In the lead up to Summer, many fundraisers will be preparing for an event filled season. In fact, over half of UK charities expect their events-based fundraising to grow rapidly this year, with 46% also expecting to see growth in Individual Giving. This shows a positive shift towards high impact, face-to-face fundraising – something we haven’t seen in full force since before the COVID pandemic.
Why is face-to-face (F2F) fundraising important?
Lasting supporter relationships often start with an in-person interaction, whether it’s:
- Connecting with a cause on a personal level
- Chatting with a member of the charity and resonating with their work
- Seeing first hand how this charity’s funds are changing lives
- Signing up to their newsletter to keep updated
Maximising these touchpoints leads to more donations and supporter sign-ups.
Bigger doesn't always mean better
F2F fundraising has always been at the heart of charitable campaigns. Everything from street fundraising to bake sales to gala dinners falls into this category, so knowing what types of activities suit your organisation’s strategy is key to your success.
Regardless of how you F2F fundraise, it’s important to have the right tools for success.
How does contactless fit into all of this?
Blackbaud reported that in 2025, 76% of charities were already using contactless solutions within their fundraising strategy, highlighting a continued shift from cash to contactless. In fact,
contactless donations tend to yield better results, both at events and community fundraisers, with higher average donations and more visibility for your cause.
We see first-hand how important it is for charities to invest in reliable contactless solutions that will stand the test of time.
Note: We aren’t saying do away with cash entirely, it still has its place. But accepting card donations ensures you don’t miss out on that extra support.
Often the charities who thrive are the ones who are open to trying new things. A few coins from ten passers-by is great but two £10 card donations alongside the spare change is better, right?
So, what are the barriers and how can Lite II help?
Our latest contactless solution ensures your team can capture donations wherever you are. Perfect for F2F fundraising, the Lite II is lightweight, with three built-in fundraising modes, full connectivity and internal battery storage.
Lack of budget
Charities are often faced with tight budgets. Lite II ensures all charities, regardless of size and budget, can start their contactless journey with a low upfront cost and affordable monthly fees. Earning a return on your investment has ever been easier!
Lack of digital skills
Lite II is ideal for all types of volunteers and fundraisers. It’s easy to use, with seamless first-time set-up and an intuitive screen journey, ensuring your team can capture donations with confidence, regardless of technical ability.
Lack of buy-in
We often find the people using our devices are the ones who are bought-in to contactless as a solution. It’s the people who are signing off on the investment that sometimes need convincing. Lite II makes investing in contactless easy, with a low up-front cost, expert support and a truly reliable device.
How can it be used for F2F fundraising?
Counter-top
Place the device on a surface for self-service giving. Whether you use Suggested Amounts mode to ensure donors have more control, or Express mode for quick tap donations.
Many of our customers use the Lite solution in place of or alongside collection tins.
Handheld
Take handheld donations wherever you are. Collect quick Tap & Go donations while continuing to connect with supporters face-to-face.
Or if visitor dwell time allows, use Suggested Amounts mode so that anyone who wants to give, can.
Card reader
Use it like a standard payment terminal by removing the card reader from the enclosure.
This gives fundraisers and volunteers full control of the device, so that they can input custom amounts for donors to tap.
Perfect for
Votive candles
Bake sales
Entry fees
Perfect for
Festival stalls
Gala donations
Church office
Perfect for
Bake sales
School/church fate
Door knocking
Go Pro
As well as boosting income, some contactless devices come with added benefits such as suggested donation amounts, Gift Aid integration, and supporter signups. This encourages continued support – turning a one-off donation into a regular donor.
We’ve also found that some of our customers see more success with a mixture of Lite and Pro devices as this allows them to tailor their approach depending on the fundraising scenario.
Who are GWD?
We help socially-minded organisations transition to digital systems, building stronger relationships through impactful products and services.
Our experience goes back two decades, with a foundation building and providing critical digital services and products for the financial services and retail industries.
With a long-proven ability to handle challenging projects and a team of trusted experts, we work hard to solve problems and deliver change that helps others.
More from the Blog
Back to top
