Method and apparatus for processing on-line donations

Abstract

A computer-implemented method and apparatus for processing on-line donations is disclosed. An example embodiment includes elements to generate a donation badge for display on a web page; link the donation badge with an account on a payment site; receive a donation from a donor via the donation badge; and credit the donation to the account linked to the donation badge.

1 . A method comprising:
 enabling a user to create a user interface (UI) element for display on a publisher web site;   linking the UI element with a receivables account on a payment site, the payment site being configured to process transactions from the publisher web site;   conditioning, by a machine having a memory and at least one processor, a use of the UI element by the user on a determination that the UI element is linked to an approved account that has been validated as being controlled or owned by an approved entity;   receiving an indication of a transaction via the UI element displayed on the publisher web site; and   crediting the transaction to the receivables account linked to the UI element.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the UI element is configured to solicit a selection of at least one of a plurality of non-monetary items on a wish list from a party to the transaction, the transaction including the selected at least one of the plurality of non-monetary items. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising creating multiple instantiations of the UI element in child elements that are displayed on a plurality of web pages, the child elements having different modification rights than the UI element, each child element being linked to the receivables account on the payment site. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , further comprising causing to be displayed a visual representation of a hierarchical structure of the UI element and child elements created from the UI element, wherein the visual representation of the hierarchical structure comprises a node for each UI element and child element. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , further comprising causing to be displayed adjacent to each node in the hierarchical structure a total amount that has been donated via the UI element or the child element corresponding to the node. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the creation of at least one of the multiple instantiations of the UI element is performed in response to the UI element being dragged and dropped to an area on one of the plurality of web pages. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein conditioning the use of the UI element by the user comprises conditioning the use of the UI element by the user on a determination that the UI element is linked to an approved non-profit account that has been validated as being controlled or owned by an approved non-profit entity. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein conditioning the use of the UI element by the user comprises conditioning an activation of the UI element on the determination that the UI element is linked to an approved account that has been validated as being controlled or owned by an approved entity. 
     
     
         9 . A system comprising:
 a machine having a memory and at least one processor; and   at least one module, executable by the at least one processor, configured to:
 enable a user to create a user interface (UI) element for display on a publisher web site; 
 link the UI element with a receivables account on a payment site, the payment site being configured to process transactions from the publisher web site; 
 condition a use of the UI element by the user on a determination that the UI element is linked to an approved account that has been validated as being controlled or owned by an approved entity; 
 receive an indication of a transaction via the UI element displayed on the publisher web site; and 
 credit the transaction to the receivables account linked to the UI element. 
   
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the UI element is configured to solicit a selection of at least one of a plurality of non-monetary items on a wish list from a party to the transaction, the transaction including the selected at least one of the plurality of non-monetary items. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the at least one module is further configured to create multiple instantiations of the UI element in child elements that are displayed on a plurality of web pages, the child elements having different modification rights than the UI element, each child element being linked to the receivables account on the payment site. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the at least one module is further configured to cause to be displayed a visual representation of a hierarchical structure of the UI element and child elements created from the UI element, wherein the visual representation of the hierarchical structure comprises a node for each UI element and child element. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the at least one module is further configured to cause to be displayed adjacent to each node in the hierarchical structure a total amount that has been donated via the UI element or the child element corresponding to the node. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the at least one module is further configured to perform the creation of at least one of the multiple instantiations of the UI element in response to the UI element being dragged and dropped to an area on one of the plurality of web pages. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein conditioning the use of the UI element by the user comprises conditioning the use of the UI element by the user on a determination that the UI element is linked to an approved non-profit account that has been validated as being controlled or owned by an approved non-profit entity. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein conditioning the use of the UI element by the user comprises conditioning an activation of the UI element on the determination that the UI element is linked to an approved account that has been validated as being controlled or owned by an approved entity. 
     
     
         17 . A non-transitory machine-readable storage medium storing a set of instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, causes the at least one processor to perform a set of operations comprising:
 enable a user to create a user interface (UI) element for display on a publisher web site;   link the UI element with a receivables account on a payment site, the payment site being configured to process transactions from the publisher web site;   condition a use of the UI element by the user on a determination that the UI element is linked to an approved account that has been validated as being controlled or owned by an approved entity;   receive an indication of a transaction via the UI element displayed on the publisher web site; and   credit the transaction to the receivables account linked to the UI element.   
     
     
         18 . The storage medium of  claim 17 , wherein the UI element is configured to solicit a selection of at least one of a plurality of non-monetary items on a wish list from a party to the transaction, the transaction including the selected at least one of the plurality of non-monetary items. 
     
     
         19 . The storage medium of  claim 17 , wherein the set of operations further comprises creating multiple instantiations of the UI element in child elements that are displayed on a plurality of web pages, the child elements having different modification rights than the UI element, each child element being linked to the receivables account on the payment site. 
     
     
         20 . The storage medium of  claim 19 , wherein the set of operations further comprises causing to be displayed a visual representation of a hierarchical structure of the UI element and child elements created from the UI element, wherein the visual representation of the hierarchical structure comprises a node for each UI element and child element.