1. Berkshire Giving Conference
Oxford Diocese
Berkshire Giving Conference
Saturday 9th February 2019
Helen Richardson
Chief Executive

2. What is the PGS?
The Parish Giving Scheme (PGS) is a direct-debit facility originally developed by the Diocese of Gloucester to provide a professional, effective donation management system to support parishes in funding their mission and ministry.
Donations made through this scheme use a Direct Debit.
This can be made on a monthly, quarterly or annual basis.
Each donation is restricted to the intended church.
Gift Aid is reclaimed and passed onto the church directly.
Separate Charitable Organisation, Company Limited by guarantee (In British and Irish company law, a company limited by guarantee (LBG) is an alternative type of corporation used primarily for non-profit organisations that require legal personality. A company limited by guarantee does not usually have a share capital or shareholders, but instead has members who act as guarantors.)
Been going for 9 years now, not a new scheme

3. Why we developed the PGS
Keep pace with the charity sector
Improve and engage with the donor journey
To grow the Church’s mission and ministry
Lighten the burden locally (recruiting successor)
Offer our parishes unique benefits

4. Giving to rise in line with inflation annually
Unique benefit:
Giving to rise in line with inflation annually
Why is this important?

5. Problem 1:
Static giving

6. How the PGS can help: Extra £462.48 a year
2001 = £60 + £16.80 Gift Aid = £76.80
Gift increases in line with Retail Price Index (RPI)
2016 = £ £23.06 Gift Aid = £ tax efficient gift a month
Extra £ a year

7. Impact of the inflationary uplift
55% of monthly givers inflate their gifts
In addition15% (inflation proofed givers) have increased further, either by super inflation (6%) or as a result of a parish request (9%)
Reductions: 0.5% donors have reduced their contribution

8. How does it work?

9. PGS statement

13. Problem 2:
Level of giving
The importance of clear communication

14. The message in the brand

16. First message: Who we are
Second message:
What we do

17. Enabling people to encounter God’s presence
WORSHIPPING TOGETHER
Enabling people to encounter God’s presence

18. SHARING OUR FAITH & VALUES
Enabling people to grow in a relationship with God

19. Providing special places to encounter God and grow as Community
VALUING THE BUILDINGS
Providing special places to encounter God and grow as Community

20. Putting Faith into action through loving service
SERVING THE COMMUNITY
Putting Faith into action through loving service

21. How the PGS can help: How we give influences how much we give.
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%
Source: 2014 Parish Finance Returns, PGS data for 2016

22. Other benefits: Delivered locally
Administration: local  central (PGS, Gloucester)
Donation returned in 10 days
Improve cash flow
Anonymity option
Ease local book-keeping (reduces bank statement!)

23. PGS going online! Long held ambition – a 21st century solution
Immediate and flexible access + reducing burden on volunteers
Attractive to a wider demographic
Improves the reliability of the data
Financial efficiency by reducing administrative overheads
Provides a platform for developing the PGS offer

24. Home page

25. New donor process

26. Finding the ‘right’ church

27. Parish not registered?

28. Donor account:

29. Statement receiver account:

30. Supporting resources

31. Personal data

32. Technical security API (Application Programming Interface)
A technical process that allows the PGS to receive data from donors and parishes in a safe, secure and controlled transfer. API’s are standard practice in for online banking and retail activity.
SSL (Secure Socket Layer)
It’s the most widely deployed security protocol in the world. It provides a secure channel between two machines operating over the internet.
EVC – Extended Validation Certificate. This is an additional security check that requires a website to pass a thorough and global standardised identity verification process. This provides exclusive rights to user domain and confirm its legality.

33. The Journey So Far…

34. Expansion
Where it all began – Gloucester Diocese

35. Expansion
Live at end 2014
(4 dioceses)

36. Expansion
Live at end 2014
Joined in 2015 (+ 5 dioceses)

37. Expansion Live at end 2014 Live end of 2015
Live at end of 2016 (+4 dioceses)

38. Expansion Live at end 2014 Live at June 2015 Live at June 2016
Due to launch 2017 (+5 dioceses)

39. 2018 Live at end 2014 Live at end 2015 Live at end 2016
Live by the end 2018
and beyond
(+ 8 dioceses)
34 out of 41 Dioceses
Level of dioceses coming on board
Lots of conversations with interested Dioceses
CC Transition funding enabling lots of dioceses to appoint SA
Winter is Coming (not just because Game of Thrones season 7 is approaching) PGS is gaining traction in the north
V. encouraging picture, for the CofE to have the majority or dioceses do anything is RARE – I’m sure you’ll all agree this looks to be a very promising, strong, stable and certain future

40. Annual Growth

41. Board of Trustees PGS Team Helen Richardson CEO
Chair: John Preston – Diocesan Secretary Worcester
Trustees: Victoria James (Diocesan Secretary) Portsmouth, Benjamin Preece Smith (Diocesan Secretary) Gloucester, Rebecca Evans (Parish Support Advisor) Truro, David Brooke (IT specialist), Adrian Beney (Fundraising and GDPR specialist) and Neil Williams (Finance Director) Exeter.
PGS Team
Helen Richardson CEO
Helen Taylor, Head of Operations leads a team of six
Last months (Jan 2018) productivity:
•     Entered 1280 new donors onto the PGS
•     Registered 43 new parishes to the scheme
•     Issued 1744 inflationary increase
•     Handled 1639 administrative changes to donors details and gifts
•     Submitted a Gift Aid Claim for £616k

42. Value added Centrally run scheme reduces administration costs
The quick return of Gift Aid
Centralised resource purchasing keeps the cost low of high quality resources through bulk purchasing
Only one database to maintain bank charges the same regardless of volume or amount
Access to Stewardship expertise through member dioceses and beyond
Releasing local volunteers & succession planning

43. Donation Management provider comparison
In May 2018 the PGS processed 27,609 Direct Debit donations. The total value of donations received (inc.GA) was £2,566,241. This was remitted to 1531 Churches in 22 dioceses.

44. Summary A choice that thousands of donors prefer Combats static giving
Fits with good practice
Reduces work locally.

45. Question & Answers

46. Communication & Engagement Framework
Area of Work
Worshipping
Together
Sharing
Faith & Values
Valuing
Church Buildings
Serving
the Community
Leve l of
Engagement
Outer Circle
Occasional
Membership
Stewardship