Optimize Your Website for Donations: 7 Ways to Make Giving Easy and Effective

Make the Donate Button Impossible to Overlook

It sounds obvious, but too many nonprofits bury their donate button or use language that’s vague or passive. “Support Us” or “Get Involved” doesn’t always translate to “Donate” in a donor’s mind. Use a bold, high-contrast “Donate” button in the top navigation of every page — and consider adding one to your homepage hero image, blog posts, and even your footer. The easier it is to find, the more likely someone is to click.

Want more digital best practices? Check out Fundraising Academy’s on-demand webinars for guidance on digital donor engagement.  

Streamline the Donation Process

Once someone decides to give, your job is to make it as easy as possible. Avoid multi-step forms, unnecessary fields, and redirect to third-party platforms that feel disconnected. Ideally, your donation page should live on your domain, load quickly, and allow for giving in under a minute. 

Offer suggested donation amounts (e.g. $25, $50, $100) but always include a custom field. A clear, compelling reason next to each amount — “$50 feeds a family for a week” — can help donors connect emotionally with their gift. 

Pro Tip: The Fundraising Academy’s Cause Selling portal includes donor communication templates and worksheets that can help sharpen your ask and clarify impact.

Offer Recurring Gift Options

Monthly giving not only boosts donor retention but also helps build reliable revenue. Your donation form should clearly highlight the recurring giving option, and in some cases, you might want to make it the default. A simple checkbox that says, “Make this a monthly gift” can significantly increase the number of recurring donors. 

Bonus: Consider a short recurring gift pitch near the form like, “Your monthly support helps us plan ahead and serve more people every day.” 

Use Strong Visuals and Impact-Driven Copy

Donors want to see who they’re helping. Use high-quality, authentic images of your work in action, paired with short, emotional text about the impact of donations. Avoid jargon or generic language. Instead of “Help us continue our programs,” say “You can provide school supplies to a child who needs them today.”

And don’t forget a clear headline on your donation page — examples are “You Can Change a Life Today” or “Every Gift Helps a Family in Need.”

Optimize for Mobile

According to the 2024 M+R Benchmarks Report, 52% of nonprofit website traffic comes from mobile devices, while 48% comes from desktop devices. If your donation page isn’t mobile-friendly, you’re losing gifts. Make sure your forms are responsive, easy to read, and don’t require pinch-and-zoom. Test your donation flow on multiple devices to be sure it’s seamless from start to finish. 

Build Trust and Show Transparency

Donors want to feel confident that their gift will be used wisely. Include a few trust-building elements on your donation page — such as a brief statement about how donations are used, testimonials from supporters, badges from charity evaluators (like Guidestar or Charity Navigator), or even a short annual impact summary. These cues help reassure first-time donors that your organization is credible and effective.

Follow Up with a Strong Thank You 

A great donation experience doesn’t end when the gift is processed. A warm, personalized thank-you page and confirmation email will go a long way in building donor trust and loyalty. Use this space to express sincere gratitude, reinforce impact, and offer a next step — whether that’s sharing the mission, joining your email list, or making a future gift.

Need help crafting compelling thank-you messages? The Fundraising Academy portal offers tools for donor acknowledgment and stewardship planning.