The Power of Digital Donations
I was often asked, “why do I need to use digital donations”. Then COVID hit and that question seemed to be the last one asked. Now people were looking for a simple, secure, and safe method for donating. Chrimata is that platform. As a Pastor, I understand the needs of the local church. Chrimata was designed to help churches and nonprofits create a culture of generosity. Many people do not know the power of digital donations.
Let me share with you a few statistics about digital giving for the church.
The following percentages were prior to COVID. Simply put, they are most likely much higher now.
- 49% of all church giving transactions are made with a card.
- 8/10 people who give to churches have zero credit debt.
- 60% are willing to give to their church digitally.
- Tithers make up only 10-25 percent of a normal congregation.
- Churches that accept tithing online increase overall donations by 32%.
- 80% of Americans only give 2% of their income.
- Christians are giving at 2.5% of income; during the Great Depression it was 3.3%.
- Only 3-5% of Americans who give to their local church do so through regular tithing.
- When surveyed, 17% of Americans state that they regularly tithe.
- For families making $75k+, 1% of them gave at least 10% in tithing.
- 3 out of 4 people who don’t go to church make donations to nonprofit organizations.
- The average giving by adults who attend US Protestant churches is about $17 a week.
- 37% of regular church attendees and Evangelicals don’t give money to church.
- 17% of American families have reduced the amount that they give to their local church.
- 7% of church goers have dropped regular giving by 20% or more.
- About 10 million tithers in the US donate $50 billion yearly to church & non-profits.
- 77% of those who tithe give 11%–20% or more of their income, far more than the baseline of 10%.
- 7 out of 10 tithers do so based on their gross and not their net income.
When I look over the numbers above, there are a few that really stick out in my mind. First, 49% of all donations are made by card. By 2025 that number is expected to be above 80%. Digital donations have become the norm and not the exception. With 60% willing, that means we are losing 11% by not providing them with the proper tools to donate. For those churches who have never utilized digital donations, they will see an increase in overall donations of about 32%. What would it look like if you could increase your annual income by one third? Why is it that those with greater wealth seem to give less? Why is it that nearly 40% don’t give at all? What has occurred that caused a decrease in overall giving?
One of my goals as CEO of Chrimata is to give you the tools to eradicate the lack of donations and help create that culture of generosity that will empower every person in your church. To help them desire to step up their obedience to the word and see that together we can make a difference in our local churches, communities and the world!