Your nonprofit’s website is the central hub that connects your fundraising, donor engagement activities, programs, and advocacy efforts. It’s an essential resource for new and existing supporters to learn more about your mission and explore how they can get involved. While you may have a straightforward, high-quality donation page for collecting online gifts, are you providing enough options for potential donors interested in supporting your cause?
This guide explores why your nonprofit should offer multiple ways to donate on its website, along with some best practices for doing so. Here’s what we’ll cover:
- Why should nonprofits provide multiple ways to donate?
- What are the main giving options to offer donors?
- Best Practices for Promoting Giving Options on Your Website
Your nonprofit needs consistent, reliable revenue to reach your fundraising goals and continue making a difference in the lives of those you serve. The more flexibility you provide to donors, the more support you can attract and retain for your mission.
Why should nonprofits provide multiple ways to donate?
Donors have varying preferences and needs for how they engage with your nonprofit. Offering them multiple giving choices can significantly boost your online fundraising performance by:
- Making the giving process more convenient. The more options you present, the more likely donors are to find one that aligns with how they want to support your organization. For example, if someone prefers making regular gifts in smaller amounts throughout the year, they might appreciate the low-effort involvement that a monthly giving program provides. That way, they won’t have to input their information every time they want to contribute.
- Expanding your donor base. Not everyone has the capacity or inclination to donate to your nonprofit in the most traditional sense. However, this doesn’t necessarily mean they’re not interested in supporting your mission. You can acquire more donors by allowing them the freedom to give what and when they can, such as in-kind gifts of office supplies or other items that will aid your operations.
- Increasing donor satisfaction. By promoting multiple ways to donate on your website, you can demonstrate to donors that you’re committed to providing them with a rewarding experience. Doing so makes them feel more valued for their contributions and encourages them to continue supporting your mission for the long term.
Plus, sharing important giving-related opportunities such as matching gifts helps you inspire even more people to get involved. Many companies with matching gift programs will financially match donations their employees make to nonprofits, often at a 1:1 ratio or more. Simply learning that their gifts will make twice as much of an impact can be a major deciding factor for prospective donors.
What are the main giving options to offer donors?
There are numerous ways for supporters to give beyond regular online donations, so which options should you prioritize on your nonprofit’s website?
Some of the most popular giving opportunities to highlight include:
- Donor-advised funds (DAFs). DAFs are increasingly popular charitable investment accounts that donors can set up and contribute their assets to. At any point, they can use the funds to make tax-deductible donations to nonprofits. Giving to foundations saw a significant boost in 2023, in large part because more donors are investing in DAFs to fuel charitable giving.
- Recurring gifts. Recurring gifts are regular, ongoing contributions that a donor makes to your nonprofit. They allow supporters to continue investing in your mission over time, without having to navigate to your donation page and enter all of their payment details again. By promoting this option on your website, you can turn your recurring or monthly giving program into a reliable source of revenue.
- In-kind donations. In-kind gifts are non-monetary gifts of goods or services that donors can contribute to your nonprofit. For instance, a youth development nonprofit might accept school supplies, sports equipment, backpacks, and other key resources for its programs. Or, skilled professionals can support the nonprofit by providing services such as accounting or web development.
- Planned giving. Planned giving, or legacy giving, refers to contributions that donors arrange as part of their estate planning. Your nonprofit will typically receive these gifts when the donor passes. This option can be appealing because it allows supporters to leave a lasting legacy on your nonprofit and comes with added tax benefits that vary depending on the type of gift.
Additional types of giving to explore include non-cash gifts such as stocks and cryptocurrency. If you’re not sure which options to focus your attention on, consider surveying your donors upfront to determine what they’re most interested in.
Best Practices for Promoting Giving Options on Your Website
According to NXUnite’s nonprofit marketing overview, your website is likely the first place people go to learn more about your organization. Leverage it to raise more funds by following these best practices:
1. Make each giving option stand out.
Many of your donors may be unfamiliar with less traditional giving methods. Therefore, you need to go further than merely listing them on your “Ways to Give” page.
Let’s say that you’re trying to earn more donations through DAFs. To do so, you’ll need to create a dedicated strategy for promoting the option on your website and other marketing channels.
Start by creating a standalone page that covers the basics of DAFs, including the giving process and associated benefits. You can even recognize past DAF donors on the page and highlight the impact of their generosity to inspire more people to consider the giving option. Then, include clear calls to action in relevant areas like your navigation bar and donation page inviting prospective donors to learn more.
2. Prioritize accessibility.
Ensure everyone can access your “Ways to Give” page and giving resources by improving your website’s accessibility. Kanopi’s WordPress for nonprofits guide recommends taking these basic steps:
- Choose colors with strong contrast.
- Add alternative text to images.
- Make your website keyboard-navigable.
Furthermore, your website should be mobile-friendly so donors can explore it even when they’re on the go. This is essential because 33% of nonprofit donations are completed via mobile devices.
3. Emphasize the impact of donations.
Beyond merely providing information about giving options, secure more DAF donors, monthly giving sign-ups, and planned gifts by specifying how they’ll make a difference for your beneficiaries.
For example, a healthcare nonprofit might share the following statements on its website:
- “A recurring gift of $50 a month will provide home health care for an individual who is unable to pay for services.”
- “A single DAF grant of $5,000 will cover all the utilities, including electricity and water, at both of our facilities for one month.”
- “By making a planned gift of $10,000 or more, you’ll become an automatic member of our Legacy Society and create a lasting impact on our community health programs.”
By including details on how contributions will tangibly impact your mission, you’ll assure donors that you’ll put their funds to good use. This way, they’ll feel more comfortable and confident giving to your nonprofit.
Overall, the best nonprofit websites and fundraising pages shine because they offer a positive user experience to prospective and existing donors. Keep an eye on metrics such as landing page conversion rates, types of gifts secured, and average gift size to assess how effective your giving pages are. By identifying and making improvements, you can diversify your nonprofit’s revenue streams and win lasting support for your mission.