Human-Centered Fundraising: Applying UX to Boost Donations
Why UX Matters in Fundraising
Most nonprofits rely on donations, but too often, their online giving experience is full of friction—confusing forms, unclear impact messaging, or a lack of emotional connection. UX research and design can change that.
By applying human-centered UX principles, nonprofits can:
Make donation flows seamless and frustration-free.
Use behavioral insights to boost donor trust.
Leverage storytelling to emotionally connect with supporters.
Let’s break down the key UX strategies nonprofits can use to increase donor engagement and conversions.
3 UX-Driven Ways to Boost Donations
1. Reduce Cognitive Load in Donation Forms
Research shows that long, complex forms lead to higher donor drop-off rates. Keep your donation process simple:
Ask only for essential fields: amount, payment details, and an optional message.
Pre-fill common donation amounts and frequency options (e.g., $25, $50, $100).
If a multi-step form is needed, show donors how close they are to completing it with a progress indicator.
Example: The American Red Cross increased conversion rates by 18% after reducing their donation form fields from 10 to 5.
2. Use Emotionally-Driven Storytelling
People donate when they feel connected to a cause.
Feature real stories with images or short videos of those impacted.
Personalize impact: “Your $50 feeds a family for a week.”
Show a progress bar for fundraising goals (people love to help “close the gap”).
Example: Charity: Water’s website shows donors exactly where their money goes through impact tracking and visuals—leading to higher engagement.
3. Optimize for Mobile & Accessibility
Over 50% of nonprofit website traffic comes from mobile users, yet many donation pages aren’t mobile-friendly.
Use one-click payment options (Apple Pay, Google Pay).
Ensure text is large, readable, and contrast-friendly.
Test forms on different screen sizes.
How Feeding America Used UX to Improve Donations
Feeding America, one of the largest hunger-relief organizations, used UX research and A/B testing to refine their donation journey.
Key changes included:
Removing distracting menu options on donation pages led to 15% increase in conversions
Adding emotional impact statements on checkout pages increased the average donation amounts
Optimizing for speed (auto-filling donor details) meant a faster checkout process
These small UX tweaks made a massive impact on donor engagement and fundraising success.
Want to Make Your Nonprofit’s Fundraising More UX-Friendly?
Applying UX research to fundraising isn’t just about making things look better—it’s about making giving easier, more intuitive, and more impactful.
Reply to this email bre@drgslab.com if you want tips on optimizing your nonprofit’s donation flow!
