If you’re looking to raise funds online, you need to create a high-converting nonprofit landing page.
Unfortunately, with an average conversion rate of 17%, most users leave fundraising landing pages without donating.
Many factors contribute to this, such as over-solicitation, weak headlines, open-ended funding requests, lack of multiple ways to donate (such as PayPal, bank transfer, and credit card), and a donation form so long that filling it becomes a pain.
The good news is that you can navigate these obstacles and develop a nonprofit landing page that’s a roaring success. You just need to follow the best practices.
Let’s discuss them in this article and look at some good landing page examples to understand how you should structure your own nonprofit landing page.
What is a nonprofit landing page?
A nonprofit landing page is a web page that guides visitors toward making a donation, volunteering, or signing up for a newsletter. It uses a clear call-to-action (CTA) and messaging that helps the intended audience, whether it’s new visitors, long-time donors, or young volunteers, make a meaningful contribution to the organization’s cause.
These landing pages also reduce the amount of work visitors must do to donate and eliminate any distractions that would divert them from participating in a fundraiser. This helps organizations increase donor engagement, raise more funds, encourage recurring donations, and convert visitors.
Nonprofit landing pages are commonly used in newsletters and social media campaigns. They are typically added as a link in a CTA on a social media post or in an email. Potential donors click through these links to be redirected to the landing pages.
Importance of landing pages for nonprofits
Increasing conversion rates—no matter how essential—is not the only goal of nonprofit landing pages. Here are six other reasons why these donation pages are so crucial for nonprofits:
1. Donor engagement
A fundraising landing page helps you engage donors on a deeper level.
Think about it: when donors visit a landing page tailored to a specific campaign, they encounter content that speaks directly to their interests and values.
For example, if your nonprofit focuses on environmental conservation, a landing page for a tree-planting campaign can talk about compelling stories, present impactful images, and use clear calls to action to make donors feel more connected and motivated to contribute.
These personalized experiences make donors feel valued, which increases their likelihood of providing recurring support.
2. Fundraising
Effective nonprofit landing pages present a clear, focused message and a straightforward donation process. They also help visitors understand the impact of their contributions, which helps with fundraising efforts.
For example, a nonprofit landing page for an urgent disaster relief fund can highlight people’s immediate needs and how each donation will be used, creating a sense of urgency and prompting quick action.
3. Optimized user experience
A well-designed nonprofit landing page provides an optimized user experience, essential for keeping visitors engaged. These pages eliminate unnecessary navigation options and distractions, guiding users to a single, clear call to action.
For example, a volunteer sign-up landing page will focus solely on the benefits of volunteering, the steps to get involved, and the form to sign up. This simplification of the user journey ensures that visitors can easily complete the desired action, which leads to higher conversion rates.
4. Search engine visibility
Good landing pages use relevant keywords (including long-tail keywords) and content that is optimized for search engines. This increases search engine visibility and helps them attract more organic traffic.
For example, a landing page for a community health initiative might use keywords like “free health screenings” or “community wellness programs.”
That helps the page rank higher in search results and increases the likelihood of reaching potential supporters searching for related donation schemes.
5. Social sharing
When a nonprofit landing page has a compelling story or a strong call to action, supporters are more likely to share it within their networks.
For instance, a landing page promoting an animal rescue mission can include powerful images and stories of rescued animals, along with easy-to-use social sharing buttons. This encourages visitors to spread the word, increasing the campaign’s reach and attracting new supporters.
6. Targeted messaging
Landing pages allow for highly targeted messaging. Nonprofits can create different landing page designs for various audience segments, ensuring that each visitor receives a message that resonates with them.
For example, a nonprofit focused on education might have separate landing pages for parents, teachers, and donors, each with tailored content addressing their specific concerns and interests. This increases the likelihood of a positive response and boosts conversion rates.
Types of nonprofit landing pages
Here are the different types of nonprofit landing pages:
1. Donation page
A donation page is the primary gateway for individuals to contribute financially to a nonprofit organization’s cause.
This type of nonprofit landing page prominently displays the organization’s mission and the specific cause for which funds are solicited to ensure visitors understand where their donations will be directed.
It features a user-friendly donation form that requests essential information such as the donor’s name, email address, and the amount they wish to contribute.
Donation landing pages also provide various funding options to accommodate donors’ preferences. These options include:
- one-time donations
- recurring monthly contributions
- annual donations
They may also provide the option to dedicate donations in honor or memory of a loved one.
In addition, many donation pages include information about the tangible impact of donations. Examples of these outcomes or projects that donations will support include the number of individuals fed, animals rescued, or trees planted.
Image source: Save the Children UK
Save the Children UK’s donation landing page is an excellent nonprofit fundraising model. Donors can choose between single or monthly contributions in preset amounts or specify their desired donation.
The page provides diverse donation channels, including online, direct debit, post, phone, and the Raise for Children app that cater to donors’ preferences and circumstances.
What we particularly love about Save the Children UK’s landing page is the personal stories, such as Fatima’s journey from severe malnutrition to recovery, that humanize the impact of donations and inspire empathy among donors.
2. Volunteer page
Nonprofits recruit and engage volunteers in their mission-driven work through a volunteer landing page. This dedicated space allows potential volunteers to learn about available opportunities and how they can get involved.
On this type of nonprofit landing page, you will find a list of available volunteer positions, ranging from one-time events to ongoing projects. The listings provide details about the role, requirements, and time commitments to help prospective volunteers find opportunities that match their interests and availability.
The page also describes an application process for volunteers to express their interest in a specific opportunity.
On this page, nonprofit organizations also outline the benefits of volunteering, such as gaining valuable experience, making a meaningful impact, and connecting with like-minded individuals.
These types of pages often include success stories or testimonials from past volunteers that inspire others to get involved. Some also include FAQs to address common inquiries about volunteering, such as age requirements, background checks, or training processes.
Image source: World Vision
If you follow World Vision’s volunteer page, you’ll find diverse opportunities for individuals and groups to engage in meaningful service to support children in need.
The page is organized into sections—you’ll find events and group activities like community walks/runs for clean water and the option to volunteer at World Vision’s U.S. warehouse locations. There are also avenues for youth engagement, church involvement, and corporate partnerships.
You don’t directly find the volunteer application process displayed on the landing page. Instead, each type of opportunity directs you toward a dedicated landing page with relevant application details.
3. Event page
The event page on a nonprofit website is where visitors find information about upcoming events hosted or sponsored by the organization. It provides potential attendees with clear and concise event information, such as event titles, dates, times, locations, and descriptions.
You may see features such as event calendars, interactive maps, and social sharing buttons to facilitate engagement and dissemination of event information. Registration or RSVP options are available directly on the page to allow visitors to sign up for events easily.
Nonprofit organizations also showcase past events on their event pages with photos, videos, or testimonials highlighting the organization’s successful event history and encouraging participation in future activities.
Image source: One! International Poverty Relief
An excellent example of a nonprofit event landing page is that of One! Internal Poverty Relief’s gala event hosted in Edmonton on February 9th, 2024. You can see information about tickets using a “first come, first served” approach. The page also offers information on various ways to help, such as volunteering opportunities and donation options.
At the bottom, contact information is provided for further inquiries, along with legal information regarding the organization’s licenses and charitable status.
4. Newsletter signup page
A newsletter sign-up page on a nonprofit website helps build and maintain a solid supporter base. This page allows website visitors to subscribe to the organization’s regular updates to stay informed about its activities, events, and impact.
The page briefly describes what subscribers can expect from the newsletter, such as updates on programs, success stories, upcoming events, and ways to get involved.
There’s a simple form where visitors enter their name, email address, and sometimes additional information like interests or location to personalize their experience.
Additionally, the page may highlight past newsletter issues or testimonials from current subscribers to illustrate the value of signing up. This page powers your non-profit email campaigns.
Check this out:
Image source: National Wildlife Federation
The National Wildlife Federation’s e-newsletter sign-up page invites website visitors to subscribe to various e-newsletters tailored to their interests.
You can see that they’ve listed multiple benefits of signing up, such as:
- Staying informed about NWF’s efforts to protect wildlife and wild places
- Receiving activities and ideas for outdoor family fun
- Discovering nature-inspired gifts
- Viewing award-winning wildlife photography
- Learning how to garden for wildlife
To cater to individual preferences, the page offers several categories for subscribers to choose from, including Wildlife News, Membership Offers, Garden for Wildlife, Action Alerts, NWF Product Offers, and Educator Resources.
At the bottom of the page, additional links to the organization’s contact information, social media channels, and other resources such as magazines, blogs, action funds, and career opportunities are provided.
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5. Memberships page
The membership page is a dedicated recruitment ground for passionate individuals who want to commit to more than a one-time donation. It clearly explains the value proposition of becoming a member.
You’ll find a compelling overview of the organization’s mission and the impact members have in achieving it. The page also includes information on membership fees, duration, and the impact of membership contributions on the organization’s mission.
Visitors also learn about exclusive benefits such as access to special events, newsletters, discounts on merchandise, and recognition in the nonprofit’s publications.
There’s always a clear call to action that prompts visitors to sign up.
Image source: Wayne County PAWS
This PAWS for WCDS membership page targets animal lovers who want to support shelter dogs through ongoing contributions. The page opens with a strong statement emphasizing the significance of membership—it’s more than just joining; it’s making a real difference.
It then expresses sincere gratitude to members and concludes with a call to action that invites visitors to join the cause. Underneath the call to action, there’s a membership-level selection section. Here, visitors can choose from various “PAWS Partner” tiers, each with a designated donation amount and a one-year subscription period.
Finally, the page provides PAWS for WCDS’ contact information, including address, tax ID number, and email address.
Best practices for crafting a nonprofit landing page
Now that we’ve looked at the various types of landing pages a nonprofit can use, let’s shift gears and talk about how to create landing pages that convert like crazy. We’ll also look at several examples of well-designed landing pages.
1. Include a clear mission statement
A strong and concise mission statement serves as the foundation of any effective nonprofit landing page. It’s the first impression you make on visitors, so it needs to be clear, concise, and emotionally resonant.
This statement should be prominently displayed on the landing page so that visitors immediately understand the organization’s objectives.
Ensure your mission statement is brief but comprehensive, usually one or two sentences. It should avoid jargon and be accessible to a general audience. The goal is to inspire and encourage your visitors to support the cause.
Image source: Connecting For Kids
Notice how the first thing you see on Connecting for Kids’ donation page is their mission statement in two sentences?
2. Add engaging visuals
The attention span of an average visitor is about eight seconds. This means you need high-quality images, videos, and graphics to create an emotional connection with visitors and encourage them to stay on your nonprofit landing page.
You want to use clear, high-resolution images that reflect your organization’s mission and impact. Avoid stock photos whenever possible; instead, showcase real photos of your work, events, and the people you help.
Also, consider infographics—they simplify complex information and present it in an easily digestible format. Use them to display statistics, progress, and goals.
In addition, visuals should be strategically placed throughout the landing page to guide visitors’ attention and enhance the content.
For example, use a hero image or video at the top of the page to make an immediate impact—position infographics near the relevant text to support the information being presented.
The International Rescue Committee does a great job of using relevant, high-quality visuals throughout its landing page. The visuals maintain a bold yellow, white, and black color scheme and consistent typography.
Image source: International Rescue Committee
The page uses infographics to describe what they do in war-stricken areas.
Image source: International Rescue Committee
The best aspect of these visuals is that they are optimized for various devices and screen sizes. They load quickly and display correctly on desktops, tablets, and mobile phones.
GetResponse’s landing page builder gives you access to over one million free images and allows you to drag and drop these into your landing page without hassle. This can help you achieve the same effect for your nonprofit landing page as the Internal Rescue Committee.
Our platform also provides a 50% discount for nonprofit organizations. Check out the details here.
3. Add a compelling donation call-to-action (CTA)
A compelling donation CTA encourages visitors to contribute to the organization’s cause and supports fundraising efforts.
Donors should be able to locate your donation link within seconds of the page loading, meaning it should be easily visible without the need to scroll extensively. Common locations include the top right corner, within the hero section, or as a sticky button that remains visible as the user navigates the page.
Also, choose contrasting colors for the CTA button to ensure it catches the eye. Use a readable font size and style. Adding subtle animations or hover effects can also draw attention to the CTA.
Notice how the World Wildlife Fund places their CTA button—“Donate”—prominently at the top. The red button color makes it pop instantly.
Image source: World Wildlife Fund
You also want to create a sense of urgency and emotional connection with your CTA copy. Direct phrases like “Help today” or “Make an immediate impact” encourage quick action.
4. Make your page mobile responsive
A significant portion of web traffic comes from smartphones and tablets. This means that for your nonprofit landing page to be truly effective, it must be responsive, i.e., adjust its layout and content to fit any device’s screen size perfectly, be it a desktop computer, a tablet, or a smartphone.
Make sure you use flexible grids and scalable images to ensure content adjusts smoothly on different devices. Implement media queries in CSS to apply specific styles for different screen widths.
You should also prioritize fast loading times on mobile devices. Minimize the use of large files and excessive scripts. Use caching and content delivery networks (CDNs) to speed up content delivery.
Also, regularly test the landing page on various devices and browsers. Use tools like Google’s PageSpeed Insights and responsive design testing tools to identify and fix issues.
In addition, remember that tiny text on a mobile screen is a recipe for user frustration. Use fonts that are large enough to be comfortably read without zooming in. A general rule of thumb is to use a minimum of 16px for body text.
Finally, place key information, compelling visuals, and your CTA above the fold for immediate impact. The “fold” refers to the part of the screen visible without scrolling.
If you’re building your landing page with GetResponse’s builder tool, you can preview how it will look on mobile devices and adjust elements to ensure a responsive mobile experience.
5. Build trust
Donors want to know if their contributions are used effectively. This means building trust and transparency on your fundraising landing page is essential to encourage giving.
To do that, don’t just tell visitors what you do—show them! Use compelling visuals, data, and success stories to demonstrate the real-world impact of your work. Highlight the number of people you’ve helped and the problems you’ve solved, as Charity: Water does.
Image source: Charity: Water.
Also, be upfront about how donations are used. Include a breakdown of how your organization allocates funds. Consider featuring clear financial statements that showcase responsible financial management.
Image source: Charity: Water
It’s also a good idea to give your organization a human face. Introduce your team members, especially those leading your initiatives. Share their qualifications and experience to build confidence in your expertise.
Charity: Water has done this through a dedicated “Meet the Founder” page, where they discuss how Scott Harrison founded the initiative.
Also, let your past supporters speak for you. Add positive testimonials from donors, volunteers, or program beneficiaries. Showcase reviews that highlight the positive impact of your work.
6. Add social proof to donation pages
Prospects are more likely to engage with your cause if they see others doing the same. This means you must include testimonials from donors, volunteers, and beneficiaries on your fundraising landing page to build trust.
Personal stories and experiences provide a relatable and compelling reason for new visitors to get involved with your organization. For example, putting quotes from volunteers about their rewarding experiences front and center on your page can inspire others to sign up.
Similarly, you could display your nonprofit’s number of followers, likes, or shares on platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram—but in a “side note” way. This visibility indicates active support and encourages others to join in.
Take a look at the CARE donation page and how it provides social proof that people are giving to the cause. It highlights the $300 option and mentions that “most people are donating $300 right now.”
Source: CARE
In addition, try to include any awards or recognitions your nonprofit has received. These provide third-party validation of your efforts, which builds and increases donors’ trust. For instance, if your organization has received a community service award, prominently display this achievement on your fundraising landing page.
With GetResponse’s landing page builder tool, you can integrate social proof elements, such as social media widgets, testimonials, and award badges, like Charity Watch and Navigator ratings, into your landing pages.
7. Provide straightforward navigation
Clear and intuitive navigation improves user experience by ensuring donors can easily find the information they need. Here’s how to do this for your nonprofit landing page:
- Use a simple and clean navigation bar (if required) that links to only essential pages, such as “About Us,” “Contact,” and “Donate.” Try not to overwhelm your visitors with too many options.
- Ensure that all navigation links are clearly labeled and direct visitors where they want to go. For example, if you include a link to “Success Stories,” make sure it leads to a page featuring impactful stories and testimonials from those you have helped, not a 404 page.
- Use anchor links for long nonprofit landing pages because they help donors jump to specific sections of the page without scrolling. For example, if your donation page includes sections on “Our Mission,” “Programs,” and “How to Help,” anchor links at the top can help people easily navigate it.
Look at how easily navigable Charity: Water’s website homepage design is:
Source: Charity: Water
Like the suggested donation amounts, the “JOIN TODAY” CTA button is placed centrally, ensuring people can click through the link without having to scroll. This can guide potential donors into taking immediate action and make the donation process easy.
The same page also features a clean navigation bar and contains only three options, ensuring those who want to know more aren’t overwhelmed, which is a common cause of donation abandonment.
Source: Charity: Water
Our platform helps you create a basic landing page that’s pre-optimized for easy navigation. If something seems too complex, you can simply drag it away to create a streamlined user experience.
8. Utilize testing and analytics
Regularly testing and analyzing your donation page’s performance helps you optimize it and increase its effectiveness.
The first step is to use A/B testing to compare different versions of your landing page. Create A/B tests for variations of headlines, images, CTAs, and layouts to find out which elements perform best.
Aside from that, use analytics tools like Google Analytics to track visitor behavior and engagement. These provide valuable data on how visitors interact with your donation page, where they drop off, and which elements drive conversions. Use this data to optimize your page.
Mistakes to avoid in nonprofit landing page design
Let’s now discuss some common mistakes—with landing page examples—that undermine your fundraising efforts and how to steer clear of them:
1. Overwhelming complexity
One of the biggest mistakes you could make is creating a donation landing page that is too complex. When visitors land on your page, they should immediately understand what it’s about and what you want them to do.
Source: Sightsavers
For example, Sightsavers’ fundraising landing page is super simple. It drives the point of giving a gift home using a compelling image, a persuasive headline, and a single, clear donation button.
2. Lack of clarity
Clarity is essential for a successful donation page. Donors need to know exactly what you are asking from them and why. So avoid using vague language and ambiguous goals.
For example, instead of saying, “Support our cause,” be specific and say something like, “Donate $20 to provide clean water to a family for a month.”
Clear, specific requests help visitors understand the impact of their contribution and are more likely to motivate them to act—and that’s precisely the case with Save the Children’s donation page.
It tells you exactly why the organization wants you to donate and how much you should contribute, making it easy to take action.
Source: Save the Children
Potential donors should never have to figure out what your nonprofit does or the action you want them to take.
3. Ignoring mobile users
With more people accessing websites on their phones, ignoring mobile optimization is a costly mistake. Ensure your fundraising landing page is mobile-friendly with easy navigation, readable text, and quick load times—less than a second is best.
Always test your page on various devices to make sure it looks and works well everywhere.
4. Neglecting visual appeal
An outdated or unprofessional fundraising landing page will turn people away and reduce conversions. This means you need to use high-quality images and a clean, modern design to make your page inviting.
Source: Best Friends Animals Society
For instance, if your nonprofit works for wildlife conservation, use beautiful photos of the animals you’re helping and the habitats you’re protecting. The Best Friends Animal Society seems to have taken this advice to heart.
5. Forgetting the call-to-action
The call-to-action (CTA) is the most important part of your nonprofit landing page. If it’s missing or not prominent enough, potential donors won’t know what to do next. So, make sure your CTA stands out using bold colors and clear text.
For example, if your goal is to get people to sign a petition, a bright button that says “Sign the Petition” should be front and center. Don’t bury your CTA at the bottom of the page or surround it with too much text or other distractions.
6. Ignoring SEO
Search engine optimization (SEO) drives organic traffic to your fundraising landing page. Ignoring it means missing out on qualified leads—supporters and volunteers searching for causes like yours.
So, optimize your landing page for search engines using relevant keywords in your headlines, text, and metadata. You also want to regularly publish SEO-friendly content and link it to your landing pages.
In closing
Nonprofit landing pages for raising funds help you increase donor engagement, collect donations, increase your membership base, and create awareness about your mission.
Creating an effective nonprofit landing page can be difficult—especially if you don’t know where to begin. But with the right strategies and tools, you can build pages that truly make an impact.
GetResponse’s landing page builder tool is here to simplify the process. With features like AI-powered content generation, an intuitive drag-and-drop editor, and comprehensive analytics, you can create landing pages that convert at the drop of a hat. Try our platform for free here.