Payments for the 3rd Sector: A Practical Guide

Raising money for causes that matter to us all has always been about trust in the organisation and the mission. In 2025 the expectation of a great checkout experience is crucial. Put simply, donors expect to be able to contribute easily, securely and in ways that are convenient in their daily lives; whether that is tapping their phone on a card reader at a fundraising dinner, clicking a link in an SMS, or paying via Apple and Google pay. A bad checkout experience risks putting donors off. 

The right payment solution can make the difference between a one off contribution and a regular, lifelong supporter. Having the right solution can bring down the cost of customer acquisition by reducing your donor churn. 

The VistaPay platform is built around the unique needs of the 3rd Sector, ensuring that organisations have access to both the technology, and that the donor ethical interest is aligned.  Having access to modern, ethical, and reliable tools to collect donations is non-negotiable, and below is a breakdown of the main payment types, how they work, and how they can transform your fundraising.

1. Card Machines: Taking Donations Anywhere

Moving away from cash donations to card machine collections is crucial in reducing the compliance complexity and providing a traceable source of donations. Psychologically, it also has the ability to increase donation sizes from however much happens to be available, a passive donation, to a purposeful donation from a bank account, given with purpose. 

VistaPay works with global hardware brands such as Sunmi, PAX, and Ingenico, who allow collection donations on the spot, anywhere you meet supporters. Card machines are both portable and fixed, allowing for collections on the move, on the street, at gala dinners, community events, places of worship, and in-store. 

The modern acceptance methods are Contactless, Chip & PIN, and Mobile Wallet compatibility (Apple Pay, Google Pay), and without these, donors risk not getting the seamless experience they are used to. Enabling these means that you are covered for every situation, and in a trustworthy manner - donors know their payments have been processed instantly, and card machines can issue both physical and digital receipts with your branding. 

2. Website Gateway: Donations Online

When it comes to scaling your donations, your website is essentially your digital shopfront, and donors expect a smooth, familiar checkout experience - without exception. A smooth online experience signals a high trust brand, automatic receipts give reassurance, and your dashboards will track your payments - allowing you to segment your funds accordingly.

A Payment Gateway lets you collect donations securely online through:

• API integrations (custom, built right into your website/app donation journey)
• Hosted payment pages (your own branded payment pages managed by us for maximum compliance)
• Embedded checkouts (fast, drop-in options that sit directly within your site or app)

For charities, the benefit is clear - supporters can give anytime, anywhere, and feel confident that their payment is secure. 

Our gateways are fully PCI DSS compliant to the highest standard, and include advanced fraud monitoring, so you can focus on fundraising, not risk management.

VistaPay also supports subscription payments for those organisations that allow their donors to contribute regularly, and automatically, with the ability to set custom intervals, from daily microdonations, monthly and annual subscriptions. 

3. Pay by Link: Donations Through Email & SMS

Sometimes the easiest way to encourage giving is the most direct, and none is more direct than Pay by Link, which allows you to send supporters simple, secure payment links via SMS or E-mail. This allows the campaign to be both personalised, and sent at scale. 

For your donors, the ability to simply click, enter their details, or use their mobile wallet means they can contribute in seconds - an incredibly powerful tool for Campaign Appeals (mass emails or SMS), Event Follow-Ups (‘thank you for attending, please support by clicking this link’) and One-to-One asks (perhaps personalised links for high-value donors).

Every link leads to a secure, PCI-compliant payment page branded with your charity’s identity, allowing your donors to feel safe, and allowing your team full oversight through VistaPay’s dashboard, and integrations into your accounting and treasury systems. 

4. Virtual Terminals

A Virtual Terminal is essentially a digital payment machine that opens on your web browser, or is configured for use in your database systems. For charities, Virtual Terminals allow your team to take card-not-present (CNP) payments from donors through their card details without them being there, as long as they have authorised the transaction. This is perfect for donation call centres, hotlines, pledge drives, telethons, back-office teams, and remote volunteers. 

Staff simply open VistaPay’s encrypted web portal, enter the donor’s details while on the call, and process the donation in seconds with no physical card machine required, and without the donor being in front of you. 

Virtual Terminals from VistaPay are PCI DSS–compliant with encryption, tokenisation, role-based access, Two Factor Authentication, IP controls and full audit logs, keeping the entire collection process as secure as possible. 

5. IVR Payments: Donations by Phone

Telephone payments are the best way to receive payments without staff member involvement. IVR stands for Interactive Voice Response, and this payment system allows donors to make payments by entering their card details securely on their phone keypad during a call. The telephone voice will guide the donor to selecting the cause they would like to donate to, prompting for their card details and confirming the payment. 

This system runs 24/7; no volunteer or staff member needs to take down sensitive details. Donors hear a friendly recorded message guiding them step-by-step, and their payment is processed instantly in a compliant, secure environment. 

For charities, IVR payments mean accepting payments around the clock, reduced admin and compliance risk, and a safe, convenient donor experience.

Ultimately, payments are about trust, accessibility, and form the very engine that drives crucial and life saving work for non-profits and charitable organisations. By offering multiple channels (card machines, website gateways, pay-by-link, and IVR) charities can meet donors wherever they are, and however they prefer to give - maximising critical donations that enable and enhance the mission. 

At VistaPay, we go a step further: every transaction is handled with ethical integrity, ensuring funds are never routed into causes that donors would not support. We provide dedicated account managers who understand the charity sector, so you have the guidance and support needed to make payments work for you. 

If you would like to discuss payment options for your organisation, feel free to contact our Engagement Team for a friendly discussion, and how VistaPay can enable you to enhance your donor experience or sign-up to get started.

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