Donation Terms & Conditions
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Please read these Donation Terms carefully before completing a donation to Steps for Lahaina. By submitting a donation, you agree to the terms described below.
1. About Steps for Lahaina
Steps for Lahaina is a grassroots nonprofit fundraising initiative dedicated to supporting Lahaina educators who lost classroom materials, equipment, and resources in the August 2023 wildfire. All fundraising activities are conducted in good faith for the direct benefit of Lahaina-area teachers, coaches, and school staff.
2. How Donations Are Used
Net proceeds from all donations — after payment processing fees — are allocated as follows: 40% to Rebuilding Grants for classroom materials and equipment, 20% to Housing Assistance for displaced educators, 15% to Monthly Supplements for ongoing living expenses, 10% to a Long-Term Reserve fund, 10% to platform and administrative costs, and 5% to Future Programs. Full quarterly financial reports are published on our Transparency page.
3. Per-Mile Pledges
Per-mile pledges are commitments to donate a fixed dollar amount for each mile logged by a specific walker. Pledges are charged at the end of each walker's active fundraising period, or when the walker's campaign concludes, based on verified miles logged. Steps for Lahaina reserves the right to cap total pledge charges at the amount agreed upon at the time of pledge submission.
4. Payment Processing
All payments are processed securely through Stripe, a PCI-DSS compliant payment processor. Steps for Lahaina does not store your full card number, CVV, or banking credentials. By donating, you authorize the charge to your selected payment method. A receipt will be emailed to the address provided at checkout.
5. Refund Policy
One-time donations and monthly sponsorships may be refunded within 14 days of the original transaction if the funds have not yet been disbursed to grant recipients. To request a refund, email [email protected] with your name, donation amount, and transaction date. Per-mile pledges that have already been charged based on verified mileage are generally non-refundable, but we will review requests on a case-by-case basis.
6. Tax Deductibility
Steps for Lahaina is fiscally sponsored by Players Philanthropy Fund (PPF), a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization registered under U.S. federal law (Federal Tax ID: 27-6601178). As a result, donations made through Steps for Lahaina are tax-deductible to the fullest extent permitted by law. Donors will receive an official receipt from PPF for their records. We recommend consulting a qualified tax professional regarding the deductibility of your specific contribution. For more information about PPF's fiscal sponsorship, visit ppf.org.
7. Recurring Donations
Monthly sponsorships are recurring charges billed on the same calendar date each month. You may cancel a recurring donation at any time by logging into your account and managing your sponsorships, or by emailing [email protected]. Cancellations take effect at the end of the current billing period. No partial refunds are issued for unused days in a billing period.
8. Donor Privacy
Your personal information — including name, email address, and payment details — is collected solely for the purpose of processing your donation and communicating with you about your contribution. We do not sell, rent, or share your personal information with third parties for marketing purposes. Payment data is handled exclusively by Stripe and is never stored on our servers.
9. Changes to These Terms
Steps for Lahaina reserves the right to update these Donation Terms at any time. Material changes will be posted on this page with an updated effective date. Continued use of our donation platform after changes are posted constitutes acceptance of the revised terms.
10. Contact Us
If you have questions about these Donation Terms, your donation, or our fund allocation practices, please contact us at [email protected]. We aim to respond to all inquiries within one business day.
Questions about your donation?
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