In today’s digital age, online fundraising has become necessary for nonprofits to reach their missions. It’s the lifeblood of any charitable organisation, helping to raise the vital funds to continue their impactful work. As more charities turn to online platforms to engage donors and raise money, the importance of choosing the right platform has never been greater.
With so many options available, selecting the best platform can feel overwhelming—it’s all about finding the true balance between fees, features, and user experience.
That’s where we come in. In this blog, we’ll guide you through the process of choosing the best online fundraising platform as part of your charity’s digital transformation strategy.
What is an Online Fundraising Platform and What Are the Benefits for Your Charity?
An online fundraising platform is a digital tool that helps charities raise funds and enables them to collect donations quickly and easily, run campaigns, and manage donor engagement all in one place. These platforms have become essential for modern nonprofits and their charity’s digital strategy, as they offer various benefits that enhance efficiency, accessibility, and management of fundraising activities.
By using an online platform, charities can instantly get funds where they are needed without the logistical challenges of in-person events. The ability to reach donors anywhere in the world also increases your audience and makes it easier for supporters to contribute at any time. In addition, these platforms streamline the donation process, making it easier for your charity to manage funds, donor relationships, and reporting in a more organised and effective way.
Key Features to Look for in an Online Fundraising Platform
When choosing the right platform for your charity, it’s fundamental to understand the key features that will support your requirements. Some platforms offer functionalities like repeated donations, peer-to-peer fundraising, and robust donor management systems. User experience is another important factor to consider: The donation process should be simple and engaging for your supporters.
One serious aspect to look for is security. A secure online fundraising platform ensures that donor information is protected and that your charity complies with relevant cyber security standards. Adopting online fundraising best practices not only builds trust with your donors but also helps prevent possible data breaches.
Learn more about sustaining a secure online presence by checking out our guide to charity cyber security best practices.
User-Friendly Interface
The ease of use of a fundraising platform is necessary for both nonprofits and donors. A user-friendly interface ensures that visitors can quickly navigate the donation process without frustration. If the platform is clunky or hard to use, donors might give up before completing their donation. Just like any other website, providing a smooth user experience is fundamental to ensuring donations keep flowing.
Payment Options Available
The more payment options a platform supports, the better. Offering a variety of payment systems, such as debit and credit cards, popular payment gateways, and even digital wallets, improves the likelihood of donors completing a donation. A platform that accommodates varied payment methods ensures greater accessibility and convenience for donors, which helps boost donations
Integration with Other Tools
A beneficial fundraising platform should easily integrate with your existing tools, such as CRM systems, email marketing platforms, and social media. This allows seamless data flow, better donor management, and more efficient communication. For example, integrating your donation platform with your email marketing tool allows you to send personalised thank-you messages and maintain effective donor relationships.
Donor Engagement Features
Look for platforms that offer recurring donations and peer-to-peer fundraising. Recurring donations ensure a steady stream of income for your nonprofit, while peer-to-peer fundraising allows supporters to raise money on your behalf, increasing your reach. These features make it easier to engage donors and boost long-term giving.
Customisation Options
Being able to customise your fundraising pages to reflect your nonprofit’s branding is vital for maintaining consistency and building trust with your audience. Platforms that offer flexible customisation options for logos, colours, and messaging allow you to create a donation experience that feels personal and aligned with your organisation’s individuality.
Analytics and Reporting Tools
Tracking donations and campaign performance is essential for measuring success. An appropriate fundraising platform should provide comprehensive analytics and reporting tools that allow you to monitor campaign results, track donor activity, and generate reports. These insights help you make data-driven decisions, adjust strategies, and better understand your supporters.
Data Security and Compliance
Online security is a crucial consideration for any fundraising platform. Ensure that your chosen platform follows strict data security protocols to protect donor information and their online payments. The platform should be Payment Card Industry (PCI) compliant, ensuring that all transactions are secure. For more guidance, read our latest blog on the best practices for fundraising online for charities.
Top 6 Online Fundraising Platforms for Charities
Choosing the right online fundraising platform can be difficult with so many options available. Below, we’ve listed six of the greatest platforms for charities, highlighting their key features and pricing to help you make an informed decision:
JustGiving
JustGiving is one of the most well-recognised fundraising platforms, allowing individuals and organisations to raise money for a wide range of causes. It has become a go-to choice for many nonprofits due to its ease of use, brand recognition, and vigorous set of features.
One of its standout features is its customisable donation pages, which enable nonprofits to align their pages with their branding, providing a cohesive and professional look that can help build trust and credibility with potential donors. JustGiving also offers an insightful interface for creating fundraising events, making it ideal for charities looking to organise and manage their fundraising activities efficiently. The platform also includes comprehensive reporting tools, which help understand donor behaviour, and gain valuable insights to refine future fundraising campaigns.
Features:
- Peer-to-peer fundraising
- Event fundraising
- Customisable page
- Reporting tools
Pricing: 5% platform fee + processing fees
Crowdfunder
Crowdfunder is another common platform, known for its flexibility in raising money for both nonprofit and personal causes. It offers a variety of donation options and allows charities to create custom campaigns. Charities can design campaigns that align with their branding and messaging, allowing them to effectively communicate their mission and connect with potential supporters. Crowdfunder also offers a variety of funding models, including ‘All or Nothing,’ which only allows funds to be collected if the campaign reaches its target, and ‘Keep What You Raise,’ which lets charities retain all donations regardless of whether the target is met. This flexibility allows nonprofits to choose a model that best suits their campaign objectives and risk tolerance.
In addition, Crowdfunder integrates effortlessly with social media platforms, enabling charities to promote their campaigns and reach a broader audience with minimal effort. This integration is vital for modern fundraising strategies, as social media plays a crucial role in engaging supporters, spreading awareness, and encouraging donations.
Features:
- Flexible funding options
- Custom campaign creation
- Integration with social media
Pricing: Free to set up, transaction fees apply
Donorbox
Donorbox is designed for nonprofit organisations and offers powerful donor management tools. The platform is known for its ease of use, making it accessible even to organisations with limited technical expertise, which is crucial for many small-to-mid-sized charities that may not have dedicated IT staff.
One of the standout features of Donorbox is its ability to facilitate recurring payments and donations, which are essential for generating a steady stream of income and building long-term donor relationships. The platform offers a simple and streamlined process for setting up recurring contributions, allowing donors to choose their preferred frequency (monthly, quarterly, yearly, etc.) with just a few clicks. This great option enables nonprofits to better plan and budget for future projects and initiatives.
Another valuable feature of Donorbox is its integration with popular CRM systems like Salesforce, HubSpot, and more. This integration capability allows nonprofits to sync donor data automatically, improving proficiency and reducing manual data entry.
Features:
- Recurring donations
- Custom donation pages
- Integration with CRMs
Pricing: 1.5% platform fee + payment processing fees
GlobalGiving
GlobalGiving focuses on connecting nonprofits with donors worldwide, offering a global reach and resources to help organisations succeed in fundraising. Established to bridge the gap between local projects and international support, GlobalGiving empowers nonprofits to expand their outreach beyond borders, tapping into a diverse donor base and unlocking new funding opportunities.
The platform has a wide international reach, enabling nonprofits to raise awareness and funds from donors around the world. This makes it especially beneficial for organisations that work on global issues or want to broaden their impact beyond local communities.
Another standout feature of GlobalGiving is its regular fundraising campaigns and training programs. The platform frequently organises special campaigns, like matching fund initiatives, that provide participating nonprofits with the opportunity to significantly increase their donations.
Features:
- Global outreach
- Donor management tools
- Regular fundraising campaigns
Pricing: 5-12% fee based on the campaign’s success
GoFundMe Charity
GoFundMe Charity is a current platform for nonprofits, offering custom campaigns, event ticketing, and peer-to-peer fundraising. As a branch of the widely-known GoFundMe platform, GoFundMe Charity is ideal for organisations looking to create dynamic fundraising campaigns and host events with streamlined management tools.
The event ticketing functionality allows nonprofit organisations to create and sell tickets for charity events directly through their fundraising pages, simplifying the process of managing event registrations and payments. This feature is specifically useful for nonprofits hosting galas, charity runs, dinners, or any other fundraising events that require ticket sales.
Another key offering is donation widgets, which nonprofits can embed on their websites to drive donations directly from their own platforms.
Features:
- Event ticketing
- Peer-to-peer fundraising
- Donation widgets
Pricing: 0% platform fee + transaction fees
CAF Donate
Created by the registered charity, Charities Aid Foundation (CAF), CAF Donate is a platform designed explicitly for charities, offering a range of donation processing options, donor management features, and tax-efficient giving for UK-based donors.
This feature simplifies the process of collecting Gift Aid, a UK government scheme that allows charities to claim an extra 25p for every £1 donated by eligible taxpayers. This is a considerable benefit for UK-based nonprofits, as it enables them to boost the value of each donation without requiring additional effort from their team or donors. CAF Donate streamlines Gift Aid claims and offers comprehensive reporting tools to track and manage these contributions effectively.
CAF Donate also stands out in providing customisable donation forms that allow charities to align their fundraising efforts with their brand identity. Nonprofits can create tailored donation pages to match their organisation’s look and feel, ensuring a consistent experience for donors from start to finish. These forms can be easily embedded on a charity’s website or shared via social media,
Features:
- Tax-efficient giving
- Donor management
- Customisable donation forms
Pricing: Monthly fee + transaction fees
Each of these platforms offers exclusive features and benefits, and your choice will depend on your charity’s specific needs and goals. By understanding what to look for and evaluating these options, you can select the best online fundraising platform to help you achieve your mission.
Microsoft Fundraising Software
If you’re fundraising online, Microsoft Fundraising Software is another powerful tool that can help you increase your efforts. The Fundraising and Engagement solution, part of Microsoft Cloud for Nonprofit and powered by Dynamics 365 Sales, is designed to revolutionise your constituent engagement and increase your mission impact.
With Fundraising and Engagement, nonprofits can rationalise donor and supporter management, gaining a comprehensive view of individuals, households, and organisations to enhance personalised engagement. This tool helps boost donor reliability and lifetime giving by allowing you to better understand and address your supporters’ priorities.
Additionally, it enhances fundraising efficiency by automating key processes like donation, campaign, and event management. This helps reduce administrative costs and allows you to focus more on driving your mission forward. Plus, it offers end-to-end donation, revenue, and transaction management, giving you a clear view of your fundraising and financial outcomes without the need for complex resolution.
Closing Thoughts
Choosing the right online platform is essential for achieving your charity’s fundraising goals. The right platform should line up with your charity’s needs, infrastructure, and long-term strategy. Whether it’s about providing a user-friendly interface, integrating with your existing tools, or ensuring top-level security for your donors, each feature plays a crucial role in your fundraising success.
Get in Touch
Is your charity looking for a fundraising platform and needs help evaluating how it can integrate with your current infrastructure? Book your FREE consultation with our IT experts at Qlic for a comprehensive site survey and IT audit. We’ll help you find the best solutions to optimise your digital fundraising appeal!
