SteepleMate understands that not every church chooses to use online giving within the SteepleMate System. This preference is acceptable, and churches are free to determine the giving approach that best serves their congregation. A church’s decision not to activate SteepleMate Giving does not affect its ability to use other SteepleMate services.
That said, online giving is a core feature of the SteepleMate System. As such, certain giving-related menus, links, and placeholders are built into the platform experience and cannot be fully removed. These elements ensure system consistency and allow churches to activate giving at any time without requiring structural changes.
The following outlines how giving-related elements behave when Giving is not activated:
Church website templates include a Giving link in the header by design. This link cannot be removed. When Giving is not activated, the link will direct visitors to the same informational message noted above.
Giving tiles are pre-configured in the mobile app experience. These tiles can be hidden if the church chooses not to promote giving through the app.
Churches may add custom links within the mobile app that point to third-party donation providers. These links will open in an in-app browser, allowing donors to complete their gift outside of SteepleMate Giving.
Each church is assigned a SteepleMate text-to-give number. If a donor texts a keyword such as “Give,” the system will respond and begin the giving flow.
If Giving is not activated, the donor will be informed that the transaction cannot be completed and will be instructed to contact the church administrator for assistance.
Churches that prefer to use a third-party giving provider may do so:
By adding the external giving link to the church library and marking it as public, allowing it to appear on the church website.
By adding a custom link in the mobile app that directs donors to the third-party provider.
While churches are not required to use SteepleMate Giving, giving functionality is foundational to the SteepleMate System. For this reason, giving-related entry points remain visible across websites, navigation menus, and communication channels. These elements are designed to be informative rather than disruptive and ensure donors are clearly guided when online giving is not enabled.
Church administrators with questions about giving options or configuration are encouraged to contact SteepleMate support for guidance.