In online charity fundraising, your donation form is more than just a tool, it plays a strategic role in donor conversion and retention.
By upgrading your donation form with smart, donor-centred features, you can turn simple gestures into lasting support and unlock new potential for your fundraising efforts.
Below are 15 essential features that every organisation should consider to transform the giving experience, increase conversions, and encourage donors to give more generously.
Guiding supporters through a seamless journey via your donation form
Encouraging higher gifts with smart giving options
Connecting with donors through smart engagement
Bonus: A/B testing to optimise your online donation forms
Upgrade your donation forms today
Guiding supporters through a seamless journey via your donation form
1. One-step donation forms
A key feature of an effective donation form is a one-step layout that keeps all steps visible on a single page.
Whether it’s designed in one column — allowing space for an impactful image beside the form — or in several columns, this format reduces the number of clicks, simplifies the process, and minimises mental effort.
By making the giving journey faster and more intuitive, one-step forms help boost conversion rates, especially for first-time donors.
2. Pre-filling & autocompletion
As a fundraiser, you know that every second counts in the donation process. Simplifying each step helps reduce drop-offs and keep donors engaged.
A key feature on your donation form should be pre-filling and autocompletion. By automatically populating donor details through URL parameters or address autocompletion, you make the giving process faster, smoother, while improving data quality.
3. One-click donations
Making it easy to give is key: mobile-friendly one-click donations help convert first-time donors faster.
The Sumatran Orangutan Society illustrates this well, with 14% of their online donations coming through digital wallets like Google Pay and Apple Pay.
4. Smart donation forms for personalised donor journeys
Did you know that personalising forms can significantly increase relevance and engagement? On your donation forms, tailor suggested amounts and messaging based on donor history and preferences.
With iRaiser’s dedicated donation pages, you can tailor each giving experience to donor profiles and history — for example, by displaying suggested amounts based on past gifts.
This level of personalisation is especially powerful for reactivation, loyalty campaigns or major donors. To learn more, read our article: When to use dedicated donation pages to boost fundraising.
5. Minimal form fields
Limiting the number of required fields is key to keeping visitors engaged and motivated to donate. We recommend keeping your donation form as short as possible to minimise friction and encourage more online donations.
Tip: You can request additional donor information on the thank-you page after the gift is made. This will allow you to convert first-time donors without disrupting their journey.
Encouraging higher gifts with smart giving options
6. Customisable amounts
Providing clear suggested donation amounts helps donors decide how much to give and sets a benchmark for contributions.
We recommend offering several suggested donation amounts on your form, aligned with your campaign objectives. For even greater impact, consider personalising the donation grid based on previous gifts. For example, if a donor’s last donation was €100, you can suggest €100, €120 (+20%), and €130 (+30%). This approach guides donors while subtly encouraging them to increase their support.
This guidance can encourage larger gifts while supporting your overall fundraising strategy.
7. Free amount field
Allowing donors to choose their own donation amount gives them freedom and control over their giving.
We suggest adding a free amount field for specific campaigns and using A/B testing to evaluate its impact on engagement and donations.
8. Dynamic equivalences
Illustrating the real-world impact of each donation helps donors understand the difference their gift makes, for example, “€50 funds 50 nutrition kits,” using visuals and text.
This helps donors feel the concrete difference their gift makes, reinforces emotional connection and motivates charity donations online.
9. Most popular amount
Highlighting the most frequently chosen donation amount is an effective way to leverage social proof, encouraging donors toward more generous contributions. When supporters see what others are giving, it builds confidence and encourages generosity.
An A/B test conducted by Société Protectrice des Animaux (France) showed that emphasising the most popular gift amount led to +27% higher average donations.
10. Suggested recurring donations
Encourage donors to turn one-time gifts into monthly support right on your donation form, helping your organisation collect donations more consistently over time.
See the feature in action: Amnesty International France uses iRaiser’s innovation to boost recurring donations: when a one-time gift is selected, a pop-up invites donors to convert it into a recurring contribution — for example, by dividing the amount by 10 or 12.
Try it on Amnesty International France’s donation form: select “I donate once,” choose €100, then click on a field in step 2 (for example, the email) to see the pop-up in action.
Connecting with donors through smart engagement
11. Automated branded emails
Automating thank-you messages, renewal reminders, or impact updates helps maintain strong relationships with your donors and encourages repeat online donations. By delivering timely, personalised communication, you can show appreciation and keep supporters engaged throughout their giving journey.
Want to discover new ways to show your gratitude to donors? Check out our article: 13 creative ways to show donor appreciation.
12. Progress bar
Showing the progress of your fundraising campaign helps donors understand the collective impact of contributions. A visual progress bar can motivate supporters to give more and actively support your digital fundraising efforts.
As the end of the year approaches — a key period for donations and tax deductions — consider adding a progress bar to highlight how close you are to your target. WWF France successfully used this feature on its donation form to drive last-minute gifts and maximise year-end giving.
13. Latest donors banner
Displaying recent donations in real time helps visitors see the impact of contributions and builds trust. Highlighting other donors’ gifts can encourage new supporters to give and foster a sense of community on your donation page.
14. Video & streaming integration
Incorporating live or pre-recorded video directly on your donation form allows donors to connect emotionally with your cause. Videos can tell compelling stories, increase engagement, and inspire contributions.
Example: SOS MEDITERRANEE Italy uses video directly on their donation form to highlight rescue missions and engage supporters in real time. Explore how they reached 85% of their online fundraising goal for GivingTuesday in the full case study!
15. Exit-intent pop-up
Providing a subtle exit-intent pop-up can help retain visitors at the critical moment.
Exit-intent pop-ups are not a native iRaiser feature but can easily be added through your web agency or third-party integration.
The concept is simple: when the system detects a donor is about to leave the page, a persuasive message appears, gently encouraging them to complete their gift.
This simple nudge can turn potential drop-offs into actual donations, increasing conversion without interrupting the donor journey.
See the feature in action! CCFD-Terre Solidaire uses an exit-intent pop-up on their donation form to gently remind visitors who are about to leave. 10% of visitors clicked the pop-up CTA, and 30% of them went on to complete a donation—converting potential drop-offs into meaningful contributions.
Bonus: A/B testing to optimise your online donation forms
Testing variations of your donation forms can uncover high-impact improvements. Many organisations have achieved remarkable results—such as increasing the average gift by 29% or boosting click-through rates on their donation page by 5%
Our fundraising guide “11 A/B tests to boost your online fundraising” provides proven, easy-to-implement tests with results and actionable insights, helping charities replicate these successes and improve online giving.
Upgrade your donation forms today
Implementing these 15 features will make your donation pages more effective and help you raise funds more efficiently for your cause.
With smart donation forms, one-click online payment methods and an engaging donation process—among others, you can inspire more people to contribute, return, and become loyal donors, raising money consistently throughout the year.
To understand how to build donor loyalty step by step, read our article: Online fundraising: from first gift to lifelong support.