In this time of not meeting together in person, there may be a significant financial impact to church giving which may have long reaching implications. Here are some tips to help your church give online
For some churches, online giving may be the way most of the congregation offer their tithe. For others it may be a minority who give electronically. In this time of not meeting together in person, there may be a significant financial impact to the church, which may have long reaching implications. Now is the time to encourage those in your congregations who normally give in person to move to online giving, if they are able. There are a few ways to encourage online giving and some tools to help you.
The easiest way to increase online giving is to make it easy for people to find your giving details!
Use your website to display how people can give, or include bank account details in your weekly newsletter or online communication. You might consider having a "Give" menu option from your website homepage, like what MBM Rooty Hill has done, or placing details in your weekly email communication:
Another option is to use a church giving solution, such as Tithe.ly (the name will be familiar to you if you are already a client of Elvanto, whom Tithe.ly acquired). Tithe.ly allows your congregation to use a direct link from your website to a dedicated online giving form or you can use the preferred method of embedding your Tithe.ly giving form right into your website using their embed code.
Church giving solutions such as Tithe.ly, Pushpay or Generous all have pricing plans which
vary depending on the level of features you chose and many of them offer not only giving solutions but whole church management software. These platforms can be very helpful when seeking easy giving options for your congregation.
A few helpful tips:
- If possible, offer a “tech support” person who can assist those with difficulties accessing online platforms. - Encourage your congregation to set up regular giving when they are setting up their online giving. Encouraging them to do it now, rather than future ‘one-offs’ will assist in your financial forecasting. - Mention your online giving options in the early part of your service – people often “switch off” after the sermon! - If you need assistance, particularly in setting up Tithe.ly for your church, let us know and we can help!