Scan to Give and Text to Give for Churches: Setup Guide

Scan-to-give puts a QR code where people already look: the bulletin, the lobby, and the screen. Text-to-give lets someone text a short keyword and get the giving link back. This guide covers both for churches and ministries, plus what to look for in church giving websites, how recurring gifts and receipts work, and how to test before Sunday. See the church and youth group fundraising platform See how ScanRaise text-to-give works

Scan to give and text to give, side by side

Scan to give: a person points a phone camera at a QR code and opens the giving page. It works best where people can pause for a moment, such as a bulletin, a seat-back card, a lobby sign, or a slide before the offering.

Text to give: a person texts a keyword to a phone number and receives a link to the giving page. It works where a QR code is hard to use, such as a keyword read aloud during announcements or printed small in a newsletter.

Both end in the same place: a mobile giving page where the donor picks an amount and pays. Offer both, and keep the typed web address visible for anyone who prefers to type it.

How text-to-give works on ScanRaise

Every organization receives a text-to-give keyword when it is created, and organizers can change it in Org Settings. The name in your organization's web address also works.
A person texts the keyword to (833) 991-9251, and ScanRaise sends one reply with the secure giving link for your church.
A youth member's short code, printed on their QR card, can be texted the same way, and the reply links to that member's page.
An exact or partial church name also works when it matches only one organization on ScanRaise.
ScanRaise replies only to a message the person sends first. There are no subscription lists and no recurring or promotional texts. HELP and STOP are answered, and message and data rates may apply.
The number is shared by every organization on ScanRaise, so keywords are unique across the platform. Generic words such as CHURCH or PARISH are never assigned on their own; an automatic keyword adds a place or name.

Where to place scan-to-give codes

Bulletin or order of service: the QR code, the typed link, and the text-to-give keyword together.
Lobby or welcome center: a sign at eye level, tested from the distance where people stand.
Screen before the offering: leave the slide up long enough to scan, and read the keyword aloud.
Seat-back or pew cards for people who do not take a bulletin.
Offering envelopes, giving statements, and newsletters, so online giving is offered next to the paper option.
Event tables for dinners, mission trip nights, and Vacation Bible School, with a code for that specific need.
Your website and email: use a plain link there, since the reader is already on a device.

What to look for in church giving websites and apps

No app or account required for the giver.
One-time and recurring options, with a way for donors to change the amount, update a card, or cancel without calling the office.
Published fees, and an option for donors to cover them.
An emailed receipt for every gift, plus records you can export for year-end statements.
Separate campaigns for separate needs, such as missions, a building project, or a youth trip.
Event tickets for dinners and retreats on the same account as giving.
A clear payout path and timing.
Text-to-give and printable QR codes included rather than sold as add-ons.

How ScanRaise handles church giving

Giving page: the organization giving page shows one-time gifts plus any monthly or yearly recurring tiers you configure. Donors subscribe through Stripe Checkout and can change the amount, update payment, or cancel at period end from a link we email them. How recurring giving tiers work
Campaigns: run separate campaigns for missions, a building project, or a youth trip, each with its own QR codes.
Youth trips: each member can have a QR code and short donation link, printable as 1-up, 2-up, or 4-up PDF cards, with progress by member.
Payment: card payment, with Apple Pay or Google Pay when the donor's device and the account settings support it.
Payouts: donations go to the church's own Stripe account, and Stripe pays out to the church's bank.
Records: donor records include tags, notes, and CSV export.

Receipts and year-end giving statements

ScanRaise emails a receipt for each completed online gift showing the amount and the organization. Your church still owns the formal acknowledgment donors use at tax time.

IRS Publication 1771 says a donor needs a written acknowledgment for any single contribution of $250 or more, and that separate gifts under $250 are not added together; its example is weekly church offerings. An acknowledgment sent by email is acceptable. When a religious organization provides only intangible religious benefits, the acknowledgment can say so without describing or valuing them.

Export donor records as CSV when you prepare year-end statements, and ask your accountant how to combine online and in-person giving in one statement.

Test before Sunday

Print a proof of the bulletin or sign and scan it with at least one iPhone and one Android phone.
Scan the slide from the back row and from the balcony, if you have one.
Text the keyword from two phones and confirm the reply links to your giving page.
Type the printed web address by hand to catch typos.
Make a small gift, then confirm the emailed receipt and the record in your dashboard.
Read the keyword aloud to someone who has not seen it and ask them to spell it back.
Inspect signs and cards each week for stickers or replacements, since altered QR codes are a known scam.

A short announcement script

"If you give online, open your phone camera and point it at the code on the screen, or text our keyword to (833) 991-9251 and you will get one text back with our giving link. You can give once or set up a monthly gift, and there is no app to download. Thank you for your generosity."

Replace the keyword with your church's own, keep the slide up while you speak, and repeat the keyword once at the end.

Frequently asked questions

Does texting a keyword sign people up for messages?

No. ScanRaise replies once to each request and sends no recurring or promotional texts. Replying STOP opts out of all ScanRaise texts.

What does ScanRaise cost for church giving?

Standard fundraising has a 2.5% platform fee, and Stripe processing is separate. There is no setup fee or monthly fee for standard fundraising, and donors can choose to cover the fees.

Sources and review notes

Sources checked October 2, 2026. External rules and product policies can change, so confirm them before launch.

IRS Publication 1771: substantiation and disclosure requirements. Federal guidance on written acknowledgments, the treatment of separate gifts under $250, email acknowledgments, and the intangible religious benefits exception.
FTC: Scammers hide harmful links in QR codes. Consumer guidance to inspect a QR destination and watch for altered or spoofed codes.
ScanRaise text-to-give. Current number, keyword, reply, STOP, and HELP behavior.
ScanRaise recurring giving. Current monthly and yearly tier checkout and donor self-management.
ScanRaise pricing.

How Churches Set Up Scan-to-Give and Text-to-Give