10 proven online fundraising tips for nonprofits

Online fundraising works best when strong supporter relationships and simple digital tools come together. Your nonprofit needs ways to make giving easy, meaningful, and engaging—from the first donation to the next opportunity—to support your mission.

Below, we share 10 practical tips that can help your nonprofit increase online donations. You’ll find big-picture guidance and actionable steps for building donation pages that inspire trust, offering flexible payment options, encouraging matching gifts, and creating year-round giving programs. We’ll also highlight how GoFundMe Pro can help simplify this work for your team.

With the right approach, your nonprofit can reach new supporters, strengthen existing donor relationships, increase engagement, and build a stronger foundation for long-term fundraising.

Start with a clear fundraising strategy

A clear plan helps your team set realistic expectations, align on timing, and prioritize the work that matters most. Use the following best practices to build a strong foundation.

Set your fundraising goals and timeline

Before planning any fundraising effort, start by identifying exactly what you want to accomplish. Whether your objective is reaching a fundraising target, attracting new donors, or securing funding for a specific initiative, having clear goals will help shape your strategy.

You’ll also want to pair each objective with a realistic timeline so your team knows when to launch fundraising efforts, increase outreach efforts, and follow up with supporters.

Know your donor audience segments

Different donor groups have different motivations, preferences, and giving habits. Before you launch your program, segment your donor base to help you tailor your message and giving options to each audience. For example, first-time donors may need more context about your mission, whereas past supporters may respond better to re-engagement efforts. The tips in this guide may apply differently across segments, but one thing remains the same: When you match the right strategy to the right audience, each tip can work harder for your fundraising goals.

Choose the right fundraising mix for your organization

Keep in mind that a well-rounded fundraising strategy will often combine multiple approaches rather than relying on a single fundraising campaign type. Consider incorporating direct donations, peer-to-peer fundraising, recurring giving programs, and fundraising events based on your organization’s goals and available resources.

Define your success metrics before you launch

Establishing key performance indicators (KPIs) before launching your fundraising effort makes it much easier to evaluate success and implement adjustments along the way. Common fundraising metrics include:

• Donation conversion rate
• Average gift amount
• Donor retention
• Revenue generated per donor

Setting benchmarks and target outcomes in advance will help you to monitor progress throughout the fundraising effort. See the “Measuring the success of your online fundraising” section below for a full KPI breakdown.

10 fundraising best practices for online campaigns

1. Make your branding clear and consistent

A smooth and trustworthy donation process begins with clear branding. When supporters see your logo, colors, and consistent design, they’re immediately assured they’re giving to the right organization. A well-branded page can also help build donor trust and reduce the chance that supporters abandon their gift partway through the process.

Campaign Studio, GoFundMe Pro’s easy and flexible campaign builder, makes it simple to launch and customize your campaigns. Its no-code, drag-and-drop editor lets you design branded giving campaigns that look great and convert while offering supporters a smooth and secure checkout experience.

You’ll also want to customize your donation page touchpoints, including the page URL, email receipts, and browser icon, so your brand is clear and recognizable. Your donation form should also look and feel consistent with your organization. A well-branded form can help supporters feel confident they’re giving in the right place.

2. Harness the power of setting campaign goals

Clear fundraising goals help your team stay focused, measure progress, and build on what you learn year over year. They can also help supporters understand what their gift can make possible and why giving now matters.

For example, implementing visual progress indicators, like thermometers or progress bars, lets donors see how their gift moves your campaign forward. Seeing progress in real time can help make giving feel more tangible and immediate for supporters.

Another strategy is to soft launch your campaign with a small group of loyal supporters before sharing it more broadly. Early gifts can help show progress toward your goal, build momentum, and activate new supporters to join the effort.

Once your campaign is live to a wider audience, visible progress metrics can give supporters helpful context and reinforce that every gift moves your nonprofit closer to its goal.

Then, keep supporters updated throughout your campaign. Celebrate milestones, like reaching 50% of your goal, or let supporters know when only a few donations could help you reach the finish line.

Using smaller, tangible steps to reach your goal can make giving feel more achievable and help supporters see how their contribution moves your campaign forward.

3. Offer modern payment options to boost conversions

Providing flexible and convenient ways to give is essential for reaching today’s donors. GoFundMe Pay offers various payment options that make it easy for supporters to complete their donations quickly and securely.

In addition to standard credit card transactions, GoFundMe Pay supports digital wallets, like Apple Pay, Google Pay, PayPal, and Venmo. When donors have their payment information saved, they can complete their gift without manually entering card details. This creates a faster giving experience and helps reduce friction at checkout. This matters even more on mobile, where a growing share of online donations now take place, so be sure your payment options are optimized for mobile-specific browsing.

GoFundMe Pay also supports ACH payments, allowing donors to contribute directly from their bank account. This is especially useful for recurring gifts since there’s no need to worry about card expiration dates.

4. Leverage matching gifts to increase donations

Matching gifts can encourage donors to give by showing how their contribution goes further. When every gift is matched, supporters see a clear opportunity to increase the impact of their donation. In fact, matching gift offers tend to increase average donation size, with studies showing that 84% of donors are more likely to give when a matching gift offer is available.

A common misconception is that matching gifts are only effective during Giving Tuesday or year-end campaigns. However, in reality, they can drive year-round donations. If your organization has corporate partners or major sponsors willing to provide a matching gift for a specific period or up to a certain amount, it’s simple to set this up in GoFundMe Pro.

You can also repurpose an existing donation as a match or combine several smaller contributions into a larger match to further motivate supporters. Using matching gifts strategically helps increase overall donations while showing donors how their gift can go further.

5. Encourage supporters to cover processing fees

GoFundMe Pro makes it easy for donors to cover processing fees, ensuring that more of each gift goes directly to your mission. Most donors are happy to add a small amount on top of their donation, especially when prompted with clear, friendly messaging.

By giving supporters the option to cover processing fees, your organization can maximize every donation while keeping the checkout experience smooth, transparent, and engaging.

6. Turn on Intelligent Ask Amounts

Donors aren’t one-size-fits-all, and neither are your campaign’s goals. GoFundMe Pro’s Intelligent Ask Amounts now lets you personalize your campaigns for your donors and your goals. Whether optimizing for revenue after a crisis, driving conversion for lapsed donors, or increasing recurring gifts to build your recurring program, your donation form adapts.

Our AI predicts what each donor is most likely to give and adjusts their giving experience in real time, factoring in when they’re ready to become a recurring donor or make a larger one-time gift, all shaped by the goals you set.

Nonprofits can also set minimums, maximums, or specific ask amounts for milestones or special events, giving you control while letting AI guide the optimal suggestions. During campaign setup, you can see real-time projections of how specific ask amounts may impact giving. Then, after launch, analytics show how AI-driven suggestions perform compared with traditional donation tiers.

The results speak for themselves: Campaigns using Intelligent Ask Amounts have seen up to 7% more revenue compared to an industry-standard default ask array and over 5% higher recurring conversion for sustained value that compounds over time.

7. Build momentum with a live activity feed

When potential supporters see other donors’ names on a campaign page, it promotes the feeling that “people like me” are already giving. This social proof increases confidence and momentum, shifting passive interest into active giving.

GoFundMe Pro’s activity feeds inspire donor action by showing supporters that they’re part of a growing movement with real-time recognition on any campaign’s landing page or thank-you page. Animated updates highlight recent contributions, whereas comments, replies, and likes can enable further connections. This creates a sense of community, much like social media platforms.

Not only can your nonprofit interact with recent donations this way, but other supporters can do the same. This builds camaraderie that compounds generosity and encourages more sharing within donors’ personal networks.

8. Save time with optimized donation page templates

Creating a campaign from scratch can take time, but Studio makes it easy to launch professional, high-performing fundraising pages quickly. Organizations using its guided fundraising initiative workflow have launched programs 81% faster than building from scratch, with fundraising initiatives also reaching 40+ transactions 54% faster.

The platform offers proven, prebuilt templates designed for specific needs, including recurring giving programs, crowdfunding campaigns, segmented appeals, annual giving days, and year-end campaigns.

Each template includes layouts, default messaging, and preset elements built around your main ask. They’re tested and optimized across thousands of nonprofits, so your team can start with a setup designed to perform.

And if your organization has years of campaign data showing which templates performed best, Studio can turn those proven templates into a shared library your whole organization can use.

Save what works, share it across teams, and give every campaign a stronger starting point.

9. Launch year-round campaigns to sustain revenue and diversify giving

Fundraising appeals are often tied to specific dates, like Giving Tuesday or year-end campaigns. However, creating campaigns that live on your website year-round gives supporters a consistent way to engage with your nonprofit and helps build sustainable revenue.

Here are key strategies to make year-round campaigns effective:

• Clear donate button: Ensure your main donate button is easy to find and takes supporters directly to the checkout form. Be sure to brand it and follow these best practices.
• Recurring giving option: Offer a monthly giving option alongside one-time donations to convert one-time givers to recurring donors. Industry-wide, recurring donors are 5–7x more valuable than one-time donors, and on GoFundMe Pro, they’re 10x more valuable.* Check out our recurring giving playbook for a proven strategy and consider creating a dedicated crowdfunding campaign for recurring giving to clearly explain its impact to supporters.
• DIY peer-to-peer campaigns: Give supporters the tools to fundraise on your behalf all year. Highlight options like birthday fundraisers, athletic milestones, or other creative community fundraising campaigns. Peer-to-peer fundraising engages existing supporters, helps acquire new donors, and keeps your community active and invested.

By maintaining year-round campaigns, your nonprofit provides continuous giving opportunities, strengthens donor engagement, and creates a more diverse and reliable fundraising strategy.

*Results can vary by organization.

10. Make donor communication a priority

No matter how well you plan your campaigns, clear and consistent donor communication is essential to your fundraising success. Here are best practices to keep your supporters engaged and appreciated:

• Segment your email lists: Tailor messages to different groups of donors to increase engagement. Even small personal touches, like acknowledging a monthly donor’s past contributions before sending your appeal, can make a big difference. Segmentation also helps prevent overcommunicating with supporters who don’t need every message.
• Communicate frequently: Consider sending multiple emails during a campaign and post regular updates on social media. Announce your campaign launch, share progress, send reminders, and follow up with thank-you messages.
• Support peer-to-peer fundraisers: Provide fundraiser toolkits with instructions, tips, and sample email and social media content. This helps fundraisers feel confident and effective in spreading your mission.
• Enhance donor stewardship: Use GoFundMe Pro to send timely thank-you emails to donors, attendees, and fundraisers. Send one immediately after a gift, and consider a follow-up later to share the results of their contributions. This shows that donations truly make an impact and builds long-term trust.
• Go the extra mile: Use personal touches, like handwritten thank-you cards or phone calls, to create memorable moments and strengthen relationships.

Remember that strong donor communication helps supporters feel valued, increases engagement, and encourages repeat giving, making it a cornerstone of every successful fundraising strategy.

Measuring the success of your online fundraising

Assessing the success of your online fundraising boils down to five key metrics:

Conversion rate

Your conversion rate measures the percentage of visitors who complete a donation after landing on your fundraising page. For many direct giving pages, conversion rates in the mid-to-high teens or above are often considered strong, but rates can vary based on things like traffic sources and the types of nonprofit.

Average gift size

To calculate average gift size, divide your total donation revenue by the total number of gifts received. Monitoring this metric can help identify which audiences contribute the most. Tools like GoFundMe Pro’s Intelligent Ask Amounts can help increase this number by recommending personalized gift amounts.

Donor retention rate

Your donor retention rate reflects the percentage of last year’s donors who give again this year. Even modest improvements in retention can lead to significant revenue growth over time by increasing each donor’s lifetime amount donated.

Revenue per donor

Revenue per donor is calculated by dividing total revenue by the number of unique donors who give during a specific period. It accounts for donor frequency and gift amounts, giving your team a fuller picture of donor value.

Peer-to-peer fundraiser activation rate

This metric measures how many invited participants actually create and launch a fundraising effort.

Keep in mind, however, that a higher rate usually suggests that supporters have a good understanding of how to get started, thanks to easy page creation tools and coaching resources from supporters.

This metric is specific to peer-to-peer and community fundraising programs so track it separately from your direct giving conversion rate.

Turn your online fundraising campaigns into lasting impact

Successful online fundraising relies on thoughtful strategy, clear messaging, and easy-to-use tools that make giving simple and meaningful. By following the tips in this guide—from designing branded donation pages and offering modern payment options to using AI-driven ask amounts, live activity feeds, and year-round fundraising efforts—your nonprofit can engage supporters more effectively and increase one-time and recurring donations.

Every interaction with your donors is an opportunity to strengthen relationships, inspire advocacy, and build momentum for future fundraising. GoFundMe Pro helps your team simplify campaign management, personalize the giving experience, and ensure every supporter feels recognized, appreciated, and motivated to give again.

With this approach, your nonprofit can drive meaningful engagement today while creating a foundation for long-term growth and sustainable success.

Online fundraising tips for nonprofits FAQs

What makes an online fundraiser successful?

Successful online fundraising initiatives stem from clear objectives, compelling storytelling, an intuitive donation experience, and ongoing engagement with supporters.

The most successful fundraising efforts tend to have three things in common:

• They make donating simple through fast-loading pages, mobile-friendly design, and flexible payment options.
• They clearly demonstrate impact with measurable goals.
• They focus on building lasting donor relationships instead of treating each gift as a one-off donation.

How do nonprofits measure online fundraising success?

Evaluating the performance of your online fundraising initiatives requires monitoring several metrics. Five of the most valuable indicators are:

• Donation conversion rate: The percentage of website visitors who complete a donation
• Average gift size: The total funds raised divided by the number of donations
• Donor retention rate: The percentage of supporters who donate again
• Revenue per donor: The total fundraising revenue divided by the number of unique donors over time
• Peer-to-peer fundraiser activation rate: The percentage of eligible supporters who create their own fundraising pages.

Together, these metrics provide a more complete picture of fundraising performance.

What is the best platform for online fundraising?

Choosing the right fundraising platform depends on factors like your organization’s size, types of fundraising initiatives, and the experience you want to provide for donors.

GoFundMe Pro helps nonprofits create connected giving experiences across every channel, from donation pages and recurring giving to peer-to-peer campaigns, fundraising events, and payment processing. With flexible tools built for nonprofit teams, your organization can design campaigns that reflect your brand, reach supporters through GoFundMe’s community of more than 200 million, and manage fundraising in one platform.

Supporters also get a personalized donor dashboard where they can track donation activity, resend receipts, and manage recurring giving plans or fundraising pages. That means a smoother experience for supporters and less manual work for your team.

How do you increase donor retention through online fundraising?

Building long-term donor relationships starts with thoughtful follow-up. Send a personalized thank-you message within 24 hours to acknowledge the donor’s generosity, then share a meaningful impact update within a month to show how their gift makes a difference.

You can also invite supporters to take another step, such as becoming a recurring donor, creating a peer-to-peer fundraiser, or participating in an upcoming event.

Consistent communication throughout a donor’s first 90 days can help to strengthen relationships and improve the likelihood of retention.