12 Tips Nonprofits Can Use to Get Online Donations

Article first published in October 2017, updated July 2019.

Online donations are a boon for nonprofits and their donors. Giving online is easy, and donors can give when it’s convenient, instead of relying on direct mail or an event. 

With nearly half the world’s population online, it makes sense for nonprofits to leverage the internet to get donations online. Online giving doesn’t only simplify the process for nonprofits: Studies have shown that consumers prefer to give donations via the internet, with online giving having grown by 12.1% over the past year.

Online donor statistics

With online giving continuing to grow, it’s essential to know who’s giving and why. This can help digital marketers organize their online campaigns, targeting donors and increasing donations.

• Online donation pages had an average 8% conversion rate on mobile devices last year.
• Total number of transactions completed through mobile devices increased by 50%.
• For every 1,000 fundraising emails sent, nonprofits raised an average of $42.
• On average, nonprofits raised $1.77 through Facebook for every $100 raised through other digital channels.
• 37% of donors who made an online contribution to a nonprofit in 2017 made a repeated contribution to that same nonprofit in 2018.
• In 2018, 54% of females and 52% of males preferred to donate online.
• 32% of females were most inspired to give through social media efforts, while 30% of males were inspired by an email.
• Generation Z accounted for 2.7% of nonprofit donations, while Millennials accounted for 32% and Generation X accounted for 29.8%.

Today’s nonprofits need to ensure they can accept online donations, as well as find clever and creative ways to drive online giving. We partnered with Rob Wu, CEO and Co-founder of CauseVox to assemble 12 proven ways your nonprofit can bring in more online donations.

1. Organize your donation page.

If your website is difficult to navigate, then prospective donors are likely to move on to another nonprofit. To get donations online, make it easy to donate by creating a clean, organized donation page that’s and easy to use across multiple devices.

2. Leverage social media.

Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Pinterest are all excellent ways to spread the word about your cause to supporters. Consider using promoted posts to engage new fans.

3. Perfect your email.

Email marketing produces substantial ROI for nonprofits. Use email to recruit volunteers, re-engage lapsed donors, fundraise, and drive attendance to your next event.

4. Optimize for mobile.

Make sure not only your emails are optimized for mobile users, but that your website is as well. This can be done by using a responsive design that is coded to look its best across a variety of different devices.

5. Embrace peer-to-peer fundraising.

Encourage loyal supporters to raise money on behalf of your organization. Facebook’s charity giving option is one popular method that has exploded in recent years.

6. Use high-quality, compelling images.

Use impactful imagery that focuses on the people and places that are influenced by your work.

7. Use website pop-ups.

Pop-ups are an effective way of collecting a prospect’s information, such as their name, email, and other pertinent information. This information can then help you to personalize your email campaigns to your readers and their needs.

8. Share valuable content.

Establish your nonprofit as an expert in your niche by creating and sending out valuable content through an email newsletter or other mediums, such as an eBook or blog.

9. Follow trends.

To better engage subscribers, capitalize on current events and upcoming holidays. If there is a way you can connect your nonprofit to a current event, do it online.

10. Create a recurring giving campaign.

Offer monthly, recurring donation opportunities to help keep donors involved and engaged throughout the year. This will also help to ensure a steady flow of income for your organization.

11. Recognize your supporters quickly and often.

Send out personalized emails or give donors a call to acknowledge their gifts. This goes a long way in showing each person how much you appreciate their efforts.

12. Update donors and prospects.

Keep getting donations online by communicating with your donors and prospects, not just about the status of the current campaign, but the overall impact of their gifts.

Wrap up

Email marketing can help to generate funds and help you keep in touch with your donors. Use email to send invitations to upcoming events, update subscribers on the health of your organization, and share how funds are used. Use these 12 tips to get more from your online fundraising this year. Check out Campaign Monitor for Nonprofits—you save 15% every day.

Want to learn more ways to increase giving through the use of email marketing? Check out our ultimate guide to nonprofit email marketing today!

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