QR Codes

Here's an inexpensive, versatile, and easy set-up option to start accepting contactless giving from smartphone users in your church. A QR code (QR = Quick Response) is a unique code made up of small black and white squares that can be read by the camera or a QR code reader on a smartphone, taking the user to a pre-chosen webpage. QR codes can be printed onto anything, such as a notice sheets, orders of service, parish magazine, poster, banner or welcome card. By linking QR codes to donation webpages, we allow the individual to give wherever they are.

Why get a QR code?

• It costs nothing to create and use
• It’s really useful for giving within worship, for occasional offices and visitors
• It's easy to add to printed material
• It's safe and easy to leave unattended in church
• People are used to seeing and using QR codes, and generally are carrying less cash
• It is an additional source of income

QR codes for Regular Giving: PGS

With the Parish Giving Scheme now offering an online platform, Statement Receivers can download a free QR code from the website. This QR code will take any person directly to that church's PGS landing page, allowing them to give very simply without friction.

QR codes for PGS are really good for encouraging people in your community to give through this Scheme, and are therefore really useful in Giving Programme materials, parish magazines and notice sheets.

To find out more about PGS and to get your church registered, please click here.

QR Codes for Online Giving

Online giving is a good mechanism to enable one-off gifts, and are especially attractive for visitors and people attending occasional offices. The Church of England has a collection of recommended platforms which are safe and secure to use, and usually are able to gather Gift Aid declarations - the most popular of these is Give a Little, which has the lowest transaction rate at 1.95%.

Once registered, Give a Little - and other platforms - allow you to download a free QR code to promote one-off giving. As this is promoting one-off giving, these are great for Gift Days, orders of service for occasional offices, posters and welcome cards.

To find out more about online giving, please click here.

Ideas for using QR codes

• Welcome postcards. These are particularly good for rural churches which are open and unattended. Include a nice picture of the church on one side, which helps to attract and is a gift for individuals to take home, and on the reverse include the QR code with a message of thanks.
• Gift Day cards. These are very similar to the above though themed for a Gift Day, and could include an invitation to a service of thanksgiving. In rural communities these cards could be distributed to local households, with an invitation to celebrate being a village community.
• Orders of Service, Notice Sheets and Parish Magazines. It's really easy to include on weekly Notice Sheets, particularly as a reminder for people to give through PGS. Including a QR code to an online giving page can be particularly effective for festivals such as Advent, Christmas and Easter services where visitors are likely to attend, as well as occasional offices where people are likely to take orders of service home with them.
• Giving Programme materials. Particularly if you are promoting PGS in a giving programme, including the PGS QR code on your materials makes it really easy for people to scan and set up their gift.
• Facebook posts and online worship. QR codes can be read on screens as well, so including QR codes on Facebook posts is really easy. This could be within an image shared (Canva is very good for designing these), or during an act of online worship as a slide during an offering or at the end of the service.

If you would like to use a template to create your material, please contact the Generous Giving team here.