Blowing The Cover on Secret Giving: Why Online Giving Can and Should (Sometimes) be Secret
Online giving means nobody can look down the pew to peak a glance at what their neighbors are giving. Even better, the temptation to make change for a $50 as the plate passes by is a relic of a bygone era.
At long last – donors have an opportunity to give with their right hand while their proverbial left hand is altogether unaware.
“But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret.”
Matthew 6:3-4
While donors enjoy this new level of privacy, churches face a new dilemma: the old offering plate was confined within the church walls for only worshippers to see, but today that “GIVE NOW” button is prominently displayed on their website.
And if your church is like most others, your online giving form probably lists options for a host of ministries and funds, such as a building campaign, women’s ministry, youth retreats, a specific benevolence need, and various other items.
That’s not so bad, right?
Well, maybe not.
But what about those items that aren’t necessarily top-secret, but they are more of a family affair – something near and dear to the church’s heart that for many reasons may need to be shared only with those inside the congregation?
How do you offer online donors an opportunity to be generous to those special areas of need that are vital to the life of your church, but aren’t necessarily intended for guests and visitors?
That’s where you should be using online campaigns in your church’s online giving strategy. Campaigns offer the best way to simplify and streamline online giving.
What’s a Campaign?
When donors click the link to your main giving form, you want them to see a simple straightforward interface: minimize the clutter, eliminate distractions, and reduce the options. Donors should select the amount, select the frequency, enter their payment method and be done.
But the primary giving form doesn’t have to be the only place donors can give. As a matter of fact, it shouldn’t be.
An online Campaign is a specialized giving form with its own URL that accepts gifts for a specific fund or item. Typically, they can be customized to display unique graphics, messaging, suggested donation amounts, and even the campaign goal and progress. (Can your online platform do all of that? If not, request a free demo of our online solution, Dime Giving.
The great thing about campaigns is that the links can be distributed internally or via a targeted email list to enhance your fundraising.
Imagine: the next time there’s a specific need in your congregation, you can quickly create a campaign engaging the generosity of your people, distribute the specific link to your members via email, and now everyone can easily contribute in fewer clicks.
Allow us to be clear. We are not suggesting mysterious or undercover giving. But rather, we believe online giving should be as simple as possible. And sometimes the best way to keep it simple is to keep it secret.
Article By: Erik Smith, Dime Business Development Manager