Payment details stay with processors
The product is designed to use Stripe-hosted payment flows and tokens. Card details are handled by Stripe, not stored by Takes A Village servers.
Trust has to be designed into the flow.
The site is structured around transparent costs, server-only secrets, private data controls, customer service access, and public policies for payment-related questions.
Private data access controls
The app separates public website content from server-side customer records and uses database access controls for private information.
Secrets remain server-only
The service-role key is only read inside server route handlers and is never exposed through NEXT_PUBLIC variables.
Clear customer policies
Refunds, disputes, cancellations, fulfillment, restrictions, privacy, and promotion terms are published in the policy center.
Security & transparency
Where the money is, and is not.
The product is designed around traceability: clear fees, parent visibility, guest-friendly checkout, and a ledger that keeps balances attached to the child instead of a single campaign page.
Payments handled by StripeCard data never touches Takes A Village servers. Stripe handles checkout, tokenization, and payment processing.
Clear fees before checkoutParents pay no platform fee. Villagers see the processing fee before they contribute, with an option to cover it.
Funds stay allocatedUnderfunded or overfunded campaigns roll into the child's General Future Fund instead of expiring or disappearing.
Stripe Connect
A $50 gift, shown plainly
Villager pays$52.50
Gift amount$50.00
Processing estimate$2.50
In the child's goal$50.00
Customer policies
The support rules are easy to find.
Stripe and card networks expect customers to understand what is being sold, who to contact, and how refunds, disputes, cancellations, fulfillment, restrictions, and promotions work.
- Business name and service description.
- Customer support email and contact form.
- Refund, dispute, cancellation, and fulfillment policies.
- Privacy, terms, restrictions, and promotion terms.
- Visible fee breakdown before checkout.
Stripe Connect
A $50 gift, shown plainly
Villager pays$52.50
Gift amount$50.00
Processing estimate$2.50
In the child's goal$50.00
Fee model
Show the math before the button.
The donor experience should make the gift amount, processing cost, and amount credited to the child visible before payment. No mystery deductions after the fact.