Visa’s ‘Tap to Give’ campaign could tap into a new standard for donating to charity

According to data from Visa, there are now 400 million contactless cards in circulation in the US -- double the amount from just over a year ago. 

With more consumers adopting contactless payment forms, the next step may be about making the new habit stick around post-Covid.  

From its ‘Tap to Ride’ to its latest ‘Tap to Give’ campaign, Visa seems to have two goals : improve its brand image and increase consumer contact with contactless.

‘Tap to Ride’ targeted consumers during what’s often the most routine part of their day -- their commute. Visa, together with Chase, promised to donate 10 cents to nonprofit New York Cares every time a commuter used its contactless Chase Visa card to get on an MTA subway or bus.

With its newest campaign, Tap to Give, Visa seems to be adding a new positive connotation to using contactless.

Earlier this month, Visa announced a pilot program in collaboration with The Salvation Army to enable contactless donations at its Red Kettle locations. 

The Salvation Army is the largest provider of social services in the US, and the Red Kettle campaign has a reputation for garnering a lot of donated funds. In 2020, the campaign brought in $120 million worth of donations. Now, the company says it will need almost 50% more to help people struggling through financial difficulties brought about by Covid, amounting to around $175 million.

Consumers are now able to donate at Salvation Army’s Red Kettle locations by tapping their contactless card, watch or phone onto contactless devices. 

To enable this, Visa partnered with tiptap, a Canadian payment receiver that offers touchless solutions. 

Tiptap has already been partnering with the Salvation Army in Canada for the past three years to offer contactless donation options to Visa cardholders. It also works with other nonprofits, like Make-A-Wish Canada and Habitat for Humanity, which started working with tiptap back in May.

Other nonprofits are also finding ways to accept contactless donations. Goodwill says on its site it accepts Apple Pay and Google Wallet, and in August last year, Paysafe, a payment solution provider, and Bankable, a banking as a service platform, helped The British Red Cross offer prepaid Visa cards in order to use less cash. 

Visa seems to have plans of its own to make its contactless cards a go-to for holiday donors. 

“Enabling contactless payments allows consumers to donate in seconds, increasing the potential for donation amounts this year,” said a spokesperson at Visa. “We see tremendous opportunity to incorporate contactless into charitable giving this season and for years to come.”

The pilot is currently available at almost 2,000 Salvation Army Red Kettle locations, spanning throughout the East and West Coasts. If it’s successful, it could be a regular staple at Red Kettle locations. No more digging through wallets and pockets for change.

“Adopting new technologies like contactless payments has the potential to increase donations, ultimately driving more support for Americans struggling from ongoing financial challenges,” said the Visa spokesperson.