Recurring gifts help your congregation support your ministry faithfully. For donors, the process is simple: choose an amount and how often to give. When your church changes giving providers, a little planning helps keep those gifts on track.
Start by making a list of your current recurring gifts. Before choosing a switching date, ask both providers what can move, who needs to approve the transfer, and what donors may need to do. A clear plan helps your team guide your congregation through the change.
Plan for three kinds of information
Saved payment methods. These are the bank or card details used for gifts. They may need to move securely between eligible payment processors. Do not send those details in ordinary email attachments, shared planning documents, or contact forms.
Recurring gifts. List each gift’s amount, how often it repeats, its next expected date, and the fund or ministry it supports. Moving a saved payment method does not automatically mean the giving schedule has been set up correctly.
Giving history. Your church still needs past records for reports and donor questions. Ask which records you can keep and how you will access them. Preserving giving history and preparing the next gift are separate parts of the move.
Ask both providers what they can transfer, what approval is needed, whether there is a cost, and how they will protect the information. Keep their answers with your plan.
Agree on who will do what
Choose someone at your church to approve the plan and someone to check the results. Include a contact at each provider so your team knows where to take questions. Keep donor information in a secure location accessible only to the people who need it.
Write down what will move, how many records you expect where that is known, what still needs an answer, and how you will check that the move worked. Agree on dates with both providers before announcing them to your congregation.
Pay special attention to funds. The two systems may use different names for the same ministry. Have someone at your church confirm that each fund matches the right ministry in the new system.
Help donors know what to do
Some donors may need to add their payment method again or set up a new recurring gift. Confirm the steps with your new provider and test the link before sharing instructions.
Tell your congregation what is changing, why it will help your church, whether they need to do anything, and who can help. Be specific about the agreed plan: some gifts may transfer, while others may need donor action.
To help prevent duplicate gifts, agree on which provider will process each recurring gift during the change and who may approve changes to its schedule. If a possible duplicate appears, ask the responsible person to review it before anyone deletes a schedule.
Check the first gifts after the move
Before switching, compare the records in both systems. Check gift amounts, expected dates, and the ministries receiving them. After the first scheduled gifts are processed, review the results and reports with your team.
A file upload alone does not tell you that the move is complete. Finish the agreed checks, note anything that needs attention, and assign someone to follow up. Consider how each issue affects your church and donors so the most important problems get attention first.
Ask about leaving as well as joining
When choosing a provider, ask how it would help if your church needed to move again. Our Terms of Service describe how villaDeus cooperates with an eligible receiving payment processor to transfer saved payment methods. Security requirements apply, and actual transfer costs may be charged. Your agreement and the plan for your church determine the details.
Read our Terms of Service and more about why switching giving platforms can feel difficult. If your church is considering a change, talk with us about your next steps.