Swiss associations collect donations most efficiently through an online donation form with multiple payment methods (TWINT, credit card, PostFinance), supplemented by QR-code donations on site at events and in print materials. Recurring patron contributions can be set up through automatic monthly debits. For donors to deduct their contributions for tax purposes, the association must be recognized as charitable and tax-exempt by the cantonal tax authority.

This guide shows you how, as a support association, animal association, parents' association or social project, to set up a donation form, offer QR-code donations on site, activate recurring donations and meet the tax requirements for donation receipts.

1. Donation channels for Swiss associations: online, on site and in print

Fundraising refers to the systematic procurement of financial and in-kind resources for charitable purposes. For Swiss associations, four key donation channels are available today, which complement each other and should be used in parallel.

The first and most important channel is the online donation form on the association website. Donors enter the amount (or select a suggested amount), choose TWINT, credit card or PostFinance and donate in a few seconds. The second channel is the QR code on site – printed on flyers, posters, at the information stand or in the shop window. The third channel is the payment link (Paylink) in newsletters, emails and social media posts. The fourth channel is recurring donations (Recurring Donations) – monthly patron contributions that are debited automatically.

2. Set up an online donation form: what you need

A donation form is a payment page embedded on or hosted on your website that is specifically configured for incoming donations. Unlike a normal online shop, there is no shopping cart, but rather an amount selection field and optional personal details of the donor for the donation receipt.

2.1 Elements of a good donation form

The form should feature the association logo and association colours so that donors can immediately assign it to the association. Offer 3–4 suggested amounts (e.g. EUR 20, EUR 50, EUR 100, EUR 200) plus a free field for custom amounts. Allow selection between one-time and recurring donations (monthly, quarterly, annually). After payment, show a thank-you page with confirmation and a note on the donation receipt.

2.2 Providers for donation forms in Switzerland

The following table compares the most common solutions for Swiss associations.

Tip: For associations with fewer than 500 donors per year, a PSP with integrated donation form is often the simplest and most cost-effective solution. Professional fundraising platforms are worthwhile from a donation volume of several tens of thousands of francs per year.

3. QR-code donation on site: at the stand, on the flyer, in the shop window

A QR code that leads to a donation form or payment page is the simplest way to collect cashless donations on site. The donor scans the code with the smartphone, selects the amount and payment method, and donates in seconds – without cash, without a donation box.

There are two variants. A TWINT-only QR (e.g. via RaiseNow) works exclusively with the TWINT app. A multi-payment-method QR (e.g. via a PSP such as Payrexx or HypiPay) leads to a payment page that accepts TWINT, credit cards, PostFinance and wallets. For associations with an international audience (e.g. animal shelters with tourists, cultural associations near the border), the multi-payment-method QR is the more flexible choice.

Print the QR code in at least 5 × 5 cm on flyers, posters, roll-ups or stickers. Label it clearly: «Donate now – scan the QR code». Test the code with different smartphones before printing. Laminate prints at the stand to protect against weather.

4. Recurring donations: automate patron contributions

Recurring donations (Recurring Donations) are the most valuable type of donation for charitable associations: they provide predictable, regular cash flow. A patron who donates EUR 20 monthly brings the association EUR 240 per year – often more than a one-off spontaneous donation.

Technically, recurring donations work via credit card tokenization or a direct debit mandate. The donor authorizes the recurring charge once, and the payment service provider (PSP) debits the amount automatically. On the donation form, you offer the option «Donate monthly» next to «Donate once». Most fundraising platforms and PSPs such as RaiseNow, FundraisingBox or Payrexx support this function.

For communication, it is recommended to use the term «patron» or «sponsor» instead of «subscriber». This creates an emotional bond. Offer different patron tiers – e.g. «Bronze patron: EUR 10/mo.», «Silver patron: EUR 25/mo.», «Gold patron: EUR 50/mo.» – and communicate what each tier specifically achieves.

5. Paylink in newsletters and social media

A Paylink is a URL that leads directly to your donation form. You can embed it in any digital channel: newsletter, email signature, Facebook post, Instagram bio, WhatsApp message. The advantage over a QR code: the recipient does not need to scan, but simply clicks on the link.

For social media campaigns, a meaningful link is recommended (e.g. «association-name.ch/donations»), which redirects to the donation form. Tell a specific story in the message: «With EUR 50, you finance one month of food for a foster animal» has a stronger effect than «Please donate». Use the link also in automated thank-you emails: «Thank you for your donation! Would you like to support us regularly? [Link]».

6. Tax basics: donation receipts and charitable status

For donors to deduct their contributions in the tax return, the association must be recognized as charitable and tax-exempt by the cantonal tax authority. Tax exemption due to charitable status is not automatic – the association must submit an application to the cantonal tax administration at its registered office.

6.1 Requirements for tax exemption

The association’s purpose must serve the common good (principle of altruism) – meaning the activity benefits not only the members themselves. No profit may be distributed to members (disinterestedness). Upon dissolution, the association's assets must be transferred to another charitable organization (irrevocability). Sports and cultural associations that primarily serve their members generally do not meet these criteria.

6.2 Issue donation receipt

Only tax-exempt associations may issue donation receipts. The form is not prescribed, but the receipt must contain the association name, donor name and the amount. Donors can deduct contributions to charitable organizations from federal tax and in most cantons up to 20 % of net income. The minimum amount is usually EUR 100 per year.

Important: This section does not replace tax or legal advice. Canton rules differ significantly. Check the current requirements with the cantonal tax administration of your canton of registered office or in the Zewo directory of tax-exempt organizations.

7. Cost comparison: What does a digital donation system cost?

The following example calculation shows the annual costs for an association that collects EUR 15’000 in donations per year (approx. 200 individual donations with an average of EUR 75).

Note: The fees are indicative for Swiss domestic transactions (status 2026). TWINT transactions usually cost 1.3–1.5 %, credit card payments approx. 1.65 % + fixed fee. TWINT QR Pay Plus via RaiseNow is approx. 2.5 %. Check the current conditions with the provider.

8. Checklist: collecting donations as a Swiss association

• Check association purpose in the statutes: Is the purpose formulated as charitable?

• Tax exemption applied for with the canton or already in place? (Prerequisite for donation receipts)

• Association account (IBAN) opened at a Swiss bank

• PSP or fundraising platform account opened and verified

• Donation form set up: logo, colours, 3–4 donation amounts, free field, thank-you page

• Recurring donations activated (monthly, quarterly)

• QR code created, tested and prepared for print (min. 5 × 5 cm)

• Paylink embedded in newsletter, email signature and social media profiles

• Donation receipt prepared (if tax-exempt): template with association name, donor name, amount

• Process defined for annual collective donation receipt (e.g. in January for the previous year)

Payrexx offers associations a customizable donation form with TWINT, credit card, PostFinance and mobile wallets – hosted without your own website. The form can be configured with logo, colours and individual donation amounts and supports recurring donations.

Recognized charitable organizations receive 50 % discount on all paid subscriptions. The Free subscription has no monthly fixed costs – the association pays only transaction fees on actual incoming donations.