Catholic Community Foundation of the Diocese of Richmond
Diocese of Richmond quickly moves to online offertory to ‘keep the lights on’ during COVID-19 crisis.
When COVID-19 forced churches to close their physical doors, the Catholic Community Foundation of the Diocese of Richmond partnered with Blackbaud to create an e-giving portal to support each of its 140 parishes. That online offertory proved critical to the diocese’s fundamental operations, including its services to people in need.
As COVID-19 forces churches to close their physical doors, that painful decision comes with far-reaching implications beyond face-to-face fellowship.
“Without money, we cannot provide ministry,” explained Margaret Keightley, Executive Director of the Catholic Community Foundation of the Diocese of Richmond. “So many people are in need, and so often people come to the church to fulfill their needs. If we can’t stay open, we can’t assist the poor.”
Fewer than half of the Diocese of Richmond’s more than 140 parishes offered online giving prior to the global pandemic. In the early weeks of the crisis, the diocese leveraged Blackbaud Online Express™ to spin up a quick online donation portal to support each individual parish. Within the first day alone, more than 170 people had donated.
