Using the Online Form
for Making a Dakshina Offering
What should I do if the form is not functioning properly?
- Use Google Chrome as your browser.
- Try rebooting your computer, which often clears up the issue.
After clicking on the “Offer Dakshina” button, I am led to a page entitled “Make a Dakshina Offering.” However, the form does not automatically appear. Why is that?
- You need to check the box under “Check Privacy Notice for Online Form.” This indicates that you have read and agree to the SYDA Foundation Privacy Notice, which explains how your personal data and payment details may be used.
- When you click on this box, the online form automatically appears.
I live outside the United States, and the form does not correspond with my address specifications. Can I still use the form to make an offering?
Yes! If you live outside the United States, here are your options:
- Insert your country first when filling out the form. This resets the address specifications in the form to those of your country.
- You can also use one of the translated versions of the online form—in French, German, Italian, Japanese, Portuguese, or Spanish—by clicking on your chosen language in the bar under the heading “Make a Dakshina Offering.”
- If you choose the Japanese language, a PDF with instructions in Japanese will open. The online form only accepts the Roman alphabet.
Nothing seems to happen when I click on the Credit Card option on the form. How do I enter my card details?
- The Credit Card link on the form is the default option.
- When you select the Credit Card option, or if it is already selected as the default option, this button will be in blue.
- When you click on “Secure Payment,” a box will appear with the title “Complete Payment,” where you can enter your credit card details.
- After entering your details, click on “Finish and pay” at the bottom of this box to submit the form and make your offering.
- The translated versions of the form only accept credit cards, so a credit card link does not appear as an option.
- Click on “Secure Payment,” and a box will appear with the title “Complete Payment,” where you can enter your credit card information.
- After entering the information, click on “Finish and pay” at the bottom of this box to submit the form and make your offering.
Can I use the online form to make a direct debit from my bank account?
- Yes, if you have a US bank account. Click on the Direct Debit link if you wish to use that option.
- When you do this, the button turns blue and additional fields appear where you can enter your bank information.
- After filling out this information, click “Continue” to submit the form and make your offering.
I notice there is a “Comments” field on the form. What is this for?
- Filling out this field is optional. You can use it to indicate that your offering is in honor of a particular holiday or occasion.
- If you have a monthly practice of offering dakshina and use this form to make your monthly offering, you can indicate that this is your monthly offering and specify the month if needed.
What should I do if I receive a message saying that I have not filled in a section of the form?
- If you encounter this message, fill in the missing information.
- Try rebooting your computer if the message continues to appear after you have filled in all information, or if you encounter any other apparent malfunction. Rebooting often clears up the issue.
How do I know that the form has been successfully submitted and my offering received?
- A confirmation message will appear at the bottom of the page.
- In addition, a receipt with the date and the amount of your offering will be automatically generated and sent to your email address.
- Your offering will also appear on a paper receipt that the SYDA Foundation will mail to your postal address. These receipts are sent biannually and list offerings during the preceding six months.
Before submitting the form on my phone, I was asked to verify some images and check that I am not a robot. What is this for?
- That is the reCAPTCHA technology. It asks you to prove you are not an automated robot, in order to prevent fraudulent activity. It will appear whether you are making your offering via your phone or your computer. It may also ask you to identify some images in a grid or to retype some letters and numbers.
After I verified these images to indicate that I am not an automated robot, the “Verify” button at the bottom was cut off on my phone, so I could not submit the form. What should I do?
- If you encounter this issue, restart your phone just as you would with a computer and see if you can click on the “Verify” button and submit the form.
What should I do if I’m still unable to make my offering using the online form?
You can do any of the following:
- Contact the Dakshina Office by emailing Dakshina@syda.org or by calling (+1) 845-434-2000, extension 2390. (Do not include your bank or credit card information in the email.)
- Print and fill out a PDF form that is available via the link in the paragraph above the Privacy Notice and send it by mail or fax to the Dakshina Office. The mailing address and fax number appear on the form.
- The link to the PDF form is only available above the English-language version of the online form.
- Contact the Area or National Dakshina Coordinator for your area or country. They can assist you with navigating the online form; provide you with a PDF form, a printed form, or a card specific to your language and location; and provide other information about offering dakshina in your area or country.