Program Terms and Conditions

Program Summary

Interra (the Program provider) and its Program Partners (Issuers) will issue I Buy NEO Cards as part of the I Buy NEO Program (The “Program”). The I Buy NEO Program recognizes Eligible Purchases from Participating Merchants and Participating Cardholders using a Program Community Card to capture merchant-funded Community Rebates that fund Donations, Cardholder Rewards and associated processing and administrative costs.

An Eligible Purchase is a purchase made by a Participating Cardholder at a Participating Merchant that is (a) recorded by a Community Card at the time of purchase and (b) generates a Community Rebate.

Program Issued Community Cards

A Community Card is a non-payment swipe and scan card. Payment is made with another form of payment (e.g. cash, check, credit,  debit, etc.) and not with a Community Card.  The Community Card captures the transaction information used to provide the program.

A Community Card can be swiped at a Participating Merchants payment terminal. A $0.26 network fee is deducted from the Community Rebate when the Community Card is swiped.  For example, from a $5.00 Community Rebate we deduct $0.26 and the net rebate, in this case $4.74, is what funds the rewards, donations, and program fees. This $0.26 is paid to the interchange processors and banks for providing the transaction data.

A Community Card can be scanned at a Participating Merchants point-of-sale system.  There is no interchange fee when the card is scanned.  For example at PCC Natural Markets the cashier will scan any Community Card.  The transaction data is sent directly bypassing the interchange and avoiding the associated fee.

Program Allocations of  Community Rebates

The net rebate allocations are as follows:

• 35% to cardholder
• 35% to beneficiaries
• 10% to community card issuer
• 20% to program provider and network participants

For example a net $10 Community Rebate is shared as follows:

• 35% = $3.50 reward to cardholder
• 35% = $3.50 donation to beneficiaries
• 10% = $1.00 to card issuer
• 20% = $2.00 to program provider and network

Program Participants

The terms and conditions for cardholders, merchants, and beneficiaries. The principles and strategies of participation and partnership of the Program Provider and its members.

Cardholders

Cardholder Eligibility

Participation by Community Card cardholders in the I Buy NEO Program (“the Program”) is subject to these terms and conditions as set by the Interra Project (the Program Provider). 

Eligibility for and participation in the Program is based on the card holder being in good standing with the Program Provider.  An Inactive Cardholder is defined as someone who hasn’t used their Community Card or logged into the Program website for 24 months or two consecutive years.  Cards may not be transferred.

Program Privacy

We promise to treat all personally identifiable information as private and will never sell or disclose that information.

Cardholder Account Management

Each Participating Cardholder has a secure Program account accessible via the Internet.  A Cardholder account has details and summary views of My Transactions; My Beneficiaries; My Cash Rewards; and My Profile.

Participating Cardholders can donate or redeem Cash Rewards when they reach $25.00.  

There is no charge to donate Cash Rewards. To redeem Cash Rewards of $25.00 or greater Participating Cardholders can either request a direct deposit into their bank account for a $0.50 processing fee, or receive a check by mail for a $3.00 processing fee.

Merchants

Merchant Eligibility

Participation by businesses in the I Buy NEO Program (“the Program”) is subject to these terms and conditions as set by the Interra Project (the Program Provider). 

Participating Merchants review the Business Criteria and enroll based upon being locally focused, and socially and environmentally responsible.  Eligibility for participation in the Program is based on a merchant being in good standing with the Program Provider.   

A Community Rebate is the total amount, as a percentage of the purchase price, of a Program purchase paid by a Program participating merchant to fund cardholder rewards, donations to chosen beneficiaries, and Program processing and administrative costs.

Each Program merchant will determine the percentage of the Program purchase that will define the Community Rebate and the Minimum Purchase Amount to create an eligible Program purchase. Such percentage and threshold amounts may be changed by any participating merchant from time to time.

Program Business Directory

Each program merchant will describe and maintain a Program profile on the Program website.

Merchant Account Management

Each Participating Merchant has a secure Program account accessible via the Internet.  A Merchant account has detail and summary views of Merchant Volume; Cardholder Activity; and their Merchant Profile.

Beneficiaries

Beneficiary Eligibility

Participation by a beneficiary in the I Buy NEO Program (“the Program”) is subject to these terms and conditions as set by the Interra Project (the Program Provider). Eligibility for and participation in the Program is based on the beneficiary being in good standing with the Program Provider.

Donations funded by Community Rebates are paid to eligible beneficiaries, that are public and private schools in Washington State and 501C3 nonprofit organizations that are enrolled in the Program and designated by a cardholder.

Program Donations

The charitable contribution must be funded by the participating merchant and collected by the Program Provider before payment can be made to an eligible beneficiary.

Beneficiary Account Management

Each Participating Beneficiary has a secure Program account accessible via the Internet.  A Beneficiary account has detail and summary views of My Transactions; My Beneficiaries; My Cash Rewards; and My Profile.

Program Provider Principles and Strategies

Program Spending

The Program Provider (Interra) ensures that the program spends its funds honestly, prudently and in accordance with public statements. The Program will spend at least 65% of its total expenses on program activities.

Program Effectiveness

Our mission is to shift dollars to the common good.  Each Participant will be able to view the total dollars shifted to Participating Cardholders, and Participating Beneficiaries.

Program Principles and Strategies of Participation and Partnership

I Buy NEO is a multi-stakeholder alliance promoting pluralism and diversity within the programs board, staff, and constituencies. The program is managed by a “Founders Circle” of partners, sponsors, beneficiaries, volunteers, and staff.  To join the founders circle, please contact Viki Sonntag at vikis@oz.net.

The Founders Circle principles and strategies of participation and partnership are:

Accountability

Employing agreed, transparent, democratic mechanisms of engagement, position-finding, decision-making, implementation, monitoring evaluation; making these mechanisms transparent to non-participating stakeholders and the general public.

Effectiveness

Providing a program for addressing urgent sustainability issues; promoting better decisions by means of wider input; generating recommendations that have broad support; creating commitment to participants identifying with the outcomes and thus increasing the likelihood of successful implementation

Equity

Leveling the playing field between all relevant stakeholder groups by creating dialog (and consensus-building) based on equally valued contributions from all; providing support for meaningful participation; applying principles of gender, regional, ethnic and other balance; providing equitable access to information.

Flexibility

Remaining flexible over time while agreed issues and agenda provide for the foreseeable engagement.

Good Governance

Developing the role of stakeholder participation in collaboration, based on clear norms and standards, providing space for stakeholders to act independently where appropriate.

Inclusiveness - providing for all views to be represented, thus increasing the legitimacy and credibility of a participatory process.

Learning

Taking the learning approach throughout the process and its design and learning from each other.

Legitimacy

Requiring Democratic, transparent, accountable, equitable processes in their design; requiring participants to adhere to those principles as a condition of eligibility.

Ownership

People centered processes of meaningful participation, allowing ownership for decisions and thus increasing the chances of successful implementations

Participation and Engagement

Bringing together the Founders Circle; supporting and challenging all stakeholders to be actively engaged.

Partnership/cooperative Management

Developing partnerships and strengthening the networks between stakeholders; addressing conflicting issues; integrating diverse views; creating mutual benefits (win-win rather than win-lose situations), developing shared power and responsibilities; creating feedback loops between local, regional and national levels and into decision-making.

Societal Gains

Creating trust through honoring each participant as contributing a necessary component to the bigger picture.

Transparency

Bringing all relevant stakeholders together in one forum (www.wiserearth.org/group/pscc) and within an agreed process; publicizing activities in an understandable manner to nonparticipating stakeholders and the general public.