As much as people don’t like to talk about money in the church, tithes and offerings are essential for church function and growth. Now, you may have an incredible giving web page set up, an awesome app for members to use, and all the right tools and resources to encourage giving. But sometimes, it doesn’t quite work the way you’d want it to.
A critical aspect of seeing more success in generosity is fund management—directing donations to a specific fund or campaign. People like to get behind good things and support impactful ministry. When you’re managing funds by specifying various departments and ministries to be specifically impacted by donations, you’ll be able to get your people behind everything your church is doing, whether it’s kids ministry, global mission trips, or purchasing a new building. Is your church making the most out of your online giving designations?
Many ministries utilize fund management and designations, but they’re often being misused, or they’re just not functioning the way they would hope. Here are 6 things that could be hampering your fund management:
1. You don’t have separate designations.
The most obvious hindrance to your fund management is not using separate designations in the first place. Everything that is given is allocated to the “general fund” and then dispersed afterward. If you don’t give donors the opportunity to specify where their gift is going, they may be less likely to submit a tithe or offering. It also takes away time from your staff by forcing them to allocate funds later rather than simply knowing which amount of money is going where.
2. Funds aren’t clearly stated.
Having unclear designations can make it difficult for people to contribute to them. Make sure each fund is titled correctly, and maybe even provide a brief description of where that money will be used. Being upfront and transparent about each classification will help avoid confusion, which can cause uneasiness about giving.
3. There aren’t any specific campaigns.
Giving campaigns can help spark generosity. Oftentimes people can get in a “giving rut,” and they are either inconsistent with their giving, or it isn’t a priority. Having a giving campaign that highlights a specific project or goal, particularly one that will serve others, can encourage people to see the bigger picture and inspire them to donate. A great example of a successful campaign is from a church that used designations to rally 1000 givers in less than 12 hours to provide relief for flood victims.
4. The order of designations is inaccurate.
Maybe your church does have designations on your giving page, but if they aren’t in a beneficial order, people could be missing out on the opportunity to give to certain campaigns. It doesn’t seem like much of a big deal, but order matters. You’ll want to place the important funds at the top because that’s what givers will see first and be more likely to choose rather than scroll through a big list. You’ll also want to track how each fund is performing and remove any that aren’t working.
5. Giving isn’t discussed through leadership.
Often, change and movement come from the top down. If church leadership isn’t participating in giving or discussing the importance of it with their staff and volunteers, members and visitors won’t have buy-in. Being led by example is helpful for many people, and one way to do that is through discussion from leadership.
6. Fund designations are not talked about from the pulpit.
Similarly, if specific designations aren’t mentioned on Sundays, and leadership isn’t sharing the different ways people can be involved in giving, then congregants might not give at all, even if there is a general giving fund. People need to know about all the opportunities they have to partner with what the church is doing.
Fund management is an important part of giving. People are interested in contributing to certain projects or campaigns. If you are looking to increase giving, Ministry Brands Amplify is here to partner with you. Our giving platform offers unlimited designations to help 100% of the church participate in giving.