THE BASICS
1. What does ParishPay do?
ParishPay is the largest religious donation and tuition payment processor in the country. It serves parishes and schools nationally in order to provide the infrastructure, technology, and support to cater to a more technical parishioner and parent. Our major program is to process automatic monthly recurring gifts from parishioners to a ParishPay-enrolled parish. These gifts come out of a parishioners' bank or credit card account. The program has been written about in over 500 newspapers and magazines.
2. What day are transfers made?
Recurring monthly gifts are taken on the 5th of the month or the following business day after the 5th in the case of the 5th falling on a weekend or holiday. We send out monthly email reminders to parishioners to let them know about the deduction.
3. Can this be changed?
No. All automatic donations are processed on the 5th of the month, or if the 5th is not a business day, then the following business day. However, you can always make a one-time donation at anytime of the month.
4. Can deductions come out weekly?
Although most church collections do happen on a weekly basis, stewardship experts have found that those that are committing gifts on a monthly basis instead of a weekly basis support their parish with more of their resources.
5. Can ParishPay handle special / second collections?
Yes, we can handle all of the second and special collections you have. We can also help collect capital campaign pledges, ticket sales, funds for auctions, school tuition, and many other types of collections. Call our sales department to find out more: 1 (866) PARISH 1.
6 Can tuition be handled as well?
Yes. Our sister company, Smart Tuition, handles tuition payments for schools around the country. Please follow this link to find out more or call 1-866-395-2986 to find out more information.
7. How do we sign up our parish?
We can email or fax an enrollment form upon request. Remember, there's no set up fees. Call us at 1 866 727 4741 (1 866 PARISH 1).
PROMOTING THE PARISHPAY PROGRAM
1. How many parishioners should sign up?
While results vary, within the first year of using ParishPay, about 10%-15% of parishioners should participate in the ParishPay program. ParishPay looks at parishioner envelope households to get this percentage.
2. How can we increase that number?
There are several types of campaigns in the ParishPay enrollment kit. If you'd like to see a sample kit, we can provide one to you. Call us at 1 866 PARISH 1 or use the contact us section to electronically request this kit.
3. What are some of the methods used by your clients to reach parishioners?
We've seen our client parishes use telephone, door-to-door, and website integration campaigns. However, we've found the most effective way to increase enrollment is a two-fold approach involving our direct mail campaign combined with 2-3 commitment Sundays each year - where parishioners bring their enrollment cards to the church and find out more about the program.
4. What is the largest reason parishioners give for signing up?
While many believe convenience is a big reason behind the large number of parishioners that have contributed to ParishPay's success, our research and polling shows that most parishioners realize this is the most effective way to support their parish and list that as their primary reason for using our service.
5. Can you help us promote ParishPay to our parish community?
Absolutely. The account manager that we will assign to you is going to be your main source of ideas as to how to promote ParishPay. They can provide samples of what other parishes have done successfully, and guide you through the mailings and responses to maximize the number of enrolled parishioners from your church.
6. What material do we get upon signing up?
You will get an enrollment kit and a consultation from one of our giving consultants. The enrollment kit will include sample commitment card layouts and sample letters from your church to its members.
TECHNOLOGY
1. How secure are these transactions / your website?
Our site uses SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) to ensure that your personal and sensitive data - credit card number, email address, name, address, etc. - is transmitted safely and securely every time. In addition, we use internal security measures to further increase your data security. Since we deal with credit card and bank account numbers, we transfer that information via SSL. SSL encrypts your data before it is transmitted. If someone "listens in" on the wire, they'll only get encrypted information.
2. What is an ACH Transaction?
An ACH transaction is an electronic fund transfer through the Federal Reserve Bank from a checking or savings account.
3. What church software does ParishPay work with?
We have begun several relationships with church software vendors. The largest, PDS, already accepts ParishPay file imports which significantly cuts down on the data entry work for church business managers.
4. Can ParishPay handle one time contributions?
Absolutely. If you don't see this as an option during the enrollment process, please contact our account team at 1 866 727 4741.
COST OF OUR SERVICES
1. Who does ParishPay charge?
ParishPay withholds its fee before transferring it to the parish. For tax purposes, the parishioner is still credited with 100% of the donation. Thus, the parish is technically "charged."
2. How much does ParishPay charge?
ParishPay withholds $1.00 and 1.00% from each parishioner's monthly transaction. Typically, this fee represents a drop in the bucket compared with the increased giving that ParishPay represents.
Fees are reduced for parishes or churches with a school that uses the services of our sister company, InTuition. To find out more about InTuition, go to
http://www.myintuition.com .
3. How much are the credit card charges?
We pass through our very low negotiated credit card charges directly to you, without adding anything to it.
MasterCard: 2.06% + 10 cents
Visa: 2.06% + 10 cents
American Express: 2.85% + 15 cents
Discover: 1.95% + 15 cents
4. How much will ParishPay charge for insufficient fund transactions?
When a credit card or bank account cannot be charged, just the $1.00 fee is charged - not the 1.00%.
5. Do we need a minimum number of parishioners to use the program?
There typically is a minimum depending on the size of your church. It is typically not mandated until the 4th month of service.
6. Are there any setup fees?
There are never any setup charges for our service.
7. Are there any other hidden charges?
Nope, that's it. $1.00 and 1.00%. That's all we charge. The only thing additionally your parish pays is the very low negotiated fee to the credit card companies. Most times, our fee is paid by the difference received at the parish for one parishioner (previous year of giving as compared with one year on ParishPay).
ACCOUNT MANAGEMENT
1. How do parishioners manage accounts?
Parishioners can log in to their account by using the login area at the top of ParishPay's website. Once logged in, parishioners will have the option of altering their gift, adding additional gifts or collections, and deleting their account. Parishioners also can see gifts provided to their parish year to date and print up annual giving statements. IMPORTANT***: If you have not received a username and password from ParishPay, we have changed our login procedures. Please call 1 866 PARISH 1 or click on the Forgot Password Link directly above the Log In Button at the top of each ParishPay page.
2. How do parishes manage their account?
Parishes also log in to their account at the top of the ParishPay website. If you are a parish that has not been trained on ParishPay for Parish Administrators; or all of our administrative tools for parishes, please contact an account representative for ParishPay at 1 866 727 4741.
3. Do parishioners have to re-specify their donation each year?
No. Many parishioners choose to use our inflation indexing option which increases your gift by about 3.5% each year (determined by the COLA index). We remind parishioners to annually increase their gifts if they have the means to do so.
4. Do parishioners receive receipts for tax purposes?
Parishioners can print statements once they've logged in.
5. How about something to put in the plate?
ParishPay understands the important part of the presentation of gifts during church services. To offer the same reflection process, we provide parishioners donation slips, which are tear-off postcard-sized coupons to represent that week's gift.
6. When can parishioners change gifts?
Up until the 3rd day of every month.
7. Can parishes change parishioner information at any time?
Yes. However, for a payment method or amount to be changed, the parish must make the change prior to the third day of the month that the change will be affecting.
8. Can parish reports be imported into church software applications?
We export our reports on our website to an excel format that is easy to import into parish software such as PDS (Parish Data Systems). We will work with other software vendors to make sure your transition is smooth.
9. How do parishioners discontinue the service?
Parishioners can log in and delete their gifts or contact their parish to delete them. Again, the change cannot take place after the 3rd of the month in order to affect the same month.
10. How do parishes discontinue the service?
While we've never had this happen since every parish we have has affirmed their satisfaction with the program, parishes can give us 30 days notice by emailing their account manager or by calling us. Good to know that it is easy and has never happened before, right?
ENROLLMENT
1. What Payment Methods are accepted?
Parishioners can donate using Visa, MasterCard, American Express or Discover. They can also contribute through bank transfers. Currently, 56% of parishioners use bank transfers and 44% of parishioners use credit cards.
2. Is there a maximum gift amount?
ParishPay has processed donations for $30,000 and $40,000 - there is no maximum amount that we can process on an individual transaction or as a monthly amount.
3. Is there a minimum amount?
We suggest contributing to ParishPay only if your donation is over $10.00.
4. Different Enrollment Methods
Parishioners can enroll on commitment cards that are distributed at the church or by going online to enroll by visiting ParishPay.com.