Why people aren’t giving to your church (And 4 reasons why they will!)

If you’ve been with the Givelify family for a while, you know that we talk about this topic quite a bit. As the years’ progress, so do the giving habits of our church members. We’ve identified four new reasons why people aren’t giving to your church (and 4 reasons why they will!)

Trust

Do your members know what your organization is doing with the funds raised each Sunday? Sure, you tell them it’s going to the local homeless shelter or the food bank, but how do they know for sure that’s where it went? While your congregation may never outright question the integrity of your church, they may still wonder how they’re generosity is doing any good.

How to fix it

Commit to a recap a few weeks after each project you collect funds for. Include pictures, statistics, and quotes from those who benefited from the good work you all have done. This type of recap can be very effective through an email to everyone who donated, a social media post, or something as simple as a presentation given during service to thank your members for their contributions.

Value

Generosity begins with human need in mind. As humans, we want to help other people and we often do this by giving our time or financial resources. It’s about turning good intentions into generous actions to help do more good together. However, for anything given, something is received. Even when giving for a charitable purpose, we expect something in return. Often times, we expect value to be reciprocated.

Value is defined as the regard that something is held to deserve; the importance, worth, or usefulness of something.

Even though giving should be an altruistic behavior, there is still plenty of room to provide value to your donors. This goes back to your mission and vision – why should your members choose to come to your church and give?

How to fix it

Ask the members of your church how they feel valued through a survey or round table discussion. Would they appreciate a special ceremony during the year? Do they want personal notes thanking them for their gifts? These acts contribute to the value you provide. Implement those practices and watch your donor engagement increase!

Simplicity

Have you ever tried to do something that was unexpectedly difficult? How did it make you feel? Frustrated may be a word that comes to mind. When giving to church isn’t simple for your congregants, they might feel frustrated, too. Asking that they bring cash or check to church isn’t enough. People are using electronic methods of payment more and more each day and your church is no exception.

How to fix it

Offer multiple types of payment like cash, check, online, and mobile giving options. With a wide array of choices, there’s bound to be something simple and convenient for everyone. Check out Givelify’s Browser Giving App for seamless online giving for your church.

Direct Ask

The best way to receive something you need is to ask for it. Giving is not a topic that should be avoided, rather it should be celebrated for being a valuable and trustworthy display of your members’ generosity. Asking for a gift to contribute to a roof repair campaign can boost your donations more than beating around the bush about the roof is leaking.

How to fix it

Practice before you ask! Just because you should be vocal about the needs of the church doesn’t mean careful consideration and planning should be left by the wayside. Make sure you understand how much you need to raise and by when so you can communicate the need effectively. Be trustworthy in your ask, provide value for their donation, and offer simple ways for your congregation to give. Wrap it all up in a bow and present the question at your next service.

Can we ask you something? What big projects or campaigns do you have coming up? We’d love to help! Contact us below to get started today.