> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.uplifter.app/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# How do I issue a gift card directly to a family?

> Issue a card from a guardian's Gift Cards tab — pick a design, set the amount and recipient, and record how the giver paid.

<Note>
  **Must know**

  * Gift Cards are available on plans that include **Gift Cards** — if you don't see them in your dashboard, ask your Uplifter contact.
  * Issuing needs the Financials **create** permission.
  * **Charge saved payment method** runs a live charge **before** minting, so a decline mints nothing. Bank/ACH methods are disabled ("not available for gift cards") because a bounce could arrive after the card is spent.
  * The dialog is safe against double-submits.
</Note>

Open a guardian, go to the **Gift Cards** tab ("Every gift card issued to this guardian"), and click **Issue gift card**.

<Steps>
  <Step title="Pick a card">
    Choose any **Active** catalog design from the tile strip, or the **Custom card** tile to name a one-off card and set its own restrictions and **Transferable** switch inline.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Set the amount">
    A fixed-amount design locks the field. A buyer-chooses design is bounded by its minimum and maximum. A custom card goes up to **\$10,000**.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Choose the recipient">
    Either this guardian, or **Someone else** (email required, name optional). An email that already has an account attaches immediately and the card goes **Active**; an unknown email stays **Pending** until claimed.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Optionally limit it to one athlete">
    **Limit to an athlete (optional)** appears when the card can pay for programs, the recipient is this guardian, and that guardian has at least one athlete on file: "Program purchases will only be redeemable for this athlete."
  </Step>

  <Step title="Record how the giver paid">
    Under **How did the giver pay?** choose **Comp (no payment)**, **Cash**, **Check**, or **Charge saved payment method**. Cash and Check record a paid purchase invoice. Comp posts a balanced journal instead — a debit to **Goodwill & Comps** and a credit to **Gift Card Liability** (default code 2200) — so free cards stay visible in the books. With no saved methods on file, the dialog points you to Comp, Cash, or Check.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Issue it">
    The footer previews the action ("Issue \$50.00 card to Jane Doe — Cash"). Click **Issue gift card**.
  </Step>
</Steps>

Hero can also prepare an issue-gift-card proposal for you to confirm (Cash, Check, or Comp only). Those land with Source **Hero**; cards you issue here show **Staff-issued** on the card's detail panel.

**Related:** [How do I lock a gift card, resend its claim email, or fix the recipient?](/club/gift-cards/lock-resend-or-change-recipient) · [How do I see gift-card balances and reconcile my outstanding liability?](/club/gift-cards/reconcile-gift-card-balances) · [How do I create and design a gift card to sell?](/club/gift-cards/create-a-gift-card)