Phos, the fintech behind the first-ever software Point of Sale (POS), has today announced that it is partnering with charity donation platform Givt to enable churches to receive contactless charitable donations this Christmas.

The phos platform enables users to receive payments directly on an NFC-enabled Android device. Givt will deploy the solution in the run up to Christmas so that churches can accept contactless payments over the festive period and beyond.

A select number of churches across the UK will be the first to trial this technology as part of the new scheme, with a plan to roll out the platform more widely across the country in 2021. Givt currently works with hundreds of churches from across multiple denominations via their existing network. Alongside Givt’s online services, the phos solution aims to provide another option for these churches, both big and small, to accept donations.

In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, a report by the Charities Aid Foundation in October found that cashless donations have increased substantially since the start of the year. Meanwhile, the number of donors making cash donations – usually the UK’s most popular way of giving – remains significantly down on previous years. More than two fifths (41%) of people say they will avoid using cash wherever possible because of COVID-19, while 60% believe card payments are more hygienic.

With research showing that the coronavirus pandemic has left 40% of charities and community groups in a worsening financial situation, digitalising donations has the potential to revolutionise fundraising in the charity sector. The phos solution means that churches can collect donations in line with social distancing measures, while still allowing for a human connection between donor and recipient - in this case, churchgoers and church workers.

Brad Hyett, CEO of phos, said: “We’re proud to be working with Givt to support fundraising efforts over the festive period and onward into 2021. Charities have been among the hardest hit by the pandemic this year and we want to equip them with tools to adapt and thrive in this challenging new environment.

“Christmas is the busiest time of the year for many churches and a critical period in the fundraising calendar. Our mobile POS solution will help them to maximise fundraising whilst the rate of cash donations remains low and empower them to connect with their community safely and securely. The events of this year have been met by an outpouring of generosity and acts of kindness from millions of people in the UK, so it's more important than ever to provide those who want to give this Christmas with a safe, accessible and effective channel to do so.”

To use the service, churches will simply need to download the phos app. They will then be able to accept donations on an Android device from either contactless cards or other contactless devices, such as mobile phones or wearable tech like smartwatches.

The phos platform will provide a contactless alternative to cash donations and doesn’t require expensive additional hardware, making it an affordable option for charitable organisations. It is quick and easy to set up and is cheaper than other digital payment solutions. The project will rely on Paynetics, an e-money institution with license across the European Union, as the acquiring bank.

Sjoerd van Oort, Givt, added: “After seeing how hard the charity sector has been hit this year, we’ve worked hard to help those charities, in this case churches, in our network to mitigate the negative effects of the pandemic via our giving solution, which can be used in both a physical and online environment. We wanted to take this a step further and provide them with another method to receive contactless donations, one which is accessible to all churches as well as to all donors. The phos solution is cheaper to deploy than other contactless payment alternatives and is a perfect partner for Givt. For those donors with smartphones, Givt can facilitate a donation. But for those that don’t or who prefer to use their card, we can now offer them phos. This scheme will go a long way to democratising contactless payments in a church and charity environment, and will set them up to maximise potential donations as we move into 2021.”