Direct passthrough system for financial contributions
A system for direct donation utilizes an Internet-connected server accessible by potential donors using an Internet browser and a data store accessible to the server and storing information about potential recipients pre-qualified for donations. A software suite executing on the server has at least a first facility enabling a potential donor to view specific information about qualified recipients of donations, and a second facility enabling the same donor to select a recipient and make a direct donation to the selected recipient.
1 . A system for direct donation, comprising:
an Internet-connected server accessible by potential donors using an Internet browser;
a data store accessible to the server and storing information about potential recipients pre-qualified for donations; and
a software suite executing in the server, comprising at least a first facility enabling a potential donor to view specific information about qualified recipients of donations, and a second facility enabling the same donor to select a recipient and make a direct donation to the selected recipient.
2 . The system of claim 1 wherein qualified recipients are organized into project groups, and projects are listed for a potential donor as selectable entities, which, when selected, allow the donor to view information about qualified recipients associated with the selected project.
3 . The system of claim 1 further comprising an interactive voice response (IVR) system through which a recipient may interact with the system by telephone.
4 . The system of claim 1 further comprising a third facility for interacting with financial institutions, wherein a donation initiated by a donor for a selected qualified recipient results in a withdrawal of the donation amount from an account associated with the donor and a deposit to an account associated with the qualified recipient.
5 . The system of claim 4 further comprising a fourth facility for setting up accounts at financial institutions for donors and recipients.
6 . The system of claim 5 further comprising a fifth facility for displaying account details on demand to either of donors and recipients.
7 . The system of claim 1 further comprising a qualification facility interacting with potential recipients of donations and qualifying potential recipients as qualified recipients, which are then presentable by the system to potential donors.
8 . The system of claim 1 comprising a sixth facility providing non-cash donations to qualified recipients for cash donations made by donors.
9 . The system of claim 8 wherein the non-cash donations are made in the form of documents redeemable at pre-qualified and cooperating sites for goods and services.
10 . The system of claim 9 wherein the documents take the form of cards issued for a total amount and redeemable in portions of the total amount until the total amount is redeemed.
11 . The system of claim 9 wherein the documents are associated with specific recipients by an identification procedure, and are non-transferable.
12 . The system of claim 11 wherein the identification procedure comprises creating a virtual identity for a recipient, and issuing a second document bearing the virtual identity, which must be associated with the redeemable document to implement redemption of any portion of the associated donation.
13 . A method for direct donation, comprising the steps of:
(a) providing an Internet-connected server accessible by potential donors using an Internet browser;
(b) providing a data store accessible to the server and storing information about potential recipients pre-qualified for donations; and
(c) executing a software suite in the server, enabling a potential donor by a first facility to view specific information about qualified recipients of donations, and a by second facility to select a recipient and make a direct donation to the selected recipient.
14 . The method of claim 13 wherein qualified recipients are organized into project groups, and projects are listed for a potential donor as selectable entities, which, when selected, allow the donor to view information about qualified recipients associated with the selected project.
15 . The method of claim 13 further comprising an interactive voice response (IVR) system through which a recipient may interact with the system by telephone.
16 . The method of claim 13 further comprising a third facility for interacting with financial institutions, wherein a donation initiated by a donor for a selected qualified recipient results in a withdrawal of the donation amount from an account associated with the donor and a deposit to an account associated with the qualified recipient.
17 . The method of claim 16 further comprising a fourth facility for setting up accounts at financial institutions for donors and recipients.
18 . The method of claim 17 further comprising a fifth facility for displaying account details on demand to either of donors and recipients.
19 . The method of claim 13 further comprising a qualification facility interacting with potential recipients of donations and qualifying potential recipients as qualified recipients, which are then presentable by the system to potential donors.
20 . The method of claim 13 comprising a sixth facility providing non-cash donations to qualified recipients for cash donations made by donors.
21 . The method of claim 20 wherein the non-cash donations are made in the form of documents redeemable at pre-qualified and cooperating sites for goods and services.
22 . The method of claim 21 wherein the documents take the form of cards issued for a total amount and redeemable in portions of the total amount until the total amount is redeemed.
23 . The method of claim 21 wherein the documents are associated with specific recipients by an identification procedure, and are non-transferable.
24 . The method of claim 23 wherein the identification procedure comprises creating a virtual identity for a recipient, and issuing a second document bearing the virtual identity, which must be associated with the redeemable document to implement redemption of any portion of the associated donation.