Online Giving
Maximizing Stewardship Through Technology
By Krystal Weaver

Many churches can predict their income based simply on what month it is. Most churches experience highs and lows in tithing. As attendance fluctuates, the weight of the offering plate does as well. Churches have found, however, that those utilizing online tithing maintain a more stable flow of income.

Giving is one of the central themes in the Bible. Jesus talked about this subject more than heaven, hell, or prayer. “Be sure to set aside a tenth of all that your fields produce each year.” Deut. 14:22 (NIV) God calls us to set aside a tenth of what we make each year for the church; however, as the world becomes more and more about convenience, the church is having to make adjustments as well.

Churches are realizing that while the offering plate is only at church, the Internet is in nearly every home in America. This idea, combined with the ability for users to set up automatic recurring donations, can greatly impact a church’s bottom line.

You may still think your organization wouldn’t benefit from this technology, but statistics say organizations that use their Web site for fundraising experience year to year growth of more than 50 percent. Also, figures from 2002-2003 (the last available distinct figures) show online donations increased by:                 

* 64 percent for small organizations
* 45 percent for mid-size organizations
* 62 percent for large organizations
Online donations are on the rise across the board. According to the Pew Internet and American Life Project, “On an average, 920,000 people donate online every day. That’s more than 27 million people a month.” Also, on an average, donors who contribute online tend to give significantly more overall (more than 50 percent), including both online and offline gifts, than donors who do not contribute online. The trend in online giving is growing every day, and churches are benefiting from it in every way.

Unfortunately, the greater need that churches have is that fewer and fewer donors are giving. The latest Barna poll shows that only 5 percent of donors actually give a tenth of what they earn. Most churches could speak to the fact that tithing overall is in decline, but for those people that do tithe, you want to make it as easy and convenient for them to give as possible. Since online giving is on the rise and people enjoy the convenience of online giving, a church may benefit from enhancing online opportunities. An attractive online giving option may be easier than you think. When looking for a solution, here are some key areas of focus.

Partner with a payment provider and use a product that is MasterCard/Visa compliant.
Companies such as Ambiron and Security Metrics audit software providers’ products to ensure that they meet PCI standards set out for the industry.  Most churches use a third-party online giving provider; those providers should display identifying logos of their auditor on your giving page. These logos represent trust to your donors and provide a direct link to the auditor’s site, demonstrating that your product has met the highest security requirements in the industry. If your current payment provider does not have the auditor’s logo, confirm they are, in fact, a compliant vendor and have been audited by a reputable firm.  

Make your online giving page look and feel like your overall Web site.
The online giving pages used by most churches are actually someone else’s product, so the goal is to make those pages mirror the graphical representation of your Web site. Keep in mind that when you use another provider the URL distinctly changes from your Web address to the other providers. This may confuse your donors if they feel like they are leaving your site. An ideal provider will allow your church’s original URL to remain in the address bar and will be able to provide a seamless flow in look and feel between your Web site and giving pages, providing confidence in the giving process.

Make the giving page functional and easy to use. 
Nice graphics go a long way to building trust with your donors, but, beyond that, donors appreciate functionality and ease of use. One design consideration is the display of giving categories. Make it simple for your donors to give to multiple categories with minimal effort. Try and avoid as many steps in the process as possible. Donors want convenience and simplicity. Making them jump through too many hoops could prove counterproductive in your effort to increased giving. 

Give your donors as many payment options as you can.
We live in a world with many choices available to us, and your donors expect to have options when it comes to making a gift on your giving page. Most donors want to see both EFT and credit card options for payment. Other capabilities donors look for are one-time and reoccurring gifts with a variety of time options like weekly, monthly, quarterly, and annually from which to choose. By allowing more options, you give the donor a higher user satisfaction level and could potentially lower your processing fees since the cost to process and electronic check is considerably lower that of a credit card. 

Consider the donor’s management options. 
A solid giving product opens the door for the donor to look at and manage his or her own gifts. Donor management options may include canceling or altering a reoccurring gift, a report and breakdown of all their past giving, or contact information for their church office. Most donors are busy and appreciate the convenience of being able to manage their giving.

We live in an ever-changing world with many pressures and challenges. Technology can be one of those challenges for your church, but when it comes to donors and giving, it should be easy for them to support your work. Understanding and utilizing existing technology in online giving can allow the church to efficiently capture the expanding interest in online giving and streamline the connection between donor and church.

Krystal Weaver is the marketing coordinator for The CashLINQ Group, www.thecashlinqgroup.com. The company offers MinistryLINQ, which exists to provide the latest technology in electronic processing to churches at the lowest possible price.