For an ongoing pro bono project, it would be nice if there were an in-buffer #+OPTION: configuration for footnotes, when exporting to HTML (or DOCX or PDF), to have the footnote text in small print just below the paragraph in which the footnote reference occurs.  

I'd be willing to pay something to have this done and contributed to the standard installation.

Here's an example of the desired "look"; it's copied and pasted from a court opinion, with the footnote numbers bolded:

<BEGIN EXCERPT>

[T]he CSA allowed Pruitt to not only access CIP, but also to "build Customer Use Cases[4] and configure Data Feeds[5] for those" cases. [remainder of paragraph omitted]

[4] The CSA defines "Use Case" as a "Cloud Services configuration that incorporates Data Feeds with designated views to address specific issues within [Pruitt] or [Pruitt's] Facilities." Doc. 1–1 at 7. "Customer Use Cases," in turn, "means any Use Case developed by or for [Pruitt] or customized for [Pruitt]." Id.

[5] "Data Feeds" are "inbound electronic data messages from [Pruitt] information systems to the Cloud Services." Doc. 1–1 at 7. Essentially, a data feed is the delivery of information from a Pruitt electronic medical records software system to CIP, which Caradigm hosts on its own computers, and which Pruitt accesses via the "cloud." See doc. 73 at 6 ("data feeds are the electronic data messages from PruittHealth systems to [CIP].") (quotes omitted).

The Order—"made as of June 25th, 2013 ("Order Effective Date ") pursuant to the [CSA]"—meanwhile, reveals that Pruitt, in addition to the $20,000/month CIP development license, purchased two other "Cloud Services:" [remainder of text omitted]

<END EXCERPT>

I've just (re)checked the manual but didn't see this feature. 

A Google search yielded a 2014 Stack Overflow question along the same lines.

D. C. Toedt III   Attorney & neutral arbitrator — tech contracts & IP 
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