Members Project

A: Now in its second year, Members Project is an online program that enables passionate people to come together to dream up innovative ideas for projects that make a difference. Last year, the winning project received $2 million in funding from American Express. The project was to bring clean drinking water to millions of children across the developing world.

Q: Has American Express ever done this before?

A: Last year, American Express launched the first ever Members Project. Cardmembers submitted thousands of amazing projects, voted for their favorite, and ultimately supported one Cardmember's project. The winning project, which received $2 million in funding, involves providing clean drinking water to children across the developing world. The funding has allowed UNICEF to provide clean drinking water in four African countries: Tanzania, Democratic Republic of Congo, Angola, and Guinea. Greg Allgood, a Cardmember from Cincinnati, Ohio, submitted the winning project.

Q: How does Members Project work?

A: Cardmembers come together at membersproject.com to collaborate on and submit innovative projects that could make a difference in the world. Then Cardmembers can vote on which projects American Express should bring to life.

Even if you're not a Cardmember, you can join the discussion, campaign for your favorite projects, and spread the word to friends and family.

Q: How much money is being awarded?

A: American Express is providing $2.5 million in funding to carry out the winning projects, based on the total votes they win in the final round of voting:

$1,500,000 for the winning project
$500,000 for the 2nd place project
$300,000 for the 3rd place project
$100,000 each for the two remaining finalist projects

Q: What is the role of the Advisory Panel, and who is on the panel?

A: The Advisory Panel is a group of 12 extraordinary people who are recognized experts in the fields of Arts & Culture, Community Development, Education, Environment & Wildlife, Health, and Social Entrepreneurism. The panel will evaluate projects to determine which ones should progress to the Top 25 for voting. The panel will look for projects that are innovative, achievable, and impactful.

Click here to see our extraordinary Advisory Panel.

Q: Will American Express be offering Members Project® again in 2009?

A: At this time a decision has not been made regarding offering Members Project in 2009. However, if you are a registered 2008 Members Project participant and/or an American Express® Cardmember, you may be notified if American Express decides to repeat this program in 2009.

Participation

Q: Who can participate in Members Project?

A: Any person with a valid e-mail address may join Members Project online community. To support a project or cast a vote after September 9th, you must be an American Express Cardmember in good standing. If you are not a Cardmember, you can still participate. Please see Terms and Conditions for details

Q: How can I participate in Members Project '08?

A: If you are a Cardmember, you can participate in Members Project in the following three ways:

Create and submit a project or collaborate on an existing project from July 22 - August 19, 2008
Show support for other projects by participating in online discussions and nominating the projects you would like to see included in the final voting rounds (i.e., in the Top 25 projects) from July 22 - September 1, 2008
Vote for your favorite project from September 9 - October 13, 2008

Participation at any of these levels requires you to register at membersproject.com and be a Cardmember in good standing. You must have an American Express Card issued by American Express in the United States to participate as a Cardmember.

If you are not a Cardmember, you can still participate as a Guest Member. This allows you to participate in the following ways:

Show support for projects by participating in online discussions and nominating projects you would like to include in the final voting rounds (i.e., in the Top 25 projects) from July 22 - September 1, 2008
Reach out to friends and family who are Cardmembers and encourage them to submit and vote for projects.

Q: What if I don't have an idea for a project? Can I still participate?

A: Even if you don't have an idea, you can support projects you like by choosing them as your favorite, making suggestions using the Discussion Board, and rallying your friends, family, and colleagues to support a project.

Q: Can minors participate?

A: A person must be 13 years or older to participate. Please see Terms and Conditions.

Q: I am a Cardmember who is 15-17 years old. Can I submit a project?

A: Beginning July 22, 2008, you may submit a project. However, you should discuss this with your parent or legal guardian and have their consent before you submit. Your parent or legal guardian's e-mail address must be included on your project submission form. You must also have an eligible American Express Card and an americanexpress.com online account to participate. If you do not have an online account, click here to set one up.

Q: What does it mean to be a Cardmember in good standing?

A: A Card account is not in good standing if it is suspended or terminated for any reason.

Q: When and how can I register for Members Project '08?

A: Register for Members Project at membersproject.com beginning on July 22, 2008. It's easy&emdash;just follow these simple steps:

If you are an American Express Cardmember in good standing with an americanexpress.com online account, you can register at membersproject.com using that existing User ID and Password.
If you are an American Express Cardmember in good standing without an americanexpress.com online account, you must create one before you can register at membersproject.com. If you want to create one now, go to americanexpress.com and click on "Register Here."
If you are not a valid American Express Cardmember, provide your name and a valid e-mail address.

Submitting an idea for a Project

Q: What kind of projects is American Express looking for?

A: American Express is looking for projects that will make a difference. Think about what inspires you&emdash;whether you want to make a difference in your neighborhood or across the globe. Submit a project in the following categories: Arts & Culture, Community Development, Education, Environment & Wildlife, and Health. The project should address a specific problem or issue, be achievable, innovative, and have a positive impact that touches the lives of people in a significant way.

Submit projects from July 22 - August 19, 2008.

Q: When and how do I submit a project?

A: The submission period starts at 12:00AM ET on July 22, 2008 and ends at 11:59PM ET on August 19, 2008.

During this time, sign in at membersproject.com and click on the "Submit a Project" button in the upper right corner. Then, follow the simple submission steps. You will receive an e-mail if your project is approved. If your project is rejected, you can revise and resubmit it.

Q: How many projects can I submit?

A: Each Cardmember will be permitted one approved project.

Q: What do I need to submit with my project?

A: You need to fill out the project submission form completely. The project submission form will allow you to add pictures, videos, and even an audio recording of why your project deserves to be supported. While these additions are not necessary, they can help others understand and get excited about your project.

Q: How long does it take to post my project or content after I submit it?

A: When you submit a project or additional content, it must be reviewed before being posted on the site. This process can take up to three business days. You will then be notified of the results via e-mail.

Q: What are the project categories? Are they different from last year?

A: The categories are different from last year. The categories for Members Project `08 include: Arts & Culture, Community Development, Environment & Wildlife, Education, and Health.

Q: What if my project does not fit into one of these categories?

A: Choose the most appropriate category based on the information provided on membersproject.com. Within each category, there are subcategories that may help you decide which category to select for your project.

Q: What if I have an organization in mind to carry out my project?

A: Please provide the name and contact information for the organization on the project submission form. If you are affiliated with this organization as an employee, manager, or director, you will need to disclose this information on your project submission form.

Q: What if I do not know of an organization that could carry out my project?

A: You can submit a project even if you do not have an organization to help you. American Express can help bring your project to life by finding a fulfilling organization, if necessary. Please remember that American Express will make the final selection of the fulfilling organization.

Q: What happens if my project has been not approved?

A: You can revise and resubmit your project before the submission deadline of 11:59PM ET on August 19, 2008. Before you resubmit, you should review and ensure you followed the directions on the submission form and the Members Project Terms and Conditions. Be sure your project complies with the submission criteria, including:

Project must be written in your original words and not copied from copyrightable work
Does not include any mention of any specific individual, company, organization, brand, or project
Does not include any trademarks, trade names, third-party copyrighted material, or material owned by a third party
Does not contain any names, addresses, personal identification of any kind, website addresses, or links to websites

For more information on submission criteria, go to Terms and Conditions.

Once you have reviewed and made the necessary edits, additions, and deletions suggested for your project to receive approval, you can resubmit your project idea.

Q: Can I change or edit my project after I submit it? How many times?

A: You can make edits, additions, or deletions to your project as many times as necessary up until the submission deadline of 11:59PM ET on August 19, 2008. However, you will not be able to change the project name once it has been submitted and approved.

Q: When is the last time I can make changes to my project?

A: All edits, additions, or deletions to your submission must be complete by 11:59PM ET on August 19, 2008.

Q: Can I withdraw my project?

A: Yes. If you withdraw your project, it will be noted as withdrawn on the site. Once you withdraw a project, you may submit a new project if the submission deadline has not passed. You also may recommend another project to support, if you wish.

Q: I am an employee/director of a non-profit organization; may I submit a project for my organization?

A: If you are a Cardmember in good standing, you may submit a project beginning July 22, 2008. The terms and conditions request no inclusion of organization names in a project submission. The project submission needs to be an idea and not a request for organizational funding. In addition, you will need to disclose your affiliation with your non-profit organization if you would like that organization to be considered as the fulfilling organization.

Making Suggestions to Existing Projects

Q: Can I make suggestions or collaborate with others on a project? How?

A: You can either post a suggestion on the Discussion Board or send the submitter a private message through the Discussion Board. Please see the Terms and Conditions for use of the Members Project Discussion Board. Please note that project submitter has the right to accept or decline the suggestion.

Q: Someone made a suggestion to my project. How do I incorporate the suggestion?

A: To incorporate suggestions to your project, simply click "Edit Project" link on your Project Details page to make any revisions. Remember, the last date to make changes to your project submission is 11:59 P.M., ET, on August 19, 2008.

Q: Can I combine my project with a similar project that's already been submitted? How?

A: At this time similar projects cannot be combined. However, you can withdraw your project and join forces with the submitter of another project. Or you can withdraw your project and submit a new project if the submission deadline has not passed.

Q: I'm a project submitter and someone made a suggestion for my project. Do I have to accept it?

A: As the project submitter, you can accept as many of the suggestions as you like. Incorporating suggestions may make your project even better and help gain you other supporters. It is entirely up to you.

Q: I recommended a suggestion for a project. Does the project submitter have to accept my suggestion?

A: No, the project submitter is under no obligation to accept your suggestions.

Nominating, Promoting, and Voting

Q: What does it mean to "nominate" a project?

A: When you nominate a project, you show that you support it. You can nominate any number of projects from July 22 - September 1, 2008. Your nomination may help project advance into the Top 25.

Q: How do I nominate a project?

A: Nominating a project is easy. Starting July 22 and ending September 1, 2008, go to the Project Details page for your favorite project and click on the "nominate" icon. After you have nominated a project, you should consider asking your friends and family to also nominate it. Remember, popular support is one of the factors used to determine which projects will advance to the Top 25.

Q: What can I do to promote a project?

A: There are many ways to promote a project, and you can find several promotion ideas on membersproject.com. For instance, you can send an e-mail to friends, family, and colleagues. If you have a website, blog, or belong to another social network site, such as Facebook or MySpace, there are other options. Consider posting a widget that directs friends and family to membersproject.com to support your favorite project. For more information on spreading the word, click here.

Q: Can I promote more than one project?

A: From July 22, 2008 until October 13, 2008, you may promote as many projects as you like through e-mail, badges, or widgets that are available at membersproject.com.

Q: How are projects evaluated?

A: Projects are evaluated on various factors, including number of nominations received, a review of achievability, and Advisory Panel scoring.

Above all, American Express is looking for projects that are achievable, innovative, and stand to have a positive impact that touches the lives of people in a significant way.

Q: How do I vote for a project?

A: The voting phase begins on September 9, 2008, when the Top 25 are announced. Cardmembers can vote for a project by clicking on the "Vote For This Project" link at the bottom of any Project Details page.

There are two voting rounds. A Cardmember can vote once during each round. You can vote for the same project in both rounds or vote for a different project.

Round 1, Top 25: September 9 - September 29, 2008
Round 2, Top 5: September 30 - October 13, 2008

Q: How many projects can I vote for?

A: Each Cardmember can vote for one project during each round, as outlined in the question above.

Your vote, along with the votes of all participating Cardmembers, will ultimately determine which five projects will receive funding from American Express.

Q: Can I change my vote? How often?

A: You can change your vote as many times as you wish during each round until the deadline for that round. At that point, your vote will be locked.

Q: Does my vote carry over each round?

A: No. Each vote counts once per round. If your favorite project makes it to the next round, you can come back and vote for it again. Or vote for a different project.

The Winning Project

Q: What does it take to become a winning project?

A: A winning project must first make it into the Top 25 and into the Top 5. Then, it must receive the most votes of all the projects.

Q: If my project is chosen, what happens?

A: You will be notified by American Express to inform you that your project has been selected. The fulfilling organization matched to your project will submit an implementation plan that will be reviewed and approved by American Express before funding is provided.

Q: How does a project get to the Top 25 and who makes the final determination?

A: The project should be innovative, achievable, and impactful. It should also have been nominated by others, discussed positively on the Discussion Board, and/or promoted to friends and family members using the communication tools on the site. The 12 member Advisory Panel will evaluate the projects in conjunction with American Express to determine which projects progress to the Top 25 voting round. Click here to see our extraordinary Advisory Panel.

Q: How many projects will American Express fund?

A: American Express will fund a total of five projects.

Q: Who gets the funding?

A: The funding is provided to organizations associated with the winning projects, as designated by American Express, following the selection of the Top 25 submissions.

Fulfilling Organizations

Q: How are fulfilling organizations selected?

A: American Express selects organizations that are the best qualified to carry out and implement the requirements of the winning projects. American Express seeks organizations that have the scale, demonstrated track record of fiscal responsibility, and success in implementing similar projects. You can reference the Terms and Conditions for more information.

Q: How does my organization become a potential fulfilling organization?

A: If your organization is interested in being considered to be a potential fulfilling organization, click here to send an e-mail with the organization's information. Given the volume of requests, it is not possible to respond to all e-mails. An American Express representative will contact the organizations that the company is considering.

Q: Why was the fulfilling organization different than the one I suggested?

A: American Express seeks organizations that have the scale, demonstrated track record of fiscal responsibility, and success in implementing similar projects. While American Express did review and consider your suggested organization, we determined that another organization was best qualified to carry out and implement the requirements of the winning project.

Q: Can I get in touch with the fulfilling organization?

A: Unfortunately, we are not able to release specific contact information.

Additional Contact Information

Q: If I have more questions about Members Project, who should I contact?

A: Please call Members Project Customer Service at 1-800-AXP-1234 with your questions.