Electronic Charity Box Aims to Transform Mainstream Giving

An electronic scheme to allow small donations from consumers who pay for goods by credit or debit card – instore or online – has launched in the UK.

And the Foundation behind ‘Pennies’, the UK’s first electronic charity box, claims the innovation could transform mainstream giving.

The Pennies 'electronic charity box' allows consumers to make a donation up to 99 pence (AU$1.58) when making a purchase by card – with one click online or one press of a button in-store.

Domino’s Pizza is the first UK retailer to sign up to the program, with the Foundation saying another retailer will follow shortly, and more are set to join in the new year, both online and in-store. Domino’s Pizza is partnering with Not for Profit organisation Special Olympics Great Britain.

Each participating retailer teams up with one or more charity – big, small, local or national – and that’s where most of the money raised through their outlets will go. The remainder goes to a collection of other UK charities selected by the Foundation.

Chris Moore, CEO of Domino’s Pizza told the UK's Civil Society Magazine they are delighted to be the launch partner for Pennies. Moore says its such as simple idea, he can’t believe it’s not already a common fundraising method.

Research by The Pennies Foundation found that 9 in 10 adults in the UK give their coins to charity at least occasionally, but that this kind of giving seems to be on the wane. The Foundation says this is because charity donation boxes are now seen less frequently on shop counters. 40% of adults surveyed said that they see charity donation boxes less than they used to whilst 30% said they barely notice them at all anymore.

Alison Hutchinson, CEO of The Pennies Foundation, says the way people shop is changing. People are paying for things more often with cards not cash and using the internet more frequently too. She says that’s exactly where Pennies, the electronic charity box comes in, a way of giving those pennies when you pay by card in a shop or online – a new channel for an old habit.

The Foundation says that just 8p (AU $0.12) a week from half the UK’s cardholders adds up to £89m (AU $142m) for charities every year, at a time when when giving to charities is down, but their services are needed more than ever in the community.

View a 60 second video on how the program works here:

Pennies from Pennies 4 Charity on Vimeo.

For more info visit : http://www.pennies.org.uk