Why your charity should invest in an online donation form

What is an online donation form?

An online donation form is a piece of software that can be implemented within either an existing website and/or social media channels to allow a flexible approach towards receiving donations.

Once an online donation form is live, it provides supporters with the option to donate either one-off or regular donations via your website. In addition, there is also the option for supporters to make Gift Aid donations, contributing towards a boost to the donations that your charity receives.

Unlike a physical donation form, an online version allows donations to be made in a matter of minutes, saving valuable time, while encouraging your supporters to make repeat donations at their own convenience.

What are the benefits of implementing an online donation form?

With the Not For Profit sector becoming increasingly more digital, charity organisations have developed their processes by offering an online alternative, which has been welcomed by supporters. This is supported by statistics, as 94% of nonprofits accept online donations via their website [1], while 63% of donors prefer to give online with either a credit or debit card [2].

Based on this data, it would prove wise for charities to meet the preferences of their supporters in order to gain an increase in donations. By implementing an online donation form such as Access Donate, it simplifies the user experience for your supporters, while also enhancing and streamlining your processes. These factors can therefore contribute towards a smooth donation process that encourages long-term support.

Below, we provide a breakdown of the following benefits.

Requires a quick and easy setup

At Access, our charity experts are on hand to ensure that you experience a quick and easy setup that allows your charity to receive donations at the earliest opportunity. Not only will we take the stress out of your hands, but we can have you ready to receive donations within hours!  

Provides a flexible approach to receiving donations

Once the setup is complete, the online donation form provides a flexible approach in receiving donations. This flexibility extends to your supporters, who are given the simple option of either donating on either a one-off occasion and/or on a regular basis. Alongside this, it also presents the option to donate via GiftAid, providing additional funds to your charity’s cause(s).

An online donation form provides a quick and simple solution for your supporters, who are likely to acknowledge this and potentially become long-term donors.

Automated message functionality

Acknowledging your supporters’ donations is a great approach in building a stronger relationship with them. However, finding the time to write ‘thank you’ messages for each donor can be challenging due to busy schedules.

With Access Donate, you can schedule automated messages that trigger within your CRM once a donation has been made. These messages are suitable for welcome journeys or any other supporter journey to help you engage and nurture your supporters, building deeper and more meaningful relationships.

Can integrate with other pieces of software

Access Donate can easily integrate with your existing website and social media channels, and also includes out of the box integration with Access Charity CRM and Access Payments software.

Through this connectivity, it means that all personal details, payment data, and contact preferences are automatically shared to Access Charity CRM, ensuring that you reduce admin and increase supporter insight, while ensuring compliance with GDPR.

Access to key insights

It’s imperative to understand the behaviour of your donors in order to personalise your campaigns and attract their attention.

This data can be accessed via Access Charity CRM, while you also have the ability to create reports or view these insights in the Workspace Analytics dashboards. Additionally, If you have Fundraising Hub, you will also be able to easily access supporter details and take the relevant actions via this platform.

 

Is an online donation form an affordable solution?

Generally speaking, an online donation form is an affordable solution to digitise your donation processes.

At Access, we offer Access Donate as a module of Access Charity CRM to new customers. The cost of Access Donate will depend on the Access Charity CRM Package you opt for. These prices are outlined below:

Charity CRM	Starter Package	Standard Package	Premium Package
	Essential Fundraising​ Up to 3 users and unlimited constituents / contacts​ From £250 per month	Growing Fundraising​ Up to 10 users and unlimited constituents / contacts​ From £525 per month	Advanced Fundraising​ Up to 30 users and unlimited constituents / contacts​ From £833 per month
Access Donate	Access Donate available at a cost of £75 per month add-on*	Included as part of CRM Package*	Included as part of CRM Package*

 

*Custom URL available at an additional £10 per month. Have a question about our packages? Speak to member of our team for more information.

Implement an online donation form with Access Donate

Implementing an online donation form provides a swift and simple alternative to a traditional paper-based approach. Opting for this piece of software provides a user-friendly solution that will encourage your donors to make long-term donations, while streamlining your processes. In addition, it also provides key insights that support your campaigns to build stronger supporter relationships.

At Access, we appreciate that an online donation form may be a new concept for your charity and that choosing a suitable solution may lead to a minefield of questions. Our esteemed charity experts are more than happy to guide you in the right direction.

Contact our NFP team for more information.

Resources

[1] Nonprofit Tech for Good (2021). [DATA] 11 Must-Know Stats About Online Fundraising

[2] Double the Donation (2023). Nonprofit Fundraising Statistics to Boost Results in 2024