8 Ways to Encourage End-of-Year Giving in Your Church

As the year comes to an end, church communities in the United States experience a large increase in generous donations. Because there’s a collective spirit of giving and receiving this time of year, churches that equip their congregations to donate often see the fruits of their ministry pay off. If you’re looking for more ways to encourage a greater amount of year-end giving throughout your church, here are eight ways to consider campaigning through the rest of the holiday season.

1. Plan Your End-of-Year Giving Campaign

Planning ahead is the most promising way to make sure your church undergoes its end-of-year giving festivities with success. The holidays get busy. Every business is trying to sell a special offer. People can get overwhelmed with the noise between Giving Tuesday and New Year’s Day, so it’s especially beneficial to start showing your church that giving matters throughout the last quarter of the year.

Many churches have an annual campaign they prepare for months ahead of the holidays so their pastors, staff, and congregation are all ready. If you don’t have time to plan toward the New Year, don’t fret. There are other ways to bring your church together and make the most out of this time of charity, cheer, and cordiality.

2. Create a Year-End Sermon Series

Delivering sermons that highlight hope for the future and reflections on the past inspire churchgoers to apply actions to their faith. Members of religious fellowships aspire to start the coming new year with refreshed hearts, renewed minds, and clearer resolutions.

There are plenty of people in your church who are eager to contribute. Your pastor’s responsibility is to guide the congregation through the deeper spiritual meaning of giving, with the goal of others discovering personal, dedicated practices that will support their faith for the year to come.

Need help implementing new growth and giving strategies that inspire everyone at your church? Consult with easyTithe’s Church Success Coaching.

3. Share Success Stories

Consider sharing the impact your church’s donations have had on the community not only from this year but significant years’ past. When church members see and hear how their donations directly helped their church family, hometown, and the wider community, they’re likely sparked to continue giving.

Several ways your leadership team can share giving impact stories include:

Video stories at Sunday service
Testimonies
Verbal announcements
Displaying donation data from church giving
Highlighting the impact of church giving partnered with other organizations
Hosting celebration parties for fundraiser goals met

Celebration ignites ongoing conversations and connections that influence the future, so it’s always a good idea to share these good results.

4. Host a Church Fundraiser

Fundraisers and events bring people together, especially during a time when gatherings are prioritized nationwide. Even if the current circumstances don’t allow normal in-person events, with digital tools it’s possible to host online fundraisers.

If your church uses an online giving app like easyTithe, online fundraisers are an effective solution to meeting last-minute, year-end donation goals. Church giving app statistics show that mobile giving increases donations by at least 15%.

5. Social Media Posts

Sharing what your church is up to online encourages the community to show up and stay involved. Nearly 70% of nonprofit organizations utilize social media as one of their top communication methods. By using social media, your church members can remain connected with your ministry wherever they use their smartphones.

When it comes to giving at the end of the year, promoting specific causes, events, or donation-based goals happening at your church through social media posts is a great way to encourage online giving. Provide a link in your social media profile for givers to easily give when they feel led to contribute.

Need some social media templates and other resources to help your church at the end of the year? Download our Year-End Giving Guide [insert link].

6. Ministry-Specific Campaigns

It’s been reported that many people, especially younger generations, believe in donating to a specific cause or ministry rather than the church as a whole. While there is great reward in dropping cash or a check into the offering plate any given Sunday, the reality is that people of all ages are plugged-in more than ever before.

If you have online giving in place, setting up ministry-specific donation pages is a practical move. People can give online to their ministry of choice. For example, someone may feel drawn to get involved with a ministry that serves children in need, while another person will want to focus on providing funds to homeless veterans in the community. Giving them a chance to donate to a cause at the end of the year gives your church ministries a wider opportunity to receive. Plus, if one ministry is overflowing with excess funds, they can always delegate elsewhere to a ministry that needs financial help.

7. Send a Year-End Email

Use your church’s email list to promote year-end giving in a newsletter. You can include an “End of the Year Wrap-Up” letter that covers the highs, lows, and sentimental moments of the church from this year. You can also express the gratitude from your pastoral team, mention notable impacts from your ministry this year, and encourage final giving opportunities before the new year begins.

8. Make it Easy for People to Give

If it’s difficult for people to give donations to your church, you won’t see as much generosity. Digital giving makes it convenient and applicable for all types of givers— from newcomers to long-term members— to donate.

If your church has the tools set up already, now it’s time to get serious about your year-end giving strategy. We’re giving churches a helpful Year-End Giving Guide which includes twelve helpful templates for your church, including: