As we discussed in our previous post, now that you have online giving, you need to let your donors know it’s available. We wanted to provide you with some written examples to help you promote online giving to your donors. We are having these conversations daily and thought why not help you out! Please feel free to use these as they are, or wordsmith them and make them your own. The purpose of these templates is to get you started. So add your own touch or voice and get the word out.
INTRODUCTION LETTER EXAMPLE
[Greeting]
We are pleased to announce [Your Organization] now provides online giving as an option – a convenient and secure way to make a one-time or recurring donation. When you choose to give online, your donation will transfer directly to our bank account. This is a convenience for you as you no longer need to remember to stop by the ATM or remember to bring your checkbook. It also helps us as recurring donations provide consistency and efficiency, easing the work for our back office administration.
To give online, visit our website at [your website] and click on [explain where to find your donation page on your website] to launch our giving page. You have the option to create a Profile while on our giving page, which will give you the ability to log in at any time to view your prior online donations or make changes to any recurring gifts you may have scheduled. Whether you choose to create a Profile or not, you can setup a one-time or recurring donation and designate your donation to any of our Categories of giving.
We choose to work with The CashLINQ Group to provide our online giving solution. CashLINQ works with ministries, churches and nonprofits throughout the US and Canada. In addition to understanding the heart of our organization, they are a Level 1 PCI Compliant Service Provider, which means CashLINQ meets the highest standards of security and compliance in the industry. Your donations and personal information is secure, so you can give with confidence.
When you give online, the following payment methods are available:
eChecks: This is a very cost effective way to give to [Your Organization]. By entering your bank’s routing and account number, you can make a one-time or recurring donation.
Credit & Debit Cards: We understand that many people use debit cards as an alternative to paper checks or exercise responsible use of credit cards as a way to conveniently manage expenses. Many cards today offer valuable points, such as air miles, which can be an added incentive. As with eChecks, you can also setup one-time or recurring donations.
We encourage you to consider online giving for your future donations.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
You may use the following announcement on your website, in email blasts, or in other written communications like a newsletter or bulletin:
Online Giving is Coming!
[Your Organization] is pleased to provide online giving. Starting [start date] you will be able to give your [donation/tithe/offering/gift] from our website through your bank account via eCheck or with your credit/debit card.
Online Giving is simple and secure for you to use and eases the work for our back office administration. You can make a one-time or a recurring donation. No more remembering to bring your checkbook or stop by the ATM. Recurring donations help stabilize giving and allow us to improve our budget forecasting.
For more information, visit [website address] or call [Contact Name].
Online Giving Reminder
This is just a friendly reminder that [Your Organization] offers electronic giving as a way for you to donate. Online giving is simple and secure. It is convenient for you and eases the work for our back office administration. You can use the routing and account number from your checking or savings account to give by eCheck, or use your Credit or Debit card.
Visit our website to give securely at [your website]. If you have any questions, please contact us at [email address] or by calling [Contact Name and number].
We encourage you to consider online giving for your future contributions.
Online Giving as a Way to Support Specific Causes
[Your Organization] has created specific funds to help us achieve goals and fulfill our mission. If there is a certain cause you feel strongly about, we encourage you to support that cause. With our online giving program, you can be sure that your contribution will go directly to that cause. For a list of giving funds, visit our giving page: [giving page web address]. You can use the routing and account number from your checking or savings account to give by eCheck, or use your Credit or Debit card.
As you craft your promotion plan, remember to consider all the pieces of communication and collateral you currently work with. For example, if you have a newsletter (email or paper) utilize the footer or communication section on these pieces wisely and let your donors know about online giving. Being consistent and clear with your message will help connect your donors to online giving.
*******
Our goal is to allow you to focus less on payment processing and more on what really matters: Your Mission. DonateQ software makes it easy for you to accept donations online. DonateQ offers multiple giving pages, the ability to set recurring donations, store donor accounts and more.