How to Set Up a Donation Page for Fundraising Success in 8 Steps

Nora4
| 9 min read Fundraising Strategy

If you’ve decided to start crowdfunding for an important cause you might be wondering how to build a fundraising strategy that will inspire people to donate. Whether you are fundraising for yourself, a loved one, a charity or non-profit organization, it’s important to set up a donation page that tells your unique story. With this guide, you’ll learn how to:

  • Choose an online fundraising platform to host your crowdfund
  • Write a meaningful and engaging story for your fundraising page
  • Choose the best photos and videos to illustrate your fundraiser
  • Set your fundraising goals
  • Share your fundraising efforts with potential donors on social media
  • Thank your supporters for investing in your fundraiser
  • Post updates on your fundraising site to help you reach your goal

Start a GoFundMe

What is the best crowdfunding platform for your donation page?

With the rising popularity of crowdfunding, there are dozens of fundraising websites to choose from. So how do you know which platform is right for you and your cause?

  • Top crowdfunding sites will not only offer a streamline setup process with good functionality, but they’ll also offer you tips on sharing your fundraiser online, and help with social media tools like choosing the best widgets to increase online donations.
  • Look for a fundraising platform with a user-friendly mobile app, a simple donation form and payment-processing system, a dedicated customer support service, and a blog packed with fundraising tips.
  • You also want to choose a platform that keeps donor data secure, is clear about pricing and any platform fees, and gives potential donors a range of payment options like using a credit card or a trusted online payment system like PayPal to donate.

GoFundMe does not charge a fee for you to start or manage a fundraiser. When you come to collect your donations GoFundMe automatically calculates the transaction fee so that you don’t have to. GoFundMe deducts 2.9% plus $0.30 from each donation in an all-in-one process that lets you concentrate on fundraising.

If you’re still unsure about how to choose a platform for your fundraising campaign, take a look at our Why GoFundMe page to find out what sets us apart from the rest.

Crowdfunding for your favorite nonprofits

In addition to fundraising for yourself, a loved one, or a friend, you can contribute directly to a charity on GoFundMe or even start a GoFundMe on the organization’s behalf. Simply search for its verified Nonprofit Page, select ‘Start a GoFundMe’ or ‘Donate now’, and start championing its mission in innovative ways, including live fundraising tools and sharing online.

Nonprofits can take advantage of GoFundMe Pro’s industry-leading tools to collect donations however and wherever they choose—through direct giving, custom campaigns, fundraising events, social media, peer-to-peer fundraising, streaming, and more—giving them the flexibility to raise more and expand their impact. A GoFundMe donation button can even be added of a nonprofit website to help drive funds to their crowdfund.

Check out our blog on raising money for charity and our charity fundraising tips to help you get started.

How to set up a GoFundMe page in 8 easy steps

1. Set the stage with an interesting fundraiser title

If you’ve chosen GoFundMe as your fundraising website, the first step when setting up a donation page for yourself, someone else, or for a charity is to choose a title that clearly explains why you’re starting a crowdfund.

  • The title of your fundraiser should capture the attention of potential donors on social media channels, in emails, and in text messages.
  • A memorable title that immediately conveys what you’re raising funds for will encourage people to click the link to your fundraising page and read your story.
  • For more ideas about how to choose the best title for your page, see our blog post on fundraiser title tips.

2. Write a story that inspires people to give

It’s important to write a fundraiser story that is both detailed and will encourage people to support your cause. It’s natural to want to get your donation website up and running as quickly as possible. But if you’re able, remember to take some time to write a meaningful description.

Your fundraiser description length should be no fewer than 400 words, and it should cover the who, what, where, when, why, and how of your situation. Whether you’re wondering how to start a crowdfunding campaign for yourself or a loved one, here are the most important questions your story should answer:

  • Who is benefiting from your fundraiser? Describe the recipient as honestly and completely as you can. Explain why this person, family, or organization is so deserving of financial help. If the fundraiser is for you, don’t be afraid to open up and explain why support from others would make a big difference in your life.
  • What is the main obstacle? Tell potential donors what problems you or the recipient are facing.
  • When do you need the funds? It’s important to tell your supporters when the funds are needed by so they understand the urgency of your situation.
  • Why do you or the recipient need help? Tell people why their contributions are critical. Take a cue from public radio stations, which do a great job of answering the “why” in their fundraising efforts.
  • How can donors help? List specific expenses that you or the recipient need help with. These details help people understand exactly what impact their donations will have, whether they’re making a one-time payment or sign up for recurring donations.

3. Add photos and videos to brighten your donation page

Visual content can help tell your story in a powerful way. Adding images and videos will spruce up your donation page and make people want to find out more about your cause.

  • You’ll want to ensure your main photo is high quality to make it as mobile-friendly as possible, as pixelated images may cause your fundraiser to look suspicious.
  • Be sure to choose photos and videos that really convey your personality or your beneficiary’s personality.

4. Choose a fundraising goal that makes sense

Online fundraising platforms let you see donation updates in real-time, but when you’re deciding what your fundraising goal should be, it’s best to start small and increase it as necessary.

Why is starting small a better strategy? You want people to be inspired to hit your donate button, and reasonable fundraising goals may encourage people to give while large goals might make people feel like their online donation won’t count for much.

  • Remember that you can increase your fundraising goal at any time.
  • You can also keep all of the donations you receive, even if you don’t meet your fundraising goal.

5. Share with your close friends and family first

The first few days of a fundraiser can greatly influence its success in the long run. Before you start promoting your fundraiser widely, it’s best to share it with a few close friends and ask for their feedback. Since people are more likely to give if other people have already donated, a rollout strategy will ensure you have a few solid donations before you share your fundraiser with everyone over social media.

6. Fine-tune your sharing plan

Sharing is one of the most important aspects of running a fundraiser. Sharing your donation page far and wide helps raise awareness for your cause and encourages your network of friends and family to support you.

  • Using social media to promote your fundraiser is one of the easiest and most effective methods to get the word out about your needs. You can use Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Nextdoor, and even WhatsApp to spread awareness in a low-pressure way.
  • Another way to encourage people to share your cause is to create a fundraiser hashtag. A hashtag makes it easy for people to find your social media posts and interact with them.

Of course, you can also share your fundraiser via email, text message, and phone calls. For more fundraiser sharing tips, take a look at these blog posts:

7. Show gratitude to your supporters

When you’re busy setting up and running a donation page, it’s sometimes easy to forget about one crucial part of a crowdfund campaign, which is donor management. Thanking your donors and showing your gratitude for their generosity is the most important element of it. After all, without the generosity of donors, your fundraiser wouldn’t be possible.

  • Thanking your donors is also key to building a passionate community that remains engaged and dedicated to your cause. Sometimes it can even inspire repeat donations and help with donor retention.
  • Write a donation thank you letter to each donor, or try sending handwritten notes or individual emails if you have time. Human kindness is a beautiful thing, especially when it’s repaid with more human kindness. Try one of these several ways to say thank you to donors.

8. Don’t forget to post fundraiser updates

Updates are a simple way to keep your donors in the loop while also letting them know you may still need their continued support. And if your fundraiser stalls, any updates about where you, a loved one, or an organization is on its journey can help your fundraiser gain momentum again.

  • An update can be as simple as a photograph with a line of text, or a few paragraphs explaining any recent developments with your fundraiser or financial goals.
  • You can also use updates to shower special donors with recognition and thanks. Once you’ve mastered how to write a fundraising update, you can aim to post one about once a week.

Ready to reach your fundraising goals? Create a donation page today

Now that you have the tools for fundraising success at your fingertips and you know how to set up a GoFundMe page, all that’s left to do is create your donation page. To hear more about the steps mentioned in this blog, watch the video below, and you can find answers to common crowdfunding FAQs here. Start your fundraiser today and begin raising money for whatever is most important to you.

Start a fundraiser

Written by GoFundMe