Case Studies
We love hearing about how Dona has helped places of worship and charities.
We’ve shared some of our feedback here.
St James' Church, Spanish Place
Based in the heart of London, St James’ Catholic Church offers a calming space for those looking to get away from the hustle and bustle of city life through prayer.
As with the majority of churches in the UK, donations are an essential aspect of St James’ revenue. In addition to maintaining the Church grounds and supporting staff, these donations also go towards supporting external Christian charities and community events.
Prior to contacting us, the Church relied purely on cash donations. Yet, as the number of people who carried cash was steadily declining, St James’ Catholic Church was left with a significantly reduced income. Luckily they reached out to Dona and we were able to help.
Providing them with 3 donation terminals and a donation webpage has enabled them to tap into the world of digital donations; no longer reliant on the cash that people may or may not be carrying.
Raised £100,000 in 2 years. Average of £167 in donations per day.
“Dona’s Digital Collection Plates are easy to use. The option to display different donation categories is great, as it allows people to choose exactly what they want to donate to and Gift Aid their donations.”
Paul Thomson, Parish Administrator
Lantern Arts Centre, Wimbledon
Lantern Arts Centre has strong community presence and is funded by donations.
Like many charities, Lantern Arts Centre saw a big decline in cash donations in 2020 so explored digital giving options and chose Dona.
Utilising both donation terminals and a donation webpage, they have been able to transform their fundraising efforts. With their average donation amount increasing to £49.
They also use the Management Portal to remotely monitor donations for their various community initiatives throughout the year.
The time saved counting and depositing cash has meant they can now focus on what they love most, performing arts!
Raised £110,000 in 3 years. Average donation value £49.
“Not only can our supporters choose what they want the donation to be for, but they can also declare their Gift Aid status all in the same process. This saves us lots of chasing and paperwork and of course increases the value of the donation.
The functionality is effective and the user experience is good, even for those who are less used to using technology in this way.”
Steve Rees, Operations Manager
East Ren Centre, Glasgow
East Ren Centre is an Islamic Community Centre in Glasgow, established in 2011, with the generous support of the local Muslim community.
Noting that less people were carrying cash to give Lillah/donations to the masjid, we provided them with 2 donation terminals, for collecting contactless and Chip & PIN donations.
East Ren Centre chose a Wall Mount stand to make their donation terminal easily accessible nearby the entrance of the masjid and they use their second donation terminal portably – passing it along the rows of people after salat.
Raised £90,000 in 2 years. Average donation value £14.
“Dona has provided our masjid with a simple and efficient way to raise funds for those in need, fisabilillah. With clear screen options that allow brothers and sisters to donate generous amounts for Lillah, our congregation has taken up this new way of giving with ease, alhamdulillah. With less people carrying cash, this transition has made sense and worked really well for us!”
Management Team, East Ren Centre
The Khalsa Jatha British Isles, London
Formed in 1908 and based in London, the Khalsa Jatha British Isles is the oldest established Sikh place of worship in Europe.
Community is at the heart of this Gurdwara’s ethos. Providing hot food on site and making over 1000 foodboxes a week, the Khalsa Jatha is not only a place of worship, but a place of refuge for those who have nowhere else to turn; no matter their religious background.
Yet, with the use of cash decreasing, the Gurdwara found themselves losing out on the very donations that made their charitable work possible. This is why they turned to Dona.
Now home to 2 donation terminals and a donation webpage, the Gurdwara has been able to grow their fundraising revenue once more. The privacy and simplicity of our donation terminals enable visitors to easily donate at all times.
Average donation value £10. 35% of donations Gift Aided.
“Dona’s Digital Collection Plates have provided access to a new revenue stream. In under 6 months we raised over £10,000 in digital donations with added Gift Aid. This is income we otherwise would have missed out on.”
Gurpreet Singh Anand, President
St John the Baptist Cathedral, Norwich
St John the Baptist is the second largest Catholic cathedral in the UK.
A growing digital movement has led to a decline in cash donations. Furthermore, they have also been been subject to cash thefts.
We provided them with our donation terminals and a donation webpage in 2020.
Due to the quick and easy setup, within a week from ordering, the cathedral was ready to accept card donations with contactless and Chip & PIN.
Raised £100,000 in 3 years. 56% of donations Gift Aided.
“Dona’s Management Portal is intuitive to use and administer. Donation display amounts can be easily updated and Gift Aid can be turned on and off as required. Dona’s support team is very responsive and nothing is too much trouble for them.”
Matthew Fernandez-Graham, Director of Finance
West London Islamic Centre
The West London Islamic Centre and Jamia Masjid (WLIC) was established in 1984 and, having found its base in West Ealing 12 years later, is a central hub for the area’s Muslim community.
WLIC is dedicated to providing an inclusive space for all that enter, aiming to expand and become a landmark facility that will serve the well-being of the community.
Used with a countertop stand and passed around portably, the flexibility of our donation terminals, has allowed WLIC to make donation points visible at all their seasonal events and regular worship times.
Raised £20,000 in 9 months. 65% of donations Gift Aided.
“Although we have used standard card readers in the past, none of them allowed us to collect Gift Aid. This is why we chose to move forward with Dona. The Gift Aid feature is easy to use, and the Management Portal lets us track all Gift Aid related information in one place, reducing time spent on admin so that we can focus on the centre’s other needs.”