Online Fundraising: 10 Ideas with Examples

So you’re not a tech savant. You don’t dream of HTML code or eat software bugs for breakfast. That doesn’t mean you can’t set up an incredible online fundraising campaign for your nonprofit.

In this guide, we’ll cover the basics of online fundraising and some ideas for the best ways to fundraise online, including real-life examples.

• What Is Online Fundraising?
• Marketing Your Online Fundraisers
• 10 Innovative Online Fundraising Ideas
• 6 Bonus Fundraising Campaign Tips

Before diving headfirst into our top online fundraiser ideas, let’s explore exactly what it is and what it entails.

What Is Online Fundraising?

Online fundraising is a way for organizations to raise money through digital platforms for various causes, projects, or organizations. The best online fundraisers share campaigns on websites, social media, and email to reach potential donors. Supporters can then contribute through secure online transactions. Online fundraising is popular for nonprofits, schools, and individuals in need.

Benefits of Online Fundraising

Americans are more online than ever: Roughly 85% of Americans own a smartphone with access to the Internet. With so many people spending so much time online, online fundraising provides organizations with a wider reach and easier access to funds than traditional methods. With the right tools and strategies, online fundraising allows donors to quickly find and securely contribute to the causes most meaningful to them. And it allows organizations to reach more donors, spreading their mission and earning more funds.

How to Get Started with Online Fundraising

Choosing an online fundraiser is only half the battle. As you enter the planning phase, you’ll need a digital fundraising strategy to spread the word and inspire people to get involved. 

Successful online fundraising events require a bit more than posting once or twice on social media. Here’s what you need to do:

• Perfect your campaign page. A powerful campaign page can mean the difference between a donation and lost support. While your donation page is a great start, consider creating a page on your website that’s devoted to explaining your campaign.
• Promote your fundraiser on Google. Amplify your campaign page via paid advertising. Through the Google Ad Grant program, eligible nonprofits receive $10,000 each month to spend on targeted ads. Make sure to choose keywords related to your fundraiser to get your ad in front of the right audience.
• Post across various social media platforms. Create a series of posts for Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and any other relevant platforms. Then make a schedule to follow leading up to, during, and even after your campaign. If it’s in your marketing budget, consider paid social media advertising.

10 Innovative Online Fundraiser Ideas

Now that you know the essentials, let’s dive into some of the best online fundraising ideas plus examples of successful campaigns.

#1: Custom Donation Forms

All the best online fundraising ideas start with an intuitive donation form, with custom fields and an eye-catching design. Custom donation forms allow your nonprofit to boost engagement so that donors are motivated to give and share informative details.

With the right online fundraising tools, you can customize your online donation form to match your brand and achieve your goals. For example, you can:

• Encourage high donations and long-term support by adding suggested donation amounts and an option for recurring, monthly gifts.
• Gather key data with custom fields for additional information, such as a phone number or mailing address.
• Change the font to match other pages on your website and create a consistent brand experience.
• Redirect donors to a custom thank-you page the instant they click submit and follow up with an automated, personalized email.
• Give donors the option to cover the small processing fee so that 100% of the funds go to your cause.
• Accept multiple payment options through secure payment processing—such as credit card and ACH (bank transfer) payments.
• Embed your form directly into your website. If supporters are rerouted to a third-party website, they may not trust it and will often abandon their donation altogether.

Customized forms enable you to collect information while streamlining online fundraising. Donately allows you to take advantage of fully customizable donation forms and make the most of your donation process.

Custom Donation Form Example: Pay It Forward Charleston

Pay It Forward Charleston’s form allows users to choose from suggested donation amounts, round-up donations to cover fees, select their preferred method of giving, and provide additional information. Limiting the fields streamlined the process while still capturing the data they needed.

Plus, the powerful description of their mission directly alongside the donation form is a great motivator for donating. Overall, this clean-cut design makes online fundraising easier, friendlier, and more accessible to all users.

#2: Peer-to-Peer Fundraising

With peer-to-peer (P2P) fundraising, an organization calls on its supporters to fundraise on its behalf. It’s one of the best ways to fundraise online because it harnesses the power of social proof, which is when people adapt their behaviors to mimic what others are doing. When people unfamiliar with your organization see their peers donating to your cause, they’ll feel compelled to join in.

All sorts of organizations take advantage of peer-to-peer campaigning, and you can, too! Here’s a step-by-step overview for launching a campaign:

Step 1: Determine your total fundraising goal for the campaign.

Step 2: Set up a main peer-to-peer fundraising campaign page.

Step 3: Recruit passionate volunteer fundraisers to create their own individual campaign pages.

Step 4: Advise your online fundraising team on how to effectively run their campaign pages.

Step 5: Track and report the donations from each of the individual campaigns.

P2P fundraising campaigns have the power to massively expand your donor network and bring in more donations without added expenses. Remember, humans naturally feel empathy, so by offering a compelling voice and personalized touch to your online fundraising campaign, your volunteer fundraisers can leverage social proof and ultimately work wonders for your goals.

Peer-to-Peer Fundraising Example: Konbit Sante

Konbit Sante is a grassroots organization that started in Maine in 2001 and is now international in scope. For 20+ years, Konbit Sante has been working with local health care providers to improve access and quality of care for the most vulnerable populations. Powered by Donately, this campaign shows how P2P strategies can result in successful online fundraising for nonprofits and their supporters alike. 

Below you can see the total funds raised as well as top volunteer fundraisers. The fundraising thermometer offered a visual representation of how close they were to their goal, encouraging donors to continue sharing and contributing. You’ll also see how a volunteer fundraiser customized his campaign page to communicate his connection to the cause – ultimately exceeding his personal goal.

#3: Recurring Donations

Recurring donations automatically repeat on a regular (weekly, monthly, quarterly, or yearly) basis. Offering this online fundraising option helps make your revenue stream more predictable. Customizable forms mean donors can set this up according to their own preferences. Depending on your donation tools’ functionality, you can:

• Set the recurring gifts to occur weekly, monthly, or annually.
• Give donors the option to make the donation they give today a recurring donation directly on the form.
• Allow donors to manage their recurring donations themselves and update their plans.
• Easily collect these regular donations via credit card, ACH, or PayPal.
• Get notified when recurring donations fail so you can take the appropriate action to fix them.

Ultimately, recurring donations increase your chances of securing more contributions over time and allow you to establish a consistent revenue stream.

Plus, they give your donors more flexibility in the plans they choose.

Recurring Donations Example: TUMO

Tumo capitalizes on recurring donations through its ideal fundraising platform, dramatically enhancing its mission to transform the lives of teenagers by deeply engaging them in technology and design. These regular contributions amplify impact and empowerment, ensuring a robust supply of resources for continual innovation.

Supporters can choose between two strategically beneficial donation options to sustain Tumo's pioneering educational initiatives. A monthly donation of $300 covers essential internet and utilities for a learning box, and a $1,800 monthly contribution facilitates critical box-to-hub transportation. By selecting one of these plans, donors provide Tumo with steady support, enabling consistent nurturing of young talents in technology and design at each selected interval.

#4: Online Giving Days

Giving days are time-based online fundraising challenges with the goal of raising a certain amount of revenue within a 24-hour time period. Because these campaigns harness the power of social sharing, they’re most effective when coordinated alongside a peer-to-peer or crowdfunding campaign. 

The most well-known giving day is #GivingTuesday, which takes place on the Tuesday following Thanksgiving each year. It’s one of the biggest days of the year when it comes to online fundraising for nonprofits. Whichever day you choose, keep these tips in mind:

• Emphasize your organization’s longevity so that prospects recognize the long-term value in supporting your mission.
• Direct users to your optimized donation page in every marketing outreach initiative so supporters aren’t forced to locate it themselves.
• Highlight opportunities for getting involved, such as signing up for your newsletter or simply sharing your online campaign on social media.
• Incorporate compelling photos and videos that emphasize the importance of your mission and tug at your donors’ heartstrings.

Overall, the expedited timeline sparks a sense of urgency in supporters and encourages them to act now so that they don’t miss the opportunity. Pair the right donation tools with a timeframe that makes sense for your revenue goal, and you’ll be well on your way to online fundraising success!

Giving Day Example: The Barstool Fund

The Barstool Sports Small Business Fund, in response to the COVID-19 lockdowns, is a prime example of how a well-timed campaign can make a powerful difference in generating funds. While not exactly a giving day, they effectively create a sense of urgency by presenting their cause of small businesses as being in dire need of support due to all the shut downs.

Below, you’ll see how their clean-cut design gets down to business and draws attention to important page elements. Specifically, the imagery draws users in and the language is concise yet moving. They emphasize the financial needs of the small business community right now to effectively persuade individuals into donating.

#5: Mobile-Responsive Giving

Every day, more and more donors are accessing your donation pages on their mobile devices: 51% of all nonprofit website traffic comes from mobile devices. Mobile-responsive forms, which look and work great on every device by automatically adjusting to the screen size, make the donation process easier and minimize the chance a donor will abandon the transaction. Some advantages of mobile-responsive online fundraising include:

• Securing more donations. Don’t worry about donors abandoning the page as a result of poor formatting or unreadable text.
• Accepting donations from any device. With fully-responsive donation forms, your donors will be able to easily navigate the page and make a donation from any device.
• Viewing your dashboard. Mobile-responsiveness isn’t just for donors. With a mobile-responsive platform, you can also view your administrative dashboards on mobile devices and manage your fundraiser on the go!

Make sure donors can contribute the moment motivation strikes, no matter what device they’re using. When your online fundraising campaign can be viewed across multiple platforms, donors will appreciate the intuitive experience, and you’ll start forging long-term relationships with them.

Mobile-Responsive Example: United Way Chicago

United Way of Greater Chicago offers a mobile-responsive giving page that makes it easy to see all of the necessary elements on the donation form across various devices. The page’s imagery, text, and form automatically adjust to fit any device format, from mobile to computer. Even on smaller screens, you can select from suggested giving amounts, opt into a recurring monthly gift program, round up your donation to cover the processing fee, and fill out all other necessary fields.

#6: Text Messaging

How often do you see people checking their smartphones? How often do you check yours? Phone usage has become intertwined with our day-to-day lives. Today, 97% of Americans own a cell phone. That’s why text messaging is one of the most effective and immediate ways to fundraise online. With the right text messaging tools, you can:

• Customize text codes and responses in order to collect donations. Send your donors a short donation message and a customized link to the page where they can give directly to your cause.
• Pair text messages with your online campaigns. If you’re hosting a virtual campaign, consider incorporating your text messaging platform to make giving convenient.
• Boost peer-to-peer fundraising participation. Easily instruct your constituents to create their own online fundraising pages. Through text messaging, send them directly to the sign-up page to create a seamless experience.

Text messaging can give your audience a new, quick way to connect with your cause. Pair them with your online fundraising campaigns or use them to disseminate important announcements. The sky’s the limit!

Text Messaging Example: Taunton Area Community Table

Taunton Area Community Table (TaCT) provides nutritious meals free of charge to anyone who walks through their doors, no questions asked. Texting tools have ended up being one of their most effective online fundraiser ideas, enabling them to reach and engage new prospects. 

The screenshot below exemplifies how seamless the process truly is—for both your donors and your team. When powered by Donately, all your donors need to do is text a customized code to a designated number. Then, they’re instantly greeted with a friendly message and a link to the mobile-responsive giving page.

#7: Matching Gift Drive

Corporate philanthropy is an ever-growing phenomenon in the online fundraising community. When businesses give back, it enhances their public image and improves employee satisfaction. One way they do this is by offering to match their employees’ donations to eligible nonprofits. 

Matching gift drives also boost donations: 84% of donors are more likely to donate if they know their gifts are eligible to be matched—possibly since it comes at no extra cost to them! Tap into this by incorporating corporate matching gifts on your online donation form. Let’s take a look at just how simple this gift process is:

• Step 1: A donor makes a gift to your organization.
• Step 2: They research their eligibility for their employer’s matching gift program using a matching gift database tool.
• Step 3: If eligible, they follow the indicated next steps to submit a request to their employer.
• Step 4: After confirming the donation with your team, the company sends a check to your organization.

Believe it or not, you can simplify the process even further by using a matching gift tool with auto-submission capabilities. The tool will check their eligibility for auto-submission and then ask for permission to submit a match request on their behalf. That speeds up the process and eliminates errors. 

Promoting matching gift opportunities to prospects is an easy and effective online fundraiser idea. Don’t leave free money on the table! Make sure your donors know they can potentially double (or maybe even triple!) their gifts to your cause without reaching back into their pockets.

Matching Gift Drive Example: Greenwave

Greenwave exemplifies the strategic use of corporate matching gifts to amplify their mission of sustainable ocean farming. By encouraging their donors to take advantage of corporate gift matching programs, they effectively double the impact of individual contributions. This approach not only increases online fundraising, which is necessary for their initiatives, but also strengthens their relationships with corporate partners who are equally committed to environmental sustainability.

Below, you can take a look at the motivational language used as a powerful method of maximizing donor contributions and fostering corporate alliances that resonate with shared goals for a healthier planet.

#8: Data-Driven Fundraising

The best online fundraising ideas make effective use of insightful donor data. Data-driven fundraising enables you to grow your impact online in ways far beyond your goals. Gathering data isn’t always easy, but many platforms, including Donately, have a dashboard that offers a range of donor insights. With a fully-equipped dashboard, you’ll be able to:

• View your most active donors
• View popular donation amounts
• Identify trends, like high-volume days of the week
• Gain insight into how effective each online campaign is
• Understand which virtual fundraising strategies do or don't work well
• Send targeted communications to specific groups of donors
• Determine the best times to send donation letters and appeals
• Improve future fundraisers

By keeping your data organized, you can sort through all your online fundraising priorities and run the best campaigns possible. Remember, your time is valuable. Every minute you can save counts. So put that recovered time toward the cause you care so much about!

Data-Driven Fundraising Example: Water.org

Below, you’ll see Water.org’s optimized online donation page that makes giving quick and seamless for donors. What you can’t see is that behind-the-scenes, Water.org makes smart use of hidden fields to capture essential data. They’ve conducted A/B testing to locate which on-page factors—such as the image and call-to-action at the top of the page—are most effective.

All data flows into Google Analytics so they can get a holistic picture of their fundraising and locate areas of improvement. Their team now knows the top ways to fundraise online. Instead of spending time reviewing online fundraising data, they can focus on using those digital fundraising strategies to boost donations.

#9: Crowdfunding

Crowdfunding is another online fundraiser idea that harnesses the power of social sharing. Much like peer-to-peer fundraising, you create the main fundraising campaign page that’s then shared online with supporters’ friends and families. As you start designing your crowdfunding campaign, keep these best practices in mind:

• Solidify your story. Crowdfunding is about more than securing donations. It’s about capturing the hearts of donors quickly. Before launching your online campaign, be prepared to share your mission’s story creatively and concisely.
• Set a relevant timeline. As you’ve learned, time-based campaigns are fantastic for inspiring immediate action. Be sure to select a relevant deadline based on your online fundraising goal and the number of your active donors.
• Create an aspirational goal. However, don’t set one that’s likely unachievable, because you’ll risk both donors and staff when you don’t reach it. Instead, take a look at previous online campaign results and set one that’s marginally higher.
• Use the right tools. Be sure you can customize your donation form to capture essential data and securely process payments. Before deciding on a crowdfunding tool, research and compare providers. Backed by powerful tools, you’ll be able to successfully share your mission with a wide range of individuals.

Crowdfunding is one of the best online fundraising ideas for individuals. As long as you have passionate supporters and implement an effective timeline and campaign goal, you’ll easily catch donors’ interest and spread the word about your cause.

Crowdfunding Example: The Hearsay

The Hearsay decided to launch a crowdfunding campaign to fund their first studio album with Plaid Dog Recording Studio. They set an achievable, yet ambitious goal and then exceeded it thanks to the power of a well-designed campaign page and tons of social sharing.

Below you’ll see that the clean-cut design emphasizes key page elements, including the campaign title, a personable image, and an online fundraising thermometer that communicates progress and encourages donations. They also provided details about the campaign’s purpose as well as suggested giving amounts, along with the perks that come with each donation amount.

#10: Fundraising Web Store

A web store is an excellent tool for boosting your online revenue. With a web store, you’re essentially creating an ongoing fundraiser that supporters can browse whenever they like. Online fundraising auctions are a similar idea, but are usually one-time events. Both of these are popular online fundraising ideas for sports teams, which can sell branded merchandise. 

Here’s how to get started with a fundraising web store:

• Partner with a product fundraiser company. The right product fundraising company, like ABC Fundraising, will offer products that your supporters actually want to buy. They should also make it easy to submit orders and get your products out to your supporters.
• Choose your products. Try to pick products that can be tied to your cause. For example, if your organization teaches young adults about mindfulness and meditation, you might sell candles in your online store to encourage your supporters to make their homes more peaceful.
• Promote your store. Next, create your web store on your website. (Some product fundraising companies will even do this for you.) Once your store is up and running, promote it on social media and in your email newsletters. Don’t forget to encourage donation page visitors to browse your store!

The best thing about creating a fundraising web store is that this is a sustainable online fundraising opportunity. You don’t need to sell products just once—you can keep your store going for as long as you like. You’re also giving your donors something they love—options! 

Fundraising Web Store Example: Franklin High School and ABC Fundraising

ABC Fundraising designs fundraising web stores with easy user interfaces that will encourage supporters to purchase a product. In the web store for Franklin High School shown below, the available popcorn products are clearly displayed with their accompanying price. You can also see how much time is left in the fundraiser. Clear buttons direct visitors to proceed to the checkout screen or make a donation to the school. The simple and easy-to-use design helped the school connect with supporters and get them excited about getting a little something in return for a donation.

Wrapping Up

From online fundraising for sports teams to nonprofits and individuals, these ideas, examples, and tips can help make your campaigns more effective. By taking advantage of features like custom donation forms, recurring donations, social media integration, and mobile-responsiveness, you'll make it easy for donors to navigate your platform and give to your cause.

If you’re interested in learning more about donation software features and other ways to enhance your online fundraising, check out the helpful resources below:

Navigating the Key Fundraising Trends for Nonprofits in 2024. Get top-tier tips for successful virtual fundraising.

The Monthly Giving Blueprint for Building a Successful Recurring Donor Program. Check out this guide for unlocking new levels of stability, engagement, and impact, driving meaningful change from your current supporters.

13 Best Short Donation Message Examples. Discover donation messages that will set your online fundraising campaigns up for success.