…an update 27 September 2018

The context: trends in church giving The number of planned givers in churches is falling faster than the decline in church attendance. Nationwide fall of 17%, in the Diocese of Bristol this is 25%. Growth in overall giving levels is flat lining, especially in the Diocese of Bristol. 1999-2008 +4.8% 2009-2016 +1.5% (DoB =-0.2%) While fewer people are giving, they are giving more. Nationally, average planned gift has risen by 27% since 2010. Recently report from the National Church talking about trends in giving to churches. The top 3 headlines were: 1. The number of planned givers in churches is falling faster than the decline in church attendance. In the Diocese this decline is greater than the national average. Nationwide the number of planned givers has dropped by 17%, while in the Diocese this is 25%. The national decline in Adult Average Sunday Attendance over the same period was 13%. So giving is falling faster. 2. Growth in overall giving levels is flat lining, especially in the Diocese of Bristol. 3. While fewer people are giving, they are giving more. Nationally, Planned Givers are consistently increasing their giving - this has risen by 27% since 2010. In the Diocese of Bristol, the rise is only 11%, however the PG per giver/week amount of £13.86 still stands above the national average of £12.32. Burden on those who already give generously – the challenge is to widen this out.

Why might this be? A smaller proportion of newcomers are signing up to planned giving Younger generations have different attitudes to giving The challenging wider economic environment There is a general trend away from committed giving to charities We’ve seen the trends – but why might this be? There are a number of reasons that contribute to this picture: A smaller proportion… (fringe services, messy church, breakfast club etc – or simply aren’t asked.) Younger generations… (want to give in a way that suits them ie online, one off, and with a clear impact) The challenging wider economic environment There is a general trend away… (including churches) All pose a challenge to church finances. So what can we do about it? There is a lot we can all do to improve the way we promote good stewardship and build a culture of generosity in our churches. But just 3 simple things might be to: Encourage more people to give a regular planned gift, in a way that suits them, where they’re able to control their giving and review it regularly. And that’s where the Parish Giving Scheme comes in. While it’s not a silver bullet, it’s one easy way to start to address these issues.

What is the Parish Giving Scheme? The Parish Giving Scheme (PGS) is a nationwide service allowing people to make regular, planned donations to their local church by Direct Debit. Free of charge for your church Benefits all churches, small or large Direct Debit can be made on a monthly, quarterly or annual basis. Each donation is restricted to a parish church. Gift Aid is reclaimed and passed onto the parish directly. DoB joined in September last year, and now 30% of parishes across the Diocese are using the scheme – and about a dozen more in the process of registering - which is a really encouraging take up. 50 parishes using the PGS across Diocese of Bristol

Achieving Scale Over 25,000 churchgoers across 20 dioceses using the scheme £2 million collected and returned to parishes monthly 65% Growth YOY Top 100 Gift Aid Claiming Charities One of the main positives of the scheme is that it can achieve economies of scale – rather than thousands of volunteer treasurers and gift aid secretaries up and down the country administering church donations, it is centrally managed efficiently by a small, friendly team based in the Diocese of Gloucester. It has been running for 10 years this autumn.

How does it work?

What are the benefits? Combats Static Giving: encourages you to regularly review your giving, and option to increase gift annually in line with inflation.   Good practice to review our gift prayerfully each year, and this prompts us to do so if we sign up to inflationary increase. Majority of people opt to do this.

Why is this important? Extra £13,882 a year In 2018 50 gifts of £50 + gift aid = £3,125 / month Gift increases in line with Retail Price Index (RPI), estimated at 3.2% By 2028 50 gifts of £68.51 + gift aid = £4,282 /month Extra £13,882 a year   Future proofs your income – this extra is if the church does nothing else once people are giving through the PGS

What are the benefits? Combats Static Giving: encourages you to regularly review your giving, and option to increase gift annually in line with inflation. Increases the Level of Giving: how we give influences how much we give   Envelopes don’t allow for wads of cash! On average, giving increases by 20% as people move onto the PGS, when launched alongside a focus on giving. And in some places it’s even higher

Example Winchester Liverpool Gloucester Average Weekly Giving (Diocese) £12.25 £10.58 £9.60 Average Weekly Giving (PGS) £19.27 +57% £14.73 +39% £14.77 +48% Example of 3 dioceses who have been using the scheme for a few years now. In DoB the average monthly gift through the PGS is 62% higher than the diocesan average (£103.35 (without Gift Aid) across 502 donors, compared with £63.87) Caveat - also because it is often launched alongside a giving initiative Source: PGS data for 2016

What are the benefits? Combats Static Giving: encourages parishioners to regularly review their giving, and option to increase gift annually in line with inflation. Increases the Level of Giving: how we give influences how much we give Improves cash flow and reduces church administration   Gift aid is remitted to your bank account monthly without having to claim for it, so you have more cash coming in each month. And it reduces the burden of administration for Gift Aid secretaries and Treasurers, as you receive one line in your bank account each month for reconciliation. It provides you with a clear idea of who’s giving what each month outlined in a simple spreadsheet, which can support your plans and budgeting.

What are the benefits? Combats Static Giving: encourages parishioners to regularly review their giving, and option to increase gift annually in line with inflation. Increases the Level of Giving: how we give influences how much we give Improves cash flow and reduces church administration Modern, online, professional tool  

From this year, people can register online, making it even easier to promote

St Peter’s Filton – Linda Keeble

Any questions or comments?