Take a quick look at your nonprofit’s website. Would it inspire you to give?
If the answer is “not really”, your site visitors may be feeling the same way. It’s time to change that!
In this guide, we’ll walk through the practical steps to build a donation website that strengthens trust, highlights your mission and turns interest into action by covering:
- Why a strong donation website is so important
- Tips to help you create the best donation website in town
- The crucial elements you need to include on your donation page
- Examples of donation website pages (and what they’re doing well) to help inspire you
- How to build a donation website in 7 steps
- Common mistakes nonprofits make and how to avoid them
- How to choose a donation website builder, plus 4 free options to get you started
- Bonus – virtual donation tools to enable your fundraising efforts
Whether you’re updating your current donation page (that’s been around for years) or building a fresh, brand new site, these tips will help you create an experience that encourages more people to give.
Why Your Donation Website is Crucial to Your Organization
A basic payment link may get you started raising money, but it won’t communicate your nonprofit’s purpose, impact or motivate supporters to give.
If you’re looking to drive online donations, you’ll need to create a donation page that’s clear, inviting and aligned with your mission.
A superb donation page should:
- Let people give—any time, anywhere. Whether your supporters are relaxing on the couch or riding the subway to work, your donation page should always be a click away. Having an attractive and functional mobile site is a must-do!
- Make it convenient for supporters to give quickly (and impulsively!). Giving is often emotionally driven. If you can create a donation page that resonates on an emotional level, it will inspire impulsive giving.
- Automate payments. Recurring donations are your best friend! You might be surprised by just how many donors will take a set-and-forget option.
- Centralize your organization’s messaging. People shouldn’t have to search your website for information about your nonprofit. When you make a donation page, all of your key points should be visible and well-branded.
- Meeting donors’ expectations in an increasingly digital fundraising space. Your donation page likely isn’t the first place your donors have encountered online giving. Be sure to follow standard best practices to look professional and trustworthy!
A carefully crafted donation page can make all the difference in the money you raise. Without any online presence, you’re missing out on all online donors. If your online presence is poor, you’re cutting your donor base down.
But with an awesome one? You’re growing your organization, one page visit at a time!
15 Tips for Creating A Successful Donation Website
It only takes seconds for someone to decide if they’ll stay on a website. The design and message on your donation site must grab the audience’s attention, or you’ll risk losing out on donations and supporters.
To make sure you’re on the right track, here are 15 tips for creating a successful donation website. We’ll dive into what each of these tips means below,p plus some examples of how the best nonprofits are implementing these practices.
- Create a Fundraiser Name That Makes a Strong Impression
- Tell a Compelling Story That Drives People to Give
- Use Visuals That Capture Attention and Reinforce Your Mission
- Optimize Your CTAs and Buttons to Guide Donors Smoothly
- Simplify Your Donation Forms to Make Giving Effortless
- Process Donations Instantly to Create a Smooth Experience
- Send Automated Tax Receipts to Increase Donor Trust
- Collect Donor Information Directly Into Your Database
- Use Scheduled Emails to Stay Connected With Donors
- Share Donation Progress to Reinforce Impact
- Choose Effective Software to Streamline Your Fundraising
- Promote Your Campaign to Reach More Supporters
- Strengthen Stewardship With CRM and Donor Management Integration
- Design Post-Donation Touchpoints That Encourage Deeper Engagement
- Improve Performance Through Testing, Optimization, and Analytics
1. Create a Fundraiser Name That Makes a Strong Impression
The name of your fundraiser sets the tone for the entire giving experience. It is often the first thing a potential donor sees, and it can be the difference between someone stopping to learn more or scrolling past. A strong name communicates energy, purpose, and urgency while also reflecting the spirit of your cause. When the name resonates, supporters feel more connected right away.
A memorable fundraiser name also creates consistency across your marketing materials. Social posts, emails, donation forms and event pages all feel more cohesive when they share a recognizable campaign name. This consistency reinforces the legitimacy of your work and builds trust with new donors who may be encountering your mission for the first time.
Take time to brainstorm names that stand out and are easy to remember. Short, specific, and emotionally resonant names tend to perform best. When your campaign name captures attention and conveys meaning, you set the stage for higher engagement and stronger fundraising results.
Adopt a Nest is a great example of a fundraiser name that encompasses all of this. Check out their fundraiser page:
2. Tell a Compelling Story That Drives People to Give
A strong fundraising story gives donors a reason to care. Facts and figures can support your case, but emotion sparks action.
When you highlight the people, animals or community moments behind your mission, donors can see the real impact their gift will make. A relatable story creates a personal connection that goes far beyond a simple request for money. Humanizing your campaign also builds trust. Testimonials from beneficiaries, volunteers or staff show that your work is real and meaningful.
These firsthand accounts provide proof that your organization changes lives. Potential donors will feel more confident in their giving, knowing their contributions will be used responsibly. The most effective stories are clear, specific and focused on a single idea. Instead of describing every part of your mission, show donors one powerful example of how their support creates change. When visitors understand the “why” behind your campaign, they are far more likely to become donors.
The Noble Circle Project does exactly this on its fundraising pages. Check out their recent initiative, the AWear Affair fashion show luncheon. This fundraiser raises money for women diagnosed with cancer while empowering women and supporting local businesses.
3. Use Visuals That Capture Attention and Reinforce Your Mission
Visuals are often the first element visitors notice when they arrive on your donation page. A powerful image can convey emotion faster than words and help donors instantly understand who benefits from their gift.
When your visuals reflect real outcomes related to your work, they create an immediate sense of connection and purpose. High-quality imagery also builds credibility. Clear, well-composed photos signal professionalism and show that your organization is active and trustworthy.
For the most impact, keep visuals intentional and aligned with your message. Here are a few guidelines to follow:
- Highlight people or communities directly helped by your mission
- Use recent, high-resolution photos that feel authentic
- Choose images that reflect the tone of your fundraising campaign
- Avoid cluttered layouts or visuals that look like stock images
- Visuals should support your message, not distract from it
When selecting images with purpose and integrating them thoughtfully, you enhance engagement and guide supporters deeper into the donation experience. Follow Trees for Troops’ example on their donation page: they highlight real military families receiving trees in a photo carousel and maintain a consistent color scheme.
4. Optimize Your CTAs and Buttons to Guide Donors Smoothly
Clear, well-placed calls to action (CTAs) make it easy for donors to know exactly what to do next. When your donation buttons stand out visually, and your CTAs are clear and use simple language, you remove hesitation and help visitors move confidently toward giving. Even minor adjustments in color, placement or wording can make a noticeable difference in how many people complete a donation.
Minimizing unnecessary clicks is also key. If donors have to search for your donation page or fill out multiple forms before donating, many will abandon the process. Streamlined pathways are the move when it comes to successful donation pages. Avoid redirects when processing donations to reduce friction and create a smoother experience for everyone.
Read more: Donation Button Best Practices: Make It A Must-Click and Raise More Funds!
Think of your CTAs as signposts that guide site visitors at every stage of the journey. Use them to reinforce your story, highlight the value of giving and lead people to the correct form or page without confusion. When your CTAs feel intuitive and inviting, donors are more likely to follow through and complete their gift.
Women Veterans Giving has a stellar example of clear CTAs on their donation page. Supporters can clearly see the options for giving with boxes that stand out, check it out:
5. Simplify Your Donation Forms to Make Giving Effortless
Donors are far more likely to complete a gift when the process feels simple and straightforward.
Lengthy or complex forms create friction. While having a bunch of fields on a donation form may seem like a small hurdle, it can cause visitors to abandon the page. Keep your donation form short, clear and focused only on the information you truly need from donors. Giving will feel quick and satisfying for supporters, and you’ll see a boost in donations.
A streamlined form also reduces cognitive load. When donors can move through each field without confusion or hesitation, they feel in control of the experience. Clear labels, logical flow and optional fields all contribute to a smooth, positive interaction that doesn’t overwhelm. This simplicity benefits both donors and your organization. People walk away feeling good about their contribution rather than frustrated by unnecessary steps, plus your team will see higher completion rates as a result.
Essentially, the easier it is to give, the more likely supporters are to follow through. Follow the Fine Arts League of Cary’s example of their donation form:
6. Process Donations Instantly to Create a Smooth Experience
A fast and reliable donation process builds confidence from the moment someone gives. When donors receive immediate confirmation or a receipt of their donation, they are reassured that everything worked correctly. Delays or unclear processing can create doubt, potentially discouraging future giving or leading to unnecessary support requests.
Instant processing also benefits your organization. Quick transactions mean fewer administrative steps, fewer errors and less time spent reconciling payments. This enables your team to focus on stewardship and supporting your mission rather than troubleshooting slow or incomplete donations.
A smooth, immediate experience sets the tone for the entire donor relationship. When supporters feel that your system is efficient and trustworthy, they are more likely to return, building a deeper connection to your nonprofit (and give again!).
7. Send Automated Tax Receipts to Increase Donor Trust
Providing donors with an immediate tax receipt is a simple way to show professionalism and gratitude. As we mentioned in the last section, this confirms that their contribution was processed correctly and reassures them that your organization handles records responsibly.
Automating your receipts is the most effective method. It will eliminate manual follow-up and reduce administrative work, giving you and your team more time to focus on your mission!
A timely receipt also acts as the first touchpoint after a donation. Including a brief thank-you message helps donors feel appreciated, strengthens their connection to your organization and encourages future support.
Free Resource: Donation Receipt Template
8. Collect Donor Information Directly Into Your Database
Every donation is an opportunity to build a long-term relationship, not just complete a transaction. When donor information flows directly into your database, you gain valuable insight into who your supporters are, how they give, and the best ways to engage them moving forward.
Platforms like WildApricot capture this information automatically at the moment of donation, helping you maintain accuracy without extra manual work. A centralized donor record enables your team to strengthen stewardship over time. With complete and consistent data, you can:
- Identify giving trends and engagement patterns
- Personalize follow-ups based on donor history
- Segment audiences for future campaigns
- Recognize milestones or repeat giving
- Spot opportunities to deepen involvement
This level of insight sets the foundation for long-term growth. By keeping donor information organized and fully integrated into your system, you make the giving experience smoother for supporters and create stronger relationships that lead to ongoing support.
The National Association of State Parks Foundations uses a comprehensive donation form to collect donor information right off the bat. While this is a more lengthy form, many fields are optional, so donors don’t have to spend time filling out every section.
9. Use Scheduled Emails to Stay Connected With Donors
Consistent communication helps donors feel appreciated long after they make a gift. Scheduled emails make this easy to manage by allowing your team to plan ahead rather than reacting at the last minute.
Use automated email sequences to include:
- Impact updates: Share recent milestones or outcomes that show how donations made a direct difference. Donors want to see that their contribution mattered.
- Story-driven highlights: Feature a brief testimonial or short narrative showing the human side of your work. Emotional connection encourages donors to give again.
- Event or volunteer invitations: Offer opportunities to stay involved beyond financial support. Donors who take part in activities tend to become long-term advocates.
- Campaign reminders: Notify donors of upcoming initiatives or goals, especially if they have supported similar efforts in the past. A well-timed reminder often sparks action.
- Personal thank-you or recognition messages: Celebrate anniversaries, gift milestones, or other meaningful touchpoints to strengthen the relationship over time.
When donors consistently see how their support creates positive change, they build familiarity and trust with your organization. Strategic scheduling ensures every message serves a purpose and helps move them closer to long-term engagement.
Read more: Go Beyond the Thank You Note: Donor Recognition 101
10. Share Donation Progress to Reinforce Impact
Donors want to know that their contributions matter.
When you share clear updates about your progress toward a goal supporters can see the direct results of their generosity. Progress bars, milestone updates, and short messages celebrating achievements give donors a sense of momentum and help them feel part of something meaningful.
These updates also create a natural sense of motivation. When donors see that you are close to reaching a goal, they may feel inspired to give again or share your campaign with others. Transparent progress reporting strengthens trust by showing that funds are being used purposefully and that your organization is committed to accountability.
Read more: Fundraising Thermometers: Gain Traction & Donations! (+ Free Template)
A great example is Tablewar Charities. They showcase goals clearly on their donation website with a fundraising progress circle:
11. Choose Effective Software to Streamline Your Fundraising
Running a successful donation campaign involves many moving parts, and the right software can bring everything together. A well-designed platform handles tasks like processing payments, storing donor information, sending receipts and managing communication without adding extra work for your team. When your tools work smoothly behind the scenes, you can stay focused on your mission instead of troubleshooting technical issues.
Good software also improves the donor experience. Supporters expect a fast, secure and intuitive process when they give online. Platforms that offer mobile-friendly forms, automated confirmations and reliable payment processing help donors feel comfortable and confident. A positive experience increases the likelihood that they will return to give again.
12. Promote Your Campaign to Reach More Supporters
Even the most effective donation page cannot drive results unless people see it. Promotion helps your campaign reach the audiences most likely to take action and brings more visitors to your page.
Consider using a mix of channels such as:
- Social media: Share stories, visuals, and campaign progress to expand reach and encourage sharing.
- Email newsletters: Feature campaign updates and direct links to the donation page.
- Community or business partnerships: Ask like-minded groups to help amplify your message.
- Local outreach: Use boards, events or word of mouth to connect with supporters offline.
Visibility depends on consistent communication. Regularly sharing updates, milestones or impact stories keeps your campaign top of mind and helps people feel more invested. Each touchpoint reinforces your mission and increases the likelihood that someone will donate or forward your campaign to others.
Promotion should feel authentic, not overwhelming. When you communicate with clarity and purpose, you build momentum and position your donation page to make a meaningful impact.
Read more: How to Promote a Fundraiser: Tips to Boost Awareness and Donations
The Friends of the Lakewood Ranch Library use their donation website to encourage people to join their giving wall, allowing them to leave a lasting legacy. This community board is a physical example of promoting their fundraising efforts.
13. Strengthen Stewardship With CRM and Donor Management Integration
Integrating your donation page with your CRM lets you automatically capture donor information and maintain accurate records without manual entry. When donations flow directly into your system, you gain a complete view of each supporter’s giving history and engagement, enabling you to tailor communications more effectively.
Tools like WildApricot include this integration as part of the donation process, making it easy to manage donor profiles and track trends with minimal effort. With consistent data and simplified workflows, you can focus more on stewardship and long-term relationship building, resulting in a smoother donor experience and more sustained support.
14. Design Post-Donation Touchpoints That Encourage Deeper Engagement
The moments immediately after someone donates are powerful opportunities to strengthen connection. A well-designed thank-you or success page should express appreciation and gently guide donors toward further engagement. You might encourage supporters to:
- Share the campaign on social media to help spread awareness
- Complete a short donor survey to learn more about their motivations
- Sign up for an event or volunteer opportunity
- Explore a related story or impact update
- Join your mailing list for ongoing updates
These small, optional actions help deepen involvement without feeling pushy.
Read more: Donation Acknowledgement Letters 101: How to Write One + Template
Thoughtful post-donation pages also reinforce impact. A warm thank you message paired with a short story or campaign progress update creates an emotional touchpoint that validates their decision to give. Check out this thank-you email from The Blood Connection. They show appreciation for the donation and share impact stories from other supporters:
Email automation is the best way to execute these follow-ups. A simple sequence might include an immediate acknowledgment, a follow-up story that highlights results and later an invitation to become a recurring donor. This structured communication keeps supporters engaged and helps turn one-time donors into long-term advocates.
Read More: How to Write The BEST Thank-You Letter for Donations
15. Improve Performance Through Testing, Optimization, and Analytics
Once your donation page is live, ongoing testing helps you see how supporters interact with it and identify areas for improvement. A/B testing lets you compare elements like button text, suggested amounts or layouts to determine which lead to more completed donations. Even small adjustments can have a measurable impact over time.
Tracking metrics such as conversion rates, average gift size, donor retention and traffic source gives you a clear picture of performance. Tools like heatmaps or funnel analysis can highlight areas where donors hesitate or drop off, making it easier to streamline the experience. Some platforms even include features that recover incomplete donations by following up with those who started filling out your donation form, but never finished. With consistent testing and data-driven refinement, your donation page becomes more effective and easier to engage with.
10 Elements That Make For The Best Donation Websites
Now that you know how to optimize your website, let’s talk about some elements to include when creating a donation page.
- Use a compelling, action-driven headline. Make sure your headline motivates and reminds visitors why they want to and should donate.
- Eliminate the navigation bar. Keep your visitors’ attention focused by streamlining their experience so they can focus solely on your donation button.
- Keep the copy short and sweet. Encourage supporters by focusing on how donations will impact your cause and what they will be used for.
- Your organization’s mission. This is the most critical information encouraging potential donors to give. It explains why you exist and why people should donate.
- Your organization’s branding. A study of 45,000 nonprofits found that branded donation pages received 700% more donations than generic ones. This is because branded donation pages appear more trustworthy.
- An impact story paired with images. Studies have shown that people are more generous when they see a single person rather than a group. Imagery furthers this, giving the narrative a real face; someone donors can empathize with.
- A breakdown of where a donation goes. This is the second most important detail – donors want to know where their money is going when deciding whether to donate.
- A personal message from your President or someone on the Board. This creates a meaningful relationship between the donor and your organization right away.
- Ask for a donation and make your goal attainable. Don’t be afraid to be direct and ask for donations in your copy. Make sure to avoid “fundcrushing” — the use of large or abstract numbers to motivate donors to give.
- Ensure your website is accessible for all visitors. Clear text, strong contrast, keyboard-friendly navigation and helpful alt text ensure everyone can use your donation page with ease.
Read more: How to Get Donations Online: 7 Easy Steps + Best Practices
8 Examples of Donation Website Pages
Ready to start making a donation page? Here are 8 more donation websites built using WildApricot! We’ve provided you with some of the pros and cons of each donation page so you can decide how to format yours.
(And if you’d like to see 50 more nonprofit website examples, click here!)
1. Louisiana Firefighters Foundation
Pros:
- The link to the donate page is right in the main menu bar, easy to find
- The page has a fundraising thermometer, to highlight their current progress
- They share a thank-you message right at the top of the donation form
Cons:
- The header imagery and graphics take up a significant portion of the page, causing users to scroll to get to the donaion form
2. Gulf Coast Builders Exchange
Pros:
- It’s a single-step donation page, meaning it’s easy to fill out and use
- Not cluttered with too much copy
- The form is simple and doesn’t contain too many fields
Cons:
- It’s not very attention-grabbing — including some visuals of the program’s donations support would help!
- Donation button is buried in the menu, making it difficult to find on the homepage
3. The iCare Program
Pros:
- The donate form includes suggested donation amounts
- The page explicitly shares what donations will go towards supporting
Cons:
- There’s no program-supporting graphics on the donation page
4. Wee One Foundation
Pros:
- Including the math break-down of salary to donation percentage can encourage a more specific donation
- Stating their goal clearly and simply makes it clear what donors’ contributions are going to
Cons:
- There are no stories about the people these donations have impacted
- Including images of their campaigns might also help
5. Motorcycle Riders Foundation
Pros:
- They include a small gift with every donation, which adds incentive to donate
Cons:
- There’s no information on where the donation is going or what it supports
6. Gratiot Lake Conservancy
Pros:
- Copy that appears before the form encourages contributions by giving details on what you receive with a donation and how they help the conservancy
- Option to include membership with a donation
- Donors get to choose how their donation is allocated within the organization
Cons:
- Form is quite lengthy with most of the fields being required
7. Pikes Peak Range Riders Foundation
Pros:
- The donation page is included in the main menu bar, making it easily accessible
- The sidebar reminds potential donors about the organization’s mission without taking up too much space at the top of the page
Cons:
- No use of graphics from their programs
8. Hope for Humanity
Pros:
- Visuals and graphics depicting the resources that match your donation
- Description of the work the nonprofit does right at the top of the page
- Option to add multiple gifts to your donation cart
Cons:
- Option to give an undesignated financial donation is on a different page, making extra steps for supporters
As you can see, there are plenty of tools to support you when you make a donate page for your nonprofit’s website. Before you start stressing about how to set up a donation link, lean into the resources that are available. With the right website builder, you’ll be bringing in those donations in no time!
Here Are the 7 Steps to Create a Donation Website:
Creating a donation website doesn’t have to be hard. In fact, you can tackle it in seven easy steps!
In this section, we’ll walk you through each step to create a donation website that spotlights your fundraising campaign and drives donations.
We’ll go over how to:
- Create a new page on your website
- Create a donation form to collect your donors’ information
- Set up automated tax receipts and thank-you messages
- Make your donation page shareable
- Add a donation button to your website
- Drive traffic to your donation page during giving seasons
- Evaluate your success
Let’s dive in!
Read More: 12 Donation Website Templates + Examples to Inspire You
Step 1: Create a New Page on Your Website
Your organization’s website is full of great information about your mission, resources for members, event updates and of course, a way to donate. To achieve the most success with donations, you should create a separate page on your site for the donation process. In your website builder, simply add a new page, modifying the name and URL to be “donate,” “give” or “fundraising.”
A donation page is your one-page sales pitch. It’s the part of your website you direct someone to after you’ve asked them to give to your organization. All the information you share here should convince someone to donate, with a background on your mission and how you use the funds.
TIP: When creating your donation page, try to keep the layout similar to the rest of your website. Consistent layout and branding will keep your page looking trustworthy!
Step 2: Create a Donation Form to Collect Your Donor’s Information
Successful nonprofits know how important it is to keep their donor information in a database. A donor database enables you to easily reach out to donors, update them on your progress or ask for a repeat donation.
To instantly collect donor information, link your online donation form to your contact database. If you need help setting up a donation link, there are many inexpensive software providers that specialize in this.
When you create your donation form, make sure you include these mandatory fields:
- First name
- Last name
- Address
- Phone number
It’s also worth keeping in mind these 8 best practices for donation forms:
- Make the copy short and simple
- Optimize for mobile devices
- Make sure it’s branded with your colors and logo
- Reduce distractions
- Use an engaging CTA (call-to-action) button
- Include a recurring donation option
- Add suggested donation amounts
- Limit form fields
You might want to consider using a CAPTCHA at the bottom of the form. Nonprofits are often targeted by fraudsters, and this extra level of security can protect both your organization and your donors!
Step 3: Set up Automated Tax Receipts and Thank You Messages
When it comes to tax receipts and thank-you messages, automating is the name of the game. Normally, these tedious administrative tasks take up a lot of your time and energy, but not if you use tech to do it for you. Setting up workflows to automatically send out a thank-you with a receipt immediately after someone makes a contribution. As we already said, it’s easier to have tax receipts sent instantly than to scramble to get them out at the end of the year.
With the right software, automation can be a breeze! Programs like WildApricot (that’s us!) can send automated tax receipts and thank-you messages after someone donates through your website. Check out our donations module in our help center for a walkthrough on how our tech can make donations easier and save you time.
A thank-you email can help steward a one-time donor into a recurring one. It’s an opportunity to show gratitude, which supports long-term investment in your cause. It can also be a way to offer other opportunities for the supporter to be involved in your organization.
The best thank you letters:
- Are personalized with your donor’s name.
- Use a warm and friendly tone (“you” language).
- If applicable, include a nod to the donor’s past contributions.
- Are sent from someone at your organization rather than your entire organization. You can even have the letter or email end with their signature!
- Have complementary imagery to support your story.
- Include a line about how the donation will be used. This could come with stories or quotes about impact.
Check out this example from the Humane Society of Charlotte:
Read More: How to Write a Donation Letter
Step 4: Make Your Donation Page Shareable
Making your donation website shareable is an easy way to boost donations and expand your organization’s reach. When your donors feel strongly about your fundraiser, they’ll want to tell their friends about how they can support it too!
Make your fundraiser shareable across a variety of channels, such as email and social media platforms (TikTok, Facebook, X, Instagram, etc.). Diversifying its shareability across channels allows your fundraiser to be seen by everyone – no matter what platform they use. A wider reach means a wider audience, which can translate to more donations! In fact, JustGiving found that sharing fundraising pages resulted in over £151 million in donation value.
Here are three easy ways to encourage social media sharing of your donation page:
- Add a sharing buttons gadget that lets people share your donation page in one click to a variety of social media accounts.
- Create an eye-catching image or infographic with a link to your donation website, suitable for sharing on Instagram.
- Ask your supporters to share your page on their social media accounts (if you need some ideas for social media fundraising, we have 20 great options to inspire you here).
Read More: How to Get Donations Online
Step 5: Add a Donation Button to Your Website
Do you have a donation button? Is it easy to find in the navigation menu? Or is it buried in a drop-down menu—or at the bottom of the page?
If your donation button is hard to find or hard to read, you’ll lose out on potential donations. Whether your website visitors are there to read updates or learn more about upcoming events, it’s still key to grab their attention with a bold donation button!
The best place for your CTA is at the top of your page, in the menu, or better yet, both! Check out the example below:
When it comes to your donation button, it’s best to:
- Keep the design simple
- Make your copy clear
- Use contrasting colors
- Place it in a prominent area
- Make it mobile-friendly
Look for another tip on setting up donations? Be sure the donate button and the menu item both link to your donation page as described in step one. After all, your donation page is your best pitch for why someone should donate!
Read More: The 22 Features Every Top Nonprofit Website Has
Step 6: Drive Traffic to Your Donation Page
A common marketing tip used by pros is the 80/20 rule: spend 20% of your time creating content and 80% promoting it. There’s so much clutter on the internet; you need to spend significant time promoting yours to help it stand out.
This rule can be applied to your donation page, too. Once it is published, make sure you highlight it—especially during months with high natural giving trends (like GivingTuesday). After all, 30% of annual giving occurs in December—with 10% of that giving occurring in the last three days of the year!
Read more: The Ultimate Guide to Year-End Giving: What is Year-End Giving?
You can maximize on end-of-year giving with your donation page by gearing up with these tips:
- Planning seasonal campaigns—and starting early.
- Looking at your previous year-end giving trends to identify ways to improve.
- Creating goals and KPIs that will guide your resourcing.
- Reviewing current resources like time, budget, people or money.
- Determining your audience and how you’ll reach them.
- Picking the right messaging and theme.
- Making a timeline so you can get everything done.
- Creating a promotion schedule (social, email, etc).
Whatever season you aim to boost donations during, make sure promotion is a key part of your plan. There’s no point in learning how to make a donation page if no one sees it.
To help you out, here are three easy ways to promote your donation website:
- Publish regularly on your blog. Publish blogs during these months with stories about your cause, requests for donations and a link to your donation page. Regular readers of your blog can learn more about your campaign and find new reasons to give!
- Schedule out emails. Pre-write donation emails and schedule them to send automatically during these months. There are several tools that can set this up for you. If you’re a WildApricot customer, you can use our easy email scheduler to do this. But remember: segment your audience so everything is personalized!
- Schedule posts on social media. Use the free version of HootSuite to schedule social media posts (Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn) asking for donations during these months.
Step 7: Evaluate Your Success
Your donation website can serve as a hub for your initiatives and fundraising campaigns. Create a page for each one, and then use Google Analytics to track your success from different channels.
Make sure your fundraising website stays up to date on an ongoing basis. You can do this by:
- Creating goals. Before you share your donation website, make sure you’ve clearly defined fundraising goals and success metrics like:
- Number of donations
- Fundraising goal
- ROI on advertising spend
- Donation page conversion rate (how many viewers end up giving)
- Evaluating success against metrics and KPIs. Identify your wins and failures, and use this information to determine areas for improvement.
- Iterating and improving your campaign. There are endless opportunities to improve your fundraising campaigns. Bring your donation website to the next level by updating:
- Your tools and software
- Copy and messaging
- Imagery and visuals
- Headlines
- CTAs and buttons
- Promotional and social content
But remember: your audience knows best. If you can, A/B-test all changes to make sure your assumptions are correct!
Read more: 12 Fundraising Metrics Your Nonprofit Needs to Track
7 Common Mistakes When Creating a Donation Page
Even small design choices can influence whether someone completes a gift or leaves your page. Understanding the common mistakes that lead to missed donations will help you avoid them, enabling you to create a donation experience that feels trustworthy, simple and aligned with donor expectations.
Here are some of the issues organizations often encounter when building a donation page, along with how to avoid them.
1. Asking for Too Much Information
A donation form should feel fast and easy to complete. Most supporters only expect to provide basic contact information and payment details. So, when donors encounter long forms with an excessive number of required fields, they often lose momentum and abandon the process.
By keeping your form lean and focused, you create a giving flow that respects donors’ time and encourages more completed gifts.
2. Using Insecure or Unclear Payment Methods
Donors want to feel confident that their financial information is protected. Pages that use outdated processors or fail to show security indicators can create hesitation.
Make sure your payment system is modern, secure and clearly displays trust signals, like SSL certificates or recognizable payment logos. A transparent privacy statement also helps reinforce safety and credibility.
3. Overloading the Page With Too Many Options
A donation page with multiple buttons, competing calls to action or cluttered content can overwhelm visitors. When donors are unsure which action to take, they are far more likely to leave without giving.
A clean layout with a single, prominent call to action keeps the focus where it needs to be and guides supporters smoothly toward completing their gift.
4. Leaving Out Clear Privacy and Data Information
Donors want to know how their information will be used and stored. If your page does not offer a brief privacy explanation or a link to your full policy, visitors may feel unsure about continuing.
A short reassurance about data handling builds trust and shows professionalism, especially for new supporters making a first-time gift.
5. Not Optimizing for Mobile Users
A large portion of donors visit donation pages from their phones. If your page is difficult to navigate on a small screen, loads slowly, or forces users to zoom in and out, many will abandon the process.
Mobile-friendly layouts, large buttons, short forms and fast loading times help ensure donors can complete their gift wherever they are.
6. Slow Page Load Times
People expect webpages to load quickly, especially when making a donation. Slow load times can cause frustration and make your organization appear less trustworthy. Compressing images, using a reliable hosting platform and minimizing unnecessary scripts all help create a faster experience that keeps donors engaged.
7. Using Low Quality or Irrelevant Images
Images help tell your story, but low-resolution, generic or unrelated visuals can create confusion or diminish your professionalism. Donors should instantly understand who benefits from your work. High-quality, mission-aligned photos strengthen credibility and reinforce the emotional connection that motivates people to give.
The Top Features To Look For In A Donation Website Builder
Now that we’ve gone through what to include on your donation page, it’s time to start thinking about the right software to build it.
Choosing the right donation website builder can have a major impact on your fundraising success. With so many options available, it is important to select a platform that supports both your immediate needs and long-term growth. A strong donation website builder should help you create a seamless giving experience, manage donor relationships and customize your page to align with your mission.
Read more: The 20 Best Fundraising Software Options to Power Your Nonprofit in 2026
To ensure your campaign performs well, look for tools that simplify the donor journey while giving your organization the flexibility to adapt your strategy over time.
In the table below, we’ve outlined the top features to look for, why they matter, and how our software, WildApricot, can help address those needs.
| Feature | Why it Matters | How Wildapricot Supports It |
| Built-in member or donor database | Helps track donor history and personalize communication based on previous interactions | Built-in CRM-style contact management and segmentation |
| Preset donation amounts | Encourages higher average gifts and reduces friction | Fully customizable during form setup |
| Integrations with other tools | Reduces manual work and syncs systems | Integrates with WordPress, Quickbooks, Google tools and more |
| Mobile-friendly design | Ensures donors can give from any device | All WildApricot sites adapt to mobile automatically |
| Customization options | Allows branding and messaging alignments with the rest of your nonprofit’s materials | Drag-and-drop editor with design tools |
| Widgets (like forms and calendars) | Adds other levels of functionality without development | Donation form, event calendars and embeddable widgets, like social media |
Why Many Organizations Choose WildApricot:
WildApricot includes all of the core features above and expands on them with tools designed specifically for nonprofit and membership organizations:
- Simple, self-service updates: Make edits to your donation page at any time without needing a developer.
- Support for custom domains: Use your own website address to maintain consistency and credibility across all marketing materials.
- Options to create exclusive member-only areas: Offer premium content or access to deepen engagement and support stronger retention.
- Built-in blog and news sections: Share updates, success stories and campaign progress directly on your site.
- Expert assistance whenever needed: Access guidance and support to help you make the most of your site and fundraising tools.
Not a bad choice for creating a donation page, huh?
Start with our 60-day free trial to see if WildApricot is right for you!
4 Free Donation Website Builders You Can Use Now
Sometimes you just don’t have the cash to bring on new tools. But never fear: there are plenty of options for getting started for free. They might be missing some of the bells and whistles that make your website its most efficient, but they’ll certainly get the ball rolling!
While these websites aren’t specifically designed to build donation pages, they can be used as tools to build and promote your campaign. Here are some options you can check out right now:
WordPress
Did you know WordPress can also be leveraged for your next fundraising campaign? Their free, customizable, and mobile-ready themes and designs make creating a donation website easy.
Squarespace
Squarespace’s all-in-one website solution can be a great place to start for creating a donation website. It gives users intuitive, pre-built templates and designs to customize for their individual needs.
Wix
Wix is a beginner-friendly, scalable website platform that lets users customize premade templates for their own use cases (like a fundraising event!).
MailChimp
MailChimp’s website creator lets users build a website in under an hour. It includes live editing capabilities, as well as templates and designs that can be adjusted to personal tastes. Plus, it can get you all set up for the email campaign you’ll need to boost your fundraising!
Bonus: 20 Virtual Donation Tools to Make Fundraising Easier
With the right donation tools, you can streamline your fundraising campaigns, automate administrative tasks, and bring virtual or hybrid events to the next level. In other words, they make it so much easier for your time-strapped team to raise donations!
Your tools should handle things like:
- Crowdfunding campaigns
- Peer-to-peer fundraising campaigns
- Donor information management
- Online fundraisers
- Payment collection
Here are 23 virtual donation tools to help you with your fundraising:
WildApricot
Hello again! As you’ve already read, WildApricot’s website builder comes with all the tools you need to build the perfect donation page. But it can also take care of:
- Membership management
- Event management
- Building an online store
- Managing your email and contact database
There’s a reason that WildApricot has been named the #1 Membership Management Software by thousands of organizations! Sign up for your 60-day free trial to see for yourself.
MemberClicks
MemberClicks offers multiple management software options that can help organize member information, plan events, process online dues payments and more! In addition to serving nonprofit organizations, MC Trade is built specifically for trade associations and chambers of commerce.
Demo is available upon request.
GiveSmart
GiveSmart is a great solution if you are looking for all-in-one fundraising software with versatile communication tools and strong customer support. Their platform offers everything from online donation pages to event registration and peer-to-peer campaigns.
Pricing depends on the features your organization needs. Reach out to them for a demo to pick the right package.
GoFundMe
GoFundMe is a fundraising platform that specializes in crowdsourcing efforts. It’s generally more focused on personal one-off fundraisers, and has raised over $5 billion dollars since it was founded. Their technology also enables peer-to-peer fundraising and recurring donations.
They offer a free demo, but you will need to reach out to get a quote.
Kickstarter
Kickstarter is a crowdfunding platform that specializes in supporting technology, art, and entrepreneurs. If your organization is developing a specific product, this is a great way to get lots of eyes on it fast! Many of the products and projects backed on Kickstarter have gone on to receive worldwide acclaim.
Keep in mind, Kickstarter isn’t the place to fundraise for charity. They require that whatever you fund be something you make from scratch and share with the world upon completion!
Indiegogo
Similar to Kickstarter, Indiegogo is also a place where new ideas and creations can receive funding and publicity. But for nonprofit support, Indiegogo also offers a community project category that can serve your specific campaigns! This is great if you’re launching a project that supports community wellness in any form.
Just note that Indiegogo campaigns often come with perks for supporters, so be sure to have those planned and ready in advance.
Donately
Donately is a fundraising platform with an incredible suite of integration partners. If you find that your organization is bouncing between numerous software solutions, Donately may be a great option for you! It can help you bring all of your software platforms together in one central place.
Pricing starts at $0/month + a 4% platform fee for startups. They have 3 pricing tiers depending on how much you raise. There’s also custom pricing if you plan on receiving over $1 million in donations.
DoJiggy
DoJiggy is easy to implement online fundraising software. Their program provides secure online registration for donors and even allows you to manage donors for events online. One cool feature worth noting is DoJiggy has a platform that’s exclusively for running golf tournaments!
DoJiggy’s pricing varies depending on the product you are using – you’re looking at 4.9% for stores or 7.9% for raffle fundraisers, as examples. They have no startup or subscription fees. If you’re on a tight budget, DoJiggy offers a free optional tipping method that allows donors to cover platform fees through a “tip”, so your organization receives the entire donation.
MightyCause
MightyCause is a software that focuses entirely on fundraising. If that’s your organization’s only purpose and you already have a website, it’s a great fit for your donation website. Your supporters can create their own fundraising pages connected to your campaign, making crowdfunding easier than ever.
Mightycause is completely free to start, with a demo available. They’re committed to low processing fees with no more than 1.99% + $.30 per donation.
Panorama
Panorama is a cloud-based, all-in-one digital fundraising platform by FrontStream. It boasts features that help nonprofits plan, manage and promote their fundraising events. They also offer volunteer management features if you’re looking for a solution that goes beyond accepting donations.
Pricing is available upon request.
Funraise
Funraise’s fundraising technology includes essential donation management tools. Their features are designed with flexibility in mind to help nonprofits with the most important aspects of their fundraising campaign.
You can easily set up a free account, and paid plans start at $99/month. Enterprise pricing is also available upon request.
Donorbox
Donorbox’s online, easy-to-use fundraising software enables individuals and organizations to drive donations. Easily integrated into a website, it helps promote fundraisers and steward one-time donors into monthly donors.
In terms of pricing, Donorbox offers a free plan with fees ranging from 2.95% to 3.95%. If you’re looking for lower fees, consider their pro plan with 1.75% to 2% fees, which is $150/ month.
CauseVox
CauseVox is a digital fundraising platform for small to mid-size nonprofits. It helps with donation forms, peer-to-peer fundraising, crowdfunding, managing pledges, event ticketing, and more. It also includes CRM software.
Basic plans start at $0/month with processing fees of 2.2% to 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction (discount for nonprofits available). Their professional plan starts at $250/month.
Givelify
Whether you’re a place of worship or a nonprofit organization, Givelify is a donation management solution for receiving charitable funds. This app’s software features fundraising goals, a donation tracker and an analytics dashboard.
For pricing, Givelify has no monthly or signup fees; their processing fees are 2.9% of earnings plus a $0.30/transaction fee.
Bloomerang
Bloomerang, previously Qgiv, provides a well-rounded fundraising solution for growing nonprofits. The software offers tools such as event registration, donation forms, text giving, auction events, peer-to-peer fundraising, and CRM and email tools.
Plans start at $40/month as a bundle with their CRM (which starts at $125/month). You can book a free demo to learn more about Bloomerang’s fundraising software, CRM and volunteer software.
GiveButter
GiveButter is an all-in-one fundraising platform that combines donation forms, events, auctions, peer-to-peer campaigns and a nonprofit CRM. If you’re looking for donor engagement paired with fundraising, this is a great software
GiveButter is a free-to-use tool when tipping is enabled, allowing donors to cover the cost. If you’re looking for more robust features, their paid plan starts at $29/month.
4aGoodCause
Used by small to mid-size nonprofits, 4aGoodCause helps nonprofits manage online donations and membership payments, event registration, peer-to-peer and crowdfunding campaigns.
Plans start at $99/month with no platform per transaction fees.
DonorPerfect
DonorPerfect’s software gives full end-to-end support with fundraising. It helps with donations, contacts, receipting, reporting, email, auction management and fundraising initiatives. It’s ideal for nonprofits of all sizes, with a focus on CRM functionality.
Their pricing isn’t available online, contact their sales team for a demo and pricing.
Bonterra
Bonterra’s Network for Good is an all-in-one donation management tool for creating donation pages and peer-to-peer fundraisers, as well as managing donors.
Their pricing isn’t available online, but they have a free demo availble.
Double the Donation
For nonprofits looking to boost revenue through gift-matching, Double the Donation is the ideal donation software. Gift-matching is often an untapped fundraising opportunity, so this software gives you the edge!
Sign-up is free, with payments based on usage, and it’s best for nonprofits making less than $500,000/year. Paid plans start at $999/year.
How WildApricot Can Help You Start Small and Build a Donation Page That Brings in Support
As you can see, there’s a lot that goes into making the perfect donation website! Especially with the right software, creating and maintaining a donation website is much easier.
WildApricot has helped thousands of small and medium-sized nonprofits build donation-optimized websites in just minutes. Whether you are building your first donation page or optimizing an existing one, our software helps you apply these best practices at your own pace. As your efforts grow, your donation page grows with you and brings in more support from your community.
Our all-in-one membership management software comes with professionally designed website templates. These templates can be easily built to include:
- A donation page
- A customizable donation form
- A donation goal bar
- Online payment via credit card (Visa, Mastercard, Discover, Amex)
- Donation widgets on external pages
- Tracking for offline payments
Once someone fills out your donation form, their information is instantly updated in your membership database! This makes it simple to:
- Keep all member records up to date with their donations
- Send automated invoices, receipts, and thank-you messages
- View donation summaries
- Filter contacts and create lists
- Email contacts
Your donors can also choose to subscribe for recurring donations. This lets them automatically give every month, quarter or year.
If you’re looking to create a powerful donation generation website and save time while managing your organization, consider starting a free trial of WildApricot — and good luck with your fundraising!
