Zakat al Fitr Fitrana

One of the conditions of Fitran (Zakat al Fitr) is that it must be paid before the Eid prayer. If it is paid later, it will be treated as Sadaqah and therefore the reward will be less.

Yes, you can pay Zakat Al Fitr in cash by donating money to a foundation that operates in accordance with Islamic principles. Such a foundation acts as an agent to facilitate the payment of Fitran. Islamic foundations generally have the capacity and vast experience to distribute zakat and spend it in accordance with Islamic law. So you can donate your Zakat Al Fitr to an Islamic foundation and the foundation will purchase food and distribute it on your behalf to the most needy in the poorest parts of the world.

Of course we do. Our foundation operates according to Islamic principles and we follow the zakat policy. When collecting Zakat Al Fitr from donors before Eid Al Fitr, we make an advance order for food products from our supplier, who delivers everything in advance to the villages where we run the Ramadan Project, and we make the payment by fast international transfer to the supplier's bank account before the Eid prayer. So all Islamic rules are respected - our volunteers get the products to cook the meals in advance, and the supplier gets paid on the first day of Eid before the festival prayer. 

Yes, according to the Hanafite school one can give Zakat Al Fitr before the 27th day of Ramadan. The Shafic school also follows this ruling.