How online forms make collecting donations easy

Do you research how to collect donations online for free? Of course, you’ve probably come across dozens of tools and platforms. One of the most effective ways to start collecting support is by creating a simple and engaging donation form..

In this article, we’ll guide you through the process of getting started with a ready-made donation form template, including what information to include, how to design your form, and how to share it to begin receiving contributions. You will also see some frequently asked questions and answers along the way.

Collect donations seamlessly: 5 Simple steps with forms.app

Donations are collected in many areas, from civil society organizations to individual aid campaigns. However, regardless of the area you collect from, the key is to achieve maximum efficiency with minimal cost and effort. This is where online forms.app comes into play. So, how to create a donation form?

Let’s explore how you can set up your donation process step by step using online forms!

1. Start with a template

Don’t worry if you’ve never built a form before. You can select a ready-made sample donation form template that suits your campaign or use the form builder to create one from scratch in just a few minutes. Whether you’re working with a charity or a personal fundraiser, starting with a donation form sample​ saves a significant amount of time and effort.

Donation Form Template

Charity Donation Form Template

Sponsorship Form Template

Use the free AI form builder tool

2. Add payment fields to collect donations

forms.app offers payment options via Stripe and PayPal. After adding a payment field to your form, you can set a fixed amount and currency for payments, choose a default payment method, and enable the methods you would like to offer. Regardless of the method you use, the process will be straightforward and can be completed in a few simple steps.

Customize the payment settings

When setting up Stripe, clearly state on the form that the donation is secured with SSL encryption and that card data is tokenized and never stored on your server. This directly addresses a major donor concern. After you connect to Stripe, you can accept credit and debit card payments directly through your form. It’s a great option if you want a smooth experience that doesn’t redirect users elsewhere.

Use PayPal to collect donations

You can use PayPal integration, if your audience prefers a familiar and trusted service they already use. Easily provide a way for people to make easy and secure payments or donations.

3. Change the design

Change the form theme

Design is vital in online forms, not just for looks, but for conversions. More than 67% of site visitors will abandon your form permanently if they encounter any complications, and only 20% will bother to follow up with the company in another way. In other words, poor form design doesn’t just cost you a submission; it often costs you the donors entirely.

Edit the colors

Using form themes, you can instantly change your form design. You can customize the colors and overall design of your online form, from the primary color to the response color. Furthermore, you can add visual content to your forms and choose a layout type.

4. Embed it on your website

Choose an embed type

You’ve created your donation form​ and customized the design; it’s time to introduce it to potential donors. forms.app offers a variety of embed options to embed your online donation request forms on your website without coding. You can use any of the six different embed options: standard, fullscreen, chatbox layout, side tab, pop-up, and slider, and make adjustments to these options as you wish.

Customize the embed details

All you have to do is choose one of the handy embed options, make the necessary adjustments, and then embed the code on your website. This way, visitors can donate without leaving the site, which increases engagement and conversion.

5. Start collecting donations

Check your responses

You’ve completed the final checks and shared your form. Now you’re ready to collect donations. Analyzing form responses can be time-consuming and require effort. forms.app helps you track and analyze your donations in real-time. With the AI Insights, you can benefit from AI to analyze form responses.

For example, you can obtain summaries of donation trends, including the most common donation amounts, the most active days, and times of day.

Connect other apps to your donation form

Additionally, forms.app offers a wide range of integrations with various tools, including Google Sheets, Slack, Notion, Mailchimp, and CRMs. These integrations enable you to automate your workflow, organize contacts, and send automated thank-you messages.

In short

Online fundraising isn’t as complicated as you might think. On the contrary, it’s an effective method that saves time and resources. By using a donation form, you can start accepting donations with minimal setup and without coding.

In this article, we aimed to provide a comprehensive and practical guide on how to collect charity donations online​. In its simplest terms, the best and most effective way to collect donations is to create a well-structured online form. All you have to do is choose a template and add payment fields. Then customize its design, embed it on your website, and start collecting donations.

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