How to create a donation page that converts (with real examples)

Your donation page is a standalone destination for supporters to learn about your organization and make a gift. It's also the central landing page for your appeals, social posts, and peer-to-peer fundraisers, which means it has to build trust, tell your story, and close the gift all at once.

Most nonprofits have a donation page, but even well-intentioned ones can quietly lose donors to small friction points: a layout that's hard to navigate, visuals that don't reflect the mission, or a checkout experience that asks for more than it needs to.

This guide walks you through the must-have features of a great donation page, a step-by-step setup process, and real examples from nonprofits doing it well, so you can build your own with confidence and start turning visitors into donors.

10 must-have features of a great donation page

Before you build or optimize your donation page, here's a quick feature checklist to work from.

Take the quiz: Where is your donation page losing donors?

Most donation pages have at least one hidden friction point that costs potential donors. This two-minute quiz pinpoints exactly where yours is falling short. Then use what you learn as a roadmap to optimize your page.

How to set up a donation page that converts in 6 simple steps

Whether you're setting up a donation landing page for the first time or optimizing one that isn't converting, these six steps will help you launch quickly and confidently.

Watch the video below to learn how to make a donation page that drives results, and keep reading for even more top tips.

1. Choose the right fundraising platform 💪

The platform you use shapes how your donation page looks, how donors give, and how you track every gift. When comparing options, ask yourself:

• Does it allow full-page customization?
• Are social sharing features built in?
• Can you track donations in real time?
• What customer support options are available?
• Are there any setup or monthly fees?

Givebutter checks all these boxes with customizable fundraising pages, multiple payment options, and embeddable widgets, for free on any site.

Plus, with the Givebutter Guarantee, nonprofits pay $0 platform and $0 processing fees when optional donor tips are enabled.

More to explore

Compare the 10 best online donation platforms in 2026

2. Customize your design & tell your story 🎨

The design of your online donation page can significantly affect how donors interact with it. Givebutter's Canva integration makes it easy to create engaging visuals, even without graphic design experience.

Here's how to showcase your cause and inspire more donations:

• Add photos, graphics, illustrations, and video content
• Share impact stories and quotes
• Customize donation tiers with meaningful details (e.g., $50 provides 10 school lunches)
• Display real-time goal progress with a fundraising thermometer

💡 Pro tip: Design for mobile first. Mobile-sourced revenue grew 48% in 2025. A donate page that isn't optimized for phones will lose donors before they complete their gift.

Dive deeper

Learn the 5 ways to nail your nonprofit branding

3. Set your donation amounts 💰

Pre-set giving amounts reduce friction and increase average gift size because donors anchor to the options you put in front of them.

A simple giving ladder might look like this:

• $25: Provides school supplies for one student
• $100: Funds two weeks of after-school tutoring
• $500: Covers a full semester of educational support
• $1K: Provides a semester-long scholarship for one student

Always include one open-ended "other amount" field for donors who want to give outside your suggested amounts.

💡 Pro tip: Make your donate button large, bold, and easy to find. It should be the first thing supporters see when they're ready to give.

Freebie alert!

Download your free donation form optimization checklist →

4. Turn on recurring giving 🔁

One of the simplest ways to grow your fundraising is already built into your donation page: a recurring giving toggle. With one click, a donor who planned to give once becomes a monthly supporter, without any extra effort from your team.

In a Givebutter survey of 39 nonprofit professionals, 40% said they rarely or never actively promote recurring giving to their donors. Your donation page is the easiest place to start.

With Givebutter, you can offer monthly, quarterly, or yearly recurring donation options, set recurring gifts as the default donation choice, or enable automated messages that invite one-time donors to switch to monthly giving.

More to explore

Launch a monthly giving program that grows year over year

5. Offer multiple ways to give 💸

63% of donors prefer to give via credit or debit card, but limiting your page to cards alone leaves the other 37% on the table. Mobile donors especially expect to click and go. If your page doesn't support their preferred giving method, they'll leave before completing their donation.

In addition to debit and credit cards, be sure to accept popular payment methods like:

• PayPal and Venmo
• Cash App
• Apple Pay and Google Pay
• Donor-advised funds (DAF donations)
• ACH donations
• Tap to Pay
• Offline donations (checks and cash)

💡 Pro tip: Before you launch, verify that your donate button works on mobile and desktop, test each payment method end to end, review your page on at least two browsers, and assess load speed. A slow or broken page can lose donors before they even see your story.

Dive deeper

Use a donation form template that accepts every payment method →

6. Thank & engage donors instantly 💛

The donation is just the beginning of the relationship. Thoughtful follow-up turns a one-time gift into long-term support, and much of it can be automated so your team doesn't have to manage it manually.

To build strong donor relationships early on:

• Enable automatic donation receipts for instant IRS-compliant thank-yous after every gift.
• Set up a supporter feed so donors can see and celebrate each other's contributions in real time.
• Automate workflows to trigger emails or texts based on donor behavior, like a welcome message after a first gift or a reminder to switch to monthly giving.
• Add a signup form to capture interest from supporters who aren't ready to give yet, so you can stay in touch and bring them back when the time is right.

Freebie alert!

Generate a professional donation receipt in seconds →

10 best donation page examples from real nonprofits

See how the above steps come to life on real nonprofit donation pages. Here are 10 real nonprofit examples to inspire your own.

1. Black in Marine Science 🐬

Every donation to Black in Marine Science fuels ocean innovation and uplifts the next generation of marine scientists. With a clear fundraising goal and multiple giving pathways, donors can see exactly how their contributions advance education, research, and equity in the field.

⚡ Standout feature: Fundraising thermometer

🏆 Why it works: By combining a bold $2M campaign goal with accessible entry points (monthly giving, BIMS Champions, and major gifts), Black in Marine Science creates momentum while impact highlights show tangible donor outcomes.

2. Wings of Rescue 🐶

When pets are at risk in overcrowded shelters and disaster areas, Wings of Rescue steps in and flies them to safe havens. The strong branding and visuals on their donation page capture this urgency.

⚡ Standout feature: Real image of impact

🏆 Why it works: The prominent photo on their donation page immediately shows supporters what's at stake and why their contributions matter.

3. Jericho Project 🏠

Focused on alleviating homelessness, Jericho Project's donation page is simple, clean, and designed for maximum ease of use.

⚡ Standout feature: Recurring and one-time donation options

🏆 Why it works: Flexible giving options encourage a wider band of support. This page gives donors control over both the amount and frequency of their gift while sustaining impact.

More to explore

Launch a monthly giving program that grows year over year →

4. Latino Leadership Institute 🌎

The Latino Leadership Institute frames giving as an investment in Latino potential through careers, businesses, and networks that uplift entire communities. Their donation page reinforces a message centered on collective action.

⚡ Standout feature: Bright, eye-catching colors that align with the brand

🏆 Why it works: Instead of focusing solely on programs, LLI positions donations as a way to drive systemic change and long-term growth. This rallying language empowers donors to feel like active partners in shaping a more equitable future.

5. Mission Bit 👾

Beyond a standard donation form, Mission Bit's website also features a dedicated page for its recurring donation program. The page blends statistics, photos, and testimonials into a compelling case for monthly support.

⚡ Standout feature: Dedicated recurring donation page

🏆 Why it works: The embedded donation form widget includes descriptions for each giving level, helping donors connect their gift to an ongoing solution, whether they give $10, $25, or $100.

Dive deeper

Learn how to attract, retain, and upgrade recurring donors

6. NR2F1 Foundation 🧪

Trust is central to the NR2F1 Foundation donation page, which clearly explains how contributions are used, including that 80% of funds go directly to research initiatives. The page also offers flexible ways to give, including online donations, checks, and donor-advised funds.

⚡ Standout feature: Transparent donation impact descriptions

🏆 Why it works: By clearly explaining how gifts support critical research, NR2F1 reinforces the impact of every contribution. Multiple giving options also make the process accessible while strengthening credibility and trust.

7. LOGAN Hope 🏫

The LOGAN Hope giving page highlights multiple ways supporters can give, including one-time and monthly donations, stock transfers, legacy giving, and Pennsylvania tax credit programs. It frames donations as an investment in Christ-centered education for students in North Philadelphia.

⚡ Standout feature: Wide variety of giving options

🏆 Why it works: By offering ACH and PayPal alongside appreciated assets, bequests, and matching gifts, LOGAN Hope maximizes giving potential while meeting donors where they are so that anyone can get involved.

8. Hearts of Joy International 💛

Few donation pages make an impact as tangible as Hearts of Joy International's. With giving levels tied directly to life-saving surgeries, airfare, food, and supplies, donors immediately see how their support transforms a child's future.

⚡ Standout feature: Impact-driven donation tiers

🏆 Why it works: Each dollar amount connects to a real-world outcome, like funding a full heart surgery or providing formula during a hospital stay. This page removes guesswork, inspires generosity, and shows donors exactly how their contributions change (and even save) lives.

Dive deeper

Convert donors with the 4-part nonprofit storytelling framework

9. Trinity Church ⛪

Trinity Church's donation form uses simple giving tiers and clear explanations about how donations support the church's ministries and outreach efforts. A frictionless giving experience with the ability to designate how funds are used builds trust and connection with donors.

⚡ Standout feature: Fund designation

🏆 Why it works: Allowing supporters to donate in someone's honor and specify how their gift is used creates a personal connection. The option to make one-time or recurring donations gives donors more flexibility and makes contributing quick and convenient.

10. Waynesburg University Men's Soccer Team ⚽

The Waynesburg University Men's Soccer Team donation page clearly and concisely asks for contributions to offset travel and participation costs while explaining exactly what the team will be doing on its mission trip.

⚡ Standout feature: Donor wall

🏆 Why it works: Donor walls, where supporters can comment, celebrate, and cheer on the team and each other, build a sense of community that encourages giving.

Learn more

Send a donation thank-you that wins the next gift

Create a donation page that raises more with Givebutter

High-converting donation pages don't require a large budget or a large team. They just require the right tools, clear messaging, mobile-friendly design, and a frictionless giving experience.

The nonprofits in this guide built pages that convert, and they did it for free. Givebutter gives you everything you need to do the same, without stitching together multiple platforms or paying extra for features that should come standard.

Create your free Givebutter account and start building your donation page today.

FAQs about nonprofit donation pages

How do I create a donation page for free?

Givebutter lets you create and customize your donation page for free, then embed it into the website host you use, like Squarespace, Wix, or Weebly.

What's the best platform to create a donation page?

It depends on your needs, but ideally, the platform should let you manage fundraising, donor data, and outreach all in one place. It should also integrate with your host site, including GoDaddy and WordPress.

Givebutter offers donation pages, embeddable forms, and website widgets, making it a strong choice.

How can I improve conversion rates?

Highlight monthly giving options, test different preset donation amounts, and ensure your donation button (or call to action) is large and bold so donors immediately know where to click.

What minor tweaks actually boost donations?

Adding a clear "Ways to Give" dropdown menu, preset donation amounts, or a dedicated giving methods section with options like credit/debit, ACH, donor-advised funds, stock contributions, and matching gifts can make a big difference. Organized giving options simplify the process for donors, which can increase contributions.

What do I write on a donation page?

Your donation page should inspire people to give to your cause or campaign. Use storytelling, quotes from your team or beneficiaries, and impact statements that show the value of donating. Complement text with photos and videos to further illustrate your story.

What's the difference between a donation page and a donation form?

A donation page is a full, standalone destination that tells your organization's story through words and branding, and encourages donors to give using a progress bar and donor wall. A form, on the other hand, is an embeddable widget that exists on another site page (like a homepage). Givebutter offers both for free.