Parish Giving Scheme


Click here for the latest update on the launch of the digital platform.

Click here for case studies of two churches using the PGS in the Bristol Diocese - one rural, Wiltshire parish: Box with Hazelbury, and one large, city church: Redland Parish Church. 

Click on the headings below to expand each block of information. 

What is the Parish Giving Scheme (PGS)?

The Parish Giving Scheme is a nationwide tool to support church giving, manage regular donations and reduce parish administration.

The scheme allows people to make regular, planned donations to their local church by Direct Debit.

It is operated as a partnership between Church of England dioceses to ensure that it can remain delivered locally but administered as cost effectively as possible. It has been in operation since 2008 and is already making a huge impact.

The Parish Giving Scheme is offered free of charge to parishes in the Diocese of Bristol.

How can my church benefit?

The benefits of this scheme include:

  • an improved cash flow and a reduced administrative burden as Gift Aid is claimed automatically and paid into the church account each month,
  • inflation-proofed giving, as donors have the option to increase their gift annually in line with inflation thus retaining the real value of their donation, and
  • encouraging parishioners to review their giving annually.

100% of donations come directly back to your parish from the PGS each month.

Introducing the PGS also provides you with an excellent opportunity to talk about money with your congregation/s. This has the potential to bring about a change in cultural attitudes to giving. To take full advantage of this opportunity youre strongly recommended to introduce the PGS alongside an appropriate giving programme.

How can my church offer the scheme?

To register your church, download a registration form below and return this to Clare Fussell, Giving and Resources Adviser, at:

Diocese of Bristol, Hillside House, 1500 Parkway North, Stoke Gifford, BS34 8YU
Or by email to: clare.fussell@bristoldiocese.org

 

Digital platform and website guide

The Parish Giving Scheme (PGS) digital platform and website has now launched. The new platform is designed to allow individuals to easily set up and manage their regular giving, and churches to straightforwardly manage their giving statements online.

All the materials you need to set up your online giving page and communicate this to your church/es, are available here.  

And the key steps to setting up your parish giving page are summarised below:

  1. Sign in to your usual PGS account area.
  2. Click on "Update Parish Page" and do two things: 
    1. Check that the PGS has correctly transferred your details from the "A Church Near You" system. Amend if necessary. 
    2. Scan to the bottom of the page where you will find "Download the QR code for this parish". Click on that, download and save the QR code. Then go back to the "My PGS" page.
  3. Click on "Check Parish Details". On the Parish Details click on "Please click here to view the full range of support materials" (in the top line of the text). 
  4. That takes you to a page headed "PGS Digital Service". Click on "Your Guide and Resources" (top of left hand column). That takes you to a list of documents. Extract "PGS Step by Step Guide for Donors" and save it for issue to potential donors. 
  5. You now have the QR code and the "Guide for Donors". These are the key items for issue to potential donors who can use one or the other or both.

Downloadable resources

Materials to help you to join the scheme:

Materials to allow potential donors to give through the PGS:

  • *NEW* Editable Gift form for your congregation/s: this can be emailed, edited within the PDF, then printed, signed and posted to the PGS. You need to download the form for it to be editable.
  • *NEW* Editable Wider Community Gift form: this can be emailed, edited within the PDF, then printed, signed and posted to the PGS. You need to download the form for it to be editable.
  • Editable annual increase form : please ensure that the PGS number for your church is added to this form before sharing it with givers.

Hard copies of both Gift forms are available from the Diocesan Office. Simply email Clare Fussell (address above) with the number you'd like to order.

Supporting materials for your congregation:

  1. Introduction to the Parish Giving Scheme (A5, 4-side booklet)

  2. How is the church funded? (A5, 4-side booklet)

  3. Why do we give to church? (Including giving guide)

Template letters to introduce the Parish Giving Scheme to...

 

Telephone donations via the PGS

The PGS now offers a new telephone service, designed to enable prospective donors to set up a regular Direct Debit donation to your parish over the phone.

How does it work?

The service went live on 27th April 2020 and operates weekdays between 9 - 5pm.

Please encourage prospective donors to set up a regular gift to your parish by calling the dedicated telephone line:

0333 002 1271

The sign up process normally takes around 15 minutes. They will need to have the following information to hand:

• Personal bank account details

• The name of the parish they wish to donate to

• They will need to confirm if they want to increase their gift in line with inflation each year

• Confirm if they are eligible for Gift Aid

• The PGS code for their parish (usually 9 digits in length) *

*Note: This is the one piece of information that the donor will not have. Please ensure they have this information, to guarantee the gift goes to the correct parish.

What happens next?

Donors will receive written confirmation (by email or post) of their Direct Debit, including details of the parish they are supporting, the amount of their gift and the date of their first donation.

Please note that if they currently give to the church via standing order, we advise them to wait until receiving the confirmation letter from PGS before attempting to cancel it.

How will our parish be notified of the donation?

The parish’s Planned Giving representative will receive a monthly statement, detailing the names of those who have donated (unless they choose to remain anonymous) and all the gifts given through the PGS.

What if the donor needs to change their donation?

If donors wish to make any changes to their Direct Debit, they should notify a member of the PGS team by phone 0333 002 1260, email info@parishgiving.org.uk or in writing to the address below.

Praise for this service:

“I found the ease of using the new telephone service very satisfactory. The whole process was efficient and only took 15 minutes. The staff were very helpful and I would thoroughly recommend this service.”

Dr Simon Thorp, Eastbourne St Saviour

If your parish is not yet registered with the PGS,  you can download and fill in the 'Parish Registration Form' above and send electronically to Clare Fussell, along with a scan or photo of a paying-in slip from the PCC bank account into which you wish to receive funds.