Ask HN: Would anyone use a charitable payments API?

2 points by jeremypshapiro 6y ago ↗ HN

Recently built a tool providing a real-time, direct link between donors and recipients (living on ~$2 a day or less). Donors can send cash to very low-income people and exchange messages (e.g., confirmation message, a SMS indicating how the gift was used). Wondering whether it is worthwhile to make it open via API, so that anyone could integrate an option to make direct cash transfers to globally poor people into products, sites, etc.

My question is if people would use such an API, or more specifically:

a. What are the use cases / potential needs solved that would motivate developers to use the API (e.g., something for people to use for side projects to develop skills, a way to encourage more customer spending)?

b. Are financial incentives important (e.g., developers keep 1% of transfers sent through their application)?

c. What other motivations might be there for use?

Curious to hear thoughts.

2 comments

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mvillar 6y ago ↗

For me the question is how are recipients selected? The main drive to use that API would be to promote doing the right thing, but for that to happen, recipient selection is a key aspect. Look for example at Kiva, you know where your money goes, why these people have been selected, and even may know how to apply for these micro-credits. As for your questions, b) would be a demotivator to use it, and I think that 'feature' could kill the API easily on bad press.

jeremypshapiro 6y ago ↗

Thanks for the thoughts.

To your question:

1. We get lists of low-income people from credible non-profits that already have relationships with them (e.g., through research studies, or offering training services).

2. We conduct a number of remote audits to confirm authenticity of the list of potential recipients (phone calls, verifying account details, etc.).

3. We do a random in-person audit of recipients to ensure the poverty criteria are met.