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As schools let out and vacations become a priority, people are less likely to consistently attend church. In fact, the average church experiences a 20% drop in worship attendance during the warmer months.
This can correlate with a dip in giving, too—but it doesn’t have to. Here are some suggestions for ways to battle the summer slump in giving and encourage your congregation to keep supporting their place of worship from June to September.
The most obvious way to boost your summer giving is through recurring giving. A growing amount of giving takes place online now. Even better? According to Overflow, 39% of online donors give on a weekly basis—and 50% of young to mid-aged adults are ready to cover processing fees in addition to their online giving.
People are ready to donate digitally, which means they can give, even when they aren’t present at church. The key here is to also encourage people to sign up for recurring payments. Offer a “recurring donation” option through your app, online portal, and any other digital giving option. That’ll keep the operational cash flowing in, even during the dog days of summer.
Along with digital giving, many other church interactions take place online. Since the pandemic, most churches have maintained some kind of online presence. This can be a lifeline to keeping your congregation plugged in during the warmer weather.
As summer approaches, encourage people to download your church app or sign up for your email list. Send out consistent reminders of service times, live stream links, and donation opportunities. Whether it’s through social media, YouTube live streaming, or your own website, look for ways to keep people engaged online, even when they’re out of town.
People go on vacation in the summer. It’s true. But unless they’re snowbirds, they’re probably not going to be gone for three straight months. As they’re slowing down and enjoying the warm weather locally, create some initiatives to bring the summer fun to your own church campus. This can keep church in the mix and encourage people to attend Sunday services, too.
From VBS to summer concerts, picnics to movie nights, plan some events that encourage your church community to stay plugged in and invested in church. As you do this, stay organized. Choose dates early and let people know ahead of time, so they can get it in their calendars.
This one isn’t necessarily a way to increase giving, but there’s something to be said for saving up and preparing for a seasonal slump. Businesses do it all the time. So can churches.
This is where having a healthy budget and some third-party accounting support can help. Review your finances and make sure you’re setting some money aside in the lead-up to summer. In addition, plan things like summer events and online initiatives early so that you have plenty of runway.
Finally, consider turning the tables and increasing your ministry’s giving during the summer, too. Church finances should never be a business. Nor should you be manipulative with calls to give. However, there’s a simple truth in the fact that, if you pour out into your community, the generosity will often reflect back your ministry.
How? As you increase your church’s presence in your local area through outreaches like a car wash or ice cream social, it will encourage more people to attend, and greater attendance naturally translates to larger tithes and offerings. It may not be until the fall or even the end of the year, but using the summer to make an impact can increase overall giving in the long run—and help you achieve your church’s vision and mission at the same time.
Church accounting is challenging enough without seasonal fluctuations adding to the chaos. Use the tips above to beat the heat and keep your cash flow strong all summer. That way, your ministry can head into the fall on track and ready to ramp things up for the end of the year.
For more information on Church accounting, check out our FREE ebook: Taking Church Accounting Seriously: A Guide to Godly Prioritization of Finances in Church.
If you have any other questions about summer giving or church finances, in general, we’re happy to help. Let’s talk about how to build a healthier financial future for your church!
