How are my contributions automatically deducted from my account?
When creating you account the contribution amount you specify will be transferred from your bank or credit card to the church’s bank account.
When will my contribution be deducted from my account?
It will be debited on the date you specify.
How can I track my contribution to the church?
Your bank or credit card statements provide an itemized list of your transactions. Also, you can create an Online Giving account which provides giving history reports.
Can I give different amounts to different offerings and credited at different times?
Your contributions can be set up at different times individually.
What if I change banks or credit card?
Simply login and update your account info.
What if I no longer want to give online?
You can always cancel by deleting your credit card and/or bank account info along with your donation dates.
ONLINE ELECTRONIC PAYMENT PROCESS
There are three ways a church member can process an electronic donation:
1. Charge Donation to a Credit Card
Credit Cards – The popularity of credit cards from the donor’s perspective is obvious. The donor does not incur any additional cost of using it to make a donation to the church. In fact, he/she may receive added benefits such as airline miles, cash-back or some other form of rewards. The cost to the church ranges between 2 and 5% depending on the type of card, card issuing company and the pricing scheme of the payment processor. Analysis of data from online transactions clearly shows that credit card users consistently give more than those who give form their bank accounts. Donations during Christmas time, in particular, are higher with credit cards because of the delay in paying back to the card issuers but the donors can claim tax deduction for the year when they charge their card in December.
2. Set up a one time or recurring donation to the church with the bank
Bank Transfer (EFT) – The transaction set up by the donor with his/her bank is called an EFT transaction. The donor uses the bank’s ‘Bill Pay’ feature to designate the church as the payee and schedules a one time or recurring transfer of funds to the church for a certain amount. What most people do not realize is that the bank actually sends the church a check by mail and the church then has to process it just like any other check it receives during the weekly Mass. If the check is misplaced or lost, the donor is still out of funds as the bank will deduct the amount from his/her account regardless of whether the check is cashed or not unless the donor notifies the bank of the loss of check in a timely manner.
3. Provide bank account information to the church so it can set up automatic withdrawal of funds from the church member’s bank account.
Bank Transfer (ACH) – If the church negotiates an arrangement with the bank to process donations from its members electronically, it is considered an ACH transaction. In this case, the donor has to provide the church with their bank account and routing information, amount to be withdrawn from his/her account and preferred date of withdrawal. Such transactions are fully automated and electronic. A major drawback of this arrangement is that the safety and security of the donors bank information is not guaranteed. The church staff may not want to assume liability and take on added risk of keeping such information safe.
PARISHIONER BENEFITS OF ONLINE GIVING
Reliability
You know how the phrase, “If my head wasn’t attached, I would forget it” gets tossed around a lot? Life can be hectic. Remembering to bring a checkbook or offering envelope is rarely, if ever, on peoples’ minds. e-Giving allows members to set up recurring tithes to your church so that their giving isn’t based on our ability to remember those things. This is also great for those times when members are out of town. Setting up recurring e-Giving makes sure they are able to give back to God, even when they aren’t able to be physically present.
Timing
Occasionally, out of the ordinary opportunities to give financially pop up out of nowhere. Churches constantly have a good cause to chip in a few extra bucks toward, whether it’s a youth mission trip or raising money to replace the old projector bulb that just burned out. In the past, many people would say in response to this, “I’d love to give, but I don’t have any cash on me!” Now, with online giving, they can jump on their phone and give via text or mobile app or by simply navigating to your website.
Personal Preference
These days most people really don’t like carrying around cash and/or a checkbook. They are just too bulky and easy to lose, whereas a debit card is small and if it’s misplaced, one can simply call their bank and replace it, rather than just being out of luck. Anymore most people rarely use cash during their weekdays, e-Giving makes it so they don’t have to on their weekends either.
Anytime, Anywhere
It’s easy to give 24/7, 365 days a year from a device people carry with them everywhere they go—their smartphone. Everyone can conveniently donate and participate wherever they are, which increases engagement and generosity in the church!
Ease of use
Tithes can be made in seconds with a few taps of the screen. Donors can easily update payment information and the frequency of gifts.
Recurring giving
With a one-time setup, people can schedule recurring gifts and store payment information like credit and debit cards or ACH.
Bank-level security
Powerful 256-bit encryption provides the strongest level of protection available.
PARISH BENEFITS
Faster Gift Processing
Gifts Every Day of the Week — Not Just Sundays
Greater Online Engagement
Easier Giver Management
Parishes Can Say THANK YOU Sooner
Giving Can Come from Beyond the Local Congregation and Geographic Location
Many churches impact the lives of others through online sermons, missions trips, and other outreach activities. Potential givers to your church may come from far beyond your postal code. Online giving not only empowers those who live around the corner, but also givers across the country. Givers won’t need to worry about checks getting lost in the mail or trying to give over the phone when they’re 3 time zones away.
Giving is more secure
Accidents happen. When cash and checks are passed between hundreds of people, it’s easy to lose track of some gifts. Online giving takes the guesswork out of keeping gifts safe. The right online giving solution will provide bank-level security and encryption to ensure that every gift goes straight from your givers to your church.
((Online transactions, whether they are church donations or payments for a function such as banquets, auctions, or any fundraising event, are safe and secure. The credit card companies have developed comprehensive guidelines for merchants who accept credit cards. They are required to comply with these guidelines in order to be approved for accepting payments with credit cards. The standards are developed and maintained by the PCI Security Standards Council. For additional information on the PCI Security Standards Council visit https://www.pcisecuritystandards.org/ The PCI Security Council is an open global forum that is responsible for the development, management, education and awareness of the PCI Security Standards. Its five founding global payment brands – American Express, Discover, MasterCard, Visa and JCB International – have agreed to incorporate the PCI DSS as the technical requirements of each of their data security compliance programs. The credit card transactions processed by companies that manage online transactions for the churches have to comply with these standards and have to submit themselves to regular audits to test their internal processes and safeguards which makes them far more secure than dropping a check in the collection basket not knowing who will see it and how confidential the information on it will be.))
Attracts the Younger Generation — Advancing Faith for the Future
The younger generation is more likely to participate in church’s activities and donate when it can do so using the means and technology that they use in their daily lives. The appeal for donation for earthquake victims in Haiti is a prime example of how modern technology helped in collecting $30 million dollars in a matter of ten days by allowing people who used their cell phones a means to make a donation.
