Adding Funds to Your ImpactGraph Operating Account
Overview
Your Operating Account is the financial account ImpactGraph hosts for your organization (powered by Stripe Treasury). It's where you receive funds, hold a balance, and pay bills all inside ImpactGraph.
There are two ways to move money into it. The practical difference comes down to where the transfer starts, which affects how quickly the funds become available:
ACH pull — you start the transfer inside ImpactGraph from a bank account you've linked. ImpactGraph pulls the funds into your Operating Account.
ACH push — you start the transfer at your own bank, sending money to your Operating Account using its account and routing numbers. (A trusted sender, such as a grantor, can push funds the same way.)
Before you start: Your Operating Account must be set up. If you haven't done this yet, go to Profile → Banking and click Set up Financial Services. This creates your Stripe Treasury account and includes a one-time identity verification, which usually takes 5–10 minutes. Once it's active, your Operating Account appears on the Financial Accounts page under the ImpactGraph Account section.
Option 1: Pull Funds In (ACH Pull)
With an ACH pull, you connect one of your bank accounts to ImpactGraph once, then start transfers from inside ImpactGraph whenever you need to. ImpactGraph pulls the funds from your linked account into your Operating Account.
Best for: ongoing, self-service transfers you want to run without leaving ImpactGraph.
Speed: ACH pulls clear more slowly. Because debit transfers can be returned by the sending bank, the funds are typically held for a few business days before they're available in your Operating Account.
Step 1 — Link your external bank account
Go to the Financial Accounts page from the main navigation.
In the Linked Accounts area, click Link External Account (or Link Your First Account if you don't have any linked yet).
In the Plaid window that opens, search for your bank and log in. Your bank credentials are handled entirely by Plaid and are never stored in ImpactGraph.
Select the account(s) you want to link and complete the connection.
Step 2 — Verify the account for transfers
Before a linked account can send money, it has to be verified.
Open the linked account and start verification when prompted.
ImpactGraph sends you to a secure Stripe-hosted page to confirm the account (typically by confirming two small "microdeposits" or a descriptor code from your bank statement).
Microdeposits usually arrive in 1–2 business days. Once verified, the account status changes to active and is ready to use.
Step 3 — Start the transfer
On the Financial Accounts page, click Transfer Funds.
Choose the verified linked account as the source and your Operating Account as the destination.
Enter the amount and confirm. You can track the transfer's status (pending → succeeded) on the account.
Option 2: Push Funds In (ACH Push)
With an ACH push, the transfer starts at the sending bank. You log in to your external bank, add your ImpactGraph Operating Account as a payee using its account and routing numbers, and send the funds from there. The same details let a trusted sender — such as a grantor making a disbursement — push funds to your Operating Account directly.
Best for: getting funds in faster, moving money from a bank you don't want to link, or receiving an expected payment from a funder.
Speed: ACH pushes typically post faster and with fewer holds, because there's no debit-return risk — the sending bank has already released the funds.
Availability and cost depend on the sending bank, not ImpactGraph. Most banks let you send an ACH transfer to an external account for free, but some charge a per-transfer fee, set daily or monthly limits, or only offer the transfer as a wire (faster, but usually with a fee). A few banks don't support outbound ACH to external accounts at all. If your bank makes a push difficult or costly, use Option 1 (an ACH pull) instead.
Step 1 — Find your Operating Account details
Go to the Financial Accounts page and click your Operating Account to open its detail drawer.
In the Account Details section you'll find your Bank Name, Routing Number, and Account Number. The account number is hidden by default — click to reveal it, then use the copy button.
Step 2 — Send the funds from the external bank
At the sending bank, add your Operating Account as a payee using its account number, routing number, and your organization's name as the account holder, then initiate the ACH transfer. If you're asking a grantor or other trusted party to send funds, give them these same details.
Step 3 — Funds arrive automatically
Once the sending bank releases the payment, the funds post to your Operating Account and appear in ImpactGraph automatically — there's nothing further to set up on your end.
Which Option Should I Use?
| Pull (Option 1) | Push (Option 2) |
Where it starts | Inside ImpactGraph | At the sending bank |
One-time setup | Link the account via Plaid and verify it once | Add your Operating Account as a payee at the sending bank |
Speed | Slower — funds held a few business days | Faster — fewer holds |
Fees | Started in ImpactGraph | Set by the sending bank — some charge per transfer |
Best for | Repeat, self-service transfers from your own account | Faster funding, or a payment coming from a funder |
Terminology
Term | Definition |
Operating Account | Your ImpactGraph-hosted financial account (Stripe Treasury), shown under "ImpactGraph Account." |
ACH pull | A transfer you start inside ImpactGraph that pulls funds from a linked bank account. |
ACH push | A transfer started at the sending bank that pushes funds to your Operating Account. |
Linked account | One of your own bank accounts connected through Plaid. |
Plaid | The secure platform used to connect external bank accounts. |
Microdeposit verification | Confirming small test deposits to prove you own a linked account before transferring. |
Frequently Asked Questions
Which option is faster?
A push is generally faster. Because a pull is a debit that can be returned by the sending bank, the funds are usually held for a few business days before they're available. A push has already been released by the sending bank, so it posts with fewer holds.
My bank charges a fee for ACH transfers, or won't let me push. What can I do?
Whether you can send an ACH push, and whether there's a fee, is set by the sending bank — not by ImpactGraph. Some banks charge per transfer, limit amounts, or only offer the transfer as a (usually paid) wire. If your bank restricts external transfers or charges for them, use Option 1 (an ACH pull): link the account in ImpactGraph and start the transfer here instead.
Do I have to link an account to push funds in?
No. A push starts at the sending bank, so you only need your Operating Account's account and routing numbers. Linking via Plaid is only required for a pull, where ImpactGraph starts the transfer for you.
Why does my linked account say it needs verification?
A linked account must complete microdeposit verification before it can be used for a pull. Open the account, follow the verification link, and confirm the deposits — usually within 1–2 business days of linking.
Who can see the full account number?
Only users with the Show Financial Accounts permission can reveal and copy the full account number. Everyone else sees a masked version. The routing number and bank name are always visible.
Is my bank login stored in ImpactGraph?
No. Linked-account credentials are handled entirely by Plaid and are never stored in ImpactGraph.