Major gifts are almost always built on trust, timing, and strong relationships.
But before a donor ever has coffee with you, they usually visit your website.
And when they’re doing their research, often comparing multiple organizations they care about, they go back to your website again. What they find there can either build confidence… or quietly raise red flags.
If you want to attract transformational gifts, your website needs to work with you, not against you. In this article, we'll explore 6 ways your website might be hurting your major giving program, and how to fix them.
It’s no secret that many people use the internet as a research tool.
Some may land on your site casually, after a friend forwarded them your campaign. Others are deeply intentional: already connected to your work, looking to make a meaningful investment, and checking that your mission aligns with their values.
Either way, your website should:
If it doesn’t? You may be missing out on major gifts.
Want to see examples of how to improve your website for donor trust and bigger gifts? We’re hosting a free webinar that will walk through practical, high-impact website fixes. No redesign required. Register now for Make Your Website Work Harder for Your Mission.
A poorly designed or complicated website can lead to frustrated donors and decreased donation rates. To maximize major giving, make sure your website isn’t making any of these mistakes.
First impressions matter, and some donors are checking out your website before they even connect with you. Make sure your website matches the personality and vision of your organization.
Take a look at your website with fresh eyes:
Simple things like outdated financials, old events on the homepage, or generic language can subtly undermine trust.
Tip: We know the content creation hamster wheel can be daunting. But you don’t have to create ideas for your website from scratch! You can repurpose social media posts as roundups, use segments from your annual report (or post the whole thing), add email newsletter stories as blog posts, etc. Use stories that you share in other areas to create an updated and engaging website.
Not every donor is the same, and your donation pages shouldn’t be either.
Having only one “Donate” page limits your ability to speak to major donors, planned givers, or supporters who want to give in creative ways. The ability to create custom landing pages and track engagement is a great way to engage with donors in a more intimate way.
It’s important to highlight different ways a donor can support your organization, so list them out. Many donors don’t know all the unique ways to give, like donating stocks, naming your nonprofit as a life insurance beneficiary, or Qualified Charitable Distributions. You can even suggest a recurring gift from their Donor Advised Fund! You can tailor the tone of voice on each donate page to suit their needs.
You can refer donors to different landing pages through segmented email campaigns, targeted Facebook ads (see below for more), with QR codes on major giving brochures and mailings, etc. You should also have a link to these landing pages on your general donate page.
Have a tagline that alerts donors, “If you would like to learn more about making a donation of stock, planned gift, or other unique donation, click here!” Always give them the option in case they want to give more or in a more tax efficient way for them!
Tip: Optimize your landing page for mobile! Many emails and websites are accessed on phones, and you’ll miss your chance if it doesn’t convert correctly or quickly.
If a donor doesn’t know it’s possible, they may assume it’s not an option. It is important to showcase major gifts that come to your nonprofit and the impact they make on the mission you serve. By showcasing stories made possible through major gifts, you can plant the seed in other people’s mind that they could also have a great impact.
Identify a few stories that wouldn’t have been possible without funding through a major gift or your endowment. Highlight how the gift helped the mission you serve triumph over adversity and celebrate your organization’s work. Social proof is a great way to encourage others to give, so show them what is possible!
In the intro and conclusion to the story posted on your website, mention the specific gift that helped give the story a positive ending, praise the donor for taking action, and link to your landing page. Share these stories on your website in a section designated for success and celebration. You can link to these stories on your major giving landing page, in social media, and in email newsletters.
We’ll be diving into this, and more, during our upcoming session: Make Your Website Work Harder for Your Mission. If you want your website to support major giving, tax-smart donations, and year-end success, this session is for you. Register here.
One of the most important aspects of your website is its ease of use. If your “Donate” button is hard to find or the form is frustrating, donors may just give up, especially if they’re trying to give from their phone.
A donor should be able to make a donation easily from any page of your website. Make sure your donate button is clearly defined, in a bold color, and stays on every page while you scroll.
As a test, have a friend or colleague who isn’t familiar with your website try to navigate it. Ask them how easy it was to make a donation, to find out what your mission is, and to feel the impact a donation to your organization would have. If they cannot easily answer these questions, neither will your donors.
After a donor makes a donation on their website, most organizations have a pop-up window that says, “Thank you for your donation!”, and then the experience stops there.
That’s a missed opportunity to engage with somebody who just supported your cause.
Did you know you can redirect them to a landing page instead? Rather than leave them hanging, why not send them to an enticing landing page that engages them and makes them even happier they donated?
Even if you send a thank you email, you could still redirect the donor to a thank you landing page. A donor who has just made a donation has a heightened connection to your organization. Capitalize on that! That feeling may have decreased when they read your email in three days.
On this page, you can:
A few more minutes of engagement could go a long way to deepening your relationship. Remember to continue fostering that relationship to increase the likelihood of a future gift!
Most donors don’t wake up thinking, “I should donate stock today!”
They do it when someone makes it easy, explains the benefit, and plants the idea at the right time (often around year-end).
Unfortunately, many nonprofit websites miss this opportunity completely. Instead, they only list cash and credit card donations, leaving more tax-savvy (and potentially more generous) donors without a clear next step.
The problem is, if you don’t clearly communicate that you accept these types of donations, they may not ask.
Add a “Tax-Smart Giving” section to your donation page or a Ways to Give page.
Don’t bury it. This should be listed alongside your other giving options.
Name the options clearly:
Use clear, donor-centered language.
Skip the jargon and focus on why it benefits them.
Looking for a more tax-efficient way to give?
Donating appreciated stock, giving directly from your IRA, or recommending a grant from your Donor Advised Fund (DAF) may allow you to make a bigger impact without affecting your cash flow.. These types of gifts may also offer significant tax advantages.
Let’s talk about what’s right for you.
[Contact Us] or [Download Our Giving Guide] or [Fill Out Form]
We’re hosting a free webinar: Make Your Website Work Harder for Your Mission.
You’ll walk away with practical website fixes that help you build trust and attract bigger gifts, especially as year-end approaches. Register now.
It is important to optimize your website to make major giving easy. By highlighting unique ways to donate, sharing impactful stories, and creating a great experience, you can attract more major gifts to your nonprofit.