Having a functional and secure fundraising platform is a must for any nonprofit.
Why? Online giving isn’t going anywhere. In fact, 63% of donors prefer to donate online with a debit or credit card.
But with so many online fundraising platforms out there, it can be hard to choose which is the right fit for your nonprofit.
We’ve got you covered with the 10 things you should consider before selecting a fundraising platform. Plus, we share our top three fundraising platforms available on the market today!
10 Things to Think About When Looking for a Fundraising Platform
Before you jump into signing up for a fundraising platform, take a bit to consider what you need from it. There are many capable online fundraising software solutions out there, but knowing what you are looking for ahead of time will help narrow down your options.
Here are 10 things to look at when finding the best fundraising platform for your nonprofit.
1. Cost 💸
While we do consider an effective fundraising platform to be worth the investment, we also understand that many nonprofits operate on a very limited budget.
Deciding how much you are willing or able to spend before you begin your search for fundraising software can keep you from falling in love with a platform that is out of reach.
Tip from the Playbook: Pay close attention to fees and tips. While some fundraising solutions are advertised as free, there is almost always a cost associated in some way. While this is understandable (these companies are providing a valuable service!), it’s important to note so you aren’t surprised later.
2. Usability 📱
How easy is it to create a fundraising campaign? Or, perhaps even more importantly, how easy is it to give through the platform?
Finding a fundraising platform that is user-friendly for your team and your donors can be a game-changer.
For one, your staff or volunteers will be able to create beautiful and functional fundraising campaigns and pages in a matter of minutes. Also check to see how simple it is to pull donor contact info, giving statistics, and any other details you might need at a moment’s notice.
On the front end, a faster and easier checkout experience will help you avoid donor dropoff. When supporters can give in just a few clicks, they are more likely to follow through with their donations!
Also, choose fundraising software that offers responsive, mobile-friendly forms. More and more donors are primarily completing their gifts on their smartphones, and your form needs to be as easy to use in that smaller format as it is on their desktop!
3. Security 🔒
With hacks occurring every day, it’s important to guarantee that your donors’ online giving is secure.
Check that the fundraising platform you select meets or exceeds security standards across the board, from making secure payments to keeping stored donor information safe from prying eyes.
4. Appearance 🎨
While looks aren’t everything, having a branded giving form does increase donor trust, again leading to more donations.
When looking at each fundraising platform, check to see if you are able to quickly switch out the colors of a fundraising form or campaign for your own. Even better, see if you can add your own logo and photos, or even switch out the font. If visuals like a donation thermometer or a donor wall are important to you, look for those as well.
Fundraising software that allows you to embed your giving form on your website should also gain points in your search, as donors are more likely to give if they can stay on your site to do so.
But if you don’t have a website? You’ll want to find a fundraising platform that hosts donation forms for you.
5. Payment Options 💳
Many people have their preferred payment options, and that includes when they are making a gift to a nonprofit. Offering a variety of ways to complete an online donation further boosts donation completion rates.
Look for fundraising platforms that offer standard options like ACH and credit cards, as well as methods such as Apple Pay, Google Pay, Venmo, and more.
If you’re fundraising in more than one country, also choose a platform that enables you to accept donations in various currencies.
Tip from the Playbook: Does your organization accept donations of cryptocurrency or stocks? Consider looking for a fundraising platform that makes it easy for these alternative forms of giving to be completed online.
6. Giving Options ✅
Think about the types of giving options you would like to offer. Do you want to allow donors to designate where their funds are spent? What about offering the ability to make a tribute gift in honor or memory of a loved one?
If these options are important to you, you’ll need to look for fundraising platforms that have them available.
7. Recurring Giving 🔁
Recurring giving can be incredibly beneficial to nonprofits. It ensures a reliable revenue stream throughout the year and boosts donor loyalty – the donor retention rate for recurring donors is 77%!
When comparing fundraising platforms, consider how simple it is for donors to use their software to set up and manage their recurring giving. Look for platforms that offer a variety of donation interval options as well as a user-friendly interface where donors can change their donation amount, donation interval, and payment information on their own.
8. Other Types of Fundraising 💰
To appeal to a wider audience, it’s a good idea to diversify your fundraising efforts. Look for a fundraising platform that offers different types of fundraising, giving you an all-in-one solution that’s easier to manage.
A few types of fundraising you may want to consider include:
- Peer-to-peer
- Crowdfunding
- Text-to-give
- Memberships
- Event ticketing
- Silent and live auctions
- In-person donations
9. Donor Management 📈
Speaking of all-in-one solutions, we also recommend researching fundraising platforms that have integrated donor management tools or CRM software.
When your fundraising software is directly connected to your CRM, your life gets a lot easier! Every online donation is automatically tracked, and many nonprofit CRMs include tools like segmentation, email marketing, communications tracking, donor data and reporting, and so much more.
10. Integrations 🤝
If you fall in love with a fundraising platform but find that it’s missing something, see if it integrates with another tool that provides what you are looking for. These seamless integrations help you create your own solution that best fits your nonprofit’s needs, without breaking the bank or sacrificing features you want.
Our Top Three Fundraising Platforms
While there are a number of fantastic fundraising platforms available to nonprofits, we do have a few favorites we like to recommend.
1. Donorbox
There’s a reason we partner with Donorbox! We simply love what they have to offer nonprofits.
With Donorbox, nonprofits can sign up for free (yes, you read that right) and get started in a matter of minutes. They do have a per-transaction platform fee, as well as offer paid plans with reduced fees, but we’ve found them to be one of the most cost-effective options on the market.
Our favorite thing about Donorbox, however, is how robust the platform is. Their customizable donation forms are super quick to use for nonprofits and donors alike, and you can either embed the forms in your own website or host them on Donorbox. Plus, Donorbox offers tons of products like Crowdfunding, Peer-to-Peer, Events, Donorbox Live™ Kiosk, and so much more.
Their interface is also extremely user-friendly for nonprofits and donors, they offer 44+ currencies and 11 languages, and they now have their own CRM that is only getting better and better.
2. Bloomerang + Qgiv
If you’re looking for a tool that can fundraise as well as help you manage donors, volunteers, and board members with ease, Bloomerang may be the choice for you.
Built by fundraising pros for fundraising pros, Bloomerang’s Nonprofit CRM has a lot to offer nonprofits. You’ll find features like wealth screening, an engagement meter, data segmentation, and valuable insights in this user-friendly interface.
By becoming fully integrated with Qgiv, Bloomerang also now offers Giving+, a fundraising suite that includes valuable tools like donation forms, peer-to-peer, text fundraising, event management, silent auction software, integrations, and more.
Bloomerang’s pricing enables you to build your own plan based on what you need, with Giving+ starting at $40 per month.
3. OneCause
For nonprofits with a major focus on auctions and events, we suggest taking a look at OneCause.
While their fundraising platform does offer great features for online fundraising, peer-to-peer, and Text2Give, we feel that it’s their event management and auction software that stands out.
OneCause’s goal is to streamline planning and fundraising by providing event software that covers ticketing, check-in, donations, reporting, and more. You’ll find it easy to host fundraising activities like live and silent auctions as well, starting from item procurement and moving through showcasing auction items, collecting bids, and completing the checkout and item pickup process.
They offer several plans, so you can choose which OneCause tools best fit your nonprofit’s needs.
Choosing Your Fundraising Platform
Putting powerful fundraising software tools to work for your organization can result in increased donations. Whether you’re just getting started with online fundraising or looking to make a switch, use this guide to choose the best fundraising platform for your nonprofit.
Remember to consider these 10 points:
- Cost
- Usability
- Security
- Appearance
- Payment options
- Giving options
- Recurring giving
- Types of fundraising
- Donor management
- Integrations
And don’t forget to take your time – finding the ideal fundraising solution that checks off all your boxes will be well worth the effort.
Good luck!