
The one thing every nonprofit should have in their arsenal? An online fundraising page.
Why? Because 63% of donors prefer to give online with a credit or debit card.
Let that sink in for a bit.
No matter what you call it – a donation page, a giving page, or a fundraising page – if your nonprofit doesn’t have a way for donors to give online, you’re likely missing out on a lot of donations.
The good news is that creating an effective fundraising page doesn’t have to be rocket science.
In this blog, we’ll walk you through setting up a fundraising page of your own. Plus, the five features every online donation page should have to be successful (and four bonus elements that will take yours to the next level).
How to Build a Fundraising Page

Whether you’re just getting started or looking to upgrade your current fundraising page, here are three steps to follow.
1. Choose a fundraising platform.
The best (and easiest) way to create a giving page that actually brings in donations?
Use a fundraising platform.
Sure, you could go about coding the form itself, setting up a secure payment processor, finding a way to store donor info, etc., etc.
But time is literally money in fundraising. Why waste it when there are tools that do it all for you?
Read this blog for tips on how to choose a fundraising platform, plus three of our favorites on the market today (looking at you, Donorbox!).
Tip from the Playbook: Check your selected fundraising platform’s resources for specific step-by-step instructions on creating your fundraising page using their software. Many offer detailed blogs, recorded videos, webinars, and even one-on-one training sessions that will help you quickly build an impactful giving page!
2. Develop your giving form.
Next up, use the fundraising platform from Step 1 to build a giving form.
You can’t have a fundraising page without a way to collect those online donations, right? That’s where your giving form comes in! This form should (at minimum) securely gather the donation amount, payment details, and contact information.
Ideally, you’ll collect more details than that, but we’ll get to that later!
3. Create your fundraising page.
Once your form is ready to go, you’re all set to develop your actual fundraising page. Depending on the fundraising platform you chose, you may have two options here: build a fundraising page hosted by your platform or embed the form into a page on your own website.
If you’re just starting out or don’t have a full website yet, creating a standalone fundraising page may be a good option for you. These types of pages can also be used as landing pages for specific capital, crowdfunding, or peer-to-peer fundraising campaigns.
However, if you do have an existing website and this form is part of an ongoing fundraising effort, it’s better to embed the form on your site. With an embedded form, you have more control over the design of the page, allowing your fundraising page to blend in seamlessly with your website.
Tip from the Playbook: Donor trust is paramount. Embedding your form will reduce donation drop-offs – your donors may not trust your donation page if they have to leave your website to give.
5 Must-Have Features of Successful Fundraising Pages

Your fundraising page is so much more than a payment form. It needs to invoke action, collect necessary information, and do so in a quick and easy manner.
Here are five donation page must-haves:
1. Call to Action (CTA)
How does your audience know what you want them to do? You tell them!
Your giving page needs a compelling call to action (CTA) that encourages website visitors to donate. This CTA should be specific to your mission and explain exactly what a donation impacts.
A few examples we like:
- “Your generous donation will be directed where it is needed most to help build a future where every person in every community can thrive.” (United Way)
- “Your support today helps stock the shelves and transform lives by turning hunger into hope!” (Grace Care Center Foundation)
- “Our work to end the water crisis needs your support. You can help provide education, income, dignity, and health – especially for women and children.” (Charity: Water)
2. Mobile-First Design
Nearly half of online donations were made on a mobile device in 2024. And with the continued use of text-to-give, QR codes, and other mobile giving options, we predict this number will only increase.
That means that your donation page shouldn’t just work on a mobile device…it should be designed specifically for it.
One of the best ways to do this? Create a multi-step donation form. This keeps mobile users from having to scroll too much on their devices, and having too much information on one page can feel overwhelming.
Multi-step donation forms also help you with our next point: accessibility.
3. Accessibility
Building an accessible fundraising page can be beneficial to all of your website visitors, not just those with disabilities.
Multi-step forms allow you to use larger, more legible text. You should also be careful to choose fonts that are easy to read. Keep contrast in mind throughout your page by using font colors that stand out against backgrounds and images.
And make it easy for screen readers to navigate and interpret your page by adding HTML tags that provide context, utilizing alt text on images, and using descriptive labels for each form field.
4. Cohesive Branding & Messaging
Creating a cohesive brand and message is important throughout your communications, as it helps your nonprofit be more memorable as well as improves donor trust.
This includes your fundraising page.
Be sure your logo is prominently displayed on your page, plus use brand fonts and colors throughout. Utilize impactful imagery that both illustrates your mission and is in the same style as the imagery found elsewhere on your website and other collateral.
Write your content in the same voice used throughout your outreach. Your donation page’s message should emphasize your mission so that donors remember the “why”, giving them the final push to complete their gift.
Essentially, your donation page should feel like an extension of your brand. If your page looks nothing like your organization, many donors will drop off due to lack of trust and connection.
5. Quick & Secure Donation Form
A functional giving form is the most essential element of any fundraising page!
Aim to make this donation form as fast and easy to complete as possible, while still gathering all of the information needed to stay in touch with your donors. When donating is quick, you’re less likely to see donor drop-offs!
In addition to using multiple steps to break up the information on your form, make your giving form easy to use by adding:
- Suggested Ask Amounts – Guide donors towards specific donation amounts – and make donating even easier – by having a range of clickable options available. Just be sure to include an option for a custom donation amount as well!
- Variety of Payment Options – Every donor will have different preferences when it comes to payment options, from credit and debit cards to bank accounts (ACH) to mobile wallets like Apple Pay. Offering a variety ensures you are better able to cater to these preferences, further increasing completed donations. Plus, mobile wallets make the process even faster!
- Vital Contact Information – To streamline your form further, try to only collect information you absolutely need – but don’t be afraid to ask for contact info that will help you reach out later! We recommend a minimum of first name, last name, email, and physical address.
You’ll also see more donations when you can assure supporters that your fundraising page and form are as secure as possible. Use a trustworthy payment processor (or check that your chosen fundraising platform uses one) to keep donor information safe.
BONUS: 4 Nice-to-Haves that Level Up Your Donation Page

Looking to take your donation page even further? These four fundraising page elements aren’t necessarily required to raise funds, but they can give you an edge that brings in even more donations.
1. Impact Details
In addition to your call to action, add specific details about the impact each donation has on your mission. This can be done through:
- Beneficiary Stories – Utilize quick anecdotes or quotes from beneficiaries, volunteers, or staff to show the very real impact of every donation.
- Impact Data – Pair ask amounts with details about the very real impact of that specific gift – i.e., $25 purchases a new book for a classroom, $100 plants a tree, or $250 feeds a family for a month.
Advice in Action: A client who lists exactly how many meals are made possible by different donation levels recently received an email from a new monthly donor. The donor stated that seeing the impact spelled out that way was what led them to set up their recurring gift.
2. Trust Badges
Have you earned trust badges from organizations such as CharityWatch, Charity Navigator, the BBB, and Guidestar? Proudly displaying them on your fundraising page showcases that donors can have confidence in your organization and how it uses donations.
3. Goal Thermometer (Sometimes)
If your giving page is specific to a time-bound campaign, having a fundraising thermometer can help you meet your goal. These thermometers show how much has been raised so far – providing social proof that others are giving to your mission – while also displaying how far you still need to go.
4. Extra Donation Form Elements
To further level up your fundraising page, consider adding these elements to your giving form:
- Donation Intervals – Recurring giving can make a big impact on your organization! Make it easy for donors to get started by adding donation intervals to your giving form.
- Fund Designations – If your nonprofit has a variety of programs or funds, appeal to donors with specific interests by allowing them to easily designate exactly where their gift will go.
- Tribute Gifts – Make it simple for donors to set up a tribute gift in honor or memory of a loved one via your fundraising page. This increases your chances of being shared as a preferred charity for these kinds of gifts at birthdays, memorial services, and more.
Improve Your Online Fundraising Page for More Donations
If you’re looking to boost donations, start with your online fundraising page. Whether you’re creating a donation page from scratch or improving your existing page, make sure you focus on these five critical elements:
- Impactful call to action
- Mobile-first layout
- Accessibility
- Brand-aligned logo, images, and message
- Quick and secure donation form
Once these components are in place, be sure to share your fundraising page far and wide. We’re talking social media, email, appeal letters…anywhere you place an ask!
We also recommend coming back periodically to test and review your giving page, making tweaks as needed. This is especially important before launching major campaigns, such as your year-end fundraising campaign. It’s also a good task to complete during fundraising slowdowns (like the summer slump).
Happy online fundraising!