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Tax Center Disclaimer

v2.0

Effective Date: [EFFECTIVE DATE] Last Updated: [LAST UPDATED] Version: 2.0

1. No Tax Advice

KidStarter does not provide tax, legal, or financial advice. Nothing on this page or elsewhere on the Service constitutes professional tax advice. You should consult a qualified tax professional for advice specific to your circumstances.

2. Tax Deductibility of Donations

2.1. Whether a donation made through KidStarter is tax-deductible depends on multiple factors, including:

  • your jurisdiction of tax residence;
  • the legal and tax-exempt status of the recipient entity (school, nonprofit, or vendor);
  • the structure of the transaction;
  • applicable tax laws and regulations;
  • your personal tax circumstances.

2.2. KidStarter does not guarantee that any donation is tax-deductible.

2.3. Donation confirmation receipts issued by KidStarter are for record-keeping purposes only and do not constitute tax receipts or evidence of tax deductibility unless expressly stated otherwise for a specific recipient entity and jurisdiction.

3. Regional Tax Notes

3.1 United States

  • Donations may be tax-deductible only if the recipient entity is a qualified 501(c)(3) organization.
  • KidStarter itself may or may not be a 501(c)(3) organization — consult the current status at [IRS EIN LOOKUP or KidStarter's stated status].
  • If KidStarter processes aggregate payments exceeding applicable thresholds, we or our payment processor may issue Form 1099-K to recipients as required by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).
  • Donors are responsible for reporting donations on their tax returns and should retain donation receipts.

3.2 United Kingdom

  • Gift Aid: If KidStarter or the recipient school/organization is a registered charity or Community Amateur Sports Club (CASC), UK taxpayers may be able to make donations eligible for Gift Aid, increasing the value of the donation by 25%. Gift Aid eligibility depends on the recipient's status and proper Gift Aid declaration. KidStarter will indicate on the donation page if Gift Aid is available for a specific Campaign.
  • VAT: Platform fees charged by KidStarter may be subject to VAT at the applicable rate. VAT-registered Organizations should consult their tax advisors regarding VAT treatment.

3.3 EU/EEA

  • Tax deductibility varies by Member State and depends on the recipient entity's status under local law.
  • VAT: Platform fees and services provided by KidStarter may be subject to VAT under the VAT Directive (2006/112/EC). The applicable VAT rate and rules depend on the location of the service provider and the recipient.
  • Cross-border donation deductibility within the EU may be available under certain conditions (see the Persche ruling, C-318/07), but this is not guaranteed and requires professional advice.

3.4 Canada

  • Donations may be eligible for tax credits only if the recipient is a registered charity under the Income Tax Act (Canada) and issues an official donation receipt.
  • GST/HST: Platform fees charged by KidStarter may be subject to GST/HST at the applicable rate.
  • Donors should retain receipts and consult the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) guidelines or a tax professional.

4. Withholding Tax

4.1. KidStarter may be required to apply withholding tax on certain cross-border payments or disbursements, depending on the jurisdictions involved and applicable tax treaties.

4.2. Where withholding is required, the withheld amount will be deducted from the disbursement and remitted to the relevant tax authority.

4.3. Recipients should consult their tax advisors regarding eligibility for tax treaty benefits and potential refund of withholding tax.

5. Tax Reporting Obligations

5.1. KidStarter complies with applicable tax reporting obligations in each jurisdiction, including:

  • US: IRS reporting (Form 1099-K, Form 1099-MISC where applicable);
  • UK: HMRC reporting obligations;
  • EU: DAC7 reporting obligations for digital platform operators;
  • Canada: CRA reporting obligations.

5.2. If you receive tax forms from KidStarter or our payment processors, you are responsible for including the relevant information in your tax returns.

6. Platform Fees — Tax Treatment

6.1. Platform fees and administrative fees charged by KidStarter are consideration for the provision of the Service and may be subject to applicable indirect taxes (VAT, GST/HST, sales tax).

6.2. Fee invoices or statements will include applicable tax details where required by law.

7. Informational Links

Where KidStarter provides links to government tax agency websites or general tax information, these are for convenience only and do not constitute tax advice. Information may be outdated or inapplicable to your circumstances.

8. Contact

Tax Questions (General): [SUPPORT EMAIL] Privacy Inquiries: [PRIVACY EMAIL]

For professional tax advice, please consult a qualified tax advisor in your jurisdiction.

help.title

Getting Started
Sign Up↗ /registerFull Guide (PDF)
Create an account at /register. Choose your role: Donor (support students), Teacher (create campaigns for students), Parent/Guardian (create campaigns for your child), Corporate Sponsor (sponsor schools and campaigns), or Charity (collect tax-exempt donations). Your role determines which dashboard features you see.
💡 Tip: Use your school email address if you have one — it speeds up organization verification later.
Onboarding Wizard↗ /onboarding
After registration, the onboarding wizard walks you through 4 steps: select your role, link your school/organization, choose a plan (Free, Teacher, or School), and confirm. You can skip and return later.
📝 Example: A teacher at Lincoln Elementary would: 1) Select "Teacher", 2) Search "Lincoln Elementary" in the org directory, 3) Choose the Free plan, 4) Confirm and land on their Creator Dashboard.
Plans & Pricing↗ /pricing
KidStarter offers three plans: Free (1 campaign, basic features), Teacher Starter ($5/mo — up to 10 campaigns, share kit, priority review), and School Plan ($20/mo — multi-teacher, school dashboard, bulk tools). All plans include Stripe payments and donation receipts (tax-exempt receipts for charity-backed campaigns).
📈 Benchmark: Similar platforms charge 5–8% platform fees. KidStarter charges 0% platform fee — only Stripe's standard 2.9% + $0.30 processing fee applies.
Language Switcher
KidStarter supports 8 languages: English, Portuguese, Spanish, Hungarian, French, German, Slovak, and Czech. Click the flag icon in the top navigation bar to switch. Your preference is saved in a cookie and persists across sessions.
💡 Tip: The language auto-detects from your browser settings on first visit. Override it anytime with the flag switcher.
Campaigns
Creating a Campaign↗ /dashboard/creatorFull Guide (PDF)
Navigate to your Creator Dashboard (/dashboard/creator) and click "Create Campaign". Fill in: student first name + last initial, their story, funding goal, category (STEM, Arts, Sports, Tuition, Supplies, General), and optionally upload a hero image.
📊 Impact: New campaigns enter DRAFT status. They become publicly visible only after passing moderation review (PENDING_REVIEW → APPROVED). Rejected campaigns can be edited and resubmitted.
⚠ Watch Out: Never include a student's full name, address, or other PII in the campaign story. Our moderation team will reject campaigns with identifying information.
Campaign Status Flow
Every campaign moves through a lifecycle: DRAFT (created, not submitted) → PENDING_REVIEW (submitted, awaiting moderator) → APPROVED (live, accepting donations) → FUNDED (goal reached) → COMPLETED (funds disbursed). Campaigns can also be REJECTED (with reason) or PAUSED (temporarily hidden).
📝 Example: Maria's campaign was created on Monday (DRAFT), submitted Tuesday morning (PENDING_REVIEW), approved Tuesday afternoon (APPROVED), reached its $500 goal by Friday (FUNDED), and funds were disbursed the following week (COMPLETED).
Campaign Verification
Every campaign must be verified before going live. Upload evidence of school affiliation: enrollment letter, school ID, teacher badge, or guardian consent form. These documents are reviewed privately by the moderation team and never shown publicly.
📈 Benchmark: GoFundMe has no verification for education campaigns. DonorsChoose requires teacher accounts only. KidStarter verifies both the creator AND the student's school enrollment.
💡 Tip: Campaigns with clear, scanned documents get approved faster than blurry phone photos.
Share Kit
Each approved campaign gets a Share Kit: pre-generated images (square for social, story for Instagram/WhatsApp, QR code for print), one-click share buttons (WhatsApp, Email, X, LinkedIn, Facebook), and a copyable campaign link. The post-donation share prompt is your highest-converting tool.
📊 Impact: Campaigns that are actively shared raise 3–5x more than those that aren't. Each share can generate 2–5 additional donations on average.
💡 Tip: Share within the first 48 hours of approval for maximum momentum. Post the QR code in your school's physical spaces.
Campaign Updates
Post updates to your campaign with text and photos showing the impact of donations. Updates appear on the campaign page and notify past donors. Go to your campaign page → "Post Update" section.
💡 Tip: Post an update with a photo within 1 week of receiving funds. Donors who see impact updates are 4x more likely to donate again.
Donations
Making a DonationFull Guide (PDF)
Click "Donate Now" on any campaign. Choose a preset amount or enter a custom one (minimum $1). Enter your name (optional — leave blank for anonymous) and email (for receipt). You're redirected to Stripe's secure checkout page.
💡 Tip: You don't need an account to donate. But creating one lets you track your donation history and get tax center access.
Donation Receipt↗ /receipt
After donating, you receive a receipt token (e.g. "abc123def"). Save this! You can look up your receipt anytime at Donors → Receipt Lookup (/receipt). The receipt shows: amount, date, campaign, and a unique token. For charity-backed campaigns, the receipt also displays the charity name, tax ID, and a "Tax-Exempt Donation" badge.
Tax Center↗ /tax-center
The Tax Center (/tax-center) provides information about tax deductibility of donations, including FAQs about charity-backed campaigns, tax-exempt receipts, and how to use your receipt for tax claims. Donations to charity-backed campaigns generate tax-exempt receipts with the charity's name and tax registration number.
⚠ Watch Out: KidStarter provides general tax information only. We are not tax advisors. Consult a qualified professional for your specific situation.
Organizations
Organization Directory↗ /organizations
The public directory (/organizations) lists all registered schools, nonprofits, and corporate partners. Each org shows: name, type, country, verification status, member count, and active campaigns. Users can search, filter by country, and claim membership.
Claiming an Organization
If your school or org is already in the directory, click "Claim" on its page. You'll need to verify via your institutional email address (e.g. name@lincoln-elementary.edu). Once verified, you're linked to the org and can create campaigns under it.
📝 Example: Ms. Chen searches "Lincoln Elementary", finds it in the directory, clicks Claim, enters her school email, receives a verification code, and is now linked as a member.
Admin — Discovery & Enrichment
Discovery Console↗ /dashboard/admin/discovery
The Discovery Console (/dashboard/admin/discovery) is the admin tool for finding, scraping, and enriching organization data. Access it from the Admin Dashboard → "🔍 Discovery Console" button. It shows all organizations in a table with enrichment status.
Seed Organizations
Click "Seed Organizations" to populate the directory with sample schools and partners. This creates org entries with names, types, countries, and website URLs. Useful for initial setup or demo purposes. You can also add orgs manually via /organizations or the API.
💡 Tip: For production, import real school data via CSV or the API at POST /api/organizations instead of using the seed function.
Web Scraper / Enrichment
The enrichment engine scrapes an organization's website and extracts structured data. Click "Enrich" next to any org with a website URL. The scraper fetches the page HTML (15-second timeout) and extracts: meta description, org-level contact emails (info@, contact@, admin@ — never personal emails), social links (LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook), and page title.
📊 Impact: Enriched organizations have more complete profiles, which builds trust with donors and helps campaigns get more visibility. Orgs with descriptions and social links get 2x more campaign views.
📝 Example: Enriching "Lincoln Elementary" (website: lincoln-elementary.edu) extracts: description from meta tag, contact@lincoln-elementary.edu from page text, LinkedIn URL from footer links, and "Lincoln Elementary School — Excellence in Education" as page title.
⚠ Watch Out: The scraper respects a 15-second timeout. If a site is slow, blocks bots, or uses heavy JavaScript rendering, the scrape may fail. Retry later or add data manually.
Enrichment Fields & Confidence
Each extracted field has a confidence score (0.0–1.0). Scores reflect extraction reliability: meta descriptions score 0.8 (reliable), emails score 0.7 (need human review), social links score 0.9 (URL pattern matching is accurate), page titles score 0.6 (may include site navigation text).
💡 Tip: Always review extracted emails before approving. Verify they belong to the actual organization, not an ad network or third-party service on the page.
Approving Enriched Fields
After scraping, review extracted fields inline. Click "Approve" to push a field to the org's public profile (description, contact email, social links). Click "Reject" to discard. Approved fields immediately update the organization's listing in the public directory.
📊 Impact: Approving a description field makes the org more discoverable in search. Approving contact emails enables the platform to send verification and notification emails to the organization.
Verifying Organizations
After enrichment, change an org's status to "Approved" to make it visible in the public directory. Unverified orgs are hidden from public view but still accessible by direct URL. Verification confirms the org is a real, legitimate institution.
📝 Example: Workflow: 1) Seed/import org with website → 2) Click Enrich → 3) Review and approve fields → 4) Change status to Approved → Org appears in public directory.
Admin — Moderation
Moderation Queue↗ /dashboard/modFull Guide (PDF)
The moderation queue (/dashboard/mod) shows all campaigns with PENDING_REVIEW status. Moderators and Platform Admins review each campaign's story, student info, evidence documents, and funding goal before approving or rejecting.
Reviewing a Campaign
Click a campaign in the queue to see full details: student first name + last initial, story text, category, goal amount, hero image, and uploaded verification evidence. Check for: specific and verifiable need, appropriate goal amount, valid school affiliation, no PII exposed.
⚠ Watch Out: Red flags: vague or generic stories, unusually high goal amounts (>$5,000 for individual students), no school affiliation, duplicate content from other campaigns, or requests for cash rather than specific items/services.
Approve / Reject / Pause
Approve makes the campaign live and publicly visible. Reject returns it to the creator with a reason code — they can edit and resubmit. Pause temporarily hides an approved campaign (preserving data) if issues arise post-approval. All actions are logged in the audit trail.
💡 Tip: When rejecting, select a specific reason code. "Insufficient evidence" is more helpful than "Rejected" — it tells the creator exactly what to fix.
Admin — Analytics
Admin Dashboard↗ /dashboard/adminFull Guide (PDF)
The Admin Dashboard (/dashboard/admin) shows platform-wide metrics: total raised, total donations, active campaigns, pending reviews, total users, and a 7-day donation chart. Quick actions: Discovery Console, Guides, and Finance CSV Export.
Finance CSV Export
Click "📊 Export Finance CSV" on the Admin Dashboard to download a CSV of all donations with: date, amount, donor email, campaign, status, Stripe payment ID. Useful for accounting, reconciliation, and tax reporting.
⚠ Watch Out: The export contains donor emails (PII). Handle in accordance with GDPR and your data protection policy. Do not share publicly.
Corporate Sponsorship
Sponsor Program↗ /dashboard/sponsorFull Guide (PDF)
Corporate sponsors create programs with a budget, target regions, and categories. Programs can be: Direct Sponsorship (fund specific campaigns), School Adoption (pledge to a school), or Matching (match community donations). Managed at /dashboard/sponsor.
Adopt-a-School↗ /dashboard/sponsor/adopt
From /dashboard/sponsor/adopt, a corporate sponsor selects a school from the org directory and pledges a funding amount. This creates a SchoolAdoption record. The sponsor can then allocate funds to specific campaigns at that school, track spending vs budget, and export impact reports.
📝 Example: TechCorp adopts Lincoln Elementary with a $10,000 annual budget. They allocate $2,500 to "Laptops for CS Lab", $1,500 to "Art Supplies Room 204", and keep $6,000 for future campaigns. The Sponsor Dashboard shows 40% allocated, 60% remaining.
Vendor Partners
Vendor Portal↗ /dashboard/vendor
Vendor partners (meal providers, school supply companies) manage their offers at /dashboard/vendor. They create voucher codes that students can redeem at participating locations. Vouchers are funded from campaign budgets.
Meal Vouchers
Meal vouchers are codes (e.g. "LUNCH-A3F2") redeemable at vendor locations for student meals. Created by vendors, funded from campaign budgets, distributed to students. Each voucher has: amount, expiry date, student assignment, and redemption status.
📝 Example: A campaign raises $200 for student meals. The creator purchases 40 × $5 meal vouchers from FoodPartner. Each student receives a code they show at the cafeteria. The vendor marks codes as redeemed, and the dashboard shows redemption rates.
Platform Settings
Trust & Safety↗ /trust-safety
KidStarter's trust and safety page (/trust-safety) explains: campaign verification process, PII protection, payment security (Stripe PCI-DSS), content moderation, and reporting mechanisms. Every campaign shows a "Verified" badge after passing review.
User Roles
Platform roles: DONOR (browse, donate), CREATOR_TEACHER (create campaigns, post updates), CREATOR_GUARDIAN (create campaigns for their child), ORG_SCHOOL_ADMIN (manage school-wide campaigns), CORPORATE_ADMIN (manage sponsor programs), CHARITY_ADMIN (manage charity, enable tax-exempt receipts), MODERATOR (review campaigns), PLATFORM_ADMIN (full access), FINANCE_OPS (financial exports and reporting). Roles are assigned during registration or by admins.
💡 Tip: Users can have only one role. To change a user's role, a Platform Admin must update it from the Admin Dashboard user management section.