Focus Blue and Rewards programs are similar but separate programs that allow researchers to pay research participants with a pre-loaded Visa card. Plastic and digital cards are available, and physical cards can be customized with the participants' names or instant-issued without names. The cards can be used anywhere that accepts payments from Visa.
These two card programs allow you to choose between different customization and payment options.
| Focus Blue | Rewards | |
|---|---|---|
| Program setup time | 8-12 weeks | 2-3 weeks (if not customized) |
| Cost | No cost | $1 per card |
| Support for recurring payments | Yes | No |
| Requires fee disclosures | Yes, available in English and Spanish | No |
| Monthly maintenance fee | Inactivity fee info in disclosures | $3 per month after first 12 months |
| Personal information | Name, address, email address, DOB, SSN, and Employee ID/unique identifier (required) | Name, address, email address |
| Anonymous option | Yes | Yes |
| 1099 Reportable | Yes | Yes |
| PAF required | Yes | Yes |
| MAX calendar year | No cap | $300,000 |
| Format | Physical card only | Physical or digital option |
To get started, email Purcard.Rewards@uvm.edu with a meeting request. Training with US Bank will be scheduled after meeting with the PurCard team.