Church setup: tithes, funds & campaigns — when to use which

As a church you have three giving tools, and choosing the right one for each need is most of the setup. Here is when to reach for each.

What it's for

Churches handle ongoing general giving, special purposes, and one-off appeals all at once. Matching each to the right tool keeps your books clear and your givers unconfused.

How it works

• Tithe & Offering — ongoing, undirected giving to your church. This is the home for weekly tithes and general offerings. The gift goes 100% to your church, and you steward it. Tithing is recurring-first. Use your designation categories (e.g. General Fund, Missions, Building) as internal labels — they earmark a gift without changing the recipient.
• Fund — a purpose pool, one or more recipients. Create a Fund to rally your family around a stated cause. A single-recipient Fund routes 100% to your own church (e.g. a Missions fund). A multi-recipient Fund splits across several vetted organizations by weight. Funds are held at the Storehouse and released by you.
• Campaign / post — a single, time-bound appeal. Use a post or campaign for one specific ask with a goal and a deadline (a roof repair, a mission trip). It closes when funded or when the date passes.

Governing limitations

• Only churches create Tithe/Offering and Funds. Standard orgs can be Fund recipients but don't create them.
• A Tithe is undirected; everything else is directed. If a giver wants to support a specific appeal, that's a post, campaign, or Fund — not a Tithe.
• Designation categories are not separate recipients. A designated tithe still goes 100% to your church; it's your internal accounting label.
• Fund close dates are required and capped at 90 days from publish.

Good to know

• Start simple: turn on Tithe & Offering with a couple of designation categories, then add a Fund or campaign when a specific need arises.
• For the decision in one line: ongoing + general = Tithe; shared cause / multiple groups = Fund; one specific deadline-driven ask = campaign.
• See "Choosing the right giving tool" for the full decision guide.