Online donations are are gifts given over the internet, either on a computer via the web browser or on a smartphone via a QR code. On this page we introduce our recommended provider and offer some guidance on how to set up an account and create your online donation page.
Why online donations?
You might wonder why a church should have an online donation page. The answer is simple - to reach people who aren't physically in your church building. With an online donation page you can reach people who might only ever interact with you online through your website or A Church Near You or Facebook or even Zoom services. All of these people might want to support your ministry but if they can't do that online they won't be able to donate.
GiveALittle
GiveALittle is our recommended provider because it comes with certain benefits:
- Allows online donations, automatically provides QR codes, and integrates with many contactless devices
- Free to set up, no monthly fee, and discounted Church of England transaction rates
- Have as many "campaigns" (donation pages) as you want, e.g. one for the general fund, one for the building etc.
- Record Gift Aid information from donors
Click on the buttons below for guidance on setting up and using your GiveALittle Account. If you have any questions about online donations or you would like support setting up your account you can contact the Generous Giving Adviser, Joshua Townson, by email or on 01865 208 757.
Set up GiveALittle through Parish Buying
SumUp Profile/Account Verification
If you have been asked to verify your SumUp profile via email from onboarding@sumup.co.uk you can find template answers to their questions here.
QR Codes
QR codes are black and white patterns that can be scanned with the camera of a smartphone. Each code is unique and directs your phone to a specific webpage. If you scanned the one here you'd be taken to a page where you can donate to the Diocese of Oxford by picking an amount to give and entering your card details.
QR codes are great for reaching visitors and other non-regular givers because they can be easily printed and put on things like newsletters, pewsheets, noticeboards, community information boards, and so on. This means they can reach a very wide audience without you having to be in front of the donor with a card machine. We also have free pew cards so you can easily have copies of your QR code available (see below).
Any church which uses the Parish Giving Scheme will already have a QR code available to them. Simply go to your church's unique page on the PGS website and download your code at the bottom of the page. If you're looking for an alternative to your PGS QR code we recommend using GiveALittle (information above).
Pew Cards
These are business card-sized and include some general text welcoming people to the church as well as some words to encourage giving. They also have a space for you to add your QR code. You can see what they look like here. We can provide you with copies of the pew cards and stickers with your QR code on them free of charge. These can then be left in the pews, made available at an information desk, or given directly to potential donors.
Online Shopping Donations
Alongside normal online donations, one other way for churches to boost their income is to collect donations from retailers whenever their supporters shop online through a system called easyfundraising. When anyone connected with the church and signed up for easyfundraising buys something from one of 4,000 leading retailers like Amazon, eBay, Just Eat, Trainline, John Lewis, Booking.com, Argos and Tesco, the retailer they shop with sends your church a small free donation at no extra cost to the customer.
How it works (video) Register with easyfundraising