Markets/en/Portal:Street Fundraising/Rules

💡 In simple words: This page explains the rules proposed for people who ask passers-by, in the street or at events, to support good causes through WikiDeal.

Status: proposal, initial hypothesis. These rules are proposed as a base for discussion. All figures are illustrative working values, not commitments.

Street Fundraising: Governance, Rules and Best Practices

This page covers the governance rules, ethical standards and best practices proposed for street fundraising on WikiDeal. For the full presentation of the use case (the three contracts, mechanisms, scenario), see the Street Fundraising portal main page.

Category	Markets · Rules and governance
Related	Street Fundraising use case
Licence	Free licence: AGPL v3
Status	Applied research · Draft
Review	Awaiting community review

1. Definition and scope

For the purposes of WikiDeal, street fundraising is defined as:

"Any face-to-face activity conducted in a public space, event, or semi-public location, by a WikiDeal-registered dialoguer, with the purpose of enrolling new subscribers to a WikiDeal-registered association, in exchange for Rewards generated through the bonding curve."

This definition includes:

• Traditional street fundraising (city centres, markets, pedestrian zones)
• Event-based fundraising (festivals, fairs, sporting events)
• Community-based fundraising (neighbourhood events, local gatherings)
• Online or hybrid (QR-code distribution at events linking to a subscription form)

This definition excludes door-to-door fundraising, telemarketing, and purely digital campaigns without a physical dialoguer.

2. Core principles WM-03

Principle	Application
Transparency	Subscribers would always know where their subscription goes. Revenue distribution is intended to be publicly auditable.
Dignity	Interactions must respect the dignity of all parties: dialoguers, passers-by, and association representatives.
Consent	Subscriptions must be freely given. No pressure, no deception, no "subscribe then cancel" language.
Retention focus	Credits would be tied to subscriber retention, not just acquisition. Quality over quantity.
Inclusivity	All profiles welcome: retirees, students, volunteers, social aid beneficiaries, with appropriate contract adaptation.
Community governance	Rules would be set and reviewed by the community, not imposed top-down.

3. Mandatory rules (proposed)

RULE-SF-001: WikiDeal subscription requirement. Every dialoguer would hold an active WikiDeal subscription before conducting any street fundraising activity.

RULE-SF-002: Signed Contract B. All dialoguers would have a signed Contract B (association and dialoguer or volunteer) on file before their first session.

RULE-SF-003: Completed training. The required training modules (platform, contract basics, communication, ethics, AI tools) would be completed before the first session.

RULE-SF-004: Session reporting. Every session would be logged before, during (minimum one mid-session update) and after. Incomplete session logs would forfeit credits for that session.

⚠️ RULE-SF-005: Prohibition of misleading advice. Dialoguers would be strictly prohibited from advising passers-by to "subscribe for a year and then cancel". Any documented instance would trigger an immediate yellow alert and a retention audit.

RULE-SF-006: Collision avoidance. Two User Groups would not deploy at the same location on the same day without prior coordination through the shared calendar system.

RULE-SF-007: Identification. Dialoguers would carry their WikiDeal ID card (or an equivalent digital ID) and present it on request.

RULE-SF-008: Post-session feedback. Post-session feedback would be completed within 24 hours. Completing feedback would earn credits (around 1 CHF equivalent per minute in the current working hypothesis, with a cap; illustrative).

4. Ethical standards

• Never approach anyone who has clearly indicated disinterest.
• Never use emotional manipulation to obtain subscriptions.
• Always clearly identify yourself as a WikiDeal dialoguer (not a direct employee of the association).
• Always explain that the subscription can be cancelled at any time.
• Never promise gifts, discounts, or other benefits not covered in the official contract.
• Respect public order, local regulations, and event organizer rules.
• Maintain confidentiality of subscriber personal data, in line with data protection law (GDPR).

5. User Group governance WM-03

• Minimum size: a Street Fundraising User Group would require at least 5 active members (illustrative).
• Elected officers: president, treasurer, secretary, elected annually by User Group members.
• Mandate: officers would serve 1-year terms, renewable (a maximum of 3 renewals is the current working hypothesis).
• Meetings: a general assembly at least quarterly (in person or by video).
• Delegate: one elected delegate to the regional coordination committee.
• Transparency: a periodic activity report published on WikiDeal (anonymized individual data).
• Financial: the User Group would receive a share of subscriber dues from members it enrolled (around 10% in the current working hypothesis; see Contract A on the main page).
• At real cost: coordination would operate at real cost, with any surplus returned.

6. Alert system

• 🟡 Yellow alert: first infraction, advisory. Logged, no immediate consequence. Cleared after 3 clean months.
• 🟠 Orange alert: second infraction or serious breach. Training review required within 30 days; activity suspended until the review is completed.
• 🔴 Red alert: third infraction or severe breach. Suspension review by User Group officers plus WikiDeal arbitration; possible permanent deregistration.

7. Best practices

• Prepare 2 or 3 different pitches adapted to different audience types (families, commuters, event-goers).
• Use the AI suggestions for real-time strategy adjustments.
• Arrive 15 minutes before the session start for briefing and equipment check.
• Pair with an experienced dialoguer for the first sessions (mentor system).
• Track your conversion rate by location and build your personal best-locations knowledge.
• Participate in regional meals: peer knowledge sharing is invaluable.
• Review your subscriber retention monthly and reach out to inactive subscribers proactively.

8. Exclusions and prohibitions

• ❌ Door-to-door fundraising (a separate framework would be required)
• ❌ Cold calling and telemarketing
• ❌ Fundraising near places of worship, hospitals, or cemeteries without specific authorization
• ❌ Targeting visibly vulnerable individuals (elderly alone, visibly distressed, minors)
• ❌ Photography or video of subscribers without explicit consent
• ❌ Accepting cash donations (the model explored is subscription-only)
• ❌ Representing unregistered associations

9. Dispute resolution

Disputes between dialoguers, associations, or User Groups would follow the standard WikiDeal process, mediation first, then arbitration (see the Justice portal):

1. Informal resolution: parties attempt to resolve within 14 days.
2. User Group mediation: User Group officers mediate within 30 days.
3. WikiDeal arbitration: a formal arbitration panel within 60 days.
4. External: if WikiDeal arbitration fails, parties may seek external mediation under applicable law.

10. Periodic review

These rules would be reviewed periodically by the Street Fundraising community. Any WikiDeal member could propose amendments through the standard wiki proposal process. The approval threshold (a two-thirds majority of active User Group delegates is the current working hypothesis) remains open for discussion.

See also

• Street Fundraising portal main page (use case, the three contracts, mechanisms)
• WikiDeal Governance
• Wikimedia References (the WM markers used on this page)