Collect donations as a Swiss association – online, on site and in a tax-compliant manner

Swiss associations collect donations most efficiently via an online donation form featuring multiple payment methods (TWINT, credit card, PostFinance), complemented by on-site QR code donations at events and on printed materials. Recurring patron contributions can be set up via automated monthly charges. For donors to deduct their contributions from taxes, the association must be recognised as non-profit and exempt from tax by the cantonal tax authority.

This guide shows you how to set up a donation form as a booster club, animal welfare charity, parents' association, or social project, offer on-site QR code donations, 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 acquisition of financial and material resources for charitable purposes. For Swiss associations today, four key donation channels are available, which complement each other and should be operated in parallel.

The first and most important channel is the online donation form on the association's website. Donors enter the amount (or select a suggested amount), choose TWINT, credit card, or PostFinance, and donate in just a few seconds. The second channel is the on-site QR code – printed on flyers, posters, at the information stand, or in shop windows. 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. Setting up an online donation form: What you need

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

2.1 Elements of an effective donation form

The form should feature the association's logo and colours so that donors immediately identify it with the association. Offer 3–4 suggested amounts (e.g. EUR 20, EUR 50, EUR 100, EUR 200) plus an open field for custom amounts. Enable the choice between a one-off and a recurring donation (monthly, quarterly, annually). Display a thank-you page after payment with confirmation and a note regarding the donation receipt.

2.2 Providers of 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 an integrated donation form is often the simplest and most cost-effective solution. Professional fundraising platforms become worthwhile starting from a donation volume of several tens of thousands of francs annually.

3. On-site QR code donations: At the stand, on flyers, in shop windows

A QR code leading to a donation form or payment page is the simplest way to collect cashless donations on site. The donor scans the code with their smartphone, selects the amount and payment method, and donates within seconds – without cash and without a collection tin.

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 like Payrexx) leads to a payment page that accepts TWINT, credit cards, PostFinance, and wallets. For associations with an international audience (e.g. animal shelters visited by tourists, cultural associations near borders), the multi-payment-method QR is the more flexible choice.

Print the QR code at least 5 × 5 cm in size on flyers, posters, roll-up banners, or stickers. Label it clearly: “Donate now – scan QR code”. Test the code with various smartphones before printing. Laminate prints at stands to protect against weather conditions.

4. Recurring donations: Automating patron contributions

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

Technically, Recurring Donations work via credit card tokenisation or a direct debit mandate. The donor authorises the recurring charge once, and the payment service provider (PSP) debits the amount automatically. On the donation form, offer the option “Donate monthly” alongside “Donate once”. Most fundraising platforms and PSPs like RaiseNow, FundraisingBox, or Payrexx support this feature.

For communications, it is advisable to use the term “Patron” or “Sponsor” rather than “Subscriber”. This creates an emotional connection. Offer different patron tiers – e.g. “Bronze Patron: EUR 10/month”, “Silver Patron: EUR 25/month”, “Gold Patron: EUR 50/month” – and clearly state what each tier accomplishes.

5. Paylink in newsletters and social media

A Paylink is a URL that leads directly to your donation form. You can embed it across any digital channel: newsletters, email signatures, Facebook posts, Instagram bios, WhatsApp messages. The advantage over a QR code: the recipient does not need to scan anything, but simply clicks the link.

For social media campaigns, a descriptive link (e.g. “association-name.ch/donate”) forwarding to the donation form is recommended. Tell a concrete story in the message: “With EUR 50, you fund one month of food for a rescue animal” has a stronger impact than “Please donate”. Also use the link in automated thank-you emails: “Thank you for your donation! Would you like to support us regularly? [Link]”.

6. Tax principles: Donation receipts and charitable status

For donors to deduct their contributions on their tax returns, the association must be recognised as charitable and exempt from tax by the cantonal tax authority. Tax exemption on grounds of charitable status is not automatic – the association must submit an application to the cantonal tax administration where it is domiciled.

6.1 Requirements for tax exemption

The association's purpose must serve the public good (principle of altruism) – meaning the activity does not exclusively benefit its own members. No profits may be distributed to members (disinterestedness). Upon dissolution, the association's assets must transfer to another charitable organisation (irrevocability). Sports and cultural associations that primarily serve their members generally do not meet these criteria.

6.2 Issuing donation receipts

Only tax-exempt associations are permitted to issue donation receipts. The format is not strictly prescribed, but the receipt must include the name of the association, the donor's name, and the amount. Donors can deduct contributions to charitable organisations up to 20 % of net income for federal tax and in most cantons. The minimum amount is generally EUR 100 per year.

Important: This section does not constitute tax or legal advice. Cantonal regulations vary considerably. Check the current regulations with the cantonal tax administration of your canton of domicile or in the Zewo directory of tax-exempt organisations.

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

The following example calculation shows the annual costs for an association collecting EUR 15,000 in donations per year (approx. 200 individual donations averaging EUR 75).

Note: Fees are guide values for Swiss domestic transactions (as of 2026). TWINT transactions typically cost 1.3–1.5 %, credit card payments approx. 1.65 % + fixed amount. TWINT QR Pay Plus via RaiseNow is approx. 2.5 %. Check the current terms directly with the provider.

8. Checklist: Collecting donations as a Swiss association

• Check the association's purpose in the articles of association: Is the purpose worded charitably?

• Tax exemption applied for or granted by the canton? (Requirement for donation receipts)

• Association account (IBAN) opened with a Swiss bank

• PSP or fundraising platform account created and verified

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

• Recurring donations activated (monthly, quarterly)

• QR code created, tested, and prepared for print (at least 5 × 5 cm)

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

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

• Process established for annual consolidated donation receipts (e.g. in January for the previous year)

Payrexx offers associations a customisable donation form with TWINT, credit card, PostFinance, and mobile wallets – hosted without needing an independent website. The form can be configured with your logo, colours, and custom donation amounts, and supports recurring donations.

Recognised charitable organisations receive a 50 % discount on all paid subscriptions. The Free subscription carries no monthly fixed costs – the association only pays transaction fees when actual donations are received.