The necessity for online giving in churches has skyrocketed due to the coronavirus pandemic.
More churches are using it, making leaders and donors happy with its convenience and flexibility. It’s a fast-growing trend that most churches are adopting.
Like many new developments, there are a lot of questions about online giving. And if as a church, if you do not immediately provide answers to potential donors’ questions, you could lose them as a donor. That’s why you must anticipate the questions they might ask and have answers readily available on your website.
The following are five frequently asked questions about online giving from donors:
1. Is Online Giving secure?
Due to the rise in fraudulent activities online, donors are increasingly concerned about the security of payments made online. You need to assure donors that your online giving platforms and any other application you use to store payment data are PCI compliant. You could have the badge on your website so potential donors can always see it.
You should also make your Privacy Policy or Terms of Service documents prominent on your website. It helps to increase trust and confidence in your online giving platform. And if you’re in search of a secure online payment platform, your search just ended. Our unique church management software, ChurchPad, guarantees safe and secure online payments for your church giving and donations.
By the way, PCI stands for Payment Card Industry and involves a robust set of requirements to ensure all organizations that process, store, or transmit credit card information maintain a secure environment.
2. Where can I find financial information about your church?
It just makes sense that before donating, people, especially first-time donors, would want to know something about how your church spends money. Some donors might ask to see the past few audited financial reports.
3. Where exactly does my donation go?
It should be explicitly stated during a fundraising campaign. For instance, if you have a website or Facebook page dedicated to the fundraising initiative, you should provide well-detailed information where the money is going. It shows transparency and assures your donors that their money is used for the purpose for which it was donated. Do as much as you can to ensure there is transparency when raising money.
4. Is it easy to change my payment schedule?
Some people might want to change their payment schedule in the long run, and so it is essential that you use a platform that provides flexibility. For instance, first-time time donors who are probably not ready to turn on a recurring donation make them know that they can choose a one-time gift.
ChurchPad online giving platform provides an excellent way for each donor to manage their givings and contributions easily. You can set up their account where you find all your options to set up recurring giving and keep track of all activity, including making changes to payment occurrences. ChurchPad users can get real-time financial statements for personal use whenever they want.
5. What should I expect after I donate to your cause?
It shouldn’t be so difficult to answer. Your church should have a donation follow-up process. Donors could be told that they will be receiving a follow-up report. If your church follows up with a report on the impact donors’ gifts made, tell them about it.
There are many other questions about online giving that you will need to address, but this is a good sampling of the most common inquiries. We hope you find the above list helpful as you craft communications for your church. Ultimately, giving the right and needed answers lets you earn the trust of both church members and visitors, and helps improve your church’s brand credibility.
Also, do check out our Generosity Feature on ChurchPad.com. It feature provides churches with the ability to offer members and guests with multiple ways to give. These include Text-2-Give, Mobile app giving, Online, and Recurring transactions.