ELROY FERNANDES, managing director of contactless donation terminal company DONA DONATIONS, highlights the scope for contactless payments to enable increased public donations.

After battling the pandemic, charities across the UK continue to adapt. In a tough economic environment, they face the shared burdens of high energy costs; inflationary pressures; volunteer, staff and talent shortages; and a need and desire to transform and modernise operations, to accomplish the objectives that they have been set up for. Success is dependent on income, revenue and capabilities to fundraise effectively.

But where is funding coming from? How is it being generated? Where do cash, digitisation, contactless card donation terminals and online donations fit in today’s fundraising landscape?

Dona Donations (Dona), a provider of contactless card donation terminals and online donation software for charity fundraising, announces that The Catholic Diocese of Arundel and Brighton has benefitted from Dona’s contactless payment fundraising strategy. The diocese acquired sixty-six of Dona’s Digital Collection Devices in 2019; they are being used within 44 parishes.

Since working with Dona in 2019, ‘Arundel and Brighton’ has received, and transacted, over £650,000 with Dona’s technology. The average card donation transacted on Digital Collection Devices (donation terminals) is approximately £11.92; the average card donation transacted across both Digital Collection Devices and donation webpages is £13.22; and the average Gift Aid donation was £14.50. Dona’s donation terminals have also been used for Gift Aid registrations, Parish Office/Shop transactions, and for donations to third party charities.

Patricia Wrightson, Diocesan Gift Aid Coordinator, The Catholic Diocese of Arundel & Brighton says, “The use of contactless payments is on a steady increase in the UK and globally. Our diocese is benefiting from using Dona’s technology by providing parishioners within our parishes, and visitors to Arundel Cathedral,  with the option of supporting the work, and mission of the Church, in an easy and modern way using contactless payment donations without the need to hunt for cash; which a high proportion of people generally don’t carry around much today.”

“We typically place Dona’s Digital Collection Devices at the entrance or exits of our churches and buildings, to enable giving in a way that allows people to donate without disrupting the flow of a church service. Other uses of the Digital Collection Plate include when using a votive candle, which is more secure than a collection box, which can be prone to theft; hall and car park hire; ‘fish-and-chip’ suppers; parish shops and fund-raising for third-party charities.”

“This technology is relatively easy to use, and for our parish staff or volunteers to set up. Once parishes start using it, they appreciate the benefits and do not look back. Payments are secure and the funds collected go speedily into the church’s bank account. A key benefit of contactless giving is avoiding the counting, storing, and banking of the cash which is time consuming and a potential security risk. We value this, especially with many branches of banks closing. The Gift Aid administration is easy to manage, and the wider reporting functionality supports church finance teams with managing the finances more efficiently too.”

Dona Donations’ mission is to help charities increase their donation income through technology. Its Digital Collection Plate provides donors access to a self-service kiosk that is contactless, and chip & PIN enabled. Gift Aid donations can be easily set up and managed. Giving can be categorised according to various causes/funds within a charitable organisation. The system is secure, and its management portal makes it straightforward and fast for charities to support accounting procedures and Gift Aid administration.

Elroy Fernandes, Managing Director, Dona Donations says, “The decline in cash usage by around 15% every year since 2017 – and 35% during 2020 – has generally affected charitable giving across all charities, especially in ad hoc situations such as museum visits or at religious venues, when weddings and funerals have previously generated significant cash collections. Therefore, we’re delighted our Digital Collection Plate is supporting The Catholic Diocese of Arundel and Brighton – enabling contactless donations to take place, providing church goers and visitors to services and functions with more options for donations and giving.”

We’re excited to announce that our Managing Director, Elroy Fernandes, was recently featured in Charity Today, where he discusses the transition of faith-based organisations from traditional cash donations to innovative contactless donation methods! 

In this insightful article, Elroy illuminates the challenges faced by faith-based organisations in a society where cash usage has significantly reduced. However, he believes this shift could also be a silver lining, introducing a new era of secure and convenient giving.

Our self-service donation terminals, designed with simplicity and flexibility in mind, are becoming the preferred choice for donors. Besides being convenient, these terminals can significantly boost Gift Aid income, increasing overall donations.

Elroy also highlights how digital donation solutions reduce the risk of theft, fraud, and error, bringing peace of mind to organisations and enhancing trust among donors.

So, whether it’s regular worship, special events like weddings and funerals, or external fundraising, our terminals ensure a seamless and efficient donation experience, contributing to the sustainability and growth of faith-based organisations.

Read the full article to understand why the future of donations is contactless and how Dona is playing a pivotal role in this transformation https://www.charitytoday.co.uk/safeguarding-donation-value-for-faith-based-organisations/

A copy of the article is included below.

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The Dona Team

FAITH-based organisations have historically relied heavily on cash donations from worshippers and while a proportion of regular attendees and community members have transitioned to direct debits and standing orders, the decline in cash usage has devastated overall contributions, especially at weddings, funerals and external fundraising events. But given the risk of cash donations to theft, fraud and error, a move to convenient contactless card donations could have a silver lining, as Elroy Fernandes, Managing Director, Dona Donations, explains.

MULTIPLE factors are coming together to place enormous financial pressure on charities reliant upon public donations.

After the disruption and drop in contributions endured during the pandemic, not only has the cost-of-living crisis significantly reduced individuals’ ability to make donations but the creep towards a cashless society is devastating both the planned and impromptu cash donations that have traditionally provided an essential fundraising stream.

It is now vital for charities to offer potential donors another option – and to find a way to motivate and inspire giving from both regular and occasional donors. Elroy Fernandes, Managing Director, Dona Donations explains how contactless payment terminals are not only providing a convenient alternative to cash donations but also the opportunity to engage emotionally with potential donors.

Our freshly revamped website combines user-centric design with ease of navigation. You can now find all the information about what we offer with just a few clicks. Time is invaluable, especially in the world of charity, and our site helps you save it for your mission-critical tasks.