Wonderful blog: Instant bank payments, fintech, Open Banking and eCommerce.

What is Wonderful.org?

Wonderful.org is a free online fundraising platform for anyone wishing to raise money for a registered UK charity. Fundraisers and charities choose Wonderful.org to ensure that every penny raised as part of a fundraising event or challenge reaches the charity.

Charities Donors Fundraisers

Why we don't take cards

We do not take a percentage of funds raised, ask for tips, or do anything that prevents 100% of donations going to the causes that charity supporters are so passionate about. We are inspired and driven by that passion.

Consumers Donors Charities

Making a donation

Making a payment via Wonderful - whether as a consumer or a charity donor - needs to feel safe and secure. Wonderful is an FCA Authorised Payment Institution leveraging the speed, security and simplicity of Open Banking.

Donors Charities

Are recurring payments supported?

Recurring donations are a widely requested feature, and something we aim to make happen but current limitations on the Open Banking specification for recurring payments prevents us from implementing them just now.

Charities Donors Fundraisers

Donation issue? Who to contact.

If things are going quite as you anticipated when making a donation, we're here to help. But first, let's check at exactly which point you ran into a problem. This will really help us to provide the fastest resolution.

Donors

Can donations be refunded?

Wonderful does not offer refunds for donations. This is because the money is passed directly from a donor’s account to a charity’s account, meaning Wonderful Payments does not have access to the funds.

Donors

Transaction receipts

Yes, and the secure payment is usually visible instantly on your mobile/online banking app. The payment for your donation will be visible instantly within your mobile/online banking app.

Donors

Do I need online / mobile banking?

The simplest way to make a payment using Wonderful (an Authorised Payment Institution with the Financial Conduct Authority) is via your mobile banking app. Without entering any payee details, we initiate an instant bank payment on your behalf.

Donors Consumers

Is Open Banking free for donors?

Open Banking can be thought of as the underlying digital standard or scheme that powers a whole variety of exciting financial services in the UK and beyond.

Donors Consumers

Direct donations on Wonderful.org

If you complete a direct donation to a charity via their dedicated charity page on wonderful.org, this donation will not contribute to the counter on their page that says, ‘total raised on wonderful.org’.

Donors

Payment security

Payments made through Wonderful are simple, fast and secure. Wonderful is an Authorised Payment Institution regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and uses Open Banking to facilitate payment initiation.

Donors Charities

Supported payment types

Whenever someone makes a donation on a Wonderful.org fundraising page, the payment is transferred directly from the donor's bank account to the charity's bank account. This process is known as an instant bank transfer and is made possible by Open Banking.

Charities Donors Fundraisers

Tickets, events, raffles

HMRC has specific restrictions as to whether Gift Aid can be applied / claimed if the donor is receiving a 'benefit' in return for the donation (such as admission to an event, a raffle ticket, or an item purchased in an auction).

Charities Fundraisers Donors