6 Ways Churches Can Reverse a Downward Giving Trend

Have you noticed a decline in donations or an unwillingness to give within your church community lately? While a lack of gifts to the church may be discouraging for growth, church leaders can have a significant impact on rebuilding the community’s giving commitments. Here are six ways your church can work to reverse a downward giving trend.

 

Teach the Act of Giving

Church leadership cannot expect offerings from church members if they are not taught the benefit. The importance of giving should be taught to both youth and adults, and reinforced through weekly readings, Sunday school classes, sermons or bulletin updates. The more the concept of a weekly offering is discussed with church members, the more likely they are to participate.

 

Explain Church Funding

It cannot be assumed that all churchgoers understand a church is largely funded by donations. Some members may believe there are additional outside resources funding the church. Having conversations with members about how a church stays financially sound and what impact contributions have can prompt the community to give.

Leaders of the church should also be aware that while many church members may want to give more regularly, they may be unable. It’s important for leaders to emphasize that while giving to the church is important, members should only give if they are able. There are other avenues, such as volunteering, that can represent a member’s generosity and commitment to the church.

 

Provide Financial Updates

Church members want transparency. It’s essential that church leaders keep members in-tune with how finances are managed as well as what impact their gifts have. If members are made aware of their impact often, they are more likely to give in the future. A few various ways leaders can communicate financial updates to members include:

• Quarterly contribution statements
• Newsletters or mailings
• During community fundraisers, events or activities
• Donor appeal letters along with remittance envelopes

 

Use Offering Envelopes

Offering envelopes have been a longstanding tradition within the church. While offering envelopes have many benefits such as providing members a sense of donation privacy, they more importantly, serve as a physical weekly reminder for the church community to give back. By making custom offering envelopes a part your church traditions or even storing loose envelopes in the pew for visitors, members are further called to be a part of the offering.

 

Hold Church Fundraisers or Giving Campaigns

There’s no better way to encourage donations than to create an environment or event centered around giving back to the church. Work with volunteers to arrange fundraising events or activities that appeal to members.

Leaders can also organize giving campaigns a few times throughout the year using pledge cards. This will encourage members to pledge their long-term commitments to the church beyond the weekly offering. Updates on how the giving campaigns are going throughout the dedicated campaign can motivate church members to give more.

 

Stay True to Church Values

If you want members to give back to your ministry, make sure your ministry is one that donors would want to be a part of. Remember that showing members how your community works towards the church mission will encourage participation. The way church leaders portray the congregation can help members feel valued and that their contributions are impactful to the community.

 

The right steps from leadership can help create positive giving trends in the church. To learn more about how One Write can help your church support the act of giving, contact One Write or request a quote today.