Contactless fundraising platforms for donors who don't carry cash

More than 23 million people in the UK used virtually no cash in 2021, according to a study from UK Finance. The banking body expects that notes and coins will account for just 6% of transactions with a decade.

For charities, this poses a fundraising conundrum. The humble fundraising bucket can no longer achieve what they need it to when people no longer carry the change to fill it. They must – and, in many cases, have already – turn to alternative payment options to drive their in-person fundraising, enabling people to donate securely with their card or smart device.  

Contactless payment is a must for charities wherever they are fundraising, whether at a special event or in a town centre. Charities should keep everything that worked about their previous fundraising methods – the simplicity, the storytelling, the swiftness – but add a digital element that suits every purse. The key to contactless fundraising is convenience.  

Goodbye GoodBox 

Investing in different payment solutions requires well-honed knowledge of what audiences want and trends in the sector. Choosing the right platform is not a finite process and sometimes things may happen that are out of your organisation’s control.

With the news that digital fundraising solution GoodBox has gone into administration, charities are understandably concerned about what will replace it. GoodBox allowed donors to give simply using contactless technology, tapping well-placed podiums or mobile devices that made cashless giving easier, wherever and whenever they wanted

GoodBox may have been an industry staple but there are many alternatives that are worthy of exploration now. Competitors vary by functionality but offer distinct advantages. 

The best contactless alternatives to GoodBox 

GWD 

GWD offer a similar service to GoodBox with their Donation Stations through which users can also donate using contactless. To date, the Donation Station has helped raise more than £1.3 million for charities and good causes. 

One of the elements that makes the Donation Station unique is its Attract Loop capability. Each station features a tailored moving image and messaging loop which attracts donors and secures that all-important donation.

Donation Stations come in a variety of sizes to suit different locations and branding can be customised according to charity. They can be used to raise funds for specific causes with variable donation amounts.  

They can also be used to tell donors more about the organisation they are supporting. “creating a lasting impression of a fundraising cause” with their colourful and accessible visuals and messaging. For GWD, it’s all about providing a good supporter experience as well as processing donations.  

Like GoodBox, every Donation Station has tailored usage reports and GWD has integrated Gift Aid processing into the system. It also offers one-to-one support for charities who need a little extra help with their devices.  

The Donation Station is available from £750, excluding VAT. Read more about how Riverbourne Community Farm used it for their site. 

Dona

Targeting religious organisations, Dona accepts online and contactless payments. The unique selling point is the hardware. Dona has a digital collection plate that houses a display screen and payment infrastructure. Supporters simply walk by, or queue up to tap their card on the device, making it easier for large crowds to give.  

Dona also has a platform that records and analyses giving patterns. Much like the GoodBox Portal, Dona’s Management Portal takes stock of transactions and helps charity digital leaders make sense of what’s going on. Charities can also use the portal to remotely manage donation sites. 

BOPP  

BOPP bills itself as one to make fundraising easier and faster.  Unlike the conventional payments systems, BOPP is completely digital. There are no physical mounts for devices. Rather, BOPP’s digital platform generates a QR code or payment link for supporters to follow. From there, charities distribute the QR code and/or link through email or simply just show the code.  

Another major benefit that BOPP offers is its website integration. BOPP’s proprietary app connects donors with major banks. Supporters simply ‘check-out’ via debit or credit.  

When compared with other offers, BOPP makes sense for charities that do much of their fundraising online. As the platform does not offer any hard infrastructure, direct, in-person collections might be a bit more challenging. QR codes could be handed out, but there’s no guarantee that supporters will follow through.  

True Layer  

Not strictly aiming at charities, True Layer is an open banking platform. Taking just a first look, digital and card payments are processed. There is no hardware associated with the platform or analytics.  

True Layer makes sense for charities involved in crypto currency, ecommerce, and online gaming. For trailblazers like the Royal National Lifeboat Institution, accepting crypto currency means they are pressing into new technology.

That requires a tool kit that can process not only the payment, but ensure that the currency is verified. Digital checkouts are also another offer. The platform processes and ensures that charities get the money as soon as the transaction is complete.  

If anything, True Layer is for sophisticated customers looking to harness cutting edge trends. 

GiveStar  

GiveStar (previously called TapSimple) is a fundraising solution that aims to help charities fundraise in an increasingly cashless society. It offers a variety of services, including online donation pages, QR codes, donation buttons that can be built into charity livestreams, and an app that allows charities to take contactless payments using their smartphone. 

Alternatively, organisations can purchase a clip-on payment device to process card payments (both contactless and Chip and Pin) for £49, with no signup fee, monthly contracts, or service fee. They can take donations up to £50,000, collect Gift Aid information and contact details to follow up with donors after they’ve donated. 

DonateFlow 

Targeting those raising funds, DonateFlow makes donating easy. They have three separate payment streams for monthly, annual, or one-off giving. Like many of the other competitors here, the platform tracks payments and charity digital leaders can download the raw data sets. The first differentiator is that it is free for charities, with Starlight, Farleigh Hospice, and the British Dyslexia Association already taking advantage.

The online donation platform offers three main reasons to subscribe. First, the payment frequencies align with most giving platforms and are automated. Second, the data can be analysed from social media and downloaded to common Excel files. Last, DonateFlow is a ‘white-label’ option. Charities tailor the look of the platform to match their own branding.

Coming at a cost, additional upgrades are on offer. These include CRM integration, more payment options, Gift Aid submission and online page management.

Taking a look at DonateFlow when compared with others, the platform offers the most comprehensive donor payment system. The donation processing matches GoodBox’s capability and charities can customise to fit current operations. The plug-ins also allow for room to grow.