Optimizing Donation Platforms for Nonprofit

In the world of web dev for nonprofits, electronic giving is a common topic of discussion. Many leaders in the philanthropic space feel like they never stop moving — exploring how to find donations, debating this donation software versus that, strategizing about how to attract companies that donate to nonprofits... the list goes on. Luckily, a strong donation platform can actually make nonprofit crowdfunding a whole lot easier and free individuals up to shift their focus to other areas of importance. With that in mind, let's explore a few ways to optimize online donation platforms for nonprofits.

4 Ways Organizations Can Use Donation Platforms for Effective Nonprofit Crowdfunding

When it comes to setting up charitable donation sites, there are a few things that can help streamline the process for potential donors and ultimately ensure a more seamless electronic giving experience. Individuals, groups, and companies that donate to nonprofits are often looking for a combination of simplicity, transparency, security, and consistency. Here's how to give them what they need, secure their financial support, and raise money for a cause.

Eliminate Obstacles

If one thing can deter a person from opening up their wallet and parting with donation funds, it's the experience of hitting a snag in the online giving process.

Let's say a potential donor has a question about whether or not their donation is tax-deductible — maybe it's a local business owner looking to donate for tax purposes.

How hard is it to imagine them deciding to invest their money elsewhere if the answer to that question isn't readily available? Removing as many obstacles as possible is one of the keys to getting donations for nonprofit organizations.

In the case above, a simple FAQ section and/or site search feature could be the difference between securing a donation like this and letting that money fall into some other organization's pocket.

Provide Clarity & Transparency

In the world of nonprofit crowdfunding, clarity and transparency are absolutely critical. Much like encountering an outright obstacle, a lack of clarity around what a donor's money will be used for can turn them off to even the most worthy of charitable donation sites.

For an example of a clear donation allocation options, we look no further than The Ohio Eastern Star Home. The Knox County assisted living campus needed an online donations platform. We worked with them to program a site experience that would put other donation platforms to shame, one with multiple online giving funnels for an ever-evolving list of projects and needs.

This a la carte approach to online giving can work wonders for nonprofit crowdfunding campaigns. While OESH does run larger donation campaigns, they also have a rotating list of individual donation needs. This way, charitable contributors may choose to designate specific causes that speak to them on a personal level. By empowering these donors to browse the campus wishlist, read individual descriptions of wishlist items, and decide what their money will be used for with a click, the OESH donations platform removes any confusion around fund allocation.

To keep the UX intuitive, our team created a distinct WordPress post type for the Wishlist and designed its card's CTA on the general donations page to look no different from those of the other funds, projects, and campaigns above it.

Consider for a moment if, instead of developing clear online giving funnels, we had built a singular "Donate Here" button. How would that general donation button differ in terms of clarity and transparency for the donor?

Implement a Secure Payment Software

Creating an effective funnel for electronic giving is critical to the success of charitable donation sites.

At Chek Creative, we're fans of using Stripe for online transactions. When using Stripe software for donations, you will have to do some unique coding — this is for tax and allocation reasons — but the result is well worth a little extra effort. Our friends at OESH have already saved a bundle on transaction processing costs by using Stripe. Moreover, they don't have to worry about security for a second thanks to the impressive security features their payment software brings to the table.

Leverage Digital Fundraisers Offline

Of course, good donation platforms don't operate at the exclusion of the real world. Ultimately, we want to increase incoming donations for nonprofit organizations, regardless of whether they come through electronic giving, a phone call, or a physical check changing hands. This is where integrating the mentality of simplicity, transparency, security, and consistency can be expanded into the larger offline culture of any given nonprofit organization.

In fact, nonprofits might be wise to take a page from the retail world's book when it comes to embracing hybrid marketing strategies. Digital donation platforms aside, what does your on-the-ground fundraising look like? If your real-world efforts are lackluster or non-existent, it may be time to grow in this area. OESH has seen an influx of donations in the form of traditional checks, pledges, and online giving as a result of letting their donations platform function within a larger, holistic marketing and promotions strategy out in the real world.

Want to Discuss Online Fundraising Platforms with a Tech Expert?

These are just a few of the ways in which a powerful nonprofit crowdfunding platform can help drive more donations to your door. If you're a nonprofit or other organization wondering how to receive donations online and raise money for a cause, Chek Creative exists to put that power in your hands.

We'd love to connect with you and discuss how to upgrade your organization's donation software and fundraising tools. If you're sweating how to get donation dollars when you have more important things to do, give us a call. Chek Creative can take you to new heights in 2025 with your very own online donations platform, custom-built to meet your organization's needs and support the causes you fight for every day.