Good fundraising practice may not feel like rocket science, yet there is something aerospace-like about trying to move supporters along from interest in your cause to actually taking action.
Every rocket needs a strong source of propulsion, which for church and charity fundraisers is the story behind the impact you are making in Jesus’ name.
But rocket scientists also worry about friction, and so should we. If supporting your work feels complex or confusing, you are at risk of losing even the most ardent believer in your cause.
Used well, QR codes are a wonderful way to remove that friction.
What is a QR code?
QR stands for ‘quick response’. A QR code is similar to the barcodes used in supermarkets, but its usefulness is that it can be scanned by the camera app on most modern phones to reveal the information stored inside it.
Although you can include any written information, QR codes are commonly used to share links to online content. The camera apps on most phones will spot the link in the QR code and invite the user to tap through to the webpage.
When to use QR codes
QR codes are excellent for helping people move from offline, physical media to digital spaces. Typing a long URL into a mobile phone can be slow and fiddly, so a QR code is a real help.
They work well on flyers, posters and signs where may want to limit your information to a brief summary, then offer a way to take action or read more. They are particularly useful for enabling cashless donations to charities or churches.
When not to use QR codes
It can be frustrating for supporters if you use QR codes in digital locations where they are already on an online device. For example, an email containing a QR code gives a poor user experience because the device that displays the email is usually the one they would need to scan it with. In this case, include a normal link or turn it into a clickable button.
It is also important to consider…
- if people will have Wi-Fi or mobile data in the place where the QR code is displayed?
- if it will be practical to scan the code? A billboard by a roundabout may not be the best option and neither is a church notice slide that advances quickly while people scan from a distance.
- whether anyone will be excluded? QR codes should never be the only way someone can take action – for some, they create rather than remove friction. Less experienced tech-users might be happy to experiment with QR codes at home, but perhaps not in the church foyer with the youth group looking on!
How to create a QR code
For the most common uses, QR codes should be completely free to create. Be wary that many websites advertise their QR code generators as free but then charge you for downloads in certain formats, for design extras, per scan or to extend an expiry date. Spending money on QR codes is rarely necessary.
Design platforms such as Canva have free QR generators built in, as do some website and donation platforms. For example, if you manage your Stewardship Partner page, you can create a QR code directly within the account to link to your page. Instructions for generating this QR code are available in our help resources.
One word of caution. Think extra carefully if you plan to place QR codes in more permanent locations that would be expensive or inconvenient to replace: you could be in trouble if the URL of the resource ever changes. For example, if you place a sticker on the back of every chair in your place of worship to link to notices, lyrics or donation pages, you would not want to replace every sticker (and if you did, you’d always wonder if you missed one!)
A simple solution for these cases is to link the QR code to a page on your own website rather than directly to specific resources. Your web administrator can redirect traffic to another resource if needed or simply host the updated content on that page.
Should I show a link as well as the QR code?
It is best practice to show a normal URL on your printed material, as well as a clear explanation of what will happen when the code is scanned.
Being open about the action you are inviting people to take helps build confidence. Adding the URL also prevents fraud (see below) and gives an option to those who have not used QR codes before or who want to visit the page on a device without a camera, such as a desktop computer.
Are there risks to using QR codes?
Resources on cashless donations provided alongside the Fundraising Regulator Code of Fundraising Practice (2025) highlight that charities can be at risk of fraud when using QR codes for donations. QR codes can be tampered with by placing a sticker over your QR code that redirects supporters to a scam website.
The Fundraising Regulator advises being thoughtful about how you generate QR codes and checking them regularly if they are left in public places.
It is also wise to link to a recognisable URL rather than via a generic link shortener. When supporters scan the QR code, the preview shown on their camera should include your organisation or campaign name, which reassures them that the link is genuine.
Sharpen
Quarterly emails for trustees, treasurers and Church and Charity Leaders. Practical tools, technical resources and expert guidance to safeguard your mission and ministry.
James Bishop
James is our Digital Marketing Manager and works within our Purpose team to connect Christians to the causes they care about and to inspire them to live out the freedom that active generosity offers. He works on website content and email newsletters, advertising on social media and making sure people using search engines can find us. James also contributes to campaigns such as 40acts and the Generosity Report.
Before joining Stewardship in 2025, James worked in marketing departments of all sizes, from a biotech startup to a large civil engineering consultancy and most recently a learning disability charity.
James lives in Surrey and serves in a local church as a director of their non-profit community café and on their AV team. James is reluctantly making a middle-age transition from football to golf and loves making homemade pizza and good coffee.
