DONATION SYSTEM AND METHOD

• US 20050021353A1
• Filed: 01/06/2004
• Published: 01/27/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 07/25/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Liberty Peak Ventures, LLC (Dominion Harbor Enterprises, LLC)
• Original Assignee: American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc. (American Express Company)
• Inventors: O'Malley, Anne, Lee, Wendy W., Halpern, Jason D., Aviles, Karen, Reveron-Lens, Barbara, Craig, Mary Ellen, Mariella, Anna
• Application Number:
  US10/707,715
• Publication Number:
  US 20050021353A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0279 Fundraising management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing

Abstract

The present invention includes an automatic bill payment enrollment system for recurring donations, which allows donors to automatically charge charitable donations on a recurring basis to a financial account. In one embodiment, the invention uses a donation portal having various webpages to allow a donor to donate to all U.S. 501(c)(3) organizations. In an alternative embodiment, a donor may donate to any other desired organizations. The system may also incorporate a filter for restricting monies being sent to terrorist organizations. The invention also includes a loyalty point system, wherein loyalty points may be donated to a charity. In another exemplary embodiment, the invention also facilitates employee gift matching.

Claims

1. A donation engine which is configured to facilitate:

providing access to a plurality of government approved charities;

searching for at least one of said charities; and

receiving donation information including recurring billing information, donor information, and donation amount.

2. The engine of claim 1 wherein said donation engine is located in an online environment.

3. The engine of claim 1 wherein said donation information further includes loyalty point donation information.

4. The engine of claim 1 wherein said donation information further includes gift matching information.

5. The engine of claim 1, wherein said providing access to a plurality of government approved charities includes providing access to all government approved 501(c) charities.

6. The engine of claim 1, wherein said providing access to a plurality of government approved charities includes providing access to all government approved 501(c) charities via a donation portal.

7. A donation method, said method comprising:

accessing an online donation portal, wherein said donation portal is configured to provide access to a plurality of government approved charities;

searching for at least one of said charities using a search function of said donation portal; and

,

entering donation information into said donation portal, wherein donation information includes recurring billing information, donor information, and donation amount.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein said donation information further includes loyalty point donation information.

9. The method of claim 7 wherein said donation information further includes gift matching information.

10. A donation method, said method comprising:

accessing at least one of a plurality of accessible government approved charities;

receiving donation information for at least one of said charities, wherein donation information includes loyalty point information, donor information, and donation amount; and

verifying said loyalty point information.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein said receiving donation information further includes receiving recurring billing information.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein said receiving donation information further includes receiving gift matching information.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein said accessing at least one of a plurality of accessible government approved charities includes accessing at least one of all government approved 501(c) charities.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein said accessing at least one of a plurality of accessible government approved charities includes accessing at least one of all government approved 501(c) charities via a donation portal.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein verifying loyalty point information includes communicating with at least one third party, said third party including at least one of a financial institution, a charity, a loyalty point issuer, and a government entity authorized to approve charities.

16. An online donation method, said method comprising:

accessing at least one of a plurality of accessible government approved charities;

receiving donation information for at least one of said charities, wherein said donation information includes gift matching information, donor information, and donation amount; and

verifying said gift matching information.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein said donation information includes loyalty point donation information.

18. The method of claim 16 wherein said donation information further includes recurring billing information.

19. The method of claim 16 wherein accessing includes providing at least one of listing capabilities, searching capabilities and selecting capabilities.

20. The method of claim 16 wherein verifying gift matching information includes communicating with at least one third party, said third party including at least one of an employer, a financial institution, and the Internal Revenue Service.