Online Giving Frequently Asked Questions

Here are answers to some of the questions frequently asked about online giving:

What is Online Giving? Online Giving is an easy and convenient way to support the ministries of the United Church of Underhill. The benefits of online giving include the convenience of being able to give from anywhere at a time that is convenient for you, not having to write checks, and the ability to set up recurring donations so you don’t miss an opportunity to give when you are away from the church.

How does UCU’s online giving program work? Contributors click on the button above that takes them from the church’s website to a secure donation page hosted by Vanco Services LLC. Contributions can be set up in one of two ways. To make a one-time donation (no profile required), a contributor simply enters his or her name, address, payment method, payment amount and other essential information and then submits a donation. For recurring donations (profile required), a contributor creates a password-protected profile on the first visit to the donation page by entering his or her name, address, payment method and other required information before setting up a recurring donation. On future visits, the contributor simply logs in to make, change or view donations without the need to re-enter personal profile information. Recurring payments can be set up as weekly or monthly. For both methods, the donor sees a printer-friendly confirmation page and may also request an automatic email confirmation.

What payment methods are offered? Our online donation page can accept direct debit payments from a checking or savings account using Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) as well as from a credit or debit card. This reduces the work required by the church’s financial secretary to process traditional paper checks and cash.

How does the United Church of Underhill process online donations? We uses Vanco Services to process direct withdrawal donations. Vanco Services handles all of the security necessary for processing the transaction and then transfers the money into the church’s bank account. The church receives electronic notification about donations. Donations are entered by the church’s financial secretary the same way they are done when made by check or cash.

How secure is online giving/payments? Vanco Services provides a secure way to make a payment using the contributor’s bank account or credit card information. This information is processed only on Vanco Services’ secure system which is verified by GeoTrust, Inc. Vanco Services is a PCI (Payment Card Industry) Level 1 compliant service provider which means all transactions are handled in accordance with the most rigorous security standards.

How can I keep track of my online giving? As in the past, the church will send you a regular giving statement which lists all donations you have given (online and/or in person). If you have an account with Vanco Services, you can elect to receive a record of donations through email. Electronic transfers will also appear on statements issued by your financial provider.

Is there any charge or fee to me for this service? There is no charge to the donor. The contributor selects the dollar amount to be given and that is the amount that will be charged. The entire donation is tax deductible. The church pays a nominal fee to Vanco Services for the convenience and security of the services they provide.