Help and documentation

Getting started

The first steps: registering your charity, setting up its details and finding your way around the dashboard.

Steps

1. Register your charity and complete its details
2. Add your charity's logo and description
3. Find your way around the dashboard
4. Create your first campaign
5. See donations and reports as they come in

Connecting your payment account

Set up the payment account that receives your donations and pays them out to your bank.

Steps

1. Open the payment account section of the dashboard
2. Complete the payment provider's checks for your charity
3. Check the bank account your donations are paid out to
4. Check the account status before you start taking donations

Campaign management

Create, edit and publish a fundraising campaign.

Steps

1. Add a name, a description and a cover image
2. Set a fundraising target
3. Choose the suggested donation amounts
4. Set the campaign start and end dates
5. Follow the campaign's progress from the dashboard

Using kiosk mode

Turn an Android phone or tablet into a donation point for events and in-person fundraising.

Steps

1. Register the device as a kiosk in the dashboard
2. Choose which campaigns the kiosk shows
3. Accept contactless donations with Tap to Pay on Android
4. Donors receive a receipt by email

Understanding Gift Aid

Turn on Gift Aid and manage your claims to get the most from UK donations.

Steps

1. Check that your charity can claim Gift Aid with HMRC
2. Turn on Gift Aid for a campaign, once your charity's details are verified
3. Donors complete a declaration at the moment of giving
4. Download your claim file in the HMRC format (R68) and upload it through Charities Online
5. Mark the claim as paid when HMRC's payment arrives

Team management

Invite team members and give them a role: Admin, Manager, Operator or Viewer.

Steps

1. Invite team members by email
2. Choose a role for each person, which sets what they can see and change
3. Change a role, or remove access, whenever you need to

Guides for charities

Practical guides to Gift Aid and GASDS, each checked against HMRC's guidance. See all guides

• Claiming Gift Aid on in-person and contactless donations
  What a UK charity needs to claim 25% Gift Aid on donations taken in person: the declaration, who qualifies, what records to keep, and the 4-year time limit.
• GASDS: the Gift Aid Small Donations Scheme explained
  How UK charities claim a 25% top-up on cash and contactless donations of £30 or less without Gift Aid declarations: the £8,000 limit, the matching rule, community buildings and records.
• Gift Aid declaration wording: what to include and HMRC templates
  What a UK charity's Gift Aid declaration must say, what HMRC's free templates contain, and the rules on names, addresses, couples and declarations taken online or by phone.
• Gift Aid on fundraising events, tickets and sponsorship
  When a UK charity can and cannot claim Gift Aid on event tickets, admission, auctions and sponsored challenges, including the donor benefit limits and the rules for connected sponsors.
• Contactless donations: getting Gift Aid or GASDS on every tap
  How a UK charity adds 25% to contactless donations: Gift Aid when the donor makes a declaration, GASDS on taps of £30 or less without one, and the records each needs.
• How to claim Gift Aid online with Charities Online
  How a UK charity submits a Gift Aid claim to HMRC through Charities Online: what you need, the schedule spreadsheet, aggregated donations, limits and how long payment takes.
• Gift Aid and GASDS for churches
  How churches claim Gift Aid and GASDS on collections and regular giving: plate collections, declarations, collections for other charities, and the community building rules.
• Retail Gift Aid: claiming on goods sold in charity shops
  How Retail Gift Aid lets a charity shop claim Gift Aid on donated goods by selling them as the donor's agent: the three methods, the 21-day letter and the records to keep.
• Gift Aid and GASDS glossary
  Clear definitions of the Gift Aid and GASDS terms UK charities meet: declarations, the matching rule, community buildings, aggregated donations, Charities Online and more.