Frequently Asked QuestionsIf you're a supporter, please review our support guides for common queries:
If your query isn't answered above, we've provided a more comprehensive overview of PressPatron below. Simply click each section to expand. General FAQ
What is PressPatron?
PressPatron is a crowdfunding platform for journalism, enabling one-time and monthly contributions to publishers. How does it work? PressPatron provides a payment button that publishers integrate within their website. Once clicked, a pop-up window appears which allows readers to make a contribution. Who's behind PressPatron? Visit our About Us section to learn about the founder of PressPatron, as well as our team of developers, advisors and investors. How can I report an issue? If you experience an issue while using PressPatron, please contact us. What are your Terms of Use? Our Terms of Use can be viewed here. What is your Privacy Policy? Our Privacy Policy can be viewed here. Supporter FAQ
Contributions
How do I make a contribution? When visiting a publisher's website, simply click the "Become a supporter" button. A pop-up window will appear, allowing you to select a contribution amount and enter your payment details. Can I change the amount of my monthly contribution? Yes, visit your Supporter Dashboard and click "Edit payment" to change the amount of your monthly contribution. Can I cancel my monthly contribution? Yes. After clicking "Edit payment" within your Supporter Dashboard, you can enter $0 to cancel your monthly contribution. Where can I see an overview of my contributions? Your Supporter Dashboard provides a list of all the publishers to whom you have made a one-time or monthly contribution. What forms of payment can I use? You can make a contribution using any major credit card. We accept Visa, Mastercard and American Express. Can I choose whether a publisher sees how much I've contributed? Yes. When making a payment, you can choose whether to let the publisher know how much you have contributed. The publisher will then see your transaction as coming from an anonymous user. Please note that information about your transaction is still maintained within our database and by our payment processor, as outlined within our Privacy Policy. What happens when I subscribe to a publisher's email newsletter? By ticking this option, you agree to receive newsletter updates from the publisher via email. Each publisher will choose their own format and frequency. For example, a publisher might have a newsletter that provides you with a summary of their latest top stories. What currency is used? We display the currency prior to deducting payment from your account. Generally, the currency will be determined by the location of the publisher. For example, most publishers from the USA default to USD. Will my payment work if I'm in a different country to the publisher? As long as you have a valid credit card, you will be able to make a contribution to any publisher who uses the PressPatron platform. Are my credit card details secure? We transmit all credit card information via an encrypted connection to our payment processor, Stripe (stripe.com). Stripe is a global leader in online payments, used by companies such as Facebook and Twitter. Stripe maintains strict administrative, technical, and physical procedures to protect information stored on their servers. We do not store any credit card numbers on our servers. When will my credit card be charged? Your credit card will be charged on the day of your transaction. If you have chosen to make a monthly contribution, future payments will be processed on the same day each month. How can I change or delete my credit card details? You can change or delete your default credit card by visiting the "Account" section of the Supporter Dashboard. Will I receive a receipt for my contribution? Yes, we will send you a receipt via email every time your credit card is charged. If you don't receive an email receipt, please check your spam folder or enquire with your email provider. Why should I make a contribution? Contributions are a great way to enhance the financial sustainability of quality journalism, helping publishers to create more of the stories you love. As a supporter, you may also get some premium benefits in return. What do I get in return for my contribution? Each publisher chooses what they give supporters in return for contributions. It might be access to a supporter newsletter, exclusive content, or invites to special events. Ask a publisher if you have any questions about their campaign. Is my contribution eligible for a tax credit? Contributions made to a publisher that has charitable status may be eligible for a tax credit. Contributions made to publishers without charitable status are not eligible for a tax credit. Please contact the publisher directly to confirm the charitable status of your contribution. Supporter accounts How do I create a PressPatron account? After you've made a contribution, we provide you with the option of creating an account. Simply enter your password and click the "Create account" button. You can also activate your account at any point in the future via a link included within your email receipt. How can I close my account? You can request the cancellation of your account at any time by emailing us here, with “Account Cancellation” in the subject line. Please send your request using the email address associated with your account, and allow 5-10 working days for your request to be processed. What features does my account have? A supporter account provides access to an overview of your contributions and allows you to manage your payment preferences. How can I change my account preferences? Simply visit your Supporter Dashboard to edit your personal information, change your contribution amount, adjust your anonymity status or edit your subscription to a publisher's email newsletter. I've forgotten my password. How can I change it? When you visit the login screen, click on the forgotten password link to receive instructions on resetting it. What information do you collect about me? Please view our Privacy Policy to learn about the data we collect and how it is used. What information is shared with publishers? Publishers get access to basic information about your contribution, including your name and email (unless anonymous), the amount and the frequency of your payment. If you opt-in to receiving email updates, the publisher is provided with permission to email you on a regular basis. Publisher campaigns How do I discover new publishers and blogs? The Discover section of the PressPatron website provides an overview of the publishers who are using our platform. Who is responsible for the outcomes of a publisher's campaign? Publishers are solely responsible for the outcomes of their campaign. As outlined within our Terms, we are not responsible for how a publisher uses your contribution or the goods/services they may offer in return. What can I do if I am unhappy with a publisher's campaign? Please contact a publisher directly to resolve any disputes you may have regarding their campaign. If you are unable to resolve your dispute, you may wish to contact us. Is my contribution refundable? All contributions are non-refundable once processed. However, you may wish to contact a publisher if you have a dispute. PressPatron does not offer refunds, unless we determine there are exceptional circumstances such as illegal activities or fraud. Publisher FAQ
Running a campaign
How do I create an account? You can learn more about creating an account by visiting our publisher sign-up page. How do readers make contributions? PressPatron will provide you with a payment button that can be placed anywhere on your website. Once the payment button is clicked, a pop-up will appear that allows readers to make a contribution. How do I add the payment button to my website? We'll provide a snippet of code that can be embedded within your website. Once the code is added, the payment button will appear. You'll receive full instructions once your account has been activated. Who is eligible to create a campaign? PressPatron funding campaigns can be created by blogs, news organisations and other online publishers. It doesn't matter whether you're large or small, mainstream or independent. Can I offer rewards? You're welcome to offer rewards to your supporters. However, you are responsible for ensuring your rewards are accurately described and that any goods or services promised to supporters are provided. Do I need to have specific goals or outcomes? We recommend outlining some specific goals or outcomes for your campaign, while also being flexible and realistic. You are responsible for ensuring your goals are an accurate reflection of both your intentions and capabilities. Can you provide some examples of goals or outcomes? Some publishers may choose to have a high-level goal, such as improving the financial sustainability of their journalism. Others may pursue very granular goals, such as hiring a new reporter, redesigning their website, or covering a specific topic in greater depth. Can I edit my campaign after it has gone live? Yes, you can edit your campaign message and design after going live. If you make substantial changes to your campaign, such as goals or rewards, you are responsible for communicating these changes clearly to your existing supporters. Does it matter whether my organisation is for-profit or non-profit? For-profit and non-profit organisations can both run successful crowdfunding campaigns with PressPatron. However, it is important that for-profit publishers communicate the charitable status of contributions clearly to supporters. Furthermore, non-profits need to provide supporters with the necessary documentation required for those wishing to obtain a tax credit. Supporter engagement Under what circumstances can I communicate with my supporters? You can communicate with supporters who have opted-in to your email newsletter. You're welcome to share updates about your publication, your funding campaign, or examples of your latest journalism. What data can I access about my supporters? Within the Publisher Dashboard you will be able to export files containing your "Supporter Database", "Transaction Database" and "Subscriber email list." The data within each file is outlined below. What is the Supporter Database file? This file contains an overview of all supporters, including their name (unless anonymous), their newsletter subscription status, whether they have a monthly contribution, and the total value of contributions to date. What is the Transaction Database file? This file contains a chronological list of all contributions, including the date of transaction, the supporter's name (unless anonymous), payment amount, and payment frequency. What is the Subscriber Email List? This file contains the name and email address of supporters who have subscribed to your email newsletter. Please make sure you update your mailing list database prior to sending out each newsletter. What happens if my supporter's credit card expires? We will send automated emails to a supporter to inform them that their credit card has expired, with instructions on how to add a new card. What happens if my supporter's credit card is declined? We will attempt to recharge their credit card at a later date, and will notify the supporter that their card has been declined. Publisher accounts In which countries can publishers create an account? PressPatron is currently available to publishers in New Zealand, Australia and the USA. Publishers from other countries are welcome to sign-up to our waiting list. We also plan to offer PressPatron in other languages. What features does my publisher account provide? The Publisher Dashboard allows you to undertake tasks such as creating and customising your funding campaign, viewing key success metrics, and editing your account information. How do I receive funds collected via PressPatron? Contributions collected from supporters will generally be transferred into your nominated bank account once per month, minus fees. Once your account is activated, we will communicate the specifics of the transfer cycle for your account. What type of bank account can I use? We support all major banks in New Zealand, Australia and the USA. When we expand to other countries, we will also support major banks within each market. How much does it cost to use PressPatron? The fees associated with your use of PressPatron are outlined within the pricing section of our website. Legal What are my responsibilities to supporters? Please review our Terms for a complete overview of your responsibilities. Most importantly, you are required to provide accurate and realistic information to your supporters regarding your campaign, and must not engage in activity which is misleading, fraudulent or otherwise breaches our Terms. What are my tax obligations for funds raised via PressPatron? You are solely responsible for consulting with the relevant authorities within your tax jurisdiction to clarify your tax obligations. We recommend consulting with an accountant, lawyer, and/or other tax specialist.
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