GiveWP: Successful Donation Collection on WordPress
In the world of nonprofits and online fundraising, GiveWP has established itself as a go-to solution for WordPress. After years of using it and helping nonprofits navigate their digital transformation, I can say that this plugin has truly transformed the way we approach online fundraising.
GiveWP 🏷️
- GiveWP allows you to transform your website into an effective fundraising platform with its donation plugin for WordPress.
Table of contents
Essential Features: The Heart of GiveWP
GiveWP is not just a simple fundraising plugin. It is a complete ecosystem designed for organizations that want to digitize their fundraising. Its modular architecture, ease of use and technical robustness make it a tool of choice for associations of all sizes.
The creators of GiveWP understood one fundamental element: collecting donations is not just about a simple button.Donate". It is a process that requires trust, transparency and efficiency. Each feature has been designed to optimize the donor experience while simplifying management on the administrator side.
Customizable Donation Forms
One of the best things about GiveWP is its flexibility. Donation forms are fully customizable. You can create multi-level forms, set suggested amounts, allow custom donations. The intuitive interface allows even non-techies to create professional forms in just a few clicks.
Donor Management
Donor relationships are crucial. GiveWP offers a complete donor management system:
- Detailed profiles
- Donation history
- Personalized communication
- Activity reports
- Donor Segmentation
Reports and Analytics
Performance tracking is made easy with detailed reporting. You can analyze:
- Donation trends
- The most active periods
- Average amounts
- Conversion rates
- Campaign effectiveness
GiveWP lets you turn your website into an effective fundraising platform with its WordPress donation plugin. Whether you need a complete solution or just a donation button, GiveWP has you covered. The service is initially free and offers unlimited donation forms with no programming skills required, as well as detailed reporting and a robust donor database.
Additionally, GiveWP can be integrated with various third-party tools and customer relationship management (CRM) systems for donors, like Salesforce and Mailchimp. With features like recurring donations, fee recovery, and peer-to-peer fundraising, GiveWP helps you maximize your fundraising revenue every year.
GiveWP Plus, Pro, and Agency plan customers also get a free thirty-minute audit of their fundraising site, where a team of experts will help them optimize their site for online donations. With this audit and regular support, you’ll have no trouble getting started with GiveWP. Should you need it, the company has one of the best support teams in the industry.
GiveWP Extensions and Add-ons
The GiveWP ecosystem is particularly notable for the wealth of its extensions. After years of use and implementation for various organizations, I can attest to the power that these add-ons bring to the basic solution.
The recurring donations are probably the most popular and strategic extension. It allows you to transform one-time donors into regular supporters, ensuring predictable revenue for your organization. The extension fully automates the process, from subscription to reminders to expired card management.
L'PDF tax receipt extension is essential for organizations eligible for tax deductions. It automatically generates personalized receipts, compliant with tax regulations, and sends them directly to donors. A considerable time saving for administrative teams.
The SMS donation feature opens up new possibilities for fundraising. It allows donors to contribute quickly via their mobile phone, ideal for emergency campaigns or live events. The integration is smooth and secure, with conversion rates often higher than traditional forms.
The peer-to-peer fundraising extension turns your supporters into fundraisers. They can create their own personalized fundraising pages, share their stories, and mobilize their networks. It’s a great way to extend your reach and actively engage your community.
CRM integrations are another important pillar. Whether you’re using Salesforce, HubSpot, or other popular platforms, GiveWP offers connectors that automatically sync your donation data with your CRM, ensuring a 360° view of your donors. The gamification plugin adds a fun dimension to your fundraisers. Badges, leaderboards, challenges… all of these elements encourage engagement and regular participation from donors. I’ve seen campaigns double their results thanks to these well-implemented mechanics.
Additional payment gateways expand your collection options. Beyond PayPal and Stripe Included in the basic version, you can add local solutions specific to certain countries or regions, thus optimizing your conversion rates.
The Advanced Reporting extension provides valuable insights into your performance. Detailed analyses, customizable dashboards, automated exports… It enables data-driven decision-making and continuous optimization of your campaigns.
The In Honor Donation feature adds an important emotional dimension. Particularly popular in the charitable and educational sectors, it allows donors to dedicate their contributions to loved ones, strengthening the personal connection with your cause.
The Multi-Step Forms extension significantly improves the user experience, especially for large donations. It breaks down the process into digestible steps, reducing abandonment and increasing average donation amounts.
Email Marketing Add-ons (Mailchimp, Constant Contact, etc..) automate your communication. From donation confirmation to loyalty campaigns to recurring donation reminders, everything is managed smoothly and professionally.
How much does this plugin cost?
GiveWP offers a flexible pricing structure that fits the needs of each organization. The basic version is free and available on WordPress.org, offering the essential features to get your fundraisers started.
For advanced features, GiveWP offers several annual subscription plans:
The Plus Pack (starting at $349/year) includes:
- Recurring donations
- PDF tax receipts
- Priority technical support
- Updates for 1 year
- Use on 5 sites
The Pro Pack ($499/year) adds:
- Advanced Donor Management
- Custom reports
- Integration with popular CRMs
- Use on 10 sites
- Gamification Features
The All Access Pack ($999/year) offers:
- All available extensions
- Unlimited use on multiple sites
- Premium support
- Early access to new features
- Personalized training
An important point: GiveWP does not charge any commission on your donations, unlike other crowdfunding platforms. You only pay the annual subscription and the usual fees of your payment processors (PayPal, Stripe, etc.).
Note that perpetual licenses are sometimes available during special offers, allowing lifetime access to premium features with a one-time payment. For small associations that are starting out, the free version remains an excellent option to test the tool and start collecting donations effectively.
How to receive donations with GiveWP?
The GiveWP plugin allows you to accept donations by connecting to a payment processor. Options include PayPal, Stripe, PayFast, PayU, and many more. The team behind the plugin continues to expand the available options.
Each of these platforms has different fees and rules, so it’s important to find the one that works best for you. For example, with Stripe, recurring donations have no fees. This is great for long-term fundraisers. I’ll show you how to use PayPal in this tutorial, but the process is pretty similar for the other options.
That said, you will need to have an active account with the payment processor you choose. Let's start by clicking on "Extensions" and select the option "Add" in the admin panel on the left.
Look for "GiveWP" in the available search box. This will display other plugins that you might find useful. Scroll down until you find the GiveWP plugin, then click the "install now" and activate the plugin to use it.
After installation, you will see a welcome message inviting you to use the setup wizard. Click the "Start configuration".
Configure the GiveWP plugin
The setup wizard is short and easy to follow, and should only take a few minutes at most.
First, you need to select the type of fundraiser you are organizing. Your options include individual, organization, or other. You must also indicate the cause of your donation using the drop-down menu at the bottom. Select the option that applies to you and click the "Continue".
Now it’s time to select what should appear on your first form. You can add the donation goal, comments from other donors, terms and conditions, offline donation options, anonymous donations, and corporate donations.
Please note: You can change these options at any time, so don't worry too much.
Click on the options you want to include.
You will now see a preview of your donation form. This is just a preview based on the choices in the previous step; you will be able to customize it completely after the setup wizard.
Click on the button "Continue" when you are ready.
You can now select additional options to include in your fundraiser. These include recurring donations, donor-covered expenses, PDF receipts, custom form fields, multiple currency support, and dedicated donations.
Select all options that apply.
Select a Payment Method
At this point, you need to choose a payment processor to use for your donations. By default, the GiveWP plugin only supports PayPal and Stripe. Both of these options are very popular and widely used, making them a common choice for many organizations looking to accept donations online.
If you prefer to use another payment processor, you can purchase an add-on for the plugin. GiveWP developers offer a vast library of extensions that allow you to integrate other payment solutions, such as PayFast or PayU, according to your specific needs.
However, for most users, PayPal or Stripe will likely be the easiest and most effective choice. These platforms are well-established, offer competitive fees, and have robust features to handle transactions securely. Take the time to consider your options and choose the payment processor that best fits your fundraising project.
You will now be directed to the payment gateway. Click on the appropriate button to connect to the payment processor of your choice.
Add a Donation Form
Once your payment gateway is set up, it's time to customize your first donation form.
See you in Donations > Add a Form. Choose a donation form template or GiveWP’s legacy form to get started. Go through each form setting to customize your options. Set a donation goal if you want, and update all form settings as needed.
Once your form is customized for your fundraiser, publish it. You can now use the form anywhere on your website.
- Use the custom donation form as a standalone landing page.
- Insert the shortcode anywhere on your site.
- Find your donation forms in your Gutenberg block library.
- Add a form widget to one of your widget areas, such as a sidebar or footer menu.
Make sure to test your form everywhere it’s embedded on your site. Then, start directing people to it to raise funds! After you’ve received a few online donations, you can check out your fundraising report through your WordPress site’s admin dashboard.
Your fundraising report summary includes an overview of your total revenue, average donation amount, total number of donors, and total number of refunds for a given period.
Article to read: Popular Premium WordPress Themes
Alternatives to GiveWP
GiveWP is a popular fundraising and donation platform for WordPress. However, there are several alternatives that can meet various online donation needs. Here are some of the most notable options:
1. Charitable
Charitable is a flexible and user-friendly fundraising solution. With an intuitive interface, it makes it easy to create donation campaigns. Charitable also offers extensions for advanced features, such as recurring payments and integrations with email marketing services. Its freemium model allows access to basic features for free.
Features:
- Ease of use : Intuitive interface for creating campaigns.
- Available extensions: Options for recurring payments, integrations with marketing tools, etc.
- Freemium model: Access to basic features for free, with paid options for advanced features.
- Good documentation and community support
- Flexibility in campaign customization.
- Some advanced features require additional purchases
2. WooCommerce Donations
For those already using WooCommerce, the Donations plugin allows you to add a donation option to your online store. This allows you to take advantage of WooCommerce features while making fundraising easier. Users can customize donation amounts and track contributions through their WooCommerce dashboard.
3. Fundraising by WP Fundraising
This solution is ideal for nonprofits looking to create crowdfunding campaigns. WP Fundraising offers advanced customization options and donation tracking tools. Plus, it’s compatible with multiple payment gateways, expanding the options for donors.
4. PayPal Donations
For a quick and easy solution, PayPal Donations lets you accept donations directly through a PayPal button. While less customizable than other options, it’s easy to set up and suitable for smaller organizations that want to get started quickly.
Features:
- Quick Setup: Easy to integrate into any site.
- Donation options: Donors can choose the amount.
- No monthly subscription fees
- Ideal for small organizations or projects.
- Less customization and advanced features.
5. donorbox
Donorbox is a fundraising platform that easily integrates with WordPress. It offers customizable donation forms and recurring payment options. Donorbox is ideal for organizations that want a robust solution without too much complexity.
Each of these alternatives offers unique features that can meet specific needs, making online fundraising easier for various organizations.
Features:
- Customizable forms: Customization options for donation pages.
- Recurring payments: Possibility to set up regular donations.
- Support for multiple currencies and payment gateways.
- Simple and efficient interface.
- Service fees may apply to donations
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