PURCHASE, NY – MasterCard International today announced an agreement with Nietech Corporation that will give MasterCard® cardholders the ability to convert accumulated reward points into cash donations for the nonprofits and schools of their choice. The program, known as COMMUNITYcash(SM), is available immediately to all MasterCard credit card and debit card issuers in the United States. It will be marketed through MasterCard Member Relations and the Loyalty Consulting and Rewards Services team of MasterCard Advisors.
“COMMUNITYcash turns reward points into charitable dollars for a MasterCard cardholder’s chosen nonprofit and/or school beneficiaries,” said Bill Mathis, senior vice president, Member Relations, MasterCard International. “Unlike any other card-loyalty program, COMMUNITYcash weds MasterCard card issuers with the social and community interests that matter most to their customers.”
COMMUNITYcash utilizes the Nietech Administrative System (NAS), a patent-pending payment processing platform, to electronically disburse cash payments to designated and qualified 501(c)(3) beneficiaries and schools. Cardholders earn points when making everyday purchases with enrolled COMMUNITYcash MasterCard cards. The accumulated points can be redeemed as cash rewards and directed to up to three nonprofits and/or schools of the cardholder’s choice.
“Now, thanks to Nietech’s unique ability to convert reward points into donations and the power of the MasterCard rewards system, potentially every MasterCard card can become an affinity card for philanthropic fundraising efforts,” added Lanny Byers, global practice leader, MasterCard Advisors, Loyalty Consulting and Rewards Services.
“Nietech’s technology platform puts to bed ‘fundraising fatigue’ by electronically linking cardholders with the nonprofits and schools they want to support,” said Barbara Rambo, CEO, Nietech Corporation. “With COMMUNITYcash, we not only deliver the next generation in loyalty rewards but help financial institutions actively serve the personal and community interests of their customers.”
COMMUNITYcash can be fully customized for any-sized financial institution, and fits with new or existing loyalty rewards platforms. Participating financial institutions determine point accumulation criteria and redemption levels that best suit their cardholders’ expectations.
The NAS platform also provides an electronic data and transaction reporting capability, including a web-based interface, to simplify reward account management and ensure complete transaction-detail transparency and accountability for cardholders, card-issuers, beneficiaries and other program participants.
About MasterCard Advisors
MasterCard Advisors, an affiliate of MasterCard International, is a global professional services organization, offering consulting, research, outsourcing and information products and services. Through a worldwide network of consultants, Advisors offers a wide-ranging depth and breadth of services, delivering highly focused expertise and customized solutions to help each client increase share and maximize profitability. MasterCard Advisors provides access to consulting experts across payments strategy, information solutions, cardholder services, customer relationship management, information technology, marketing, operations, research, rewards programs and risk management. For more information about Advisors, go to www.mastercardadvisors.com.
About MasterCard International
MasterCard International is a leading global payments solutions company that provides a broad variety of innovative services in support of our global members’ credit, deposit access, electronic cash, business-to-business and related payment programs. MasterCard International manages a family of well-known, widely accepted payment cards brands including MasterCard®, Maestro® and Cirrus® and serves financial institutions, consumers and businesses in over 210 countries and territories. The MasterCard award-winning Priceless® advertising campaign is now seen in 97 countries and in 47 languages, giving the MasterCard brand a truly global reach and scope. For more information go to www.mastercardinternational.com.
About Nietech Corporation
Established in 1999, Nietech Corporation is a payments technology company headquartered in Santa Rosa, Calif. Through the Nietech Administrative System (NAS), a patent-pending transaction processing and settlement platform, the company links businesses, financial institutions, individual customers and beneficiaries; electronically collects and disburses cash payments, merchant rebates and loyalty points; tracks and processes transactions, and provides comprehensive electronic reporting and accounting transparency. COMMUNITYcash(SM) and COMMUNITYsmart(SM) are card-based loyalty and rewards programs developed by Nietech to support cardholders, schools and nonprofit organizations, which give retailers and financial institutions a measurable marketing tool to generate new and recurring business. More information is available at: www.nietech.com.
