We are keen to support parishes to get started with contactless giving, making it easier for people to give generously to their church. Cards overtook cash as the preferred form of payment in 2017, so we know that having the ability to accept digital donations is really important for churches to thrive.
The Giving Team at the Diocese of St Albans have set up a Small Grants Scheme with grants of up to £250 towards the cost of a contactless donation device or associated equipment to enable contactless giving at your church.
Based on data from churches across the country, churches on average, raise over £1,200 in their first year of using contactless giving. This is just a guide rather than a guarantee, but it gives an indication of the value that digital giving mechanisms can have in your church.
The contactless giving devices we recommend need to be purchased via Parish Buying to get the best rates, and include the Payaz (£365) and the CollecTin®More (£330), but there are different solutions for different needs. Please note that these grants are specifically to purchase a standalone donation device with a screen – we will not fund a small handheld payment device without a touch screen, (eg. SumUp Solo or Air).
If you are successful, we can give you as much or as little assistance as you need to choose the right device for your parish, to find out if your WiFi or mobile signal is strong enough to run the device, to get set up with software accounts, and to get the device up and running when it arrives.
To apply for a small grant, please complete the application form via the link below:
We aim to inform you of the outcome of your application by email within two weeks. Successful applications will receive the grant within three weeks of the decision date.
If you need any further information about the small grants scheme or would like some advice on getting started with contactless giving, please get in touch on givig@stalbans.anglican.org .