This is Part 3 of a series of blog posts about the State of Church Giving 2024. Read Part 1 here and Part 2 here.
Download the complete 2024 report here.
Intro
How can you make giving easier for everyone in your congregation and beyond?
The truth is, people don’t have to look far for an excuse not to give. However, the other side is true as well, if people truly have a desire to give, they’ll find a way.
As a church leader, how can you make sure that those who want to give can do so easily and those who may have some giving reservations, have their hesitations alleviated?
It comes down to identifying barriers to giving and then doing what you can to remove them.
Using data and insights from the 2024 State of Church Giving report, we’ve identified digital barriers, in-person barriers, and some solutions for you to try at your church.
Removing Digital Giving Barriers
Over 60% of surveyed church leaders reported a major barrier: a lack of familiarity with technology.
Can you relate?
How often do you receive calls from members who are struggling with the website, can’t log into their giving portal, or simply think something isn’t working? Technology itself can be a barrier.
However, it’s not the only one. Here are some other common barriers:
- Security concerns about online transactions
- Users don’t want to create an account or log in
- Lack of access to the internet or devices
- Online forms have too many steps or they take too long
- Concerns about record-keeping
Solutions to Try:
Identifying these barriers is just the first step. Next, it’s important to do what you can to remove them. Here are a few things to try:
- Consider hosting a short class on your digital giving methods or include this in a newcomers class. Invite members to bring their computers, tablets, and phones so you can assist with set up and make sure they feel confident and equipped to do it on their own.
- Create video tutorials using screen captures, captions, and detailed instructions on how to set up a giving account, recurring giving, and more. Post the videos on your giving page and share them on social media and via email.
- Take time during your Sunday service to walk through how to give. This may include the pastor or other minister sharing directly from the pulpit, or playing a pre-recorded video explaining what to do.
- Highlight recurring giving. Explain the benefits of setting this up and communicate clear steps on how to do it.
- Be clear about what safety measures your church has put into place. Adding a “security” section on your giving page is a great way to do this.
- Make giving forms as simple as possible. If you’re requesting information you don’t need, eliminate that form field. In this case, less is more.
For more online giving solutions, check out our guide, 7 Steps to Improve Online Donations.
Removing In-Person Giving Barriers
Online giving isn’t the only place where barriers exist. In-person giving also has its own unique challenges. Here are a few of the biggest barriers:
- People don’t carry cash/check
- Inconvenience or forgetfulness
- Limited access to physical locations
- Concerns about record-keeping
The good news is, there are solutions and ways your church can combat these obstacles.
Solutions to Try:
In-person giving barriers are best addressed with in-person giving solutions. Try this:
- Use the offering or announcement time during your service to remind, educate, inspire, and prompt your congregation to give generously based on their personal giving preferences.
- Make in-person giving as accessible as possible. This could include adding additional giving stations or boxes around your church building and even “passing the plate” during your services.
- Don’t limit giving to Sunday mornings. Work to encourage generosity anytime your church doors are open including Sunday evenings, Wednesday evenings, and during events or activities.
- Communicate continually. People are quick to forget so make sure you’re using signs, emails, social media, texts, and other methods of communication to remind people of how and where they can give.
Next Steps
As a church leader, your goal should be to create an easy and hassle-free donation process across all giving methods, whether online or in-person. Hopefully, these solutions help you to get started.
For more solutions and insights into church giving, you can download the full 2024 State of Church Giving report here.
This is Part 3 of a series of blog posts about the State of Church Giving 2024. Read Part 1 here and Part 2 here.