Introduction
Does digital giving make a difference?
To answer that question (and many more) teams from Ministry Brands and Parable Group worked to create a comprehensive report compiled from multiple data sources to uncover patterns and trends of giving in the church so that church leaders can be better equipped to serve.
You can download the full report below, but here’s one thing we hope you take away: digital giving isn’t just a tool, it’s a significant and growing piece of the giving landscape. And, it has the potential to make a huge difference in the life of your church.
Take a look at some of the impacts below.
What is Digital Giving?
First, it’s crucial to understand exactly what digital giving is (and what it’s not).
At the most basic level, digital giving is just what it sounds like, the option to give digitally, not just through physical gifts (ex. cash, checks).
However, it’s so much more than that. Digital giving is the doorway to convenient, versatile giving options that allow donors to give anywhere, anytime, and grow in generosity.
Digital giving isn’t an abandonment of the traditions of your church. It’s not a risk or threat to your donor’s financial security. And it’s not just something big or modern churches should consider.
It’s a wise option for every church to meet donors where they are: online.
In fact, churches that offered online giving saw a 3.5% increase in giving on average!
Methods of Digital Giving
There are several different types of digital giving churches offer including:
- Website
- Direct Bank Transfers (ACH, etc.)
- Mobile App
- Text to Give
- Third-Party Platforms (Paypal, Venmo, Zelle, etc.)
- Cryptocurrency, NFTs, Stocks, etc.
- And, Kiosk or Terminal Giving
This variety allows donors to give most comfortably and conveniently for them.
Not only that, but surveyed churches who offered basic digital giving methods (website, app, text, or kiosk giving) were twice as likely to have reported an increase in overall church giving (compared to churches who didn’t use one of these methods).
The most common digital giving methods churches offered were through the church’s website (61.84%), direct bank transfers (46.55%), and mobile app (36.4%).
If you’re hoping to improve your church’s digital giving impact, here are 4 ways to get you started.
Why Digital Giving is Crucial in 2024
If you’re still on the fence about the potential impact digital giving could have at your church in the coming year, take a look at these numbers.
- In 2023, giving via church websites & apps increased or remained steady for 73% of churches. Meanwhile, cash & check donations decreased for 33% of churches.
- On average, Catholic parishes increased in online giving dollars by 4.6% and Protestant churches increased by 4.1% in 2023.
- And, of the churches who reported increased giving from their website or app, 56% didn’t see decreased cash or check giving.
Looking forward, churches anticipate the impact of digital giving to continue into 2024 (and beyond).
Plus, digital giving makes it possible for donors to set up automatic, recurring giving.
This means they will never miss an opportunity to give, even if the weather’s bad, their child is sick, or church is canceled. In fact, 43% of all donation transactions and 34% of giving dollars were given through recurring giving in 2023.
As a church, we want to come alongside you to help you fulfill your mission and impact your community. Offering digital giving is no longer just a good idea, it’s a crucial piece of this.
Next Steps
The reality is this is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the impact of digital giving. The real impact is the lives changed, people helped, and ministry growth your church experiences as a result of faithful donors and increased generosity.
If you want to learn more and see how digital giving has impacted churches just like yours, download the full State of Church Giving 2024 report.
Download the report here 👉 Click to Download The State of Church Giving 2024 Report