How to Raise More in 2025: 10 Proven Ways to Boost Donor Conversion and Gift Size

Mary Jones

In a tight economy, every donor counts. Here’s how to make every visit to your donation form go further while building long-term loyalty across generations. 

Why Conversion Rate and Gift Size Matter More Than Ever 

With fewer people potentially donating in today’s economic climate, fundraisers must focus on two high-impact levers: donor conversion rate and average gift amount. 

• Let’s break it down: A donation form with a 12% conversion rate and an average gift of $125 needs 6,600 visitors to raise $100,000. 
• Increase that conversion rate to 17%, and you only need 4,700 visitors—a savings of nearly 1,900 visits. 
• Keep the same conversion rate but increase the average gift by $25, and you’ll raise $20,000 more. 

Do both? You could raise $61,000 more without increasing traffic. 

While Baby Boomers still lead in total donations, Millennials, Gen Xers, and Gen Z are gaining influence. Gen Z, in particular, is already actively giving—especially through digital channels, micro-donations, and cause-related purchases.  

 10 Actionable Tips to Increase Online Giving 

1. Make your forms accessible: Ensure donation forms display and function well on mobile, tablet, and laptop/desktop devices to reduce friction and increase completion rates for all types of donors.  
2. Embed forms on your website: Don’t make donors hunt for your main donation form. Keep the “Donate Now” button visible and proud at the top of your website—bold and easy to find. 
3. Offer multiple giving options: Provide options like “Donate Now,” “Give in Honor Of,” and campaign-specific forms. Tailor outreach with targeted social media campaigns. 
4. Use Optimized Donation Forms: Every required field on a form increases chances of abandonment. Simplifying your forms can double conversion rates. Ask for additional info after the donation or via follow-up emails.  
5. Transform one-time donors into sustainers: For a sustainer campaign, create dedicated recurring donation forms and clearly communicate the value of ongoing support. Use visible calls to action and automated thank-you workflows.  
6. Use smart pop-ups to upsell: A simple upsell pop-up asking one-time donors to become recurring supporters can convert 6% of donors instantly. Learn how to enable this in the recurring gift upsell documentation. 
7. Rethink your ask ladder: Many forms suggest giving levels that are too low.  

• Try increasing your suggested ask amounts: e.g., $30, $60, $90 instead of $25, $50, $75.  
• Better yet, use Intelligent Ask in Blackbaud Raiser’s Edge NXT® and Create and Embed a Dynamic Ask Component in Blackbaud Luminate Online®. This AI-powered feature adjusts suggested donation amounts based on donor characteristics. One nonprofit saw a $9,000 increase in just a few months using this feature. 

1. Use descending ask ladders: Switching from ascending to descending ladders (e.g., $100, $75, $50, $25) can lead to: 

• 44% increase in donation amounts 
• 3.5x higher average ladder minimums 
• 1.8x higher average gift amounts 
• 7% fewer donors choosing the lowest amount 

1. Stay Current with Payment Methods: Enable Apple Pay, Paypal, Venmo, Google Pay, and other digital wallets. Forms with popular wallet options see a 61% higher conversion rate.  
2. Enable Donor Cover: Let donors cover processing fees with Complete Cover or donor cover. Complete Cover provides free processing, so you receive the entire gift amount. ​ Donor Cover allows supporters to cover the fees for their specific transaction at the time of checkout. You can save thousands of dollars!

Ready to Raise More? 

These strategies can help you raise more with the same traffic—and build stronger relationships with donors across generations. 

Elizabeth Johnson

Thanks for making this so digestable @Crystal Bruce