Payment methods

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Options open to prolong/spread fundraising activities through the year. I.e. some sort of regular smaller donation, say $5 / month whereas the annual fundraiser is unlikely to have the same donor give $60 in a lump.

1. Direct debit requires the Foundation to meet specific requirements related into the account's trustworthiness. Foundation would need to comply with data security requirements and send instructions to banks for clearing.

2. Standing order could be as simple as a form filled in to be printed, signed, and handed in to the bank.

3. Micropayments requires further investigation.

4. A "pledge bank" requires some development work/infrastructure to implement. To put it briefly, you'd be inviting people to make a promise to give a certain amount each month/quarter/whatever. They give you their email address, and at the given interval you send them a reminder to pay the pledge with an associated newsletter. The email contains a link to a custom donate page with their promised amount filled in and links to buttons and perhaps certificates that they can use to advertise the fact that they have committed to supporting the WMF.

Examples

With a bank account in Belgium anyone can pick up a form from their bank, fill in to make payment to 068-9999995-01 from their account, $5/month - per current incentives, if you and 99 others do this that allows us to provide 150 million page views. (realistically over 200 million as it'd be 5 EUR/mo. and the rate is good for buying dollars ATM).

A form could be scanned, pre-filled with the Foundation's Belgian account details just leaving the donor's bank account and signature required. There will only be a cost associated with this when the money is transferred out of Belgium. That'd be done periodically to keep transaction costs to a minimum.

Same form can be used to that with most of the Home banking solutions, or self-service machines in the bank.