For Hindu Temples

Reclaim 25% more Gift Aid on seva and festival giving - directly from HMRC

Hindu temples and mandirs in the UK receive generous seva donations, festival offerings, and regular giving - but many leave Gift Aid unclaimed because the paperwork is too much hassle. Trust Alma makes it effortless: a kiosk at the mandir entrance, 30-second declarations, and direct HMRC claims.

Try Alma freeSee pricing

25%

Extra your mandir can reclaim on every eligible donation

30 sec

Time for a returning donor to confirm their declaration

£0

Commission Alma takes from your Gift Aid

Hindu temples across the UK raise significant income through seva donations, festival offerings at Diwali and Navratri, and regular pujas - yet many claim little to no Gift Aid simply because no one has had time to set up the system. Trust Alma changes that. A single kiosk at the entrance captures Gift Aid declarations in under a minute. Regular donors are recognised automatically and their declarations carry over from donation to donation. Your committee keeps complete visibility and control.

Capabilities

Built for how mandirs give

Every feature designed around how Hindu communities already give - seva, festival offerings, and regular pujas.

Kiosk for the mandir entrance

Place an Android tablet near the entrance or puja hall. Donors tap, enter their mobile, and confirm a Gift Aid declaration in 30 seconds. Works on inexpensive hardware.

Festival-ready

Diwali, Navratri, Holi and Janmashtami bring significant festival offerings. Alma's Campaigns feature lets you set up dedicated campaigns for each festival so donors can choose which event to support on the kiosk, and you can track what each festival raised along with the Gift Aid reclaimable.

Seva donor recognition

Regular seva donors are recognised by phone number and their Gift Aid declarations carry over automatically. No re-entering details every time - just a quick confirm and give.

GASDS for anonymous offerings

Anonymous cash offerings in the donation box can't be Gift Aided directly, but the Gift Aid Small Donations Scheme lets you claim up to £8,000/year on small cash and contactless gifts. Alma tracks eligibility automatically.

Committee visibility

Multiple committee members can log in and see every donation, every claim, every audit entry. Perfect for AGM reporting and transparency to the community.

No commission, ever

Alma charges a flat monthly fee, never a percentage of your Gift Aid claims. Every penny HMRC pays goes to your mandir.

How it works

A typical day at the mandir

1

Set up at the entrance

Mount a tablet near the mandir entrance. Add your temple's logo, primary colour, and a welcome message. 15-20 minutes total.

2

When devotees arrive

Devotees tap the kiosk, enter their mobile number, and - if they pay UK tax - confirm a Gift Aid declaration in about 30 seconds. Returning donors skip straight to the amount.

3

Monthly claim

A trustee logs in to the Donation Hub, reviews the Gift Aid ready to claim, and exports an HMRC-ready CSV. Submit through Charities Online and the money arrives in your mandir's bank account in around 5 weeks.

“We knew we were missing Gift Aid on our festival offerings but didn’t know where to start. Alma took a weekend to set up and we reclaimed thousands on our first Diwali.”

— Trustee, a Midlands mandir (placeholder testimonial - real quote to follow)

FAQ

Common questions from mandir trustees

Is Gift Aid allowed on seva donations?
Yes - seva given by a UK taxpayer as a voluntary donation to a registered charity qualifies for Gift Aid. HMRC recognises it the same way as any other charitable gift. What matters is that the donor pays UK tax and makes a valid declaration.
What about anonymous cash offerings in the donation box?
Individual anonymous cash gifts can't usually be Gift Aided because there's no declaration. But the Gift Aid Small Donations Scheme lets you claim up to £8,000/year in top-up on small cash and contactless donations without individual declarations. Alma tracks GASDS automatically.
Can the kiosk handle Diwali crowds?
Yes. The kiosk supports multiple devices per mandir if you need more than one at peak times, and every interaction is saved even if the network drops. Declarations sync when the connection returns.
Do we need a complicated IT setup?
No. An inexpensive Android tablet and standard WiFi are enough. Setup takes 15-20 minutes and no specialist IT help is needed. Our Help section includes step-by-step guides.
How does this compare to managed Gift Aid services?
Managed services handle claims for you but take a percentage of your Gift Aid - often 5-10%. Alma charges a flat monthly fee, never a percentage. Your committee keeps complete control and all the money HMRC pays goes to the mandir.

Ready to maximise your Gift Aid?

Join UK charities already using Alma to capture more Gift Aid declarations and reclaim 25% on every eligible donation.

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