Donate Button vs. Donation Forms: Discover differences, best practices, and free donation button examples

Dana Guterman

•

August 26, 2024

•

9 minutes

Nonprofit Trends

The Giving Experience

This article is part of a series

Keep learning with related articles.

Ultimate Guide to Donation Forms: 20+ Donation Form Best Practices

10 Useful Donation Form Templates (Charity & Nonprofit)

How to create a donation form that's optimized to convert

Combining nonprofit payment processing with modern donation forms: Security measures and best practices

Leverage Technology for Donation Forms (Trends and Statistics 2024)

In the world of nonprofit fundraising, we all have different aims and aspirations. But there’s one goal to rule them all—one purpose that brings us all together. And that’s getting more donations. “Sure,” you say with a smirk. “And how do I do that?” With a donate button, friend.

We are gathered here today to click through all the links and learn the why, where, and how of this little powerhouse. We’ve got oodles of information and shnoodles (maybe even poodles!) of donation button examples to inspire you. Let’s start pushing some buttons for good!

What is a donate button?

A donate button is a button on your website that's hosted by your fundraising platform, like Funraise. It directs interested donors straight to a secure donation form. Donation buttons should be easy to read and large enough to grab a viewer’s attention.

With your donation button, you can redirect donors to a separate, secure donation page, or you can embed a pop-up donation form that, uh, pops up, for lack of a better phrase. While most donate buttons say “donate now,” you can choose any CTA (that’s Call To Action) you want. Direct donors to a specific fund or sign them up for recurring donations.

What is the difference between a donate button and a donation form?

A donate button is the vehicle that gets your online donor to your nonprofit donation form. These two digital tools are colleagues, not competitors. They're the best of teammates, relay runners, and supporting characters. The donate button is a symbol on a website that draws donors in, while the donation form locks in their gift.

Should I use a donate button or a donation form on my nonprofit website?

You should use lots of donate buttons and donation forms on your website! Each page of your website should culminate in its own specific ask. Add donate buttons to your header and footer; every donate button should lead to a customizable donation form determined by the type of campaign: embedded or popup form.

Best practices for using donate buttons and donation forms together

To make the most of your online fundraising efforts, build the ultimate donor experience by connecting your donate buttons and your online donation forms with color, ask amounts, and brand font. As you create the fundraising experience, consider the placement, accessibility, and communications around your donation forms for nonprofits.

Contextual giving

Contextual giving is often viewed as placing a popup form on your website, but it goes deeper than that. A contextual giving experience goes like this: A donor lands on your website and has their heart touched by your nonprofit storytelling. The impact! The mission! The community support! And at the moment that the donor is reeling from the awe of your rock-your-world-change, they come across a donate button.

That button triggers a contextual giving (popup) donation form that walks the donor through the smooth, seamless donation process. They never fumble, never stumble, don't have to wait for a new donation page to open, aren't faced with a wall of donation fields.

It's impact-meets-donation, simple as that.

Mobile donation experience

Donors come to your website through mobile devices about half the time. If that's surprising to you, surprise yourself by building out a mobile-friendly donation form. Ensure that your donate buttons are visible on the mobile version of your site and that they lead to donation forms accessible via any smart device. (Funraise fundraising campaign sites and forms are built to be mobile!)

Complete communication

Donate buttons aren't just for websites; you can add them to text messages, emails, or heck, even design them into QR codes and add them to your direct mail. Basically, donate buttons are for all the comms, is what we're saying.

Email

Add a donate button with a specific ask array in your emails. When the donation form opens, it prepopulates donor information and the amount that the donor clicked in the email.

Text

Similar to email, use an image of a donate button embedded with a link that informs the donation form who is clicking, how much they want to give, and which campaign they want to support.

Direct mail

This is a little bit of a wild one, but bear with us—we're just brainstorming! Grab a QR code for a specific donation form through Funraise, build it into a donation button, print it and mail it out. You may be surprised how many offline donors you can bring online.

Funraise Fundraising Specialist Andrew Webb has the right idea:

"Converting offline donors to online donors via QR codes in direct mail is becoming a way for nonprofits to bring their fundraising into the modern era—and their supporters along with it."

"Converting offline donors to online donors via QR codes in direct mail is becoming a way for nonprofits to bring their fundraising into the modern era—and their supporters along with it."

Benefits of using a donation button on your website

The real question is, why wouldn’t you use a donation button on your website? Unless you have koumpounophobia, which is a fear of buttons. And actually, that’s a fear of buttons on clothing, so … you should still add a donation button to your website. Because there are so. Many. Benefits. Let’s list them out. You’ll be adding that button to your arsenal of donation tools in no time!

It's so easy.

A donation button removes barriers to accepting donations. Think of it as one-stop shopping, except it’s one-stop donating. Consider the one-click buy option on Amazon: just tap one little button and it automatically charges, ships, and confirms your order.

It's basically free.

If you’re using a nonprofit CRM already, there’s likely to be no additional cost to add a donation button to your website. Nearly all web platforms have the option to add a simple button. With Funraise, for example, that integration comes at zero cost to you!

There's no competition.

Sure, various social media platforms have their own donation buttons, but there’s so much noise out there in the metaverse! With your very own donate-now button, it’s all about your nonprofit. The button directs donors to your donation page, so there's no muss, no fuss.

It's convenient for donors.

No more searching for a pen to write a check or poking around for the right page to make an online donation. With a donate button, donors click, fill in their info, and get on with their day.

It provides options.

A donation button saves your donors from agonizing over how to give. You can set suggested donation amounts in advance, or donors can give what they wish. They can easily make a recurring monthly donation, or make one in honor of a loved one.

Are you convinced yet? We hope so. Next up: where to put that miraculous button.

Where to put donate now buttons

Donate Now buttons need to be anywhere you’re making an ask. They should be front and center on your homepage, above the fold—not buried at the bottom or on an internal page. They should be in fundraising campaign outreach, marketing emails, on your blog, and on social media.

Still wondering if you should add donation buttons? Here’s the bottom line: If you’re thinking of it, just go ahead and do it.

On your homepage

A screenshot of The Foodbank Project with a white donation button in the middle of the homepage

Home is where the heart is, and it’s also where the donate-now button needs to be. Embed your donation button on your homepage, somewhere visible to everyone, to drive conversions. If you have a visual banner at the top, that’s great. You can also put it right smack in the middle of your hero image (that’s the big image pinned to your main page) so it’s impossible to miss. Many nonprofit organizations opt for the upper right-hand corner, too.

On the main menu

A screenshot of LINC's homepage with a green donate button

Since potential donors are likely exploring every nook and cranny of your website as they consider donating to you, your main menu is a prime spot for a donation button. We imagine their inner dialogue going like this: “Oh, just looking around, just exploring … What? A donation button? Well, if I must …”

In marketing and fundraising emails

An email from Rainforest Trust with a donate today button at the bottom

Donation buttons should be in pretty much all of your emails (the exception being a thank-you email for a recent donation). Sending out a donation request? Button. Providing an organizational update? Button. Sharing a success story? Button! Donors have read your story; now, they can easily be a part of it by clicking and giving. Donate buttons are also a great way to help meet your fundraising goals, so add them to all your campaign updates.

On your organization's Facebook page or Instagram page

A screenshot of Neighborhood House Portland's facebook donate button

Donors, like all of us, scroll through miles of Facebook pages or Instagram posts. Having a large donate button at the top of your Facebook page, or a slightly smaller one (that’s just how they format ‘em!) in your Instagram profile, makes it so easy for supporters to give if a certain post resonates with them. And while it doesn’t provide the branded experience of a donate button that links to your donation page, it does allow folks to give quickly without leaving Facebook. What a relief, right? Who knows what else is out there.

In your blog or press releases

A screenshot of charity: water's blog page with a donate button in the header

It’s always a good idea to have a (slightly more subtle) donate button anywhere that you’re telling a good story. Including a donate button on your main menu ensures it follows site visitors from article to article. Alternately, adding one beneath your blog posts or in a sidebar next to your press releases is a nice way to give potential donors some light donation encouragement.

Best practices for nonprofit donate buttons

A screenshot of DIGDEEP's World Water Day 2020 campaign site with donate buttons in yellow on a black background

When it comes to nonprofit donate buttons, simplicity is key, so every little detail matters. Splash it everywhere. Make it big and bold, so no one can miss it. Keep color in mind, align it with your brand, and craft a killer CTA—but keep that short and sweet.

Let’s dig into the details with some tips and tricks that will help you make your best donate button ever.

1. Consider donate button color

Your donate button should draw the eye, and that means using colors that stand out. The whole point of including a donation button is to make donating easy. If donors can’t find your button, the lil' fellow might as well not exist.

2. Go for brand/design consistency

That being said, stick with your brand. Hopefully, you have some brand guidelines to steer your online fundraising and, in turn, your button design. If not, stick with colors that are used across your current website, in marketing materials, and in your logo. Consistency is key!

3. Simplicity is best

Yes, we know, you’re an artiste, but use those mad graphic design skills on other projects. Your donate button should be clean and clear—no patterns, no fuss. And the same holds true for your text. Keep it clean and to the point. Your donation button is not the place to test out your novella. (But we do want to read it. Really!)

4. Think about your CTA

Again, that’s call to action. Essentially, your donate button is an action button—donors click it expecting it to do what it promises to do. You can urge them to “donate now” or “join the fight,” or you can get creative and choose an action specific to your cause. Just make sure it’s accurate.

5. Make it sticky

If you make your donation button sticky, it stays with the site user as they bop and scroll through the site—a constant reminder that they have the power to support your work.

Free donate buttons with Funraise

We’ve established that adding a donation button is easier than you think and will have a bigger impact than you expect. So, hopefully, you're ready to take the plunge and add donation buttons to your fundraising strategy! And that’s where Funraise sweeps in to save the day: we give you free tools to embed donation buttons and donation forms on your website so you can easily (and securely) collect donations.

In addition to providing totally free donate buttons for nonprofits, Funraise allows you to offer recurring donation frequencies and set payment options and suggested amounts. It also makes it easy for people to donate from their desktop, laptop, or mobile device. Basically, it’s a small package that packs a big punch! You’ll be able to capture donations from people on any device, sync your donation form with your integrated email list, and automatically send a donation confirmation receipt—all while collating donor data.

One more thing: While Funraise lets you make fabulous free donate buttons, you can also use a free graphic design software, like Canva, if you want to get a little fancy and make a custom donation button. And with that, our work here is done.

Now that you know you can create a donate button for free, you’re probably super stoked and ready to get started! Wait, is that skepticism on your face? “If I add a donation button for free, there must be a catch,” you think to yourself. Let’s explore those feelings …

Cost of adding a donations button: What’s the catch?

We promise: There's little to no cost to add a donations button to your website. Nearly all web platforms have the option to add a simple button, and with Funraise, that integration comes at zero cost to you!

The only real cost, then, is in waiting. The longer you wait to get your own donation button, the longer you're leaving potential donors in the dark. Your cause is worth transforming your digital fundraising, so hop to it—pronto.

The best donate buttons: examples

We’ve made our case. And now, we think you’re ready to have the greatest donate button around—the one that every kid is talking about on the playground. We’ve got you. Below, we’ll show you a smorgasbord of the best donate buttons, with donation links that are intuitive to use and easy on the eyes.

Cool donate buttons: examples

Let’s kick things off with a selection of exceptionally awesome and exceedingly cool donate buttons. These cool donation buttons stand out from the pack with their eye-catching colors, unique shapes, and smart placements.

1. Point Foundation’s neat donate button

A screenshot of Point Foundation's cool donate button. It's round, orange, and in the header.

What’s good

Point Foundation’s donate button is impossible to miss. It’s big; it’s colorful; it’s fun. But it still feels unintrusive because it’s clearly part of the nonprofit organization’s brand.

Could it be better?

We’re all about clear call-to-actions, and having “donate” right above “contribute” is a bit confusing, as the terms are quite similar. And the homepage overflows with fascinating impact statements, but because the button’s not sticky, it’s gone as soon as you scroll down. Finally, when you click, you need to select “donate” one more time to actually make that donation. The best fundraising strategy is to streamline the donation process so donors can give with a click.

2. Opal Creek’s spiffy donate button

A screenshot of Opal Creek's cool donate button in the header. It looks like an orange pennant.

What’s good

Opal Creek Ancient Forest Center makes their donate button impossible to miss, with a bold color and a stand-out shape. It’s not intrusive, but it makes an impact. We also love that it changes color when you hover over it, encouraging interaction.

Could it be better?

The button’s fab, but when you click it, you have to scroll and scroll, then click another “donate” button to actually donate. Plus, you have to sort through multiple donation options, with separate buttons for one-time gifts, recurring giving, workplace giving, and more. It’s a lot of work for donors. Instead, this cool button should pop up a simple donation form, where donors can give with a click.

3. Know Your Rights Camp’s awesome donate buttons

A screenshot of Know Your Rights Camp's homepage with a cool donate button. The donate button is a red capsule shape on a black background.

What’s good

Know Your Rights Camp’s website is mission-driven and future-focused. The red buttons against the black-and-white background, which is a video, make a powerful impact. There’s no way you can miss them. When you click one of the donate buttons, the site pops up a donation form that reiterates their mission and provides suggested donation options.

Could it be better?

We’re all for a big, bold donate button—but three buttons on one screen is a lot! It feels a little much, plus they all take you to the same donation form. The heart on the left-hand button feels a bit out of place with the aesthetic, too.

Cute donate buttons: examples

So, you’ve got your heart set on a donate button that’s cute as a button! Wait, but it’s already a button. So … huh. Anyway, here are a few cute donate buttons for plenty of adorable donation inspiration.

What’s good

This button’s small, but it has a big impact—and there’s another, bigger, bolder button on the hero image. It doesn’t feel like too much because there’s so much white space and the central image is so powerful. Thorn’s work is heavy, but their website is doing a great job of infusing it with hope and empowering supporters.

Could it be better?

This button duo is a perfect pair. And when you click either one, the site reiterates Thorn’s impactful message—but you also have to click again! The “Be a builder” CTA followed by a separate “Join now” CTA to be a builder is confusing, too. One CTA for each action is our mantra.

Mobile phone with donation form and donation charts floating around the phone.

Woman looking at fundraising chart with button to book a call.

Yellow shapes in background with donation form in front with stylized text, build an intelligence giving experience.

Download

Start For Free

Donate button on website: final points

You're armed with an encyclopedia of donation button knowledge. Now, it's time to make your very own donate button and get fundraising. But if you need a quick refresher, here's one that's right on the button:

A donate button provides an efficient way for online donors to give directly to your organization.
The donate button on your website should open a pop-up donation form or redirect users to a separate, secure donation page. This form should be simple and straightforward so donors don't get confused and leave.
Provide options to encourage your one-time donors to give more, such as becoming a recurring donor, making an honorary gift, increasing their donation level, or checking for a company match.
The best donate buttons are impossible to miss, so try contrasting colors and bold fonts to make them pop.
Popular CTAs (CTA = call to action) include “donate now,” “give today,” and “get involved,” but you can experiment to figure out what works best for your organization. Generally, specificity helps, so consider pairing a short CTA with a mission statement.

FAQs: online giving button

Do donate buttons work?

Donate buttons let donors contribute directly to your cause with one click. They're a great way to drive conversions and emphasize your nonprofit's priorities for site visitors. Because donate buttons make giving so easy and offer multiple giving options, they're a vital fundraising tool for any nonprofit organization.

Should I have a donate button on my website?

All signs point to yes! Adding a donate button to your nonprofit website drives conversions by removing barriers to accepting donations. Just one click and you can make a donation. That means they're convenient for donors and efficient for you. Plus, they cost you nothing.

Do people donate on websites?

More than ever, people make their donations on websites. While many donors still give by check or call to make a payment by credit card, online giving continues to grow year over year. Because of this, you should have a branded, modern website. Adding a donate button will certainly help!

What is the best color for a donation button?

If you want to know which color donation button will bring in the most money, we don't have an answer for you. But we do have advice: do some A/B testing. Is there a difference when you change your blue button to red? Change the background color behind your nonprofit's donate button—make it pop!

What is a donation page?

At its core, an online donation page is the different from a donation form or donate button because it is an entire page dedicated to accepting donations—no fancy storytelling or videos, no other ways to get involved. Just an embedded donation form front and center on its own page.