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Glossary
Glossary
This is a term given by the government to indicate that the organization is a registered not-for-profit charity. DonationNetwork is a registered 501c3 charity. As such, we are only able to provide donations to those companies listed with the government as 501c3 charities.
Affiliate ExpensesBack To Top
Affiliate expenses are associated with being a charity that has a main state/national office and regional affiliate offices. This can either be in the form of a national charity distributing funds to affiliates for the affiliate to continue it's work, or a local charity paying dues to a national charity.
Blocks of DonationsBack To Top
Each entry in the Donation Matching Program is exactly $50.00. Since all entries are the same we call them 'blocks of donations.' There is no limit to the amount of blocks a person can have. If one person wants to contribute $500.00 through the Donation Matching Program they would have contributed 10 blocks of donations. (10 x 50 = 500)
CharityBack To Top
A Not-for-Profit company that has programs dedicated to charitable causes.
Charity FavoritesBack To Top
A list of charities that members of our site have grouped together as their favorites. Any member can create a 'charity favorites' list. Charity favorites can be made public to share or left as private for only your use.
Charity FundBack To Top
A Charity Fund is a group of charities created by a DonationNetwork member. These funds usually have a common theme or charitable mission. Charity funds can be donated to, reviewed, or updated just like any individual charity. Members may create their own personal Charity Funds, and may also share Charity Funds with other Members.
Charity RatingBack To Top
A 1-Star to 5-Star rating for a Charity, or Charity Fund, with 5-Stars being the best.

* Members rate charities based on their own criteria (usually personal experience).
* DonationNetwork.org ratings are based on financial information.
Charity ReviewBack To Top
DonationNetwork.org members may submit a review of any Charity, or Charity Fund. These reviews, once approved, are viewable on the charity's information page. Charity reviews contain:

* A brief title as an overview of the review.
* A detailed review of the charity
* A Charity Rating of 1 to 5 Stars
* The relationship the member has with the charity (employee, volunteer, other)
Coming SoonBack To Top
This refers to a program or feature that is under development. We are working to complete this area and hope to have it available shortly.
ContributorBack To Top
This is the second stage of philanthropy in our Donation Matching Program. In this stage you will be rewarded with $250.00 in matching funds. To reach this stage you or your team must secure at least 33 blocks of donations. For complete information check the online Stage-2 Contributor page.
CookiesBack To Top
Cookies are basic bits of information stored on your computer to let us know who you are when you return to the DonationNetwork.org website. You must have cookies enabled on your browser to register with DonationNetwork.
DesignationBack To Top
Donations to charities may include a recommendation for the use for the funds. An example would be designating a donation to the YOUTH GROUP when donating to your local church. DonationNetwork.org will pass the designation information to the charity. Please note that the charity is not legally required to follow the designation suggestion, but most charities do their best to accommodate donation designations.
Direct DepositBack To Top
DonationNetwork uses direct deposit to provide you with matching funds. Currently this is the only payment option that we provide. Funds are only directly deposited if you have selected that option through your account status page. Otherwise, and by default, matching funds are deposited to the charity you have selected.
Donation Matching ProgramBack To Top
The Donation Matching Program is a revolutionary tool designed to excite and encourage others to donate. The program provides compensation to members who secure certain amounts of donations on our behalf. The program has three different stages, each with greater compensation, to continually motivate members to secure additional donations. You can get complete information on the program by checking out the online information on the Donation Matching Program pages.
E-mailsBack To Top
DonationNetwork does not send out daily e-mails. E-mails are only sent if you specify in your set-up that you wish to receive e-mails from us. In situations such as "Forgot your password" or "Your credit card is about to expire," will you receive an e-mail. All other communication will be sent in messages through your online account.
Featured CharityBack To Top
A Featured Charity is typically one of the most well known charities in a specific area. In order to help you find a charity amongst the 1.5 million charities out there, we have tried to highlight some of the most well known charities as 'Featured Charities.' This is not a recommendation or promotion for that charity, only that it receives more interest on our site then other charities in that category.
Form 990Back To Top
Tax form filed by non-profit companies each year. This form can include information such as financial data, address, contacts, list of officers, top salaries, etc... How complete the forms are filled out varies greatly from one charity to the next.
Fund Raising ExpensesBack To Top
Fund raising expenses refer to the amount of money a charity requires to operate any fund raisers they host. These may include: newspaper ads, mailings, cost of printing, television ads, phone calls, ect... etc... Numbers can be deceiving in this area. You should pay more attention to the percentage of fund raising expenses compared to the amount of funds raised. This will provide you with a better picture of the efficiency of the charity in the area of raising funds.
In Honor OfBack To Top
Donations may be made to a charity to honor someone. Typically used for charity gifts and wedding charity registries. DonationNetwork.org will supply the charity with the name of the person being honored, and a message that the donation is being made in their name.
In Memory OfBack To Top
Donations may be made to a charity in the memory of someone. DonationNetwork.org will supply the charity with the name of the person being honored, and a message that the donation is being made in their name.
Informational MessageBack To Top
A message from DonationNetwork.org for informational purposes like:

* Special Donation Requests (i.e. disaster relief)
* New Donation Matching Program features
* Critical policy updates
IRS Identification NumberBack To Top
To legally operate, all business must register with the IRS. When they register they are provided an IRS Identification Number. This number does not effect how the charity operates.
Matching FundsBack To Top
Matching Funds provided to the team leader by DonationNetwork for their efforts in obtaining other contributions. Matching funds are based on the stage of the program the team leader has achieved. These funds are given to the team leader and for him/her to decide how they are to be distributed.
Member NumberBack To Top
When joining the Donation Matching Program, you will be given a "Member Number". Since each Member can build their own Team, this "Member Number" is also used as your "Team Number". The team number is the number which other people interested in joining your team will enter online when joining.
MessagesBack To Top
DonationNetwork uses a messaging system as the means of communication. We have found the messaging system to be more effective and efficient than standard emails. Your messages are accessed through your messages link in your account status page. The only people who are able to send you messages are the people in your Team and DonationNetwork.
Monthly NewsletterBack To Top
The monthly DonationNetwork.org Newsletter, which covers topics from Success Stories, Spotlight Charities, Charity Donation Summary, etc.
My AccountBack To Top
Any person who makes a donation will be assigned an account. Account details can be accessed through the Account Status page. You can also manage your account through the account status page.
NetworkBack To Top
Your Network consists of you as the Team Leader, your Team Members, and the Network Support you receive from other Donation Matching Program members.

This combined Team effort helps you reach the next Program Stage faster. This is one of the most powerful features of the Donation Matching Program.
Network MarketingBack To Top
Network Marketing, or Relationship Marketing, is a business-distribution model that allows a parent company to market its products directly to consumers by means of relationship referrals and direct selling. Examples include Mary Kay, Primerica, Longaberger, Tupperware, Discovery Toys, Amway, and many more.
Network SupportBack To Top
Network Support is the support your team receives from other Members of the Donation Matching Program who are not on your team. This helps you reach the next Program Stage faster. This is one of the most powerful features of the Donation Matching Program. To help you understand the network support check out How does the Network Support work?.
Non-ProfitBack To Top
Type of business that is not allowed by law to make a profit. These companies are required to use any profit made toward the goal or mission of the company. Most charities are non-profit organizations.
One Time DonationBack To Top
This is a single donation made once, in any amount, to a Charity or Charity Fund through DonationNetwork.org.
OrganizationBack To Top
The number of Donation Matching Program members that are either on your Team, within one of your Team Member's Organization, or from Spillover
Outside CauseBack To Top
Outside causes are charitable organizations or groups that you may wish to provide funding to but are not listed on our website. By law we are only allowed to donate to registered 501c3 charities. (which are the ones listed online) We understand that not all good causes are registered with the government. Therefore you can select matching funds to be directly deposited to your account. This allows you to support any cause you choose!
Overhead ExpensesBack To Top
The amount of money it costs to run the organization. These fixed costs may include but are not limited to: rent, utilities, salaries, phone, etc... Although these cost should remain low, they are necessary for the charity to continue operating.
PatronBack To Top
The third and final stage of philanthropy in the Donation Matching Program. The Patron stage compensates your efforts with $1000.00 a month in matching funds. To reach this stage your team must be securing at least 100 blocks of donations on our behalf.
PhilanthropyBack To Top
The act of donating money, goods, services, time or effort to support a charitable cause.
Primary Team NumberBack To Top
A Primary Team Number refers to the Team Number of the account which has a Secondary Team Number linked to it. New donation matching program entries that join the Primary Team will actually be placed on the team of one of the Secondary Team Number accounts such that it will count as one a Qualifying Entry for the Secondary Team Number.
PrivateBack To Top
A charity favorite or charity funds that are not available to the public. Funds and favorites are not viewable by others unless it is marked as public.
Program ExpensesBack To Top
Amount of funds a charity dedicates toward it's goal. Usually the larger the number in this area the better.
PublicBack To Top
'Public' means to make your information available for others to view. For example, you make a favorites list of charities that you are interested in. You can opt to make it public which will allow others to view what charities you prefer. No personal information is passed along, only the list of charities.
Public Charity FundBack To Top
A Charity Fund may be made public so that other DonationNetwork.org users may donate to the Public Charity Fund you created.

A Public Charity Fund is added to the DonationNetwork.org search engine and charity listings so other may easily find it.

Once made public, the fund cannot be changed back to a private Charity Fund as others may have already donated to it or saved it in their favorites.
Public Screen NameBack To Top
A Public Screen Name is a name that you give yourself that will appear on the screen if you choose to make any of your charity information public. For instance, if your name is Todd Smith, you may want to make your screen name "Big Bear." You can choose any name not already in use, as long as it is not inappropriate.
Publication 78Back To Top
A publication put out by the IRS every year containing the names of all charities currently filling form 990. This list is used to verify the tax-deductible status for non-profit organizations.
QualifyBack To Top
To qualify for Matching Funds in the Donation Matching Program, a Team must consists of at least two Team Members, which does not including the Team Leader.
Rapid RatingBack To Top
Rating system DonationNetwork offers to users for individual feedback on how they feel charities are performing. This system allows the user to rate a specific charity on a 1-5 scale with 1 being the worst and 5 being the best. This rating does not represent any type of endorsement from DonationNetwork. We have no input or control over the Rapid Rating, it is 100% driven by individuals using our site.
Recurring DonationBack To Top
A Recurring Donation is a donation that is setup once, and then on a regular basis the donation is repeated. You can donate any amount monthly, quarterly, twice a year, or yearly. You can also join the Donation Matching Program which is a monthly donation of $50.
Relationship MarketingBack To Top
Relatioinship Marketing, or Network Marketing, is a business-distribution model that allows a parent company to market itself to consumers by means of personal relationships.
Ruling YearBack To Top
Ruling year is the year that the government approved the organization for non-profit status. This is not always the same time that the charity began operations.
Scope of OperationBack To Top
Scope of Operation refers to how far a charity's funds and services reach. Otherwise, the Georgia Museum would be local/regional as most of the funding is used at a local site. The National Breast Cancer Society would be national in scope as they fund programs across the USA. Scope of Operation can be local/regional, national, or global.
Secondary Team NumberBack To Top
A Secondary Team Number is a donation matching program team account which is linked to a Primary Team Number account. This allows for multiple entries to be linked to the same Primary Team Number.
SPAM messages, like SPAM email, are those messages that are unsolicited, unwanted, abusive, or otherwise inappropriate.

Any user that uses the message system to send SPAM messages will have their account terminated.
SpilloverBack To Top
Team Leaders are allowed only two Team Members directly under them. Any additional members they sign up falls under the Team Member with the weakest team structure. The funds are still counted for the Team Leader and other teammates. Thus, causing a 'Spillover' effect.
SupporterBack To Top
First stage of the Donation Matching Program in which we are able to start providing matching funds.

You reach this stage when you or your team has secured 7 additional blocks of donations. At the stage 1 Supporter we match 100 percent of your donation ($50.00) per month.
In the Donation Matching Program, you create a team that will help you secure other donations. By securing additional donations your team members help you move through the different stages in our program. With each block of donation, you get closer to receiving the highest amount of Matching funds possible.
Team LeaderBack To Top
Person responsible for deciding where matching funds are to be used. You become a team leader when you have two people sign up for the Donation Matching Program and select to be on your team. A team leader does not have any additional responsibilities or duties.
Team MemberBack To Top
A Team Member is a Member who has joined your Team in the Donation Matching Program. To do this, they enter your Member Number online when making their first donation.
Team NumberBack To Top
When joining the Donation Matching Program, you will be given a "Member Number" which is also a Team Number. Since each Member can build their own Team, this "Member Number" is also used as your "Team Number". The team number is the number which other people interested in joining your team will enter online when joining your team.
A User is someone who has signed up to use the DonationNetwork.org website. Being a User allows someone to save Favorite charities, update charity information, and donate to a charity.

Usage of the website does not require a charitable donation.