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Bolster your year-end giving online

It’s been a year like no other, and for many non-profit organizations, low levels of giving have made it difficult to pay the bills. You have one last, big chance to end the year in the black—year-end giving. Now is a great time to encourage your supporters to help you continue the good work you do. Church Mutual highly recommends taking a look at your online giving options to ensure you are providing a safe, easy way for people to donate money. Here are five rules of thumb to keep in mind as you review your online giving campaign or consider starting one.

  1. Select a reputable third-party giving platform with an established history. You may want to contact the Better Business Bureau to ensure the platform you are choosing is in good standing. You should also make sure you fully understand any fees that company will be charging for its services, and alert potential donors to those fees.  Consider contacting other non-profit organizations that utilize the platform to get their feedback and experiences with it.
  2. If you are new to online giving, hire a consultant who will examine your system’s security. The last thing you want is for a thief to access sensitive information about your donors through your system. Identity theft is a very real concern for nonprofit organizations, and you should take every precaution to protect your donors.
  3. Update your state charity registrations. Thirty-nine states and the District of Columbia require charities to register before asking residents of that state for contributions. (Note that religious organizations are exempt from this requirement in many states). If your organization solicits funds from more than one state, you should check on the restrictions and make sure you are registered in the appropriate states. If your donors primarily are from just a handful of states, one way to get around this potential liability is to explicitly note that you will only accept donations from those states.
  4. Ensure your giving program accepts donations from a wide variety of devices. The key to attracting donors is making it as easy as possible for them to donate. Many people exclusively use their phones to view emails and other communications, and they want to work within a system that is mobile-friendly.
  5. Always acknowledge donations right away. Find a system that will allow you to send an automatic receipt, so the donor is certain their money was received. But don’t stop there—send a personalized thank-you note as soon as you can.

Loyal donors make a huge impact on your organization, and you should work hard to create a seamless experience for them. Church Mutual offers cyber liability insurance to provide protection in case of any issues or theft. Learn more about our cyber liability coverage