Church giving, explained plainly
What this site is, and is not
It is a giving guide, written for two readers. One types "how do I pay tithing online" or "are church donations deductible". What comes back is either denominational documents or platform marketing. The other is a church leader, weighing a sponsorship drive or a hosted event against a plain missions budget line.
It is not a donation processor; despite the domain name, nothing here accepts money. It is not affiliated with any church or platform. And it is not a substitute for your congregation's own guidance, which on matters of practice is the authority. Where we state how a specific system works, the facts come from that organization's own published pages, dated.
First questions
What is tithing, and who practices it?
Giving a portion of income to one's religious community — traditionally a tenth, from the word's Old English root. Practice varies widely by tradition. Latter-day Saints treat a 10% tithe as a defined commandment with a formal declaration practice. Many Protestant churches teach the tithe as principle or starting point. Catholic parishes generally ask proportionate support without a fixed percentage. Jewish tradition has tzedakah with its own norms. Adventists combine tithe and offerings through a structured system. Our tithing page maps the traditions without ranking them.
How do I donate to my church online?
Through whichever system your congregation actually uses. That is the first thing to check, because the official channel matters for records and for fraud avoidance. Latter-day Saints have a church-run system, donations.churchofjesuschrist.org, covered in detail on its own page. Adventists have AdventistGiving. Most other congregations use a commercial giving platform — the Tithe.ly/Pushpay category — or their denomination's portal. If in doubt, ask your local leadership for the official link rather than searching. Giving pages are a known phishing target.
How do churches give beyond their own congregation?
Through the missions budget, and increasingly through partnership programs run by international relief-and-development organizations. Those take three common shapes: congregation-wide child sponsorship drives, hosted walk/run events on a shared national date, and week-long family challenges. The organization provides the materials and staff support; the church provides the people. Our church-partnerships page maps the formats. In this site's house style, it also carries the vetting checklist to work through before any banner goes up.
Are church donations tax deductible?
In the US, churches are qualified charitable organizations, so donations are generally deductible. But that only applies if you itemize deductions rather than take the standard deduction, which most filers now take. Records matter: statements from your church, plus extra requirements for larger and non-cash gifts. That is the honest one-paragraph version. Our tax-basics page adds the practical record-keeping details, and where a tax professional earns their fee. Educational only — not tax advice.