Reimagining the nonprofit donation form with Fundraise Up

Jan 24, 2025
Ruzida Badrutdinova
Product Marketing Manager

The secret recipe for creating an exceptional giving experience

Fundraising is about more than just transactions — it’s about building connections and empowering donors to make a difference. At Fundraise Up, we’ve reimagined the checkout process to embody this ethos, transforming a simple act of giving into a seamless, intuitive, and inspiring journey. How do we do it? Through design, engineering, and an unwavering commitment to nonprofits and their supporters.

Let’s dive into the story of how we’ve crafted a donation form experience that sets a new standard for speed, intelligence, and higher conversion rates.

Designing with respect for donors

At Fundraise Up, design isn’t just about aesthetics — it’s about respect. Every pixel and interaction in our checkout experience is crafted with care, ensuring donors feel valued and empowered.

E-commerce best practices, tailored for nonprofits

We took the best practices from e-commerce — where speed and simplicity drive success — and applied them to nonprofit fundraising. Our goal? To make the donation form experience as frictionless as possible, because every second counts when a supporter is ready to give. Here’s our secret recipe:

  • Lightning-fast donations: On average, donors complete their donation in just about 2.5 minutes.
  • Minimal steps: We’ve stripped away unnecessary complexity, focusing on clarity and ease.
  • Friction-free interfaces: Intuitive icons and streamlined layouts mean donors never have to guess.
When making updates to the Checkout or releasing new functionality, we always treat time to complete the donation as the key metric with a focus on keeping that time minimal.

Zero redirects, maximum focus

Unlike traditional donation forms that redirect donors to external pages, our Checkout Modal launches as an overlay directly on the nonprofit’s website. This preserves click-to-view conversions and maintains a seamless, branded experience.

Smart payment options

With support for numerous payment methods, our Checkout Modal dynamically prioritizes the most relevant options based on the donor’s location, device type, and preferences. For instance, an iPhone user might see Apple Pay as the top choice, enabling a donation in just a few clicks.

Clear and personalized steps

No one likes endless forms. That’s why we’ve divided the donation process into concise, AI-optimized steps. This not only makes the experience feel faster but also ensures every interaction is meaningful. For example:

  • Address autofill: Location-aware suggestions reduce typing.
  • Upsell screens: Our innovative prompts for recurring giving are tailored to each donor, encouraging generosity without being pushy.

This innovation is effective in creating more predictable revenue for nonprofits because we’re asking the right questions. Is this screen appearing at the perfect moment for the right donor? Is it loading smoothly without interruptions? These are the critical factors that set Fundraise Up apart.
  • Abandoned donations: This feature turns unfinished donations into completed contributions. A recent study showed that 10% of users who filled in their email on the Remind Me Later checkout screen and received a reminder email, ended up making a donation. This means more funds for your cause and more engaged supporters.

  • Employer matching: Donors can easily check if their employer offers a corporate matching program right during the checkout process. By integrating with Double the Donation’s 360MatchPro, this feature empowers donors to amplify their impact while unlocking the untapped potential for nonprofits.

Device optimization

Fundraise Up is designed to adapt to any device, whether desktop, laptop, tablet, or mobile. Considering that about half of all donations are made from mobile devices, we’ve placed special emphasis on optimizing the experience for smaller screens.

White-label flexibility

Fundraise Up’s Checkout is designed to fit naturally into any nonprofit’s website, regardless of its cause or mission. By balancing engaging, positive design elements with a neutral aesthetic, we ensure the platform feels appropriate for all types of campaigns, from lighthearted initiatives to serious, mission-critical efforts. This adaptability allows nonprofits to maintain their brand identity while benefiting from our optimized tools.

Human touches that inspire generosity

From animated hearts in the monthly giving tab to engaging icons like a gift box, every detail is designed to delight and motivate. These touches remind donors that their contributions make a real impact.

Moreover, these features aren’t just visually appealing — they’ve been proven effective through rigorous testing and donor feedback.

Engineering for speed and reliability

Design is only half the story. Behind the scenes, our engineering team works tirelessly to ensure the Checkout form is fast, reliable, and ready to handle the most demanding campaigns.

Built for speed

Our platform is optimized to ensure the Checkout Modal opens instantly without slowing down the nonprofit’s website. Real-time monitoring, Web Vitals metrics, and tools like Google Lighthouse and CrUX help us maintain blazing-fast performance.

  • Average load time: 2.5 seconds (industry average: 2.7 seconds).
  • Completion time: 147 seconds on desktop and 138 seconds on mobile.

Testing across all devices

We rigorously test on real devices, including older models, to ensure a flawless experience for every donor, regardless of their technology.

Scalability and reliability

During high-traffic campaigns, uptime is non-negotiable. Our system processes up to 200 transactions per second in real-time, with robust queue management for additional volume.

Proactive monitoring

We continuously monitor key metrics such as Checkout opening speed, donation completion rates, and performance of individual steps. This proactive approach allows us to identify and resolve potential issues before they impact the donor experience, ensuring every interaction is smooth and efficient.

Global optimization: a giving experience without borders

Creating an exceptional giving experience isn’t just about speed or simplicity — it’s about making every donor feel at home, no matter where in the world they are. At Fundraise Up, we’ve gone the extra mile to ensure our platform delivers a truly global solution, one that meets the unique needs of donors across cultures and regions.

Here’s how we’ve designed our platform to transcend borders and amplify generosity worldwide:

Language support for every donor

With support for over 20 languages — including right-to-left formats for Arabic — Fundraise Up ensures every label, button, and message feels intuitive and native.

Tailored features by country

A one-size-fits-all approach doesn’t work in a global world. That’s why Fundraise Up dynamically adjusts to local donation habits. Whether it’s supporting Gift Aid in the UK or formatting addresses based on country standards, we’ve tailored the experience for relevance and ease.

Seamless compliance

Nonprofits shouldn’t have to worry about legal fine print. Our customizable compliance screens simplify the process, helping nonprofits collect marketing consent while respecting the local regulations that protect donor trust.

By weaving in thoughtful localization and compliance solutions, Fundraise Up creates a frictionless and inclusive platform that empowers nonprofits to connect with donors anywhere in the world. After all, generosity knows no borders — and neither should the giving experience.

Data-driven innovation

At Fundraise Up, we never stop improving. Our data-driven approach ensures that every update, feature, and design choice is backed by insights that maximize impact.

Experimentation that drives results

We believe that great ideas come from real-world testing. By continuously experimenting and analyzing performance metrics — like conversion rates, average donation amounts, and total revenue — we refine every aspect of our Checkout Modal. This approach allows us to uncover subtle trends, optimize donor experiences, and consistently drive better outcomes.

Finding the right balance

We carefully design our checkout experience to strike the right balance between maximizing conversion rates and increasing donation sizes. Through data-driven insights and thoughtful experimentation, we’ve refined the timing and context of key prompts to ensure donors feel inspired, not pressured, to give generously.

The metrics that matter

Our dedication to performance is reflected in the numbers. Here’s how Fundraise Up compares to industry benchmarks:

A commitment to nonprofits and donors

Creating an exceptional giving experience isn’t just about technology — it’s about people. From our designers to our engineers, every team member at Fundraise Up is dedicated to helping nonprofits succeed and donors feel valued. By blending innovation with empathy, we’ve built a platform that not only works but inspires.

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