A nonprofit organization’s website is essential in attracting donors and increasing the amount of donations. In fact, a good website design captures the browsers' attention to the important details the organization intends to highlight. Additionally, an attractive and well-thought-out design directs visitors' eyes toward the “donate” button, giving them an unconscious motivation to help the relevant organization.

Here are some strategies that nonprofit organizations can adopt in designing their websites to increase donation opportunities and the amount of donations every time a user visits the site.

  1. Narrating the organization's story from its inception on the homepage of the website

If the missions of a nonprofit organization are similar to the goals of other organizations, the story of this organization and the way it is conveyed to followers will be the distinguishing factor that sets it apart from others.

The two examples above demonstrate how to use bright and vibrant colors in the design of the nonprofit organization’s website, in addition to mentioning facts mixed with emotion to appeal to visitors' hearts, convey the organization's message and missions, and thus prompt them to donate.

  1. Keep the donation form simple on the website

A donation form that is hidden in many menus or other pages of the organization’s website, or that is complex and requires providing a lot of information, reduces the number of donations that the nonprofit organization expects to receive, because it complicates the donation process for internet users, especially since most prefer not to fill out long and complicated forms. Based on this information, the organization should capture visitors' attention from the start and streamline the donation form to include only the essential information.

The image above shows a donation form from one of the nonprofit organizations, which illustrates how to use a simple design and a concise form, along with the distinctive use of images and the organization's message to support its goals of obtaining donations.

It is also important that the donation form is designed in a way that makes it accessible on all platforms (such as computers and smartphones) by incorporating buttons that are easy to click, avoiding the need for smartphone users to constantly zoom in to click on them.

The example above shows another way to improve the donation form, which lies in providing donation levels, i.e., offering a list of different monetary amounts that can be donated, and giving donors the opportunity to choose one of them. They can also be given the option to donate an unspecified amount by adding an “Other Amount” button. This will contribute to increasing the amount of donations.

  1. Mention social proof to gather as many donors as possible

The image above represents the page of a nonprofit organization. The page includes information about the organization's projects under the title “Recent Donations,” meaning the latest contributions made by donors towards various social goals set by the organization.

From this perspective, it is important for the nonprofit organization to mention the evidence and the amounts collected to convince its website visitors of its transparency and credibility, thus gaining more donors and increasing the amount of donations.

  1. Do not neglect the footer of the website

The goal of the organization's website is not only to gain the trust of visitors and donors but also to ensure the continuity of their donations and support. Therefore, the nonprofit organization should pay attention to the footer of its website as it is the last opportunity to make visitors reach what the organization aspires to and guide them by providing important and concise information.

The above image comes from the site of a nonprofit organization, providing an example of a footer through which the organization communicates with visitors and donors, enabling them to subscribe via email to receive continuous updates.

The nonprofit organization's website also serves as the platform through which it gains the trust of donors and supporters to ensure the continuity of their support and achieve its goals. Therefore, the organization should work on developing and improving the design of its website to achieve these goals, convey its message, and introduce itself.

Website: Ann Green Nonprofit Blog

Author: Disha Jay