Giving statistics and the changes I made in response

Giving statistics and the changes I made in response

Below are some statistics that have informed my thinking around giving/tithing and some of the steps I have taken in response.

Per-Capita Giving

  • Great churches have a per capita above around $62

  • Above average churches see between $47 and $62 per week

  • The avg church has a per capita of $37-45 per week.

  • Below average churches have a per capita less than $37 per week

  • My Response: We have set a per-capital giving goal of 44 per week and have included it on our scoreboard.

give chart.jpg

Online Giving

  • Can boost tithing by 32%.

  • Nonprofit Source found that 49% of all donations are made via a card.

The most common time to give online

  • According to Tithe.ly 67%-73% of giving happens Monday through Saturday and 30% of donations come in between 9 PM and 6 AM. This means that the majority of online giving happens at times other than Sunday morning!

  • My Response: We set up a giving reminder via text to go out at strategic times that match these findings.

Method

  • 57% offer mobile giving options

  • 24% offer online

  • 14% offer text

  • My Response: We offer 5 giving options. Text, E-Giving, Envelopes, App Giving, and a Kiosk in the foyer

Large givers

  • The average church sees to top 15% of donors give 51%

  • Response #1: When we give out giving statements (3 times per year) we set up a table in our lobby where our finance team personally hands out the sealed statements and personally thanks everyone for their giving.

  • Response #1: I have multiple Thanksgiving dinners each fall for the entire church to attend (last year we did 8 dinners for adults only). All held at a nice restaurant ($4000 budget). In these dinners we share stories of salvations, wins at the church and vision for the future and thank everyone for their giving. Last year we raised an additional $350,000 from these dinners.

Preferred Methods

  • 14% of church attendees want envelopes while 68% want digital

  • My Response: We no longer automatically purchase envelopes for everyone. We do have envelopes in the offering and we offer to provide them to anyone who desires them.

Digital is king

  • 74% of Americans write one check or less per month

  • 80% of Americans carry $50 cash or less

  • More than 1/5 of millennials have never written a check

  • Mobile giving increased by 205% in 2015

Miscellaneous

  • Tithers make up 10-25% of a typical church

  • Religious giving is down 50% since 1990

  • The avg Christian gives 2.5% of their income

  • Those who attend 27+ times per year give an avg of $2,935

  • Recurring givers give 42% more than one-time donors

Three things that should be designed specifically for visitors

Three things that should be designed specifically for visitors

Things I outsource

Things I outsource

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