Refunds, cancellations, and donation errors.

This policy explains how we handle donations made through Govona, including how to cancel recurring contributions and when refunds are available. It applies to all contributions made via our donation page and is incorporated by reference into our Terms of Service.

1. Donations are voluntary contributions

Contributions to Govona are voluntary and are not payments for goods or services. They support the operation of the platform — servers, data collection, and ongoing development. Govona is not a registered 501(c)(3) charitable organization, so donations are not tax-deductible.

2. General refund policy

Because donations are voluntary contributions, they are generally non-refundable. We rely on these contributions to keep the platform running, and refunding them creates accounting and operational complications. By contributing, you acknowledge that you are making a voluntary gift, not purchasing a product.

3. When we will issue a refund

We will issue a full refund in the following cases, provided you contact us within 60 days of the transaction:

(a) Duplicate or accidental charges. If you were charged more than once for the same intended donation, or you clicked the donate button by mistake, we will refund the duplicate or accidental amount.

(b) Incorrect amount. If a technical issue on our donation page caused you to be charged an amount different from the one you selected, we will refund the difference (or the full amount, at your choice).

(c) Unauthorized use of payment method. If someone used your payment method to donate without your authorization, contact us immediately and we will refund the charge while we investigate.

(d) Discretionary refunds. Outside the cases above, we may still issue a refund at our discretion if circumstances warrant it. Reach out and explain what happened.

4. Recurring donations

If you set up a monthly recurring donation, you may cancel at any time and the cancellation takes effect before the next billing date. Cancellation stops future charges but does not refund prior months. To cancel:

— From your PayPal account: log in at paypal.com, go to Settings → Payments → Manage automatic payments, find Govona, and click Cancel.

— Or email us at hello@govona.org with the email used to donate, and we'll cancel it for you.

5. How to request a refund

Email hello@govona.org with:

— The email address used to make the donation
— The approximate date and amount of the contribution
— A brief explanation of the issue

We aim to respond within 3 business days. Approved refunds are processed back to your original payment method and typically appear within 5–10 business days, depending on your bank.

6. Chargebacks

If you believe a contribution was made in error, please contact us before disputing the charge with your bank or PayPal. Chargebacks cost us fees and time, and most issues are resolved faster by emailing us directly. We will not pursue chargebacks adversarially, but we may decline future donations from accounts with a history of unjustified disputes.

7. Failed or declined payments

If a payment attempt fails, no charge is made and no donation is recorded. If you see a pending authorization on your statement that later disappears, that's the normal behavior — your bank holds the amount briefly before releasing it.

8. Currency and processing

Donations are processed in U.S. dollars by PayPal. If you donate in another currency, PayPal applies its own conversion rate; we have no control over that rate or any associated fees PayPal may charge. Refunds are issued in the same currency as the original donation.

9. Changes to this policy

We may update this policy. The “Last updated” date at the top of the page reflects the current version. Material changes affecting recurring donors will be communicated by email where possible.

10. Contact

For refunds, donation questions, or anything else, reach us at hello@govona.org.