System and method for enabling a fundraising and contributions program using fundraising cards redeemable for branded stored-value cards

Abstract

Disclosed is a system and method for enabling a fundraising program using fundraising cards redeemable by NPO supporters for branded stored-value cards. The system includes a scrip company host system having a server, where the server includes a microcontroller. A remote user device, having a display, is operatively coupled to the scrip company host system and configured to enable access to the scrip company web site. The microcontroller is adapted to detect access to the scrip company web site by a NPO, and cause the plurality of fundraising cards to be distributed to the NPO in response to detecting an order for the plurality of fundraising cards by the NPO. The fundraising cards are distributed to the NPO prior to receiving payment from the NPO for the fundraising cards, thereby making it unnecessary for the NPO to carry a paid-for inventory of fundraising cards.

1 . A system for enabling a fundraising program using a plurality of fundraising cards redeemable for a plurality of branded stored-value cards for use by not-for-profit organization (NPO) supporters at an array of merchant vendors, the system comprising: 
 a scrip company host system commissioned by a scrip company, the scrip company host system including a server configured to host a scrip company web site, the server including a microcontroller; and    a remote user device operatively coupled to the scrip company host system and configured to enable access to the scrip company web site, the remote user device including a display and an input device, wherein the microcontroller is adapted to:    detect access to the scrip company web site by the NPO,    cause the plurality of fundraising cards to be distributed to the NPO in response to detecting an order for the plurality of fundraising cards by the NPO, the fundraising cards distributed to the NPO prior to receiving payment from the NPO for an assigned value of the fundraising cards, each of the plurality of fundraising cards delivered to corresponding NPO supporters upon receipt by the NPO of payment for each of the plurality of fundraising cards,    activate the plurality of fundraising cards to form a plurality of activated fundraising cards upon receipt of a payment from the NPO for the plurality of fundraising cards, and    enable redemption of the plurality of activated fundraising cards for the plurality of branded stored-value cards.    
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the microcontroller is further adapted to cause the array of merchant vendors to be paid.  
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the payment from the NPO is equal to the assigned value of the plurality of fundraising cards less a first discount.  
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the first discount is determined via a contractual arrangement between the NPO and the scrip company prior to detecting access to the scrip company web site by the NPO.  
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the first discount is variable based on a denomination of the each of the plurality of fundraising cards.  
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the array of merchant vendors is paid at least the assigned value of the plurality of fundraising cards less a second discount.  
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the second discount is determined via a contractual arrangement between the scrip company and the array of merchant vendors prior to detecting access to the scrip company web site by the NPO.  
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the array of merchant vendors is selected by the NPO from a plurality of participating merchant vendors.  
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the microcontroller is further adapted to: 
 cause a NPO Registration page to be displayed in response to detecting an NPO registration request, the NPO Registration page enabling the NPO to enter identifying and payment information; and    cause a NPO Main Menu page to be displayed in response to detecting proper NPO log-in information based on the NPO identifying information.    
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the NPO Main Menu page includes an order fundraising card option, an activate fundraising card option and a display other NPO services option.  
     
     
         11 . A system for enabling a fundraising program using a plurality of unique identifying codes redeemable for a plurality of services for use by not-for-profit organization (NPO) supporters, the plurality of services provided by an array of service providers, the system comprising: 
 a scrip company host system commissioned by a scrip company, the scrip company host system including a server configured to host a web site, the server including a microcontroller; and    a remote user device operatively coupled to the scrip company host system and configured to enable access to the web site, the remote user device including a display and an input device, wherein the microcontroller is adapted to:    detect access to the web site by the NPO,    cause the plurality of unique identifying codes to be distributed to the NPO in response to detecting an order for the plurality of unique identifying codes by the NPO via the scrip company, the unique identifying codes distributed to the NPO prior to receiving payment from the NPO for the assigned value of the unique identifying codes, each of the plurality of unique identifying codes delivered to corresponding NPO supporters upon receipt by the NPO of payment for each of the plurality of unique identifying codes,    activate the plurality of unique identifying codes to form a plurality of activated unique identifying codes upon receipt of an NPO payment from the NPO for the plurality of unique identifying codes,    enable redemption of the plurality of activated unique identifying codes for the plurality of services.    
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the microcontroller is further adapted to cause the array of service providers to be paid.  
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the NPO payment is equal to the full value of the plurality of unique identifying codes less a first discount.  
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the first discount is determined via a contractual arrangement between the NPO and the scrip company prior to detecting access to the web site by the NPO.  
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the first discount is variable based on a denomination associated with of the each of the plurality of unique identifying codes.  
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the array of service providers is paid at least the full value of the plurality of unique identifying codes less a second discount.  
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the second discount is determined via a contractual arrangement between the scrip company and the array of service providers prior to detecting access to the web site by the NPO.  
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the array of service providers is selected by the NPO from a plurality of participating service providers.  
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the array of service providers includes an airline.  
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the array of service providers includes a hotel.  
     
     
         21 . A method for enabling a fundraising program using a plurality of fundraising cards redeemable for a plurality of branded stored-value cards for use by not-for-profit organization (NPO) supporters at an array of merchant vendors, the method comprising: 
 detecting access to a web site by the NPO;    causing the plurality of fundraising cards to be distributed to the NPO in response to detecting an order for the plurality of fundraising cards by the NPO via the web site, the fundraising cards distributed to the NPO prior to receiving payment from the NPO for the assigned value of the fundraising cards, each of the plurality of fundraising cards delivered to corresponding NPO supporters upon receipt by the NPO of payment for each of the plurality of fundraising cards;    activating the plurality of fundraising cards to form a plurality of activated fundraising cards upon receipt of a payment from the NPO for the plurality of fundraising cards;    causing the array of merchant vendors to be paid; and    enabling redemption of the plurality of activated fundraising cards for the plurality of branded stored-value cards.    
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the payment from the NPO is equal to the assigned value of the plurality of fundraising cards less a first discount.  
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the first discount is determined via a contractual arrangement between the NPO and the scrip company prior to detecting access to the scrip company web site by the NPO.  
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the first discount is variable based on a denomination of the each of the plurality of fundraising cards.  
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the array of merchant vendors is paid at least the assigned value of the plurality of fundraising cards less a second discount.  
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein the second discount is determined via a contractual arrangement between the scrip company and the array of merchant vendors prior to detecting access to the scrip company web site by the NPO.  
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the array of merchant vendors is selected by the NPO from a plurality of participating merchant vendors.  
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising: 
 causing a NPO Registration page to be displayed in response to detecting an NPO registration request, the NPO Registration page enabling the NPO to enter identifying and payment information; and    causing a NPO Main Menu page to be displayed in response to detecting proper NPO log-in information based on the NPO identifying information.    
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein the NPO Main Menu page includes an order fundraising card option, an activate fundraising card option and a display other NPO services option.  
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 26 , further comprising: 
 causing fundraising card vendor choices to be displayed in response to detecting selection of the order fundraising card option;    causing fundraising card denomination choices to be displayed in response to detecting selection of at least one fundraising card vendor choice from the fundraising card vendor choices;    causing fundraising card quantity choices to be displayed in response to detecting selection of at least one fund raising card denomination from the fundraising card denomination choices;    causing fundraising card customization choices to be displayed in response to detecting selection of at least one fundraising card quantity choice from the fundraising card quantity choices;    causing a confirm order option to be displayed in response to detecting selection of at least one fundraising card customization choice from the fundraising card customization choices; and    causing an order confirmation page to be displayed in response to detecting selection of the confirm order option.    
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 29 , further comprising: 
 causing a total value of the plurality of fundraising cards to be displayed in response to detecting selection of the activate fundraising card option and entry of fundraising card numbers associated with the plurality of fundraising cards;    processing the payment from the NPO for the plurality of fundraising cards in response to detecting selection of an activate/pay now option; and    causing an activation/payment confirmation page to be displayed.    
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 29 , further comprising: 
 causing a Loyalty Rewards Program Main Menu page to be displayed in response to detecting a request for loyalty rewards program access;    causing newsletter options to be displayed in response to detecting a request for newsletter access;    causing a newsletter of the newsletter options to be displayed in response to detecting a view newsletter request;    causing a Fundraising Materials Main Menu page to be displayed in response to detecting a fundraising materials request;    causing thank-you note options to be displayed in response to detecting a thank-you notes access request;    causing thank-you note customization options to be displayed in response to detecting selection of at least one thank-you note choice from the thank-you note options;    causing current NPO-specific information to be displayed in response to detecting a NPO-specific information access/modification request; and    confirming current and revised NPO-specific information in response to detecting selection of modification of the current NPO-specific information.    
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising: 
 causing a NPO Supporter Registration page to be displayed in response to detecting an NPO supporter registration request, the NPO Supporter Registration page enabling the NPO supporter to enter NPO supporter identifying and payment information; and    causing a NPO Supporter Main Menu page to be displayed in response to detecting proper NPO supporter log-in information based on the NPO supporter identifying information.    
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein the NPO Supporter Main Menu page includes a redeem fundraising cards option, a view NPO-specific information option and a display newsletters option.  
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 34 , further comprising: 
 causing NPO-specific information to be displayed in response to detecting entry of a NPO-specific identifying information;    causing choice of newsletters to be displayed in response to detecting selection of a view newsletters choice; and    causing a newsletter to be displayed in response to detecting selection of the newsletter from the choice of newsletters.    
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 34 , further comprising: 
 causing an enter fundraising card identification number prompt to be displayed in response to detecting selection of a redeem fundraising card choice;    causing an array of merchant vendor choices to be displayed in response to detecting entry of a fundraising card identification number;    causing an add value option to be displayed in response to detecting selection of a merchant vendor from the array of merchant vendor choices;    causing a payment for added value option to be displayed in response to detecting selection of an add value choice;    causing a request for payment method details to be displayed in response to detecting a payment method choice;    causing a delivery details request to be displayed in response to detecting entry of payment method details;    causing gift card options to be displayed in response to detecting entry of delivery details;    causing gift card customization options to be displayed in response to detecting selection of a gift card choice;    detecting gift card customization choices;    causing confirmation page to be displayed; and    processing order and payment in response to detecting confirmation.