Parentkind and BOPP have signed a 3-year exclusive contract to bring Open Banking payments to the 13,000 PTAs they support as members. PTAs generally raise over £120,000,000 in revenue from their fundraising efforts every year. With the decline in cash, the high costs of card processing and platform fees associated with such efforts, the introduction of BOPP will seek to radically reduce the costs of collecting funds and make the process much easier and simpler for the parents and donors that support them.
Parentkind supports the largest network of PTAs across England, Wales and Northern Ireland and it is widely accepted that the decline in physical cash could be a barrier to the amount that can be raised going forward. BOPP will enable a PTA to display a QR code on a school notice board or add a secure Paylink to any text or social media post and when scanned or clicked, it enables payment direct from the security of the donor’s bank account and directly to that of the PTAs.
Kerry-Jane Packman, Executive Director of Programmes, Membership and Charitable Services at Parentkind, stated, “If I am at a school fair, I may struggle to find £5 in change, but with BOPP I can securely pay more and with great ease just from my phone”. Kerry also added, “Many PTAs are having to reach out to a wider community and seek fundraising online and there are huge opportunities for PTAs using BOPP to increase their revenues and save money doing so. They can now place a QR code in a book bag and make it really easy for the parents to scan and donate, and it will make a huge difference.”
Stephen Winyard, Chief Marketing Officer of Agitate, the company behind BOPP said, “We are acutely aware that charities and fundraising as a whole are under increased pressure to raise funds in new, innovative ways that not only saves money but provides opportunity to increase their revenue. Open Banking heralds a new era in payments and we are delighted to work with Parentkind, and their commitments to BOPP will significantly benefit all the PTAs they serve as members.