113 results about "Non profit" patented technology

This invention is a means both to allocate all types of resources for commercial, governmental, or non-profit organizations and to price such resources. A linear programming process makes fulfillment allocations used to produce product units. A Resource-conduit process governs the linear programming process, uses two-sided shadow prices, and makes aperture allocations to allow Potential-demand to become Realized-demand. A strict opportunity cost perspective is employed, and the cost of buyable resources is deemed to be the opportunity cost of tying up cash. Resource available quantities, product resource requirements, and Potential-demand as a statistical distribution are specified in a database. The invention reads the database, performs optimization, and then writes allocation directives to the database. Also determined and written to the database are resource marginal (incremental) values and product marginal costs. The database can be viewed and edited through the invention's Graphical User Interface. Monte Carlo simulation, along with generation of supply and demand schedules, is included to facilitate analysis, explore "what if," and interact with the user to develop product offering, product pricing, and resource allocation strategies and tactics.

A method for confirming a request for an association with an organization by a user of a web-based social network is disclosed. In one embodiment, the request includes an e-mail address not controlled by the organization. The request may also be part of an application for membership with the web-based social network. A determination is made whether the request is accepted based at least partially on a specified number of prior requests for association with the organization or being identified as a member of the organization by another user already a member of the organization. The organization may be a high school, a college, a university, a business, a non-profit company, or any other group of people who may desire to associate with each other.

To enable a non-profit to make informed decision about how to spend its limited resources efficiently to maximize its donations, systems and methods to determine prospect propensity and prospect capacity to identify what types of donations, such as annual gifts, major one-time gifts, or planned gifts, the non-profit should solicit from its pool of prospective donors and the likely amount of each such gift. Systems and methods that enable the non-profit further to identify what types of planned gift, such as bequests, charitable remainder trusts, charitable gift annuities, pooled income funds, and life insurance, it should solicit from each of its prospective donors. The systems and methods use models developed using statistical analysis to generate relative scores for all prospective donors in the pool. Such scores and additional wealth information are provided to the non-profit in electronic format for further manipulation and use.

This invention is a means both to allocate all types of resources for commercial, governmental, or non-profit organizations and to price such resources. A linear programming process makes fulfillment allocations used to produce product units. A Resource-conduit process governs the linear programming process, uses two-sided shadow prices, and makes aperture allocations to allow Potential-demand to become Realized-demand. A strict opportunity cost perspective is employed, and the cost of buyable resources is deemed to be the opportunity cost of tying up cash. Resource available quantities, product resource requirements, and Potential-demand as a statistical distribution are specified in a database. The invention reads the database, performs optimization, and then writes allocation directives to the database. Also determined and written to the database are resource marginal (incremental) values and product marginal costs. The database can be viewed and edited through the invention's Graphical User Interface. Monte Carlo simulation, along with generation of supply and demand schedules, is included to facilitate analysis, explore “what if,” and interact with the user to develop product offering, product pricing, and resource allocation strategies and tactics.

A method and apparatus that eliminates blind networking and allows targeted networking amongst event attendees, both for personal as well as professional reasons, while also making events ubiquitously available anytime anywhere beyond the physical limitations of time and space, such that anyone anywhere in the world can not only attend the event from the comfort of his office desk or home but also network with the other event attendees without physically attending the event is disclosed. Event hosts can be any non-profit / for-profit organization or entity hosting events of any nature in any realm. Another embodiment of the invention provides enhanced, multiple levels of profile content privacy that give complete freedom, control, and flexibility to the users to express themselves fearlessly by controlling the specific chosen contents in their profiles for input, storage, analysis, retrieval, and / or display to specific chosen authorized users or groups. Another embodiment of the invention provides integration in a chat / instant messaging to allow a user to set up an online meeting with one or more participants in the chat and / or that allows a user to find a meeting place where one or more participants can decide to meet in person locally or globally in various parts of the world. Another embodiment of the invention is related to sales and revenue generation, particularly for e-commerce / e-services companies whose products or services, which include but not limited to, yellow page, directory, or business information databases by area, reach large numbers of users directly.

A non-profit method and system for an enhanced charity portal website. The present invention is able to provide a plurality of charities that donors can contribute to. The present invention allows users to create activity or cause profiles in which donors can support the cause. Each activity profile is associated with a charity of choice by the user. The website of the present invention is maintained using the revenues earned through its advertisements and shopping services. All of the revenue earned minus the cost for the website maintenance is donated to the charity in addition to outside donor donations.

A method for confirming a request for an association with an organization by a user of a web-based social network is disclosed. In one embodiment, the request includes an e-mail address not controlled by the organization. The request may also be part of an application for membership with the web-based social network. A determination is made whether the request is accepted based at least partially on a specified number of prior requests for association with the organization or being identified as a member of the organization by another user already a member of the organization. The organization may be a high school, a college, a university, a business, a non-profit company, or any other group of people who may desire to associate with each other.

The present invention includes compiling a database listing a plurality of future events, each future event to be sponsored by one or more non-profit institutions and having at least one associated advertising opportunity and an associated participation fee. The participation fee may be determined by an advertising opportunities aggregator, the institutions, and / or a market place. The aggregator identifies or otherwise notifies a plurality of advertisers and offers at least one of the advertisers an option to participate in the advertising opportunities in exchange for the participation fee. The participation fee may include a contribution portion for the non-profit institution sponsoring the future event and an advertising fee portion for the advertising opportunity aggregator. The present invention may also be embodied as a system, including a network, software, and databases, for automating the above method.

A method, system, and computer-readable medium facilitate the making of donations on a mobile communication device. A plurality of non-profit icons is displayed on the mobile communication device. Information about the non-profits possibly including its logo and donation icons may be displayed in some embodiments. After selecting a non-profit icon, a user can make a donation of an indicated kind and amount to the non-profit represented by the icon. After pledging a monetary donation, a communications provider may collect the donation on the communication provider's bill and gives the donation to the indicated non-profit. Potential donors may be offered the option to make non-monetary donations, such as their time.

In a computerized accounting system, a method of tracking and analyzing financial transaction information associated with accounts, without the need for addition account segments to define the account number of each account, includes defining at least one transaction code, each transaction code having a plurality of permissible values, receiving a transaction having an amount and being associated with an account, and associating the transaction with a project and with a value from the plurality of permissible values for the at least one transaction code. Another method includes subdividing the total amount of the transaction into two or more portions, each portion being associated with a project and with respective values of the permissible values for a plurality of transaction codes. Use of the transaction codes results in improved reporting and enhanced data analysis.

Systems, methods and apparatuses for producing a competitive giving marketplace through a social impact marketing platform is disclosed. A portal for consumers, merchants, nonprofits, merchant processors, and financial institutions (participants) is provided to interact in the online and physical marketplace connected to the portal and may create and host competitive events to generate revenues for a designated nonprofit, purpose or cause. An administrative system coordinates the relationship between participants and the receipt of revenue generated for participants. The system and method disclosed provide ways for participants to measure, verify, and market the generated revenue through a portal, in order to combine and direct designated revenues for a designated nonprofit or other purpose in a competitive giving marketplace.

A system, method, and device comprising a virtual badge are disclosed. A virtual badge can be displayed on a cell phone or in another linked portable device, and for security purposes, has images which can be scanned, and the capability to alternate colors and / or self-destruct on a pre-set schedule. Whether for after a disaster or for daily use, the system uses cell phones or mobile devices loaded with specialized software. Using plugin technologies, the system optionally can enable field collected photos and notes on customizable forms to be mapped, tracked, and time / date stamped—including in a 100% disconnected environment. A modifiable virtual badge can aid in inventory, accountability, organization, and efficiency. The system can be employed by the “Whole Community”—citizens, businesses, not-for-profits, and government agencies—for social media, business, cleanup, insurance adjusters, or personnel focused on day to day operations or on mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery.

A system, method, and device comprising a virtual badge are disclosed. A virtual badge can be displayed on a cell phone or in another linked portable device, and for security purposes, has images which can be scanned, and the capability to alternate colors and / or self-destruct on a pre-set schedule. Whether for after a disaster or for daily use, the system uses cell phones or mobile devices loaded with specialized software. Using plugin technologies, the system optionally can enable field collected photos and notes on customizable forms to be mapped, tracked, and time / date stamped—including in a 100% disconnected environment. A modifiable virtual badge can aid in inventory, accountability, organization, and efficiency. The system can be employed by the “Whole Community”—citizens, businesses, not-for-profits, and government agencies—for social media, business, cleanup, insurance adjusters, or personnel focused on day to day operations or on mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery.

A system and method for calculating and communicating personalized product environmental information to users at the point of purchase, for accounting for pollution resulting from raw material production, manufacture, use disposal and packaging of the purchased product and for accounting for price surcharges paid by the purchaser. In a preferred embodiment, the user can scan a Universal Product Code on a product label using a handheld computer with a bar code reader and view personalized product information and ratings on the handheld computer. In another preferred embodiment, the information can be viewed on a desktop computer when purchasing online over a network. Preferably, individual pollution and price surcharge accounts are maintained for each user based on purchases, allowing for price surcharges and non-profit donations to be collected based on product lifecycle pollution quantities.

The disclosed embodiments provide systems and methods for facilitating transfer of funds to a charitable organization or a charitable cause, for example, and facilitate the use of accounts that are established for charitable gift-giving in making contributions to a charitable cause through a website, for example. Such accounts include, but are not limited to, donor advised funds (DAF). A method includes receiving a first signal including instructions, a request or advice indicating a desire to direct one or more payments to a donor-selected charity. At least a portion of the payment is to be transferred from a giving account, the giving account having been established to hold funds for charitable gift-giving.

The present invention discloses a method and system for collecting, standardizing, and analyzing lending data from all the offices of a financial institution, including information on small business, home equity, motor vehicle, credit card, mortgage, other secured and unsecured consumer products for commercial, community development, not-for-profit, and consortium customers. The invention enables data collection and analysis in a timely fashion such that interim reports may be prepared so that changes in lending practices can be implemented to assist with assuring compliance with the fair lending acts. A central repository is linked to all of the offices of the financial institution, and data mapping features are used to provide standardized reporting so that all data will be reported in a standardized form. The system processes, collects and standardizes information on new loans, renewals, credit line increases and application decisions for all of the business units within a financial institution. The present invention permits internal management reporting for review of performances against the CRA and HMDA plans. It also permits preparation of the reports for filing with the federal regulatory agencies, such as OCC, FRS and OTS. Furthermore, the present invention permits rapid response to federal regulatory agency audits of reported CRA and HMDA information.

An internet-based process through which merchants can execute targeted marketing campaigns to individuals based on payments data in addition to traditional criteria such as tastes, preferences and demographics. The process utilizes registration of bankcard association branded credit and debit cards as well as other payment vehicles for a consumer rewards program that tracks payment data at merchants that are registered for the service. The merchant has the ability to advertise to an infinite number of individuals with no up-front marketing costs, paying only a marketing fee that is a percentage of a transaction between a registered cardholder or payment vehicle holder and that merchant. Unlike traditional advertising, the invention allows merchants to discriminately offer different incentives (discounts or other incentives) to different consumers in a discrete fashion.The process helps entities that sell advertising (such as media companies) quantify the effectiveness of this advertising to merchants by tracking every time a registered consumer makes a purchase with the merchant. Additionally, the process helps both advertising and fundraising entities, such as non-profits, capture a percentage of the spending between registered cardholders or payment vehicle holders and merchants.

Systems and methods for representing, editing, and operating on multi-dimensional data efficiently, compactly, and in real-time with an intuitive graphical user interface without requiring extensive user training are provided. The multi-dimensional data consist of data pertaining to the allocation of labor, equipment, and material to project cost centers in business, educational, non-profit, and governmental organizations. The multi-dimensional data are stored in a multi-dimensional database that is accessed by the graphical user interface. The graphical user interface enables users to manipulate a large amount of data in a limited display area.

A commercial system with identifiable reading tags to get useful data is provided. A participation entity, such as a business store, company, non-profit organization, or person, etc., applies registration to a system provider, or the system provider actively provides to create a plurality of identifiable reading tags with unified specification protocol which are fixed on participation entities, such as at least one store, street intersection, public facility, transportation, public used advertisement or product, business card. Every identifiable reading tag has a special label and at least one content tag object capable of representing content data of corresponding participation entities. The data, i.e. corresponding participation entities, content data, and identifiable reading tags, etc., will be integrated into a system database thereby not only benefits to compensate the positioning function with other communication positioning systems but also convenient for users to get a useful data in real time.

A computer system and computer-implemented method present a suite of challenging and entertaining mobile games, obstacles, or tasks (“challenges”) within a navigable virtual environment simulating a real world venue. Businesses may reach consumers in a targeted, non-invasive, and integrated way with promotions, coupons, merchandise, affinity points or other prizes presented within the virtual environment. Certain advertising and promotions may be sent to particular users based upon user preferences, past user activity, user location, and / or other factors. The rewards (such as points or prizes) offered may also be targeted and selected based upon user preferences, past user activity, user location, and / or other factors. The rewards may be redeemable and transferrable. The computer system may allow sponsors such as shopping mall owners and operators, retailers, non-profit organizations and other enterprises, or individuals, to customize their promotional offerings, advertising, and challenges based in part upon real time data about user behavior and preferences.

An automated way for sales establishments to extend point of sale (POS) cash transactions to allow consumers to save change or transfer discretionary funds into saving or donating accounts managed by a central clearinghouse. The system includes a network composed of consumer / payors with identification cards, neutral merchants who enter data and funds into remote POS terminals, central clearinghouse that offers / process accounts, and service providers for participating consumer / account holders, i.e. nonprofit giving, travel, mutual funds, savings, etc. The network provides consumers with a seamless, convenient, and painless way to save / donate every time they spend at multiple POS counter locations.

Various embodiments of the invention provide methods and systems for raising funds for organizations, and in particular cases, non-profit organizations. Merely by way of example, one set of embodiments provides, in a relationship between a product provider and a non-profit organization, a method of providing funding for the non-profit organization. Another set of embodiments includes systems which can, in a relationship between a product provider and an organization (including, for example, a non-profit organization), provide funding under a fund raising program for the organization. Such systems can comprise a processor, an interface in communication with the processor, and a computer readable medium in communication with the processor. The interface can be configured to interact with a user. Merely by way of example, the interface can comprise a web interface and / or a telephonic interface (which may include an integrated voice response system).

The present invention discloses methods, systems, and program code that enable a nonprofit organization to manage its fundraising activities online. Disclosed are methods and systems for providing online hosting of fundraising auctions, and auction services such as maintaining donor / bidder registries, bid tracking, processing credit cards, and auction closeout activities. Also disclosed are a plurality of on-line, web-based tools, including tools for: 1) building a customized homepage reflecting the look and feel of the nonprofit organization; 2) building a customized catalog that allows for easy addition of items and pictures; and 3) enhanced email messaging that lets a nonprofit organization reach its constituents. According to one aspect of the invention, participants of a competitive fund raising event such as a walk-a-thon, bike-a-thon, climb-a-thon, etc., and their supporters can donate items for a charitable auction during the catalog building process and assign either the item value or the eventual sales price of the item to one or more -thon participant(s). Alternatively, a bidder may assign the winning bid price of and unassigned auction item to one or more -thon participant(s). The total value of items donated or sold, is tracked per participant and facilitates the coordination of the charitable auction along with other competitive fund raising activities.

The present invention discloses methods, systems, and program code that enable a nonprofit organization to manage its fundraising activities online. Disclosed are methods and systems for providing online hosting of fundraising auctions, and auction services such as maintaining donor / bidder registries, bid tracking, processing credit cards, and auction closeout activities. According to one aspect of the invention, an event scheduler automatically calculates a plurality of event milestones both before and after the events. The user to enter. Based on a designated date for either a physical or virtual auction, the event scheduler 1) creates a series of tasks, such as auction announcement, auction RSVP, first catalog publication, etc.; 2) suggests dates by which those tasks should be completed; and 3) sends alerts in the form of automatically generated emails notifying the auction committee in advance of the completion date for each task so that action can be taken to send the communications out to constituency up. According to another aspect of the invention, if a task is not completed within a predetermined threshold of the milestone date, the system offers one or more recommendations helpful in completing the task. According to another aspect of the invention, a user may design the look and feel of the auction from a selection of one or more auction templates or from an auction template previously populated with user defined parameters.

The present invention discloses methods, systems, and program code that enable a nonprofit organization to manage its fundraising activities online. Disclosed are methods and systems for providing online hosting of fundraising auctions, and auction services such as maintaining donor / bidder registries, bid tracking, processing credit cards, and auction closeout activities. Also disclosed are a plurality of on-line, web-based tools, including tools for: 1) building a customized homepage reflecting the look and feel of the nonprofit organization; 2) building a customized catalog that allows for easy addition of items and pictures; and 3) enhanced email messaging that lets a nonprofit organization reach its constituents. According to the invention, the system enables an auction administrator to enable, at the global event level or on a per item basis, the ability for donors and / or buyers in an auction to assign either the value of an item or the final selling price of an item to a specific chapter of an organization or to a specific organization when multiple organizations are participating in a common auction. Alternatively, a buyer or donor can specify a fraction or percentage of the value or selling price such that multiple causes, chapters, or organizations may receive partial credit on the donation or sale of an item.

The present invention discloses methods, systems, and program code that enable a nonprofit organization to manage its fundraising activities online. Disclosed are methods and systems for providing online hosting of fundraising auctions, and auction services such as maintaining donor / bidder registries, bid tracking, processing credit cards, and auction closeout activities. Also disclosed are a plurality of on-line, web-based tools, including tools for: 1) building a customized homepage reflecting the look and feel of the nonprofit organization; 2) building a customized catalog that allows for easy addition of items and pictures; and 3) enhanced email messaging that lets a nonprofit organization reach its constituents. According to one aspect of the invention, an organization can, as part of the auction preferences, include the ability to suggest a ‘round up’ amount to any winning bidder. If enabled, the system will automatically suggest a ‘round up’ purchase price above the winning bid. The bidder would be informed where the ‘round up’ amount will be utilized. The bidder has the option to disregard the ‘round up’ price and continue the close-out with the original winning bid. Also disclosed are techniques for handling payment for auction items upon rejection of electronic payment data.

A method and apparatus that eliminates blind networking and allows targeted networking amongst event attendees, both for personal as well as professional reasons, while also making events ubiquitously available anytime anywhere beyond the physical limitations of time and space, such that anyone anywhere in the world can not only attend the event from the comfort of his office desk or home but also network with the other event attendees without physically attending the event is disclosed. Event hosts can be any non-profit / for-profit organization or entity hosting events of any nature in any realm. Another embodiment of the invention provides enhanced, multiple levels of profile content privacy that give complete freedom, control, and flexibility to the users to express themselves fearlessly by controlling the specific chosen contents in their profiles for input, storage, analysis, retrieval, and / or display to specific chosen authorized users or groups. Another embodiment of the invention provides integration in a chat / instant messaging to allow a user to set up an online meeting with one or more participants in the chat and / or that allows a user to find a meeting place where one or more participants can decide to meet in person locally or globally in various parts of the world. Another embodiment of the invention is related to sales and revenue generation, particularly for e-commerce / e-services companies whose products or services, which include but not limited to, yellow page, directory, or business information databases by area, reach large numbers of users directly.

Systems, methods and computer program products for facilitating the redemption of affinity reward points as contributions are disclosed. In an aspect, “points” or “miles” created through various existing affinity programs prevalent in the credit card and airline industries can be redeemed as (nonprofit) donations. Typically, such reward, award or bonus “points” or “miles” have been redeemed for free or discounted rewards such as airline tickets, hotel room stays, restaurant vouchers or other goods and services. However, millions of vested affinity points or miles are left unused (i.e., unredeemed). The present invention allows a consumer who holds such points or miles to link to a nonprofit organization allowing excess points to be converted into cash donations to such organizations.

A computer-implemented longevity benefit plan provides that a processor of a computer can determine longevity benefit payouts at respective benefit payment dates that participants of the plan can obtain by use of funds accumulated on behalf of the participants. The accumulated funds are based, in part, from contributions by employers who are sponsors of the plan and where the participants are employed by the employers, or by participants who are members of non-profit organizations which are sponsors of the plan. Based on the amount of funds accumulated as of a predetermined date, such as upon the participant's retirement or attaining a certain age, longevity insurance policies available for purchase for the benefit of the participant having desired longevity benefit payouts payable at respective benefit payment dates can be determined. Alternatively, after the predetermined date, the accumulated funds for the participant can be allocated for investment in a trust to provide for longevity benefit payouts payable directly from the trust at respective benefit payment dates.

A system, method, and device comprising a virtual badge are disclosed. A virtual badge can be displayed on a cell phone or in another linked portable device, and for security purposes, has images which can be scanned, and the capability to alternate colors and / or self-destruct on a pre-set schedule. Whether for after a disaster or for daily use, the system uses cell phones or mobile devices loaded with specialized software. Using plugin technologies, the system optionally can enable field collected photos and notes on customizable forms to be mapped, tracked, and time / date stamped—including in a 100% disconnected environment. A modifiable virtual badge can aid in inventory, accountability, organization, and efficiency. The system can be employed by the “Whole Community”—citizens, businesses, not-for-profits, and government agencies—for social media, business, cleanup, insurance adjusters, or personnel focused on day to day operations or on mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery.