The more convenient your church’s online giving is, the more likely it will grow. People want to tithe and donate on their terms, whether through their computer, mobile phone, text-to-give, or by swiping at a kiosk.
Streamlined Giving Process
If your church offers multiple ways for members to give, you can encourage generosity and experience growth. However, it’s not enough to accept multiple methods of giving – you also need to make it as easy as possible for both your team and your givers. This means offering a seamless, streamlined process for online giving for churches, whether your church uses its website or not. It also means making it easy to process cash and checks for those members who prefer to do so. And it means providing your team with a powerful yet user-friendly dashboard for managing all of this. With a robust giving platform, your members can easily access their giving history, manage their account and contact information, and even create recurring donations in just a few taps. It also gives your members a great way to visualize the impact of their recurring gifts. When you show how a recurring gift contributes to missions and projects your supporters care about, they’re more likely to give. Remember that recurring giving doesn’t have to take the form of a tithe.
Increased Convenience
Having options for online giving allows your members to support your mission without needing a physical donation card. Instead of putting out a collection plate, you can share an online love offering page with your congregation and encourage them to donate using their phone. The ease and convenience of online giving also mean that your members can make gifts regularly rather than just at one time. Smaller gifts added up over time can significantly impact your church. Another benefit of online giving is the easy record-keeping it offers. Your church can connect each gift to the member’s account in your church management system (cms) for accurate and timely reporting. Many online giving platforms also offer the ability for givers to review their donation history on demand. This is a feature that donors have come to expect, and many prefer it to write a check in person.
Increased Security
Many church members prefer to use traditional methods of giving, like cash envelopes and checks. It is essential to offer a digital giving option that can easily connect with your existing church management system (cms). This ensures all donations are recorded and scanned into one central location for easy reporting and tax statement generation. Digital tithing apps and online giving platforms also provide increased security for donors. Using a secure payment processor that is PCI-DSS compliant, you can rest assured all transactions are protected and securely processed. An online giving platform can help you reach new donors and expand your giving base. For example, Millennials and Gen Z have grown up with fast online transaction technology and are accustomed to supporting their favorite causes using their smartphones. Inviting these philanthropies to use their mobile phones for their place of worship can increase the frequency of their gifts and grow your congregation’s generosity. Investing in a mobile tithing app is the best way to introduce these new donors to your ministry and grow your giving base.
Increased Recurring Donations
Recurring online giving allows supporters to spread out the financial impact of their gifts over a year. That means less stress for them and your church during holidays, vacations, or other events that prevent their attendance. Remind first-time givers to set recurring donations by consistently communicating this option through your ministry channels. This can be as simple as highlighting the ease of text giving in Sunday morning announcements, a dedicated section on your website, or an email campaign. Members can log in to their portals to keep their contact information updated and access their giving history (including a pie chart that reviews the funds they gave to most often). They also can manage their recurring gifts, store payment methods, download their annual tax receipts, and more. The robust dashboard makes it easy for admins to manage all transactions and balances in one location. You can track offline/physical gifts like cash or checks, reconcile bank statements, create unlimited special funds, and more. This centralized control center helps your staff manage the system quickly and efficiently, saving time and allowing them to focus on your church’s mission.
Increased Reach
The benefits of digital giving are clear, but some pastors fear it will be too complicated and expensive to implement. A good church online giving system will be easy to use and allow you to track donations and account balances in your existing financial systems. It should also be compatible with all popular credit cards and mobile devices. You must provide plenty of training to encourage givers to switch. Consider incorporating giving instructions into the sermon and providing printed take-home materials. Also, set aside time each week or during the service to guide new givers and answer questions about using your church’s online giving tools. Reminding one-time givers to move to a more consistent giving schedule can be difficult for many of your church members. You can help nudge these members by encouraging them to set up digital reminders that will remind them to give at their preferred frequency. These gentle nudges are a great way to help your church community reach its giving goals. You can even include giving-related encouragement in other community events, such as concerts or speakers.
