Tap to Donate (Contactless donations)
In this article
Introduction
Downloading Tap to Donate
Setting up Tap to Donate
Overview of the giver user experience
Managing contactless donations received
Introduction
Tap to Donate provides a simple way to collect anonymous contactless donations from cards and digital wallets by turning your device into a card reader. The app can be used on most NFC-enabled iOS or Android smartphones and tablets. Use of the app requires a completed, verified Stripe integration, with 'Tap' donations automatically added to the Giving module.
Tap to Donate is designed for use at in-person gatherings and events where the cardholder is present, and can be used in different configurations: at a fixed giving "kiosk" or when "taking up an offering" where a device is passed around the congregation. The device can be locked to a pre-selected fund or to a selection of funds from which the giver can choose when making their donation. The giver then chooses from up to four preset amounts, which you can set, or enters a custom amount, and taps their card or digital wallet on the device to complete their donation payment, eliminating the need to enter physical card details.
Supported currencies: GBP, AUD, NZD, USD and CAD.
For UK churches and charities, Gift Aid is claimable on eligible contactless small donations up to £30 under the HMRC Gift Aid Small Donations Scheme. Larger and non-anonymous donations can also be collected through an in-app QR Code that directs the giver to the Donate form to complete their donation on their device.
Transaction fees
Stripe deducts a card processing fee from each tap donation processed, whether the payment is approved or declined. The donation amount is automatically added to the Giving module, and the net-of-fees amount is paid out to a designated bank account set in your Stripe account settings. See the related support article for further information about Integrating with Stripe for online card payments.
The Stripe fee for contactless 'Tap' donations is split into two parts: a £0.10 transaction fee and a £0.10 "Per-Authorisation" fee.
App user permissions
Tap to Donate "Use" permissions, as indicated below, are required to authenticate and use the app, but no wider module access, including the Giving module, is required to use it. See the related article for further information on Adding and managing users.
The device's default security measures are used to secure access to the app, typically a screen unlock passcode or biometrics. Once unlocked, the device can be used for Tap to Donate. An optional app PIN can be set to restrict access to the app settings. The app is designed for use on church or charity devices and is not intended for installation and use on a giver's device, i.e. it's not a personal giving app.
Supported devices and minimum requirements
Tap to Donate utilises Near-Field Communication (NFC), a wireless technology that enables the chip on a physical card (or a digital wallet on a phone) to be read when in proximity to the device.
iOS: iPhone XS or newer running iOS 16.7 or later. Note that iPads do not support NFC.
Android: NFC-enabled smartphone or tablet running Android 8.0 or later. Note that the NFC reader on Android devices is at the back of the devices, meaning cards and digital wallet phones need to be tapped on the back of the device to be read. Consequently, Android devices may not be suitable for use in a kiosk stand if the NFC reader is not readily accessible. The app does not support external USB NFC readers.
Visit the Stripe website for a list of supported devices.
If you are using a personal device, never store your personal cards in the device case. Proximity to the device's NFC chip may result in donations being charged to your card instead of the giver's card!
Top Tip! Locking a kiosk device with guided access
You can lock a Tap to Donate device to a single app, which is useful for devices that are left unattended at a Giving Kiosk. You can set a time limit and customise which features, hardware buttons and areas of the screen are available on the device and prevent the app from being forced to close or logged out.
Click here for help with iOS iPhone Guided Access and here for help with Android App Pinning. A range of third-party 'guided access' apps is also available for Android devices.
Downloading Tap to Donate
Tap to Donate for iOS
For churchsuite.com accounts, download the ChurchSuite Tap to Donate app here.
For charitysuite.com accounts, download the CharitySuite Tap to Donate app (app store link coming soon).
Tap to Donate for Android
For churchsuite.com accounts, download the ChurchSuite Tap to Donate app here.
For charitysuite.com accounts, download the CharitySuite Tap to Donate app here.
Setting up Tap to Donate
Once installed, launch the app. Swipe through and read the tutorial pages to familiarise yourself with the app functionality, navigation, settings, and the giver user experience. You can return to the tutorial pages at any time by selecting Help from the app Settings. After the final tutorial page, log in by searching for and selecting your church or charity, and enter your username and password (and multi-factor authentication code, if enabled). Once authenticated, it is not necessary to log out; the app is secured by the device's built-in screen lock security. Unlocking the screen using a passcode or biometrics will grant access to the Tap to Donate app.
Once authenticated, the Settings page is shown. Multi-site customers will first select the Site where the device is being used, which determines where 'tap' donations are assigned in the Giving module. Select one or more Funds you wish to make available for Givers to donate to:
Top Tip! Managing fund visibility and preset amounts
The related support article, Managing funds, contains instructions on how to specify which funds are shown in the Tap to Donate app settings. You can also customise up to four preset Amounts that givers can choose from when making a contactless donation; they can also make a custom donation amount.
Next, optionally set a 4-digit PIN to prevent givers from accessing the settings page:
Finally, note the app Refresh, which can be used to refresh the list of funds that have "Show in Tap to Donate" enabled, and sync any changes made to the logged-in app user's site permissions. Refreshing will reset the previous site and fund settings, but does not reset the app security code.
When you are ready, click Start receiving donations:
Overview of the giver user experience
The giver begins by choosing the fund they are giving to. This step is omitted where the device is locked to a single, pre-selected fund:
Next, the giver chooses from up to four preset amounts or clicks Other amount to enter a custom amount. Givers can also Scan a QR code instead to donate on their own device. This feature is helpful for those who wish to make a non-anonymous one-off or recurring donation rather than an anonymous small donation.
The giver is instructed on where to tap their card or digital wallet phone. On Android devices, the NFC reader is located at the back of the device. For iOS devices, the NFC reader is accessed by tapping the screen at the front of the device.
A Success message indicates a successful donation and confirms the amount donated. The giver can optionally request an Email receipt for their payment. Their donation is automatically added to the Giving module - see the next section for further explanation. Click Close to begin a fresh donation.
A Declined payment request invites the giver to Try another card or Scan a QR Code instead. Scanning the QR code will take the giver to your Donate page on their own device to complete their donation. The giver can also request an Email Receipt for a declined payment request. The decline 'reason' is not shown in the giver's User experience, and declined payment requests are not recorded in the Giving module, but are recorded in your Stripe account.
Chip-and-PIN - Android devices
Some UK cards require chip-and-PIN security. For example, newly issued cards may need to be used with chip-and-PIN first before they can be used for contactless payments. While iOS supports a Tap to Pay on iPhone with a PIN-entry screen, Android devices do not.
Additionally, some UK cards are unable to complete contactless payments using a PIN, even on an iOS device. In this scenario, a Declined message will be displayed. However, the giver can continue with their donation by scanning the QR Code to complete it on their device using Donate and an alternative payment method.
For UK churches and charities claiming Gift Aid on eligible contactless small donations, an alternative user experience to Donate on your device is provided for those who wish to give more than the £30 eligibility limit. Scanning the QR Code, the giver is taken to your Donate page to complete their donation using a non-contactless secure payment process. For further information, see our related support article, Accepting online donations using Donate.
Managing contactless donations received
Tap to Donate donations are anonymous - no identifiable giver details are collected during the giving experience. The process is quick and simple, making it ideal for quickly collecting small donations at an unstaffed giving kiosk or when taking up a collection at in-person events and gatherings. Each successful 'tap' donation is automatically added to the Giving module:
For UK churches and charities where Gift Aid applies, small donations up to £30 are added to the Small Donation Scheme (SDS) giver profile with a "Contactless" method. Multi-site customers have site-specific SDS giver profiles. The app Site setting determines which SDS giver profile contactless donations are added to. See the related support article How to process donations under the Gift Aid Small Donations Scheme for further information. Contactless donations over £30 can still be made, but Gift Aid is not claimable, and the donation is added with an "Override" Gift Aid status to prevent Gift Aid from being claimable. Alternatively, a giver can "Gift Aid" a donation over £30 by scanning the "Donate on their device" QR Code to complete their donation using your Donate page.
For all other churches and charities outside the UK accepting 'tap' donations (where Gift Aid does not apply), 'tap' donations of any amount are added to an Anonymous Giver profile. This profile is automatically created in the Giving module when your first 'tap' donation is processed, and donations are added with a "Contactless" method.