Every great donation campaign starts with a great donation form or page. But for many nonprofits, especially small or new ones, it can be hard to dedicate the resources to building a donation form when there are so many other priorities to attend to. This is where donation form templates come in. Instead of spending hours slogging through website builders or funnel software, using a donation page template can help nonprofits get back to doing what they do best, faster. 

Why Donation Form Templates Work So Well

Before we get into the details of creating the right donation form, let’s spend a bit of time talking about why donation forms matter in the first place. Donation forms are critical to the success of most fundraising campaigns since they are your main vehicle for communication with donors. The donation form is your primary means of building engagement with prospects, asking them for their donations, and thanking them for their contributions. 

As a result, donation forms are one the most important pieces of fundraising software. If you have a poor donation form, you will have a poor donor experience, a low conversion rate, and weak fundraising results. That’s why it’s so important to get “donation form creation” right the first time. 

The Key Elements of Donation Forms

To create a truly effective donation form, you have to consider the key elements that go into one. Each of these elements is designed to encourage the donor to provide their data and make a donation that they can feel good about. On the surface, donation forms may appear pretty simple, but they are also designed to connect with your donors’ emotions, motivate them to take action, and build trust through the relationship you have with them. 

• The Headline: The first element of a great donation form is the headline. This is the part of the donation form that a prospective donor sees first, so it’s critical that it be compelling. The headline should be short and to the point. It should immediately let potential donors know why they are reading your form and what you want them to do next.
• The Body Copy: The body copy is the main part of the donation form, and typically asks for the donors’ information and provides instructions on how to make their donation. The body copy should be clear and concise. It should also include a call-to-action, or request, for the donor to provide their information and make their donation. The body copy should grab your donor’s attention and engage them in the process. 
• The Footer: The footer of the donation form is where you thank donors for their gifts. It’s important to be gracious and appreciative of donors since they are the lifeblood of your fundraising efforts. The footer is also where you can include a disclaimer regarding the organization’s privacy policy, terms and conditions, and other important legal information. 
• The Layout: The overall layout of your donation form is a critical element as well. The design of the donation form should be clean and eye-catching. It should also be easy to read and not contain any unnecessary information that might confuse a donor and cause them to leave the form.

How to Increase Conversions with Donation Form Templates

Now that we’ve discussed what goes into a great donation form, let’s explore how you can increase conversions with the help of donation form templates. First, make sure your donation form is located on your main donation landing page. Donation forms should be the first thing your visitors see when they come to your donation page. That way, you can be sure that all visitors are prompted to provide their information and make their donations.

Next, consider the colors that you use in your donation form. Research has shown that different colors elicit different emotions in people. If you want to make your donors feel happy about making their donations, avoid using colors like black and gray. Instead, blues and greens are much better colors for donation forms. 

You should also make sure that your donation form uses large fonts. Big fonts make it easy for visitors to see and read your donation form, which is important since they may be skimming through it quickly. 

Finally, don’t forget to include a field on your donation form where donors can select additional details about what they want their donation to support. Including a designation field on your donation form is a great way to deepen your donors’ connection to your cause by customizing how their donation is allocated. It’s also a good way to encourage repeat giving since donors can choose where they want their gifts to be applied.

When it comes to donation forms, less is more. When you start to add bells and whistles to your donation form, it can start to feel overwhelming and less attractive to donors. Instead, keep it simple and straightforward to maximize conversion rates and secure more donations for your organization.

Where FrontStream’s Offerings Come In

FrontStream’s Panorama is an all-in-one digital fundraising platform designed to help you raise more funds to do more good. FrontStream makes it possible to produce beautiful, branded online fundraising campaigns and donation pages in just minutes, with custom fields and questions to personalize the giving experience. 

Request a demo today and discover how to launch your next campaign and set up a donation template that meets your needs.