If you’re stepping into online giving for the first time, you’re not alone—and you’re not late. Whether you’re running a church, a school foundation, or a lean nonprofit, adding digital donations is one of the fastest, most impactful ways to grow your support base.
But most platforms don’t make that clear. They bombard you with options, upgrades, CRM integrations, and tiered pricing before you’ve even set up your first form.
This guide is different. No fluff. No pressure. Just what you need to know to get started with confidence—and avoid the common traps that cost small organizations time, money, and momentum.
Why Online Giving Matters (Even If You Still Accept Checks)
Adding online giving doesn’t mean abandoning the old ways. Many donors will still mail checks, bring cash, or give in person. That’s fine. But if you’re not offering an online option, you’re missing out on three critical things:
- Convenience: People give when it’s easy. Online giving means donors can give in the moment—on their phone, at night, during a fundraiser, or after a compelling story.
- Reach: Online giving extends your donor base beyond your immediate community. Alumni, friends of supporters, and new visitors can contribute without being physically present.
- Recurring potential: The biggest game-changer? Monthly gifts. One-time checks are unpredictable. Recurring digital donations bring consistency and stability.
Put simply: Online giving doesn’t replace your old channels. It supercharges them.
The Basic Building Blocks You Need
Getting started is simpler than most platforms make it seem. Here’s all you really need:
- A secure payment processor – Stripe is the industry standard for a reason. It’s fast, trusted, and integrates easily.
- A donation form – This can be embedded on your website or hosted as a standalone page. It should be mobile-friendly, clean, and distraction-free. Ours are standalone pages that we host but are branded to match your site perfectly. Why? It’s a bit of a story, but we had a client for whom we built a website (through our business Paired Inc.). They wanted to use a competing donation platform and embed the form. First, it didn’t match the site, then they had to call me in (the competing donation platform’s developers had to call me) because their platform didn’t work with WordPress properly. It was a train wreck. That’s why we host the donation pages on our own servers – so they operate properly 100% of the time – but then we use our web development skills to seamlessly match them to your site, so the user doesn’t even realize their on a separate site.
- Automatic receipts – Every donor should get a tax-compliant receipt immediately. If your system doesn’t do this, you’re creating extra admin work (and legal risk).
- A way to track donations – You don’t need a full CRM out of the gate. Just a way to view donation history and export data if needed.
That’s it. If your giving platform requires a full redesign, a sales call, or a three-month implementation plan just to check those boxes—it’s the wrong fit.
Want to see what this looks like in action? Our platform overview walks through how Solafund does it without bloat or fine print.
The Biggest Pitfalls to Avoid
First-timers often get tripped up not because they don’t understand fundraising—but because they overtrust the platform’s defaults. Watch out for these common mistakes:
1. Hidden Fees and Confusing Tip Jars
Some platforms show “low” fees on the front page, but charge different rates for events, recurring gifts, or campaign pages. Others push donors to tip the platform—then keep a cut of that “tip.”
When fees are unpredictable, it’s hard to budget—and harder to explain to your board or your donors. Look for platforms that clearly state one flat fee and stick to it.
2. Overcomplicating the Ask
Your donation form should be simple. The fewer decisions a donor has to make, the more likely they are to complete the gift. Avoid:
- Too many custom fields
- Unclear giving levels
- Extra upsells (like covering fees) that feel like guilt trips
Make the giving experience about the mission, not the software.
3. Thinking You Need a Full CRM to Start
You don’t need to build a fundraising machine overnight. Most orgs can start with basic email follow-ups, a spreadsheet, and Stripe’s built-in reporting. Then you layer on tools as you grow.
Solafund was built with this simplicity in mind. Learn more in our starter guide.
What to Look for in a First-Time Giving Platform
If you’re evaluating tools, look for platforms that:
- Explain fees clearly—no footnotes, no surprises
- Don’t gate basic features behind expensive plans
- Allow full access to your data, with easy export options
- Let you start small, without requiring a $1,500 setup fee
- Offer clean, fast donor UX that works on mobile and desktop
Your goal isn’t to become a tech company. It’s to offer a fast, secure way for supporters to give—without confusing them or distracting from the mission.
“But I’m Not Techy…”
You don’t need to be. A good platform should make setup dead simple. Solafund, for example, includes:
- Simple Stripe Connect onboarding
- Automatic IRS compliant receipt generation – Side Note: A client of ours just used a competitor’s platform to donate to an organization they care about and told us their default receipts are not IRS complaint. That individual was an accountant, so he’d know.
- Hosted forms (your choice)
- Flat 4.4% fee, all-inclusive
It’s everything you need, with nothing you don’t.
The First 30 Days: What to Expect
Once your online giving is live, here’s what to focus on:
- Link the form clearly on your website—not buried in a menu. Use clear CTAs like “Give Now” or “Support Our Mission.”
- Send a short announcement email to your list explaining the new option (bonus: include a recurring giving ask).
- Mention it often—at events, in your newsletter, on social. Repetition builds comfort and confidence.
- Track early results. How many donors? One-time vs. recurring? Use those insights to tweak your messaging.
Don’t Overthink It—Just Start
The biggest mistake first-timers make? Waiting too long. Online giving doesn’t need to be perfect on day one—it just needs to be available. Your community wants to support you. Make it easy for them.
If you’re ready to launch, or even just curious what a clean system looks like, see what makes Solafund different.
You’ve Got This
Online giving isn’t just a tech upgrade—it’s a trust-building tool. When you do it right, donors give more, stay longer, and become champions for your cause.
And when you keep it simple, predictable, and honest? Everyone wins.
0 Comments