You may be wondering why so many parishes today seem to be using online giving as their main tool for accepting donations. It’s simple really – the easier it is for people to give the more likely, and more frequently, they will give. Advancements in technology have changed the way people do commerce. This is even true when it comes to charitable donations and tithes.
In this post, we’ll cover the key reasons that parishes today are retiring the offering plate and providing their members with easy-to-use online giving tools.
Preferences Have Changed
Americans have changed their preferred method of payment over the past 10 years. Only 20% of Americans still carry a checkbook regularly. So, unless your members remember to bring some cash or a check with them, chances are they won’t be putting anything in the offering basket on Sunday.
But this doesn’t mean that people are less charitable. Charitable donations have been on the rise for the past 5 years. People have simply come to expect to be able to make donations via credit/debit cards, or even their phones, wherever they go.
Think about how you prefer to pay for most things. Are you writing checks for all your bills or do you seek ways to pay online? Recent studies show that online bill payments are up over 800% from 10 years ago. Why? Because it’s convenient. With online bill pay, you don’t have to fill out a check, address an envelope, and find a mailbox to make a payment. You simply log in, enter your card info, hit submit and have instant confirmation that your payment was made. No more worrying if someone is going to hold onto that check for 2 months and then cash it when you only have $10 in the bank. Hey, we’ve all been there!
If people prefer to pay their bills & make every-day purchases digitally, it only makes sense that they would prefer to tithe this way. In a recent survey, more than 60% of parishioners said that they prefer to give online. The preference for online giving spikes to 79% with givers 24 – 34. However, it also hovers around 50% for givers over the age of 45. Long story short: no matter the age of your congregation, you’ve got some online givers out there!
Online Giving: Not Just Convenient for Donors|
We’ve talked quite a bit about why you should offer online giving for your donors. But online giving can directly benefit your parish staff as well. If your members are giving online, there’s less cash to count, fewer checks to keep up with, and significantly less manual data entry.
With an online giving solution, such as ParishSOFT Giving, you can easily see your year-to-date and monthly totals, view graphical representations of giving trends, and more. Imagine how much more time your staff would have to further your ministry if they weren’t spending all day plugging numbers into spreadsheets! In fact, ParishSOFT Giving users see an average annual giving increase of 32%. Think of all the things your parish could do with that increase!
Now is the time to talk about online giving with your parish family! If you’re considering an online giving program, contact our sales team online or call 866-930-4774 x6 to learn how ParishSOFT Giving can help you ignite the spirit of generosity at your parish!
