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Lesson 17 / 21 · Beginner

Donations with accountable purpose

Follow a contribution without exposing the people it serves.

10 MIN WITH PRACTICEREAD → TRY → REFLECTNO WALLET NEEDED

By the end, you’ll be able to…

  • Distinguish received, restricted and spent funds.
  • Recognize the limits of a public address balance.
The idea, at a glance

A payment is one piece of the story.

PurposeAgree how support may be used
PaymentReconcile the financial record
ServiceReview evidence of what happened
A transaction alone does not prove that a meal was served or a promise was kept.

Start with a real recipient and purpose

A donation page should identify the accountable beneficiary, intended use and verified receiving method. A community story is not evidence of control over an address. Nor does an address copied from an unrelated wallet establish a valid receiving setup. The sender needs enough information to understand whom they support and what the project actually promises.

Receipt is not impact

A transaction can support a claim that funds arrived. It does not prove that ingredients were bought or meals served. A useful report connects receipts, approved expenses and outcomes while keeping sensitive details private. Restricted donations need separate treatment from general operating support. A large public address balance can include unrelated funds, change outputs or obligations that the viewer cannot see.

Publish what helps people check

For a fictional meal pilot, show the approved budget, aggregate receipts, spending categories, remaining restricted balance and corrections. Do not expose guests’ identities to create an impression of transparency. Donation recognition should be optional. Avoid promising a tax deduction, refund entitlement or legal status without the relevant established basis. Human stewards control spending; an agent may help reconcile redacted records but cannot convert a donor’s intent into a new mandate.

Your turn / A paper experiment

Practice on paper

A program receives 100,000 sats restricted to ingredients and spends 60,000 on approved ingredients. A designer asks to use the remaining amount. What should the report and steward say?

I’ve tried it — show the worked answer

The report shows 40,000 sats remaining for the restricted purpose, before any separately recorded fees. The steward cannot silently redirect it; the purpose and applicable agreement govern what happens next.

Want to explore with buttons and instant feedback? Try the practice lab ↗

Think it through

Make a choice. Discover why.

Choose an answer and check the explanation. You can retry as often as you like. These are practice questions, not a test of mastery; answers are not saved or sent.

1. Does an address balance prove meals were delivered?
  • Yes
  • No
Read the explanation

No. Financial and service evidence are separate.

2. Should a guest disclose a wallet to receive food?
  • Yes
  • No
Read the explanation

No. Access to a free meal must not depend on financial surveillance.

One idea to take with you

Make the purpose and accounts checkable without turning service into surveillance.

Your learning, at your pace

Read every lesson freely. Optional progress tracking needs JavaScript and browser storage; it does not require an account or wallet.