31 Ways To Boost Your Nonprofits Online Fundraising PDF

31
WAYS TO BOOST YOUR

NONPROFITS ONLINE
FUNDRAISING
wiredimpact.com
When it comes to fundraising,

many nonprofits are turning to
the web.
Even if online fundraising isnt yet a major part of your nonprofits
approach, most organizations could benefit from using it to
supplement more traditional fundraising tactics.
But simply dropping a donation form onto your website likely wont
produce the kinds of results youre looking for.
In this guide, well cover a wide variety of best practices for you to
consider when it comes to fundraising online.
31 Ways to Boost Your Nonprofits Online Fundraising
| wiredimpact.com
Table of Contents
Click on any article name

to jump to its page.
Why focus on online fundraising
Best practices to boost your nonprofits

online fundraising
Creating a strong donation process
Writing strong website content
14
Fostering and maintaining relationships
21
Solidifying your approach to measurement
24
Conclusion
27
Checklist of fundraising tips
28
About Wired Impact
31
| wiredimpact.com
Why focus on online fundraising

There are some nonprofits out there unconvinced that online
fundraising is necessary given their situation. However, theres a
lot of data that suggests online fundraising is not only here to stay,
but is having an increasing impact in the nonprofit space.
While each studys data may differ, one thing is clear:

Online revenue in the nonprofit sector is growing.
Between 2011 and 2012, one study found online revenue in
the nonprofit sector grew by 11.6%.1 Another claimed online
revenue grew by as much as 21% over the same period of time.2
Regardless of the exact figure, the results are pretty compelling.
Additionally, online giving has enjoyed three consecutive years of
double-digit growth despite a downturn in the economy.3 At this
point, its definitely worth paying attention to.
Blackbaud, Online Marketing Benchmark Study for Nonprofits, (May 2013), 12.
M+R Strategic Services, The Nonprofit Technology Network, 2013 eNonprofit Benchmarks Study, (2013), 1.
Blackbaud, 12.
| wiredimpact.com
G
Best practices to boost
your nonprofits online
fundraising
Theres no one size fits all approach when it comes
to fundraising online. Youll have to tailor it to fit your
nonprofit, the work you do and the community of donors
youre looking to engage.
But there are certainly a variety of best practices you
should consider when looking to boost the effectiveness
of your online fundraising efforts.
Its our hope youll take the following tips and adapt them
to work well for your nonprofit.
31 Ways
to Boost
Nonprofits
Online
Fundraising
| wiredimpact.com
X Ways
to Boost
YourYour
Nonprofits
Online
Fundraising
| wiredimpact.com
Creating a Strong
Donation Process
Tips 1 - 13
When it comes to getting the most out of online fundraising
for your nonprofit, your donation process is key.
Enable giving directly through your website

If at all possible, give website visitors the option to donate directly
through your website. Doing so helps maintain trust since you
arent kicking them unexpectedly to a third-party site when it
comes time to pull out their credit card.
Match your donation page to your design
Make the design of your donation page match that of your

website. Even if you have to use a third party platform to collect
these donations (and disregard our previous suggestion), ensure
the design is consistent.
Sometimes youll hear this called a branded donation page since
it has been designed to match the look and feel of your brand.
According to one study, branded donation pages raised 6 times
as much as unbranded, generic donation pages.4
Network for Good, The Digital Giving Index, (2013).
| wiredimpact.com
Creating a strong donation process: Donate buttons
Donate buttons
Make the button stand out visually

Make it easy for visitors to spot your donate button by making it
stand out visually from the rest of your website.
You can do this in a variety of ways, including
Using a different color than the rest of your navigation
Giving it room by physically setting it apart from other buttons
and links
Making it larger than other elements in your navigation
Using a larger, distinct font
The key is to make sure your donate button is easy to spot right
away. You dont want someone interested in donating to have to
hunt for it.
Make the button stand out visually

Nonprofit example: worldwildlife.org
| wiredimpact.com
Creating a strong donation process: Donate buttons
Make the button visible on every page

No two donors are exactly alike. Some visitors will be ready to
quickly make a donation while others will want to peruse your site
and gather a bunch of info before making their donation.
To accommodate all of your potential donors, make your donate
button visible on every page of your website. Dont just rely on
that large, red donate button in the middle of your homepage.
Keep the button in the same place

Make sure your donate button has a reserved place in your
websites header. It could be part of the navigation or a
standalone button. But it should be consistent throughout your
whole website.
You can (and should) also incorporate buttons and links prompting
visitors to donate throughout your websites content. But ensure
you have a static home for your donate button as well. When a
visitor decides theyre ready to donate, you want it to be as easy
as possible for them to make it happen.
Keep the button above the fold
The amount of your website a visitor can see totally depends on

the resolution of their screen. To ensure all visitors can find your
donate button, put it above the fold, or high up in the site in a
portion of the design visible on the vast majority of screens.
We suggest incorporating it into your websites header in some
way. That way, regardless of the screen a visitor is using to view
your site, theyll be able to spot your donate button.
| wiredimpact.com
Simplify the donation process
Ask for only necessary information

When collecting information from donors, ask only for information
that is absolutely necessary. If you cant come up with a very
compelling reason for asking your donors to share a particular
piece of info, cut it.
Long forms can be daunting and frustrating, and research shows
that more form fields generally leads to fewer form completions.5
The last thing you want to do is alienate a potential donor
because your donation form is too complicated.
Ask for information in a logical order
Your donation form should ask donors for information in a logical

order. For instance, dont ask for credit card info before asking for
their first and last name.
Whenever possible, ease them into the process with general,
common questions like name or email address.
Eloqua, Benchmark Data, (2011).
| wiredimpact.com
Ask for information in a logical order

Nonprofit example: invisiblechildren.com
For longer processes, indicate progress
Wed highly suggest you keep your donation process short

whenever possible. But if it spans multiple pages, indicate to a
visitor their progress in completing the donation process. Show a
progress bar at the top of the screen or tell them theyre on page 1
of 3.
Doing so will take the mystery out of the length of your process
and make it more likely a potential donor will stick with it until their
donation is complete.
| wiredimpact.com
10
10
For longer processes, indicate progress

Nonprofit example: savethechildren.org.uk
Indicate clearly what youre asking for in each field

You never want a visitor to wonder, What exactly are they asking
for here? Make sure every field on your form has a clear label
indicating what info youre looking for.
Ask friends or family to test the form. Watch them walk through
the process. If they hesitate or have trouble providing any
information, it likely means you need to clarify what youre asking
for.
| wiredimpact.com
11
11
Encourage recurring donations

Recurring donations have multiple benefits. They provide your
nonprofit with a more reliable source of revenue. They dont
require you to solicit a past donor to give again. And they tend to
lead to more overall giving.
While the actual growth in recurring donations varies from study
to study, most find the growth in recurring donations to outpace
online giving in general. In one study, recurring donations grew
27% from 2011 to 2012 while overall online fundraising grew 11.6%.6
In another study over the same time frame, revenue from monthly
giving programs grew 43% while overall online fundraising grew
21%.7
Regardless of which data you use, the growth in recurring
donations is apparent. And its worth incorporating into your
online fundraising efforts if possible.
Create a strong post-donation experience
12
Many nonprofits spend a lot of time thinking about their donation

experience. But when the moment of actually making a donation
comes along, its often a bit anticlimactic for the donor. The
moment after your donors make a donation, what do they see?
Many nonprofits take their donors to a generic thanks for
donating page with a bit of text appreciating their contribution.
While this sentiment is appropriate, your post-donation experience
can (and should) be so much more.
Blackbaud, 12.
M+R, 1.
| wiredimpact.com
12
Keep your donors totally immersed in the good work theyre

enabling. Provide videos made by your community tailored to
thanking a recent donor. Or provide first-hand accounts from the
people that will benefit from their contribution. Or have a photo
gallery and share stories from those touched by your organization.
Many donors will be feeling a bit of a high after making a
donation. Keep these good feelings flowing. Doing so can
ensure theyll want to donate again in the future.
Test your donation process periodically
13
If your donation process is broken, its unlikely a potential donor

will reach out to tell you. Theyll likely leave your website in
search of another nonprofit.
To avoid this, test your donation process every few months. Walk
through it from start to finish to ensure everything is working how
youd expect.
Also, open it up in multiple web browsers (the most popular ones
are Chrome, Firefox, Internet Explorer and Safari). Websites can
display differently in various browsers. Just because it looks great
in Chrome doesnt mean itll look right (or even function properly)
in Internet Explorer.
Testing in multiple browsers will help you ensure everything is
working properly for all of your visitors.
| wiredimpact.com
13
Writing Strong
Website Content
The content you include on your website, from the story of
Tips 14 - 26
your organization to how donations will be used, can have a

significant impact on the effectiveness of your online fundraising.
14
Specify how youll use donations

Many donors want to know where their money will be going
before they decide to give. Providing details upfront on how their
money will be spent demonstrates your nonprofits transparency.
It also makes it easier for potential donors to picture the impact
their contribution will have. People are more likely to financially
support a specific cause than an abstract idea. Its a lot easier
to imagine giving $100 to provide a year of clean drinking water
for 5 children than it is to improve health outcomes for kids in
Africa.
Whenever possible, provide your potential donors with a clear,
tangible explanation of the benefit their donation will have in your
community.
| wiredimpact.com
14
14
15
Specify how youll use donations

Nonprofit example: saturdayplace.org
Make your financials easy to find

Make your 990 and annual reports easy to find. Some potential
donors will want to review your financials before making a
contribution. Others will take comfort in the fact youre making
these documents readily available and may trust you more as a
result.
| wiredimpact.com
15
16
Make it clear youre a 501(c)3

Many potential donors want to make sure youre a 501(c)3 and that
their donation is tax deductible. Dont make them hunt for this
information. Share it directly on your donation page.
Tell potential donors how youll follow up
17
Donors are giving in an effort to make an impact. How will you

show them theyre actually making a difference? How will you
share progress towards achieving your mission?
Before they give, tell potential donors how youll be accountable
to them. Will you send them periodic email updates? Or perhaps
post updates on your blog?
And, of course, once youve told them what to expect, you need to
actually do what you said you would.
18
Show donors how specific donations were used

Whenever you can, show individual donors how their specific
contributions were used. While this may not always be possible,
the increased level of specificity can go a long way.
One way to do this is to fundraise as part of a campaign. Earmark
all donations that come in during a given month as going towards
a certain program. Then tell all donors that gave in that month the
good theyve created.
Failing to share outcomes with donors may lead them to stop
giving in the future. One study on donor attrition found that 8%
| wiredimpact.com
16
of donors cited no info on how monies were used as the reason

they stopped supporting a nonprofit.8 Dont let that be you.
Tell donors how youll use their personal info
19
Your donors deserve to know how youll use their personal

information. Just because they made a donation doesnt mean
they want you to spam them with email.
Figure out exactly how youll be using their personal information
and outline it in a way theyll be able to understand.
20
Showcase the impact of past donors

Your past donors have likely made a substantial impact in the
community. Show this off prominently on your website.
Doing so not only makes past donors feel appreciated, but it
also shows a level of accountability to potential donors. Plus it
helps them envision the impact they can make by giving to your
organization.
21
Include thoughts from past donors

Thoughts from past donors can help persuade potential donors
to give. You can publish their words on your donation page. You
can also ask them to write blog posts for you.
Their words will serve as a testimonial of sorts to those interested
in potentially becoming donors themselves.
Bloomerang, Nonprofit Donor Loyalty Primer.
| wiredimpact.com
17
Use stories told directly by the community you serve
22
Many nonprofits write up a description of the community they

serve. Instead, allow members of the community to tell their
stories and talk about your organization themselves.
Use video to interview members of your community. Or if video
will be tough, conduct an interview that you then write up and
share on your website. And take a bunch of photos to post along
with the story.
Ask community members what your organization means to them.
Ask them to share a story of a time theyve interacted with your
nonprofit. And ask them what theyd like to tell a potential donor.
These unfiltered stories can resonate with potential donors and
emotionally invest them in your cause.
22
Use stories told directly by the community you serve

Nonprofit example: www.redcross.org
| wiredimpact.com
18
23
Showcase the problem youre addressing

Your donors need to know what problem their donation will be
addressing. Sometimes youll hear this described as establishing
the need.
Use individual stories to illustrate the problem and establish
emotional connections. Use data to show the breadth of the
problem throughout the community you serve.
Stories and data can be a formidable one-two punch.
23
Showcase the problem youre addressing

Nonprofit example: designedtomove.org
| wiredimpact.com
19
Show your nonprofit is a solution
24
Once youve established the problem, make it evident your

organization is part of the solution.
Inspire hope that the problem is solvable. The more concretely
you can discuss whats necessary to overcome the problem, the
more likely it is youll be seen as a potential avenue to provide the
solution.
25
Establish authority around your mission

Potential donors want to give to an organization they believe
understands how to address the problem theyre tackling.
Establishing knowledge of your field can help foster trust and a
belief that youre well equipped to make an impact.
Establish your authority by sharing informative, helpful content
throughout your website. Write about the various issues
surrounding your mission on your blog. Create pages rich with
information and data aimed at those interested in your cause.
The more you show you have a deep understanding of your
cause, the more likely someone passionate about your cause will
support you.
Make your cause easy to articulate
26
People are less likely to support something they dont really

understand. Even if your mission is complicated, figure out a way
to explain it in a simple way.
If someone can explain what you do, theres a greater chance
theyll support you and tell others about you.
| wiredimpact.com
20
Fostering and Maintaining

Relationships
Developing a relationship with a potential donor can significantly
increase the likelihood theyll ultimately decide to support your
cause.
Tips 27 - 31
And once youve received a donation, thats not the end. Its
merely the beginning.
27
Make reaching out to you easy

Some people are traditional. They like to talk to a person before
making any kind of monetary contribution. Make it easy for them
to find the right person to talk to directly on your website.
Provide multiple ways to connect
28
Some visitors may not be ready to donate the first time they visit
your website. Provide these folks with other opportunities to
connect with your organization.
Make it easy to sign up for your newsletter. Point them to your
social media accounts. Give them ways to easily keep tabs
on what youre up to as an organization. They may become a
supporter at some point in the future.
| wiredimpact.com
21
28
Provide multiple ways to connect

Nonprofit example: aclu.org
29
Thank donors publicly and privately

Personalize your thank you messages as much as you possibly
can. Tell them how much they mean to the work you do. Share it
on social media. Send them personalized emails. Make them feel
special for getting involved.
Donors that dont feel appreciated are less likely to continue
giving in the future. In one study, 13% of donors said the fact they
were never thanked for donating was the main reason they
werent supporting a nonprofit again in the future.9
Bloomerang
| wiredimpact.com
22
Your donors make all you do possible. They deserve more than
a tax receipt.
Share information regularly instead of only asking for support
30
Dont reach out only when you need money from your donors.
Share inspirational stories with them showcasing the impact your
organization is having in the world. Provide informative content
related to your mission to help them get a deeper understanding
of the issues youre addressing. Tell them on an ongoing basis
how much their support means to your organization and the
community you serve.
If youre sending updates via email, make it easy for them to adjust
their email preferences to receive only the messages they want
from you. Bombarding a donor with messages they dont want to
receive may hurt the likelihood theyll give again in the future.
Provide other opportunities for donors to get involved
31
Providing donors with other opportunities to get involved can

deepen their connection to your organization and help cultivate a
richer relationship.
Make it easy for them to volunteer should they choose to do so,
perhaps even offering exclusive volunteer opportunities just for
your donors. Ask some donors to share their voices on your blog
by writing a post about their experience with your organization
and why they decided to support you. Invite donor feedback on
various aspects of your organization.
Listening to your donors can significantly improve your ability to
deliver what it is theyre looking for from your organization.
| wiredimpact.com
23
E
Solidifying your approach
to measurement
When looking at online fundraising, a bit of forethought
with regards to measurement can go a long way towards
making sure you measure what matters. Effective
measurement allows you to set benchmarks and compare
your data year to year. It also allows you to adjust your
approach and see which changes help boost your online
fundraising efforts.
31 Ways
to Boost
Nonprofits
Online
Fundraising
| wiredimpact.com
X Ways
to Boost
YourYour
Nonprofits
Online
Fundraising
| wiredimpact.com
24
Solidifying your approach to measurement
Youll need to figure out the best way to measure your

nonprofits online fundraising. But here are some metrics
most nonprofits should measure with regards to online
fundraising:
Landing pages that lead to the most donations

What pages do the most visitors land on before ultimately going
on to make a donation?
Average value of each of your landing pages
How much is each landing page worth as a part of your online
fundraising? By this we mean how much money has been
donated when visitors land on a specific page.
Traffic sources that lead to the most donations
Which sources of traffic produce the most donations on your
website?
Average value of each traffic source

How much is each source of traffic worth as a part of your online
fundraising?
| wiredimpact.com
25
Search phrases that produce the most donors

What phrases are your donors typing into search engines?
Popular pages prior to making a donation
What pages are visitors looking at just before they decide theyre
ready to make a donation?
Pages with the highest exit rates
What pages on your website are driving visitors to leave without
making a donation?
Abandonment rate on your donation process
How many people start the donation process but abandon it part
way through?
| wiredimpact.com
26
Conclusion
Not every suggestion in this guide will be the right fit
for your nonprofit. But by following and adapting some
of the above best practices, you can push your online
fundraising efforts forward and ultimately do more good
in the community you serve.
31 Ways
to Boost
Nonprofits
Online
Fundraising
| wiredimpact.com
X Ways
to Boost
YourYour
Nonprofits
Online
Fundraising
| wiredimpact.com
27
Checklist of fundraising tips

Creating a Strong Donation Process
Enable Giving Directly Through Your Website
Match Your Donation Page to Your Design
Donate Buttons
Make It Stand Out Visually
Make It Visible on Every Page
Keep It in the Same Place
Keep It Above the Fold
Simplify the Donation Process
Ask for Only Necessary Information
Ask for Information in a Logical Order
For Longer Processes, Indicate Progress
Indicate Clearly What Youre Asking For in Each Field
10
Encourage Recurring Donations
11
| wiredimpact.com
28
Create a Strong Post-Donation Experience
12
Test Your Donation Process Periodically
13
Writing Strong Website Content

Specify How Youll Use Donations
14
Make Your Financials Easy to Find
15
Make It Clear Youre a 501(c)3
16
Tell Potential Donors How Youll Follow Up
17
Show Donors How Specific Donations Were Used
18
Tell Donors How Youll Use Their Personal Info
19
Showcase the Impact of Past Donors
20
Include Thoughts from Past Donors
21
Use Stories Told Directly by the Community You Serve
22
Showcase the Problem Youre Addressing
23
Show Your Nonprofit is a Solution
24
Establish Authority Around Your Mission
25
Make Your Cause Easy to Articulate
26
| wiredimpact.com
29
Fostering and Maintaining Relationships

Make Reaching Out to You Easy
27
Provide Multiple Ways to Connect
28
Thank Donors Publicly and Privately
29
Share Information Regularly Instead of Only Asking for

Support
30
Provide Other Opportunities for Donors to Get Involved
31
| wiredimpact.com
30
About Wired Impact

We know a website can and should be more than simply a
pretty place for people to see what you do. It should have a
meaningful impact on your organization, such as:
Boosting fundraising by inspiring website visitors to
become
donors and helping you maintain relationships with past
donors
Increasing volunteerism by connecting you with new
volunteers and easing the process of managing volunteer
events
Raising awareness of your organization by publishing
content that resonates with potential supporters and
making information easy for them to find
Serving your community by sharing educational content
or offering tools your community members rely on
Your website shouldnt just be an online brochure. It should
be helping your nonprofit do more good in the community.
| wiredimpact.com
31
About Wired Impact
A Bit About Our Team

The following folks at Wired Impact collaborated on this guide:
Jonathan Goldford
Jonathan spends the majority of his time focused on web
programming and is passionate about encouraging nonprofits to
use the web as a tool to impact the community.
David Hartstein
David spends most of his time helping nonprofits tell their
stories in a more compelling way and using data to measure the
benefits an organization can glean from its website.
Rori Spivey
Rori spends her time planning, sketching, and designing the
look and feel of nonprofit websites to not only look great, but
also compel visitors to act.
Were social and quite friendly, so if you have any questions or just feel like
reaching out, wed love to hear from you.
Twitter | @wiredimpact
Facebook | fb.com/wiredimpact
Nonprofit Tech Blog | wiredimpact.com/blog
Website | wiredimpact.com
Phone | (314) 801-1328
GET A PROPOSAL
wiredimpact.com/get-proposal
| wiredimpact.com
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31

WAYS TO BOOST YOUR

When it comes to fundraising,

31 Ways to Boost Your Nonprofits Online Fundraising

Click on any article name

Why focus on online fundraising

Best practices to boost your nonprofits

Creating a strong donation process

Writing strong website content

Fostering and maintaining relationships

Solidifying your approach to measurement

Checklist of fundraising tips

About Wired Impact

31 Ways to Boost Your Nonprofits Online Fundraising

Why focus on online fundraising

While each studys data may differ, one thing is clear:

31 Ways to Boost Your Nonprofits Online Fundraising

Enable giving directly through your website

Match your donation page to your design

Make the design of your donation page match that of your

Network for Good, The Digital Giving Index, (2013).

31 Ways to Boost Your Nonprofits Online Fundraising

Creating a strong donation process: Donate buttons

Make the button stand out visually

Make the button stand out visually

31 Ways to Boost Your Nonprofits Online Fundraising

Creating a strong donation process: Donate buttons

Make the button visible on every page

Keep the button in the same place

Keep the button above the fold

The amount of your website a visitor can see totally depends on

31 Ways to Boost Your Nonprofits Online Fundraising

Creating a strong donation process

Simplify the donation process

Ask for only necessary information

Your donation form should ask donors for information in a logical

Eloqua, Benchmark Data, (2011).

31 Ways to Boost Your Nonprofits Online Fundraising

Creating a strong donation process

Ask for information in a logical order

For longer processes, indicate progress

Wed highly suggest you keep your donation process short

31 Ways to Boost Your Nonprofits Online Fundraising

Creating a strong donation process

For longer processes, indicate progress

Indicate clearly what youre asking for in each field

31 Ways to Boost Your Nonprofits Online Fundraising

Creating a strong donation process

Encourage recurring donations

Create a strong post-donation experience

Many nonprofits spend a lot of time thinking about their donation

31 Ways to Boost Your Nonprofits Online Fundraising

Creating a strong donation process

Keep your donors totally immersed in the good work theyre

Test your donation process periodically

If your donation process is broken, its unlikely a potential donor

31 Ways to Boost Your Nonprofits Online Fundraising

your organization to how donations will be used, can have a

Specify how youll use donations

31 Ways to Boost Your Nonprofits Online Fundraising

Writing strong website content

Specify how youll use donations