Moving to PCO Giving
Why we are Making the Change
For the past several years, we have used the People and Services applications of the Planning Center platform; these applications help us to manage our volunteer database and schedule our Sunday worship services. In the process of preparing to move, we realized it would also be beneficial to update some of our systems.
One of the new Planning Center apps we are implementing is called Giving. Though Giving can handle a great deal of database management related to church finances and budget maintenance we are really only using it for a single purpose: online giving. We are grateful for the convenience offered by our current platform, Cornerstone. Yet, we are excited about the transition to Giving for a few reasons, and we think you should be, too:
We believe that this transition, though small, can have a significant impact. Through Giving, you can give to Redeemer securely and easily. Giving offers better rates for credit and debit card contributions, and allows donations by e-check (ACH). Additionally, Giving includes a platform for text-based donations, opening up an additional way for members and guests to contribute. As more people transition to Giving, we will have better data for future budget projections, equipping us for long-term ministy planning.
What about the dollars and cents? Online givers are charged a fee of around 3% for donations through Cornerstone. With Giving, that rate will be lowered to 2.15%. Donations by e-check (ACH) are only charged a flat $0.30 fee!
What about security? Planning Center contracts with Stripe, a major name in online commerce, so your information is secure. And for church administrators, details of contributions are kept minimal.
Why does all of this matter? With Giving, we have the opportunity to save nearly 1% of our budget that is received through online credit card donations, which currently covers online giving fees. Even more will be saved as givers transition to e-check donations. Imagine the opportunities to serve our community through these saved funds! In all we do, we aim to make much of Jesus; we believe this is an opportunity to more efficiently steward God’s resources and, in turn, to show His love to our neighbors.
Getting Started with PCO Giving
You can get started using PCO Giving by clicking the button below.