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How to Accept Donations Online for Your Church

How to Accept Donations Online for Your Church

If you’re wondering how to accept donations online, it’s likely that 2020’s mandated church closings brought a stark realization to your church:

If we can’t meet, how will we collect tithes and offerings?

 

Accept Donations Online with an Online Giving Solution

Obviously, you need some kind of “system,” but where do you start? There are many different kinds of online giving platforms available. They range from simple giving processors to comprehensive donor management solutions that automate everything for you.

At first glance, it’s easy to assume that a simple giving processor that just transacts donations (like PayPal) would be the best place to start. It must certainly be less expensive and easier to use than a full-service, end-to-end gift management system (like Vision2), right?

But this is not true.

Churches often start at the low end of this spectrum hoping to save money and keep things “simple.” They need 1) an AFFORDABLE system that was 2) designed for the CHURCH in order to accept donations online. But inevitably, they find that they need MORE.

First, they realize that reconciliation with the bank is really hard. Then they see that they need a giving experience that doesn’t scare givers off. (It’s a thing!) Next, they wish their systems would integrate with each other.

The Best Giving Systems Helps Churches, Givers and Leaders

As you may be seeing, accepting donations online isn’t always simple. Many factors determine its success. If givers don’t trust it, it’s not going to fulfill your need to accept donations online. If it makes your back office complicated, you’ll have a whole new problem on your hands.

But don’t be put off by those concerns! Your best bet is working with an online giving provider that makes it simple for YOU and YOUR GIVERS. One that takes on all the responsibility and automates everything. And, most importantly, one that does this with no monthly fees.

Guidelines for Finding the Solution that Covers all Your Bases

To ensure you find the system that’s right for you to be able to accept donations online, we recommend that you:

  • Determine your church’s needs.
  • Arm yourself with basic knowledge. Here are two resources that demystify and simplify online giving and payment processing.
  • Speak with more than one vendor. Find out what makes it different than other systems. Ask for referrals and details about onboarding to their system.
  • Demo several solutions.
  • Consider Vision2.

How Vision2 Operates Differently

Here are just a few of the things that make Vision2 different:

Our Financial Structure
Vision2 was created from the ground up to operate in a completely new way. Our unique relationship with the bank enables us to quickly give you your funds, automate reconciliation, and eliminate giving limits.

We also made the considerable investment required to become a payment processor. This allows us to transact gifts directly — without a middle man — to save churches money. It gives you ownership and visibility at every step of processing. This allows us to protect your givers.

Our Accounting Processes and Safeguards
Vision2 is the only giving solution that brings all your giving management functionality under one roof. It speaks your accounting software’s language for integrated processing. And it includes an audit trail that protects your ministry against fraud and error.

 

Learn how one Finance Director brought a 7-campus church’s back office into the future.

 

Displaying Gift Impact
We believe givers are more generous when they can see the impact of their gifts. See how our client Mobberly Baptist Church is using media-rich Give Stories to grow generosity.

Our Managed Services
Accepting donations online can only be simple in every aspect if there’s someone on the other end taking care of every detail for you. That includes helping you with messaging for your launch, your giving page, your acknowledgment emails and more. It means we’re correcting any issues during the payment lifecycle before you even know there’s a problem, say, at the bank.

With Vision2, you’re never on your own.

Reach out today to see how we can help you accept donations online.

Compare Vision2 and Pushpay.

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