Mobile giving is a fundraising strategy that enables people to donate money to campaigns and causes using a mobile device. This can include text fundraising, mobile donation pages, and mobile kiosks. Although there is some overlap between online giving and mobile giving, mobile giving is always completed using a mobile device like a tablet or smartphone whereas online giving can be completed using a computer.
The financial motivation for mobile giving is that it enables faith-based organizations to reap the rewards of contextual giving. Put simply, contextual giving aims to keep potential donors in the same context that initially inspired them to donate. For example, text fundraising enables donor to give whenever they feel moved such as during a religious ceremony or immediately after a sermon.
Nowadays, Churches can use mobile giving solutions as a digital collection plate. Fewer and fewer churchgoers carry cash or bring their checkbooks to church, but almost everyone has access to a mobile phone. So, let us discuss 3 brilliant advantages of mobile giving for Churches.
Increased Comfort
Whether you are a newcomer to a Church, or have been a dedicated member for years, mobile giving eases the pressure on attendees to give money. Giving an offering can be intimidating, especially if you are only carrying some small change when the offering plate makes it way over to you. However, mobile giving makes everyone feel comfortable, no matter what the size of their tithing.
Signing up to donate is incredibly quick and there are additional security benefits to giving money over the phone. Misplaced cash cannot always be reimbursed or found and although lost checks can be cancelled, it can take a while to notice if a donation seems to have gone astray. By working with a platform such as GiveNow that provides services like text to give church leaders can handle any financial discrepancies immediately. Most giving apps are incredibly secure, and this ensures that everyone will feel comfortable donating to the cause.
Simplified Admin
Mobile giving has totally revolutionized how parish administrators are able to complete financial reports. All data related to tithings is stored safely and organized clearly and most mobile giving platforms also make use of user-friendly control panels for managing donations. Some Churches even use the recurring gifting options provided by tithing platforms to forecast future donations and to plan their budgets.
All of this means that Churches can access their funds more quickly as mobile giving typically results in shorter turnaround times than cash alternatives. There is no need to wait until the end of the billing period to receive funds as donations can be accessed at the click of a button. Moreover, mobile giving platforms enable Churches to understand the giving habits of their congregation and this data can be used to note preferred giving avenues and communication methods while at the same time improving outreach strategies.
Enhanced Engagement
An unexpected benefit of mobile giving platforms is that they enable parishioners to give to the Church at any time of day or night. In the modern world, not everyone can attend services every week and therefore mobile giving provides opportunities for absent members to contribute from anywhere in the world. Additionally, with more Churches providing online resources than ever before as a result of the pandemic, mobile giving makes it easy for fundraising to carry on remotely.
Listening to a sermon via a podcast, reading a Church bulletin on Facebook, or tuning in to a service via Instagram live can all ignite generosity and therefore it is important that Churches harness the potential of forming digital connections and growing online and offline communities. Furthermore, it is no secret that most people already use their mobile phone to pay bills and make online purchases. Correspondingly, mobile giving enables Churches to keep up with the latest developments in technology while embracing religious values.
Ultimately, with more people than ever before turning to mobile payment methods, Churches looking for new ways to raise money should certainly consider mobile giving as a viable fundraising option. Above all, by enabling people to give anytime and anywhere that they have access to a mobile phone, Churches can benefit from donations whenever someone feels inspired to give.
Can you think of any other advantages of mobile giving platforms? Get in touch and let us know your thoughts.