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Is Your Donation Form Hurting or Helping Your Fundraising?

48 minutes ago
3 min read

By Mitra Karami, Senior Consultant


Why should someone give to your organization instead of another nonprofit? It's one of the most important questions every nonprofit should be able to answer. Too often, organizations lead with a list of programs and services. But donors aren't just investing in what you do, they're investing in the impact you create and why your organization is uniquely positioned to create it.

Your donation form is one of the most important pages on your website. It's where someone who believes in your mission decides whether to take the final step and make a gift. Yet it's often one of the most overlooked parts of a nonprofit's fundraising strategy.


Organizations invest time creating compelling campaigns, telling inspiring stories, and driving traffic to their website, but if the donation experience is confusing, frustrating, or impersonal, donors may abandon the process before completing their gift.


The good news? Improving your donation form doesn't require a complete website redesign. Sometimes, small changes can have a significant impact on donor conversion and retention.


Put Yourself in Your Donor's Shoes

One of the simplest exercises your organization can do is make a test donation. Better yet, ask someone who has never donated to your organization to do it. Pay attention to every step of the experience.


Ask yourself:

  • Is it easy to find the Donate button?

  • Does the donation page look like the rest of your website?

  • Is the process intuitive on both desktop and mobile?

  • How many clicks does it take to complete a gift?

  • Are there unnecessary fields that create friction?

  • Does the donor feel confident their gift is secure?


If the process feels cumbersome to you, it likely feels even more challenging to a first time donor.


Every Extra Step Is an Opportunity to Lose a Donor

We often see donation forms asking for far more information than is necessary. Multiple required fields that don't directly support the gift transaction. While some of this information may be useful later, every additional required field creates another opportunity for someone to stop before completing their donation. A good donation form collects what you truly need and makes giving as simple as possible.


Don't Forget Mobile Users

More donors than ever are giving from their phones. If your donation form isn't optimized for mobile, you're creating unnecessary barriers for a growing portion of your audience. Test your form on multiple devices.


Can you complete a gift with one hand?


Are buttons easy to tap?


Is text readable without zooming?


Does the page load quickly?


A mobile friendly experience isn't a luxury, it's an expectation.


The Experience Doesn't End at "Submit"

Many nonprofits focus on getting donors to complete a gift but overlook what happens immediately afterward.


What does your confirmation page say?


Does it simply read, "Thank you for your donation"?


Or does it reinforce the impact of their generosity, express genuine appreciation, and invite them to stay connected?


Likewise, your acknowledgment email should be more than a receipt. It's your first opportunity to begin building a lasting relationship.


A thoughtful thank you message, a story of impact, or a short welcome video can turn a transaction into the start of meaningful donor engagement.


Small Improvements Can Make a Big Difference

You don't have to overhaul your entire donation platform overnight.


Start with a few simple improvements:

  • Reduce unnecessary required fields.

  • Make sure your donation form is mobile friendly.

  • Offer suggested giving amounts with examples of impact.

  • Include a recurring giving option.

  • Review your confirmation page and thank you email.

  • Test the process regularly to ensure everything works as intended.


These changes may seem small, but together they can significantly improve the donor experience.


Your Donation Form Is More Than a Payment Page

A donation form isn't just where gifts are processed, it's where trust is built.

When giving is easy, intuitive, and donor-centered, you're communicating something important: We value your time, your generosity, and your partnership.


That's an experience donors remember.


At The Ostara Group, we help nonprofits evaluate every step of the donor journey - from compelling messaging and effective cases for support to donation forms, stewardship strategies, and donor communications. Because successful fundraising isn't just about inspiring someone to give, it's about creating an experience that makes them want to give again.

 

 
 
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