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How can Funeral Directors collect contactless donations?

How can Funeral Directors collect contactless donations on behalf of their mourners?

January 2025

Funeral service long candles at a church

Many people like to leave a legacy to local or national charities or organisations close to their heart when they pass. One thing they might also share is the desire to have donations instead of floral gifts at their funeral. For the family, it is a time when they would generally like the process to be easy and hassle free.

At Dona we offer a service for Funeral Directors so they can accommodate the families’ needs in a professional way, with a service that they can provide to ease the burden at a difficult time. 

Having card donation machines available at a funeral mass, burial, cremation or wake, either near the entrance or in the room used to congregate, can be a useful way for mourners to give. 

Dona donation machines empower funeral directors to allocate donations directly to the charity chosen by the deceased, so that the family can be confident their last wishes are being honoured.

Beautifully decorated white coffin with lots of flowers at a funeral

Features

  • Total of donations raised will be available and shared with the family
  • A QR code can be included to the order of service and on a dedicated webpage so that mourners can use their phone to scan and donate. 
  • Funeral Directors can provide this service as an extra feature. 
  • Donations can be taken by debit or credit card.
  • A list of donors and the gifted amounts can be made available after the service to be sent to the family.

Benefits for Funeral Directors and Attendees:

  • Convenience: Contactless payments are quick and easy, meaning no cash handling needed.   
  • Choice: The family or deceased can choose the charity that they wish donations to be made to.
  • Efficiency: The terminal streamlines the donation process, reducing wait times and improving the overall experience.  
  • Security: Contactless payments are secure, minimising the risk of theft or fraud.
  • Trust: Donors can clearly see exactly where their donation is going and will be updated after with the amount donated.

Additional Considerations:

  • Accessibility: Ensure the terminal is accessible to people with disabilities by using Dona’s height-adjustable stand.
  • Staff Training: Train staff to assist attendees with the donation process if needed.
  • Marketing: Promote the availability of contactless donations on the funeral home’s website, social media, and other communication channels.
  • Data Privacy: The management portal already adheres to data protection regulations when handling donor information.
Black writing of gift aid logo for charity fundraising
  • Gift Aid: Donations can be amplified with the use of Gift Aid forms on the terminals and the donation website page. 

By implementing contactless donation terminals, funeral directors can provide a modern and convenient way for attendees to honor the deceased and support charitable causes.

How Contactless Donation Terminals Work:

  1. Setup:

     

    • Choose Charities: Select the charity relevant to the deceased or the family’s wishes.
    • Configure Terminal: Program the terminal with the chosen charity set up as an individual fund for each funeral for the coming day.
    • Choose set donation amounts ahead of time for ease of donating. Custom options will also be available. 

2. Placement:

 

      • Visible Location: Place the terminal in a prominent location, such as near the exit, entrance or reception area. Sometimes it is a good idea to have the terminal in the area where refreshments are served. 
      • Clear Signage: Use clear signage to direct attendees to the donation terminal and explain its purpose.
      • In the Order of Service. Print clear instructions in the Order of Service on where to find the terminals. 
      • Mentioned briefly during the service introduction.
    •  QR code on a mobile phone being held by a person

 

  • QR Code: Add this to the Order of Service to enable mourners to donate at their leisure when they return home. This can also be shared on the funeral home webpages (sometimes offered as part of the funeral package), or on the deceased or family’s Facebook page so donations can be made by those unable to attend on the day.

Funeral Directors’ Considerations

Funeral Directors are required to keep donation records for 7 years. The Dona Donations management portal is set up to comply with all HMRC data reporting needs.  

The portal can also provide a list of names and total donation amounts.

A general guide for best practice management of donations for funeral directors can be found here

If we can help in any other way please contact our Sales team with any new terminal enquiries on 0203 488 5038

Alternatively please do complete our enquiry from to request a copy of our latest brochure. 

Find out more....

Our friendly team will be in touch to answer any questions you may have. 

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Black Friday and the Alternatives – Green, Big, Cyber Monday and Giving Tuesday

Black Friday and the Alternatives - Green, Big, Cyber Monday and Giving Tuesday

November 2024

Black Friday – love it or hate it, the term has become a familiar event in the winter calendar, bringing to mind tempting online deals and queues in the shops. For some it’s an exciting time to grab a bargain and get in the festive spirit. For others, the drive towards increased spending and over-consumption can feel at odds with environmental and community values.

Due to these conflicting connotations, a number of alternative names for Black Friday have emerged over the years, including:

  1. Giving Tuesday
  2. Green Friday
  3. Give Back Friday
  4. Big Friday
  5. Cyber Monday

Giving Tuesday

At Dona Donations we choose to celebrate Giving Tuesday, instead of Black Friday.

The third sector, including charities and not-for-profit organisations have, since 2012, embraced Giving Tuesday as an option for those wishing to give in a different way, or in addition to giving gifts to friends, family and loved ones over the festive season. Whether by contributing financially, donating time, or supporting a cause on social media, Giving Tuesday inspires individuals to take action and make a difference.

Giving Tuesday logo 2024

Some incredible stats showing how effective Giving Tuesday has been – 

  • £20.2 million – Donations on Giving Tuesday 2020, equivalent to almost £14,000 a minute and a 43% increase from Giving Tuesday 2019 (Visa UK data)
  • Over 360m – Impressions on Twitter alone, trending on Twitter all day
  • World Record – Giving Tuesday holds the world record for the most money raised online for charity in 24-hours!

Dona Donations celebrates Giving Tuesday instead of Black Friday to reflect our mission and  ethos of charitable giving, and as another great way for us to help spread awareness and support the charitable organisations we support. Giving Tuesday welcomes all denominations and beliefs, and captures the spirit of our company values.  

Giving Tuesday takes place on 3rd December in 2024, and at Dona we’re celebrating by offering a special discount on our newest DCPv3 contactless donation terminals, with £100 off each unit between the 25th November and the 6th December 2024. 

There is no limit to the number of terminals that can be purchased. Find out more about our Giving Tuesday offer  

How your charity can boost fundraising on Giving Tuesday

  1. Raise awareness of Giving Tuesday and share your Dona fundraising web page to capture donations from your social media channels. 
  2. Include your Dona fundraising web page in your regular newsletter. 
  3. Encourage your regular donors to use Giving Tuesday as an alternative to Black Friday and support your cause. 
  4. Run specific Giving Tuesday campaigns that align with your charity missions. 
  5. Hold an event, maybe a table sale with sponsored tables, or an auction of promises, so local business can also benefit. 
  6. Host a coffee morning, cake sale or festive meal. Take along your contactless donation terminal to give people an easy way to make  donations. 
  7. Have additional contactless terminals available to avoid queues at fundraising events and promote their position in your venue. 
  8. Encourage volunteers to join you and give their time and skills as well as donations to bolster your team and achieve your charity goals more quickly and efficiently. 

If you would like to find out more about how our contactless donations could help boost your fundraising campaigns for the Giving Tuesday period or the festive season please give us a call or enquire now: https:/giving-tuesday-offer/

Remember we have our special Giving Tuesday deal with £100 off per terminal – just mention ‘Giving Tuesday’ when you enquire. 

Why is Black Friday called ‘Black Friday’?

The day after Thanksgiving became known as Black Friday in the US, as all those who joined families for Thanksgiving then turned to Christmas shopping the following day. Many retailers were said to be in the red before this day and then, with the massive shopping frenzy on the Friday, they turned to profit and were very happy to be in the black – hence the name Black Friday. 

Other Alternative Names for Black Friday:

Big Friday

Some police forces also coined the term “Black Friday” as the crazy shoppers became rather unruly which resulted in a very busy day for them. Therefore ‘Big Friday’ became popular as a replacement name for a while, as retailers tried to shake off the negative vibes

As the last pay day before Christmas approaches it has become increasingly popular for retailers around the world to enjoy the boost to winter sales. They market Black Friday offers, and online ecommerce businesses follow suit with their Cyber Monday deals to secure gift sales ahead of competitors.

Green Friday

Green Friday was encouraged by environmentalists and eco-friendly retailers a few years ago with the aim of doing good and shopping with brands that were environmentally friendly

Many businesses use Green Friday as an alternative to Black Friday to promote their recycling, reusing or sustainability campaigns.

Give Back Friday

Give Back Friday is another alternative to the traditional Black Friday shopping frenzy, encouraging individuals to dedicate time and resources to charity and community causes. Instead of focusing on consumerism, this movement promotes volunteering, donating, and supporting local initiatives. It’s an opportunity to use the holiday season to make a positive difference, helping those in need and fostering a spirit of generosity.

Cyber Monday

The name ‘Cyber Monday’ was coined by Ellen Davis and Scott Silverman of the National Retail Federation (NRF) in a press release in 2005. The term was created to describe the surge in online shopping that occurred on the Monday following Thanksgiving, when people returned to work after the holiday weekend. The idea was that many consumers, after spending time with family and Black Friday shopping in stores, would take advantage of online deals from their computers at work or at home. The word ‘cyber’ referred to the internet and online commerce, while ‘Monday’ marked the day it took place, as a contrast to Black Friday.

Find out more....

Our friendly team will be in touch to answer any questions you may have.