Ways to Donate to Your Organization

Many nonprofits rely on private contributions as a major source of revenue to fund their operations. Since gifts from individuals play such an important role in many organizations, do you make it easy for individuals to donate to your organization?

One of the easiest ways to provide options to your donors is through your website. This is also usually the first place donors will visit to learn more about your organization. Consider including a “Donate” page on your website that is easily accessible to visitors. On the “Donate” page include multiple ways to give.

• Pay online
  • Include the frequency of the payment (one time or monthly)
  • Provide options for the payment (credit card, debit card, PayPal, Apple Pay)
  • Ask what they would like to support (general operations or a specific program)
• Donate by text
• Donate by phone
• Donate by mail
  • Include a mail-in donation from that can be printed and submitted with instructions on where to mail the form and payment.
  • Ask for donor information (name, address, email), payment options (one time gift or monthly amount), payment type (check credit or debit card), and any restriction by the donor for their gift.

It is important to understand your donors and connect with them in a way that moves them to give. If donors do not see an option to give that they feel comfortable with or that works for them, they may not give to your organization. For example, once individuals meet a certain age, they are required to make required minimum distributions (RMDs) from their IRAs. Individuals may choose to take a qualified charitable distribution from their IRA to meet the RMD. The payment for the qualified charitable distribution must be made from the IRA directly to the qualified charity and is normally required to be made via check issued by the financial institution holding the IRA assets. To make this type of donation to your organization, the donor needs to know the process for making a donation by check.

Your organization may already accept donations through different means but if you don’t clearly communicate that you do, you may end up losing donations.

Contributed by: Carrie Minnich, MAcct, CPA | Director | DWD CPAs & Advisors