At Toucan Giving we enable phones to take contactless donations with our specialist apps. This makes a standard smartphone a contactless giving device for your charity or fundraising team.
Using a phone as a donation point helps when you can’t invest in extra hardware or when volunteers are moving between events and locations. Below we have put together an overview of how typical contactless giving apps works and what to think about before you get started.
1. Choose A Contactless Giving App
The first step is getting a fundraising app that is built for charitable donations rather than general card payments. A purpose made contactless giving app can enable:
- Fixed and variable donation amounts
- Branding with your charity’s name and logo
- Capture of Gift Aid and marketing consents
- Viewing reporting to track fundraising performance
- Campaign creation and app user management
The Toucan Collect app keeps the experience simple for fundraisers and donors with fast payment and clear on screen instructions.
2. Check Device and Connection Requirements
Most smartphones can be used for contactless fundraising but it is worth checking:
- That the app supports your iOS or Android operating system. Toucan Collect supports both iOS and Android.
- Devices have reliable mobile data or Wi-Fi connectivity to process donations
- Heavy screen use and connectivity may drain battery - consider portable chargers for all day events
- That the smartphone supports Near Field Communication (NFC). The mobile phone must have a built-in NFC chip to make contactless payments.
If you are giving dedicated devices to staff or volunteers keep them on a single operating system to make training and support easier.
3. Check Which Payment Processor Is Supported
Toucan Collect uses Stripe as its payment processor, allowing charities to connect the app directly to their Stripe Connect account. All funds are then settled by Stripe straight into your charity’s bank account.
4. Check How Donors Will Pay Using The App
There are two main ways a smartphone can accept contactless donations. The first is Tap on Phone, where the donor taps their contactless card or digital wallet directly on the fundraiser’s smartphone - this is how Toucan Collect works. The second method is via a QR code or link, the fundraiser displays it on their screen and the donor completes the donation on their own device. Both options remove the need for cash and can also be used alongside traditional collection buckets for added flexibility.
To reduce cash handling even further, charities can use Toucan Collect’s cash-depositing feature, Toucan Cash. Integrated within the same app, fundraisers can generate a deposit barcode and deposit cash at over 60,000 Post Office, PayPoint, or Payzone locations across the UK.
Toucan Collect supports seamless in-app payments through Tap on Phone. Donors simply tap their card or device to donate, removing extra steps and creating a faster, more convenient experience. When comparing other contactless fundraising apps on the market, take time to understand how each payment journey works and choose the solution that best suits your organisation and fundraising activity.
5. Set Up Donation Amounts and Gift Aid
Before using your fundraising app it’s important to get the configurations right.
Set up:
- Set up your Campaign(s)
- Use one or more suggested donation amounts
- Add an option for donors to choose their own amount
- Enable Gift Aid capture
Toucan Collect enables charities to set up unlimited campaigns in the Toucan Collect portal. You can create a campaign per fundraiser, per event, per location. Creating campaigns is totally flexible and customisable by the charity based on their needs.
Be sure to test your setup internally first so that transactions are smooth and your volunteers are confident using the app.
6. Train and Support Your Fundraisers
The best technology works well when people feel comfortable and confident using it. Before launching the app for use, give a short briefing for staff and volunteers that covers:
- How to open the app and start a donation
- What to say to donors when fundraising digitally
- Troubleshooting for things like connectivity drops
Clear printed guides or screenshots can be useful as a go to guide for event days.
Make Your Smartphone Part Of Your Fundraising
A smartphone contactless fundraising app works best when it is integrated into your whole fundraising strategy. Use it alongside static donation points, online campaigns and traditional cash methods so that your supporters can give in the way that suits them.
If you would like to find out how your team could use smartphones for contactless donations, Toucan Giving can walk you through the Toucan Collect app and all of its features.
Arrange a call with us today or sign up for the service now.
If you’re an existing Toucan Collect customer, adding Toucan Collect to your portfolio of solutions couldn’t be easier. Simply log in to your Charity Portal, go to Products and add Toucan Collect.