About Payouts
How do payouts work?
After your campaign closes, there are three steps before matching funds become available for you to use in your project.
Calculations complete (within one week after campaign closes) following Ma Earth's algorithm for calculating matching funds.
Matching funds transferred (to your organization or your host partner, up to 4 weeks after round closes)
Funds available to use (immediately after transfer completes)
Note: Crowdfunding contributions appear in your or your host partner's Stripe Connect account immediately. Payouts can be set to transfer automatically to your or your host partner's bank account within a few business days (exact timing depends on your organization's location). You do not have to wait for the funding round to close, but note that it can take 7–14 days for the first funds to become available in Stripe if you have a new account.
Host partners are encouraged to pay out all crowdfunding donations and matching funds to their bank account in one transaction after the round ends.
If automatic payouts are paused, you can always initiate a manual payout from your Stripe Dashboard.
What you receive
The total funds you receive include:
Direct contributions: The amount your supporters contributed during the campaign.
Matching funds: Additional funding based on how many supporters you had and how much they contributed (learn more about quadratic funding).
Bonus funds: Bonus funds distributed if all projects in the round reach the collective funding goal.
Subtraction of host partner administrative expenses: If you are working with a host partner, they will subtract a percentage before sending the funds to your organization.
Example (no host partner):
Direct contributions
$1,000
Matching funds*
$4,500
Bonus funds
$1,000
Stripe fees on donations (~3%)
-$30
Total
$6,470
Example (with host partner):
Direct contributions
$1,000
Matching funds*
$4,500
Bonus funds
$1,000
Subtotal
$6,500
Host partner administrative expenses (5–15% of total funds)
-$325–975
Stripe fees on donations (~3%)
-$30
Total received by project
$6,145–5,495
*Final matching funds may be up to 3% lower due to banking fees depending on your bank.
Receiving funds in USD
Note: All donations are made in USD (US dollars) through the Ma Earth platform. Organizations may change the currency in which they receive donations in through their Stripe dashboard; Stripe charges a conversion fee for this.
If you have a USD (US dolalr) bank account, you may wish to add it to your Stripe account, even if your organization is based outside the US. This allows you to receive funds directly in USD and avoid Stripe's currency conversion fees.
Be advised that when you link a USD bank account, Stripe may ask you to submit a W-8 form or check additional boxes confirming that you're not a US taxpayer and are simply receiving funds in USD while operating in your own country. This is a standard compliance step and doesn't change your tax obligations at home.
If you have questions about how this applies to your organization, consult your accountant, or reach out to Stripe support directly.
Fees deducted before payout
Payment processing (Stripe): ~3% This covers the cost of securely processing all contributions. These fees go to Stripe, not Ma Earth.
Stripe processing fees range from 1.5% + €0.25 for domestic European card payments to ~5.25% for international cards with currency conversion, with most transactions on the platform likely falling in the 2.9 - 4.25% range.
Manual payouts are available in all regions except Brazil and India, where payouts are always automatic and daily. In most regions, manual payouts typically take 1-4 business days to arrive in your bank account after initiating the manual payout.
Stripe doesn’t charge a fee to initiate normal payouts. However, most non-primary currency payouts (payouts in a currency other than your Stripe account’s local currency), do incur Stripe fees. (Learn more in Stripe's support center.)
Donors may choose to cover the cost of processing fees during checkout so that 100% of their donation goes to land stewards.
Note: Due to some variability in Stripe fees, if a donor chooses to cover processing fees, you may see a slight discrepancy between the "Donation" total and the "Net funding" total displayed on your 'Payouts' dashboard. Stripe fees covered by donors will not be calculated and therefore will not appear in the total "Stripe fees" column of your 'Payouts' dashboard.
Payment processing fees are deducted automatically before funds are transferred to you or your host partner. Host partner fees are calculated based on the total donation amount, before Stripe fees.
Where matching funds go
If you're a registered nonprofit in a Stripe-supported country: For organizations in 33 of the 44 Stripe-supported countries, including all of Europe, the UK, the US, and Canada, Ma Earth can transfer matching funds directly via Stripe.
For organizations in the remaining 11 countries (Australia, Brazil, Gibraltar, Hong Kong, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Singapore, Thailand, and the United Arab Emirates), matching funds are sent via bank transfer. We'll reach out by email to collect your bank details if this applies to you.
If you have a host partner:
Funds go to your host partner's bank account. Your host partner then transfers funds to you according to your agreement with them. If your host partner is in one of the 11 countries listed above, we'll reach out to them directly to arrange a bank transfer for matching funds.
Timeline after campaign closes
Day 1 (campaign closes): Funding round complete. No more funds can be added.
Week 1 (calculations): We calculate matching funds for your project (including bonus funds).
Week 2 (notifications): You receive an email with final totals.
Up to 4 weeks from end of round: Funds are transferred to your organization or host partner, via Stripe or bank transfer.
Total time: Up to 4 weeks from campaign close for matching funds payout.
Tracking your payout
In your Ma Earth dashboard, you can see:
Campaign performance (during campaign)
Final totals (after campaign closes)
Matching funds payment status:
"Calculating" = We're determining final amounts
"Processing" = Transfer initiated
"Complete" = Funds sent to your bank/host partner
You'll receive emails at each stage:
When campaign results are available
When matching funds transfer is initiated
If you have a host partner
The process:
Funding round closes
Ma Earth calculates matching funds
Funds transferred to your host partner
Your host partner receives funds
Your host partner works with you to implement the project
Stay in touch with your host partner about:
When to expect the transfer from Ma Earth
Their timeline for transferring to you
Any documentation they need from you
Their administrative expenses (typically 5-15% of total funding received)
Note: Administrative expenses retained by host partner are separate from payment processing fees.
Example:
Direct contributions
$1,000
Matching funds
$4,500
Bonus funds
$1,000
Subtotal
$6,500
Host partner expenses (5-15% of total funds)
-$325–975
Stripe fees on donations (~3%)
-$30
Total received by project
$6,145–5,495
Tax implications
Tax treatment of funds received through Ma Earth depends on your country, your organization's legal status, and your host partner's location (if applicable). We cannot provide tax advice. Please consult your accountant or financial advisor on how to report and treat these funds.
Common payout questions
What currency are donations made in?
All donations are made in USD (US dollars). You can change the currency in which you receive donations through your Stripe dashboard. If you set a different currency, Stripe will charge an additional conversion fee.
Can I change my bank account after the campaign?
Yes, before we initiate the transfer. After the transfer begins, we cannot redirect funds.
What if I don't receive funds?
First, check with your bank. For payouts via Stripe, check with Stripe too. Sometimes transfers take 1-2 extra days. If it's been more than 5 business days after we confirmed the transfer, contact us.
Can I get matching funds early?
No. We need time to calculate final amounts, process all contributions, and handle any issues. Early payouts aren't possible.
Can I receive matching funds in installments?
No. All funds are transferred at once after the campaign closes.
Can donations collected outside of the Ma Earth platform count towards matching grant calculations?
No. Only donations collected and facilitated by Ma Earth count towards the calculation of the matching grant.
Can I pool donations from my community and then donate them together as a single transaction on Ma Earth?
One large donation will not be recognized by the quadratic funding calculation as distinct donations and will negatively impact the calculation of your matching funds. It is not possible to log distinct donations with Ma Earth if they are not received through the platform.
What if the collective goal wasn't reached?
Your project still gets funded. You still receive your direct contributions and matching funds, just not the bonus funds.
Do I need to wait to start work?
That's up to you. Some projects begin immediately using their own resources, then reimburse themselves when Ma Earth funds arrive. Others wait for funds to arrive before starting.
Need help?
Related help articles:
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