Nucleus Tap-to-Give Setup Guide
To set up tap-to-give with Nucleus: generate a GivingFlow Trigger Link with your fund preselected, program it onto NFC plates (or order them pre-programmed from Tap.Giving), and mount them on chair backs and lobby tables. A member taps their phone and your Nucleus giving page opens instantly, with no app and no QR scan. The plates are a one-time cost with no monthly fee, and every gift still runs through Nucleus at its low 1.9% card rate.
Why Add NFC to Nucleus?
Nucleus gives you a genuinely strong digital giving experience. GivingFlow loads on every page of your church website, Trigger Links let you preselect funds and amounts, and its processing fees are among the lowest in church giving, 1.9% for credit cards and just $0.25 per transaction for bank accounts.
But during a service, people aren’t on your website. They’re in the pew. NFC tap-to-give adds a physical touchpoint that captures giving during the offering moment, when people are most generous. A member taps their phone on a plate and your Nucleus GivingFlow opens instantly. No camera alignment, no URL typing, no app download. It bridges the gap between your excellent online giving and the in-person experience.
Captures the moment
Give during the offering, not later
No app required
Works on any smartphone
Extends GivingFlow
Same platform, physical touchpoint
Get Your NFC Giving Plates
You need NFC plates that hold up to weekly church use, attached to chair backs, placed on lobby tables, or displayed at welcome centers. Cheap NFC stickers peel and look unprofessional. Rigid PVC plates last.
The Easy Way
Tap.Giving makes NFC giving plates specifically for churches. You get:
- Custom branded plates with your church logo and design
- Pre-programmed to your Nucleus Trigger Link URL
- QR code backup printed on every plate for older phones
- Free shipping and no monthly fees, $3.50-$5.00/plate
The DIY Way
You can buy blank NFC tags (NTAG215 or NTAG216) and program them yourself using the free NFC Tools app (iOS and Android):
- 1. Download NFC Tools on your phone
- 2. Open the app and select “Write” then “Add a record”
- 3. Choose “URL” and paste your Nucleus Trigger Link
- 4. Hold your phone to the NFC tag to write the data
- 5. Repeat for every tag
This works, but you’ll spend time programming each tag individually, and plain stickers don’t look as polished as branded plates.
What tap-to-give actually costs on top of Nucleus
The plates are the only new cost, and you pay it once. A 150-seat church orders 150 plates at $5.00 each: $750 one time, free shipping, and $0 per month after that. A 400-seat church pays $3.50 a plate, so $1,400 once. Nothing about your Nucleus plan or its 1.9% card rate changes, because the plates just point at the GivingFlow you already run.
There is no recurring per-seat fee to add tap-to-give: you buy the hardware, you keep your platform, and the cost stops the day the plates arrive. See the full plate pricing or design your plate.
Set Up Your Nucleus Giving Link
Your NFC plates need a destination, the page members land on when they tap. With Nucleus, the best option is a Trigger Link. These are unique URLs that auto-open your GivingFlow with preselected options like fund, amount, and more.
Generating Your Nucleus Trigger Link
Log in to your Nucleus dashboard
Go to Giving → GivingFlow under the Manage dropdown
Click Share in the sidebar
Generate a Trigger Link with your preferred preselected options (fund, suggested amount)
Copy the Trigger Link URL
It looks like: yourchurch.nucleus.church/give?fund=tithe&amount=50
Pro Tip
Create a Trigger Link with your general tithe/offering fund preselected and a suggested amount. Members tap the plate and land on a giving form that’s already set up for the offering moment, fewer clicks, more completed gifts. Trigger Links can also preselect recurring options, making it easy to turn a one-time tap into ongoing generosity.
Ordering from Tap.Giving? Just share your Nucleus Trigger Link when you place your order. Your plates arrive pre-programmed and ready to use, no NFC Tools app needed.
Place Plates and Start Collecting
With your NFC plates programmed and your Nucleus Trigger Link ready, place them where people will actually use them. Accessibility is everything.
Best Placement Locations
Every Chair / Pew Back
The most effective placement. Members can give during the offering without leaving their seat.
Lobby / Entrance Tables
Catch people on their way in or out. Visitors who want to give on their first visit can do so easily.
Coffee Bar / Fellowship Area
Casual setting where people already have their phones out. A natural moment for generosity.
Welcome Center
Introduce visitors to your giving platform alongside connection cards and ministry info.
Announce It
The first few weeks, tell your congregation about the plates. A simple “You can now give by tapping your phone on the plate in front of you” during the offering goes a long way. Once people try it, they’ll use it every week.
What Happens When Someone Taps
- 1. Member holds their phone near the NFC plate
- 2. Phone displays a notification with your Nucleus Trigger Link
- 3. They tap the notification and your Nucleus GivingFlow opens with the fund preselected
- 4. They choose an amount and complete their gift, credit card or zero-friction bank account
The whole process takes under 30 seconds. Phones that don’t support NFC can scan the QR code printed on the plate instead.
Common Questions
Does Nucleus charge extra for NFC giving?
No. Trigger Links are included in your Nucleus subscription at no additional cost. You generate the link, program it into your NFC plates, and everything flows through the same GivingFlow your members already use.
Do I need to change anything in Nucleus?
No. NFC plates simply open your existing GivingFlow in the member’s browser via a Trigger Link. Same giving experience, same payment processing, same analytics dashboard. Nothing changes on the Nucleus side.
Will NFC donations show in my Nucleus giving reports?
Yes. Every donation made through an NFC tap goes through your standard GivingFlow, so it appears in your Nucleus giving reports, donor profiles, and analytics exactly like any other online gift. There’s no separate tracking to manage.
What phones does it work with?
NFC works on iPhone 7 and newer (iOS 14+), and virtually all Android phones made since 2015. For phones without NFC, the QR code on each plate serves as a backup.
Does this add any monthly costs?
No. The NFC plates from Tap.Giving are a one-time purchase with no monthly fees. Whatever Nucleus plan you already pay for stays exactly the same, and every gift still runs at Nucleus’s low 1.9% card rate. The plates simply remove the friction of getting someone to your giving page during the offering, when people are most ready to give.
Can I preselect a fund on the NFC plate?
Yes! That’s the beauty of Nucleus Trigger Links. When you generate a Trigger Link, you can preselect the fund, a suggested amount, and other options. Program that link into your NFC plate and members tap straight into a giving form that’s ready to go, no fund selection needed.
Ready to Add Tap-to-Give?
Get custom NFC giving plates pre-programmed to your Nucleus Trigger Link. Free shipping, no monthly fees, plates start at $3.50 each.
Works with Nucleus, Planning Center, Tithe.ly, Pushpay, Donorbox, and any giving platform with a URL
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