Invert your perspective on this for a minute. Think of them as the site owners and you as a partner whose IP is being licensed. They need to continue covering t

Invert your perspective on this for a minute. Think of them as the site owners and you as a partner whose IP is being licensed. They need to continue covering the cost of that IP regardless of whether they make money or not. Furthermore, I agree with others that you will change the dynamic drastically if you throw money into the equation. If you are really uncomfortable wi profiting, reduce the number of ads to give a better end-user experience. Paying the kids will start cool, but will poison the well. Alternatively, you could create a scholarship fund for volunteers. It is not a guaranteed payment, but recognizes their contributions. Make the criteria a simple "who helped a lot" with "who has a life outside of animal crossing".