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When church leaders interested in raising $200 million dollars for their denomination approached Robert Nelson, big ideas in fundraising began to form. No longer was raising money for the church about hosting bake sales, said Nelson, now a partner with Ananias Inc. It was about a move to the 21st Century.

Ananias, a non-profit consulting company that offers technology-driven fund-development initiatives, provides prepaid debit cards as a new way to raise money painlessly. Churches that use the card may have a capital campaign such as a building project, or they may be interested in funding a specific program. One church Nelson works with is using the cards for a scholarship fund.

“The prepaid card takes churches away from doing barbecues or raffle tickets because it is perpetual. Every day it's going to raise funds,” Nelson said.

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The cards work the same way a typical bank card does, with fees that are created each time the card is used. He explained that instead of those transaction fees buying jets and high-rise office buildings for card processors, they can buy vans and activity centers for churches.

“Every time the card gets used, money is coming back to the church,” said Mike Radlovic, CEO of TranStar, a strategic partner of Ananias that provides marketing and debit card technology for their church clients.

“We want to make it easy for them to raise money, to electrify the money process for them so it's easier,” Radlovic said. “Everybody has plastic. The purpose of a piece of plastic is marketing. It's with you all the time.” With the debit card as a fundraiser, church members take the church with them all week.

Budget security

Because the card is cutting-edge banking technology, it offers both users and churches additional security not found in cards that are tied to an account. The card is loaded using a telephone transfer and can be used safely for travel abroad and Internet purchases. And unlike a credit card, users do not incur debt.

Because the card's income is perpetual and passive, it can also provide additional security for the church budget.

“If a church misses a Sunday, that messes up the whole budget for the year,” Nelson explained. He said he knew of many churches whose budgets were blown when the horrific 2004 hurricane season forced service cancellations.

The debit card system gives churches a financial security blanket. Without changing their spending habits, parishioners can continuously fund the church. Some churches even choose to have their logo imprinted on the debit card to remind church goers that their spending is funding ministry.

“We're trying to build value,” Radlovic said. “And all of this is helping the church.”'

Radlovic encourages churches to take advantage of electronic commerce.

“It's such a low-key way of reminding your people to help your church,” he said.