Giving is not something that people are always eager to do. Even those who do not mind giving may not give as frequently as they want and may have to be reminded to do so as there are other things going on in their minds. This makes it very necessary for church leaders to make the process easy, comfortable, and motivating for the church members. Doing this will not only increase giving but also help church members develop the habit of giving. When giving is made easier, it generally reduces the stress and pressure of giving on members and the need for church leaders to repeatedly talk about money.

From our experience working with churches for over 12 years, we have figured out four ways to make giving easier for your church members, and they are:

• Online Giving:

Many churches only have the chance to get tithes and donations from their members on Sundays. This implies that churchgoers who, for whatever reason, are not present on Sunday will not be able to contribute for the week. Even though the goal remains to get everyone to partake in the gathering of the brethren on Sundays, it is equally important to acknowledge that some people have genuine reasons to be absent from church, e.g. health workers, security personnel, law enforcement officers, etc. 

Since these people are not attending church services, they are not likely to give. To encourage such people to give and to make it easier for them, we recommend online giving. Some churches hold back from exploring the option of online giving because of the fear of change. Change is scary, and oftentimes, people want to hold onto familiar paths rather than explore new ones. Some others worry about the ease of use, and some worry that only the younger generation may know how to use it. While these concerns are understandable, they are not essentially valid. 

This is because the learning curve of technology has come full circle; there is no currently existing generation that does not have a reasonable level of exposure to the internet, and thus they can implement online giving. Most essential services in today’s world leverage the Internet for service delivery and even payment collection; a typical example is banking services. So, church leaders should not shy away from online giving on the premise that a generation will miss out. If anything at all, you will capture more people than you will miss out on. 

Concerning ease of usage, GoodtoGive has an easy-to-use platform that allows your church leaders or members to set up an online giving account for their church or themselves. Churches that leverage our online giving site can integrate it into their website for easy access by church members. We also offer support services, such as educating you on how to use the platform and how your members can easily navigate it. We make sure that your donations are appropriately tracked and kept secure. As good stewards of the money you receive through our online giving site, we work together with you. Our support staff are eager to assist you to get started right away.

• Using Smartphones:

If somebody thinks that clicking a link and going to a website to give offerings or make donations is a difficult process, then their demands can be addressed by utilising their smartphones, or more specifically, by using mobile apps on their smartphones. Another method to make the donation process simpler is to enable mobile app donations from your church’s members. The simpler it is, the more encouraging it becomes. Most adults have a smartphone of some kind. Adults use these devices for a variety of functions, including banking. A mobile app with smooth functionality and user – friendly interface can completely change the narrative of your church’s revenue. 

At GoodtoGive, we have mobile apps specifically created for churches, and the functions can be customized to suit the needs of each church. With our GoodtoGive mobile apps already in existence, you do not even need to spend your own money and time engaging a developer to design a mobile app for your church. All you need to do is leverage our fit-for-purpose app and give your members the opportunity to make a donation right on their phone without visiting any website. To learn more about our mobile app for churches, click here.

• Automating the Process: 

The main reason many churches record one-time donations is often forgetfulness on the part of the members. Church members will most likely have other things on their minds, and the thought of giving to the church cannot compete with those. 

Therefore, to make it easier for church members to give consistently and frequently, it is necessary to automate the process. Whether your church is choosing to leverage our mobile app services or our online giving site, it is necessary to automate the process to make room for recurring donations. This will enable the donors to choose the frequency of their donation and authorise an automatic debit on the scheduled dates.

Automating your giving options is a necessary step in increasing church income. It makes it possible for anyone to give at any time and anywhere.

• Sharing Online Gift Aid Declaration Links: 

Through the Gift Aid and Gift Aid Small Donation Schemes, you can increase the value of your church donations. To be able to receive an additional 25% of donations, it is necessary to get a Gift Aid Declaration from donors, which makes it possible to get an extra 25 percent of the donated amount. A Gift Aid Declaration often involves the use of envelopes prepared for the purpose. What this means is that donations that do not have an accompanying declaration cannot qualify for the Gift Aid claim. 

However, as part of our Gift Aid service we provide a link that you can share with members so that they can complete their Gift Aid  declaration quickly and easily, online. This helps you maximise your Gift Aid claiming, thus increasing the income of your church. Last month, we collected a total of £270,822.01 for our clients from their Gift Aid claims.

We can work with you to simplify the donating process for your church members and ultimately boost your revenue. You can access a mobile app, an online giving platform, online declaration links, and Gift Aid administration services through GoodtoGive. Click here to contact us and complete the consultation form to get started, our Senior adviser will then contact you immediately.