 on all purchases after $50,000—all for no annual fee. Redeem your points for a range of rewards, like gift cards, Amazon purchases, cash back, and travel. (You’ll just need to figure out how you’ll earn the most value from your redemptions.)

This card also features a 12-month 0% intro APR period. But after those 12 months are through, a variable interest rate will kick in according to your creditworthiness. Check with your card issuer for details.

The Chase Ink Business Preferred is the travel version of the Chase Ink Business Cash. With this nonprofit credit card,  you’ll be treated to small business-friendly, top-earning rewards categories and everyday card protections.

For starters, Chase Ink Preferred welcomes new customers with a generous 100,000 points if you spend $15,000 on purchases in your first three months. Besides the welcome offer, nonprofits can earn 3x cash back when spending in the following categories:

• Travel
• Shipping purchases
• Advertising purchases made with search engines and social media sites
• Internet, cable, and phone services

You’ll also get 1x cash back on all other purchases. Now, there is one major drawback to this card: It comes with a $95 annual fee. However, if you can stomach this once-a-year cost, the Chase Ink Preferred could be your best bet for a nonprofit credit card.

If your credit score isn’t the greatest—perhaps that’s because you’ve poured all your attention and resources into your business and those it serves, rather than your own finances—look for a credit card with a low minimum credit score requirement. Using these cards responsibly can help you build your credit back up, so you can then graduate onto a card with even better benefits. Here are some options to consider.

Another option from the Capital One Spark roster, the Capital One Spark Classic for Business credit card has no welcome offers. But at about 580+, it features one of the lowest credit score eligibility requirements on an unsecured business credit card. And if you use this card responsibly (by paying your bill in full and on time every month, and spending well below your credit limit), it will do exactly what you need your nonprofit credit card to do—help you build a healthy credit score, offer a consistent 1% cash back on every purchase you make for your business with no purchase limit, and require no annual fee.

If you have a less-than-ideal credit score and you can’t yet qualify for an unsecured credit card, you can start out with a secured business credit card instead. The Wells Fargo Business Secured Credit Card accepts businesses with very little or no credit history, and it’s one of the few secured business credit cards you’ll find (most secured cards are personal).

You’ll actually earn 1.5x cash back with the Wells Fargo Business Secured card, which is rare for a secured credit card. Plus, the ability to receive cash back automatically as a credit to your account, as opposed to having to wait to redeem it, is definitely a perk of this nonprofit credit card.

Also, don’t think that you’re limited to a secured credit card forever. Wells Fargo will review your account regularly, and if they deem you eligible, you may be able to upgrade you to a traditional, unsecured credit card.

Our last nonprofit credit card option is the BBVA Compass Secured Visa Business credit card. Now, before we get into its benefits, we should say that this card is only available in seven states: Alabama, Florida, Texas, Arizona, Colorado, California, and New Mexico. So if your nonprofit doesn’t operate in one of these states, you can stop reading now.

But if it does, the BBVA Compass Secured Visa Business credit card is a great nonprofit credit card for those with so-so credit. You’ll receive a 0% introductory APR for nine months, and a reasonable ongoing APR between 9.24% and 23.24%, adjusted with the prime rate—not bad for nonprofits trying to manage cash flow.

In terms of rewards, you’ll earn 20,000 bonus points if you make $3,000 worth of purchases in your first 90 days. You’ll also earn 1.5x cash back on all purchases. Additional features include purchase protection if your card is lost or stolen within the first 90 days of opening your account.

While there is no monthly fee for this nonprofit credit card, there is a fee for late payments between $19 and $49, as well as a balance transfer fee of $10 (or 4%, whichever is higher).

Whether you choose a card that offers cash back to aid your cash flow as much as possible, or a card that offers rewards points or miles to help your nonprofit organization as it goes about its daily business, know that you’re taking important steps to make a credit card work for you. Every dollar that you earn in cash back or reward points means that even more of your focus can be where it should be—on supporting your cause. Hopefully, one of these corporate credit cards for nonprofits will help you reach your business’s financial goals.