For first-time fundraisers or small nonprofits launching online giving for the first time, the idea of setting up a donation platform can feel overwhelming. What happens behind the scenes? How secure is it? What do your donors actually experience?

Let’s break it down. Because when you understand what’s actually happening—from the second someone clicks “Donate” to the moment they receive their receipt—it becomes a lot less intimidating and a whole lot more empowering.

Step 1: The Form Loads

The moment a donor clicks that big beautiful “Donate” button, your donation form loads. Depending on how your site is set up, this might happen on a dedicated page, a popup modal, or even directly embedded within your homepage or campaign page.

With a beginner-friendly giving setup, like the kind Solafund offers, the form is clean, quick, and mobile-friendly. The goal is zero friction. Fewer fields. No login required. Just a smooth on-ramp to generosity.

Your donor sees simple options: dollar amount, frequency (one-time or monthly), and contact info. Solafund even lets you customize the messaging or suggest preset amounts (“$25 feeds a family,” etc.) to make the impact feel tangible.

Step 2: Payment Info Is Entered and Validated

Next comes payment. Most donors use a credit or debit card, though Apple Pay and Google Pay are also supported in our setup. Behind the scenes, this data is handled securely via Stripe—the same payment processor used by platforms like Shopify and Lyft.

When the donor enters their payment info, Stripe immediately validates the card number, expiration, and security code. If there’s a typo or expired card, the form gently prompts them to fix it before anything proceeds. No charges are attempted unless the info checks out.

Solafund doesn’t touch or store payment data directly. Everything is tokenized and handled via Stripe’s PCI-compliant system (this is just fancy tech talk for “it’s really secure”), giving both you and your donors peace of mind.

Step 3: The Transaction is Processed (In Seconds)

Once the donor hits “Submit,” Stripe springs into action. It checks with the donor’s bank or credit card company to confirm available funds and fraud protection. This all happens in real time—usually in under 2 seconds.

If the charge is approved, the donation is officially processed and the funds are en route to the nonprofit’s Stripe account. At that point, a small fee is deducted automatically—2.9% plus $0.30 to Stripe, and 1.5% to Solafund—for a total of 4.4%. That’s it. No hidden tiers or surprises. And yes, you can offer donors the option to cover fees if you want to keep 100% of the donation.

You can learn more about those features on our Platform Features page, but what matters most here is this: the process is fast, secure, and fully automated.

Step 4: A Branded Receipt Is Sent Instantly

As soon as the donation is processed, your donor receives a professional receipt via email. This isn’t some generic “thanks.” It includes:

• Your organization’s name and logo
• Exact donation amount
• Date and payment method
• A tax-deductible confirmation (since you’re a 501(c)(3))
• A heartfelt thank-you message (which you can customize!)

This all happens instantly. You don’t have to lift a finger. The donor can save the receipt for tax time, and you stay compliant with zero administrative overhead.

Step 5: You’re Notified and Their Data Is Logged

Behind the scenes, the donor’s info—name, email, amount, and date—is saved to your dashboard. You get notified right away. You can log in, view reports, filter by monthly givers, export data, or even trigger a thank-you sequence using your email platform of choice.

This is where a great system really pays off. When you track recurring donations well, it becomes easy to segment and nurture your donors. No clunky exports. No manual entry. Just clean data and simple follow-up options.

Step 6: The Funds Are Deposited

Stripe batches your donations and typically deposits them to your nonprofit’s connected bank account within 2 business days. You don’t have to invoice, follow up, or reconcile anything—deposits come in automatically with a summary of which gifts are included.

And again, Solafund takes no cut beyond the standard 1.5%. You keep the rest. No contracts. No nickel-and-dime nonsense. If you raise $1,000, you take home $956, unless your donors covered the fees (which most do). With other donation platforms, that number is closer to $930. Simple.

Step 7: The Donor Experience Continues

One of the most underrated parts of the donation flow is what happens after the gift. Do they hear from you again? Do they feel appreciated? Do they feel like their gift mattered?

Solafund lets you customize follow-up emails, add tags to monthly donors, and nudge people toward deeper involvement. But even if you do nothing fancy, the key is this: every donor gets an instant receipt, a mobile-friendly experience, and clear confirmation that their gift went through and made a difference.

You Don’t Need to Be a Developer

The magic of all this? You don’t need to understand APIs, payment gateways, or code. The entire flow is built to work out of the box. Most Solafund clients are up and running in under an hour.

You can add donation buttons to any page, link to forms from newsletters, or embed giving options directly in your site—without hiring a developer or deciphering tech jargon. This is the future of giving: fast, human, and built for lean teams that need tools to just work.

Helping First-Time Givers Feel Confident

If you’re worried about confusing donors or losing gifts to a clunky checkout, rest easy. Solafund’s giving experience is modeled after what works in e-commerce—fast loads, mobile responsiveness, and trust signals. That means more completed donations, fewer drop-offs, and a better first impression.

Online giving doesn’t have to be mysterious. When someone clicks “Donate,” it should just work. Now you know what’s happening under the hood—so you can speak with confidence, onboard with ease, and focus on your mission, not the mechanics.