What is the Parish Giving Scheme?
The Parish Giving Scheme is a direct debit scheme that has an optional mechanism built in to try to combat static giving. Let us explain, year on year the cost of living goes up, but invariably giving remains static. This has a massive impact on our churches. The Parish Giving Scheme offers the donor an option to increase their monthly giving each year based on inflation and statistically, 42% will tick the optional box to allow that uplift. Of those, 98% of those will allow it to happen.
How does it work?
The Parish Giving Scheme (PGS) is an established service for managing direct debit donations, designed to support churches to fund their mission and ministry. It reduces the burden of work on church volunteers and provides a simple and secure service to donors.
The church signs up for PGS and then individuals can opt to give through the scheme.
PGS manages the monthly giving for you which is paid straight to the church bank account from PGS. They also manage the Gift Aid claim on donations which saves work for Treasurers and other volunteers.
How does the church sign up for PGS?
If you want to register as a church for PGS, contact Pete Squires who will work with you to complete the necessary forms. He will also explain how to introduce this into your church for individuals to join the scheme.
How does PGS benefit the church?
The benefits to the Churches are evident from the conversations we have with those administering the scheme. In particular, the annual uplift mechanism that is offered has made a significant contribution to increasing the giving annually.
Can people give one-off gifts through PGS?
Yes, when you sign up to PGS, you will have an online giving page where people can give a donation or set up monthly giving. You can download a QR code that people can scan with their phones to make a donation. The Generous Giving Team can produce QR code cards for you to use in your church.
We now have over 3000 people on the new scheme and over two hundred Parishes using it. Following some PGS workshops in each deanery, there has been more churches joining the scheme.
As a diocese we recommend that regular monthly giving is the way forward, no longer can we rely on sporadic and unrealistic giving. If we are to sustain Gods ministry in our Parishes we need to start thinking differently.
The service is freely available to all parishes, their churches and donors within dioceses that have chosen to participate. Uptake is growing every year, with the majority of dioceses in the Church of England - and many of their parishes - now members of PGS and experiencing the benefits.
In summary, PGS makes it possible for donors to:
• Donate monthly, quarterly or annually by Direct Debit.
• Sign up to inflation-linked giving annually.
• Enhance your gift to your church by having Gift Aid at 25% added to your giving.
• Give securely and donate anonymously if preferred
• PGS also enables one-off giving online through the use of QR codes
More information can be found on the PGS website or view the toolkit of resources here.
Contact pete.squires@peterborough-diocese.org.uk
Tel: 01604 887046