Best Practices For Setting Up Donation Boxes

Donation boxes are a convenient and easy way to gather money whether you're fundraising during a fundraising event, a checkout charity campaign, or another in-person circumstance.

 

 

Why are donation boxes so useful and effective?

The same as having a volunteer or staff member on hand to solicit donations, having a branded donation box, or "jar," to display in public places is great for attracting potential donors as well. Your supporters are free to choose whether or not to contribute without feeling compelled to do so or guilty if they don't.

Additionally, you can use donation boxes that accept credit card donations thanks to modern technology, ensuring that none of your supporters feels left out. We have suggestions to assist you if you want to use a donation box or top fundraising ideas to kickstart your in-person fundraising activities.

 

Choose the right donation box 

Choosing the appropriate donation box is the first step in any successful campaign. There are now more options than ever for accepting cash and credit card donations, as we mentioned in the introduction.

There are many options available, so it's important to assess your nonprofit's requirements to decide which one is best for it.

Before beginning your search for the ideal donation box concept, you should ask yourself the following questions: 

What will be done with our donation box? Like The New York Public Library, which uses a digital donation jar to accept gifts after their audio tours, you might only have one specific use in mind for your box. In contrast, you might want to use donation jars in a variety of situations. Make a list of all the purposes for your jar so you can find a design that will work for them all.

Do you want to accept donations made by credit and debit cards? Although you should say "yes" because you'll have more opportunities to raise money, it's still important to ask. Your best option for a donation jar will depend on how well it meets the needs of your nonprofit.

Since fewer people carry cash with them while they are on the go, using a link to the page you set up on an online fundraising software solution is reasonable. 

 

Design your donation box 

A well-designed donation box should do more than just look good (although that does help to draw in potential donors! ), it should also earn the trust of your supporters.

It is time well spent to design your donation box because it:

• Donors are familiar with your brand. There may not always be an opportunity for people to learn about your charity when they see your donation box. Donors will know who is receiving their contributions and start to recognize your organization at other events and in-person fundraising situations if you design a donation jar that is consistent with your brand.
• Make more donations to your cause. You can raise more money by following best practices and current design trends. When competing for donors' attention at events with other nonprofits, a well-designed donation box stands out, which is crucial. Donors will be drawn to your donation box if it's intriguing and distinctive (and, hopefully, encourage them to contribute).
• Encourage good emotions that help to make a giving experience memorable. Donors are immediately drawn to your cause when a donation box is branded with your logo. As a result, donation jars are intended to inspire and uplift donors and aid in making the giving experience more pleasurable.
• The design of your jar is among the most crucial steps. In other words, because it's unclear how their money will be used, donors will be less confident about giving when using unbranded donation jars.
• Your donation jars must be made to stand out, allay your donors' worries, and motivate them to give because donation jars can be used in a variety of contexts.

 

To create your donation jar for cash or credit cards, follow these best practices:

• Brand your donation container with the colors of your nonprofit. Instead of using the subdued hues in your brand's color palette, choose a color that stands out. 
• Include a logo or slogan so that donors can identify your organization right away. A slogan also helps donors understand how the money will be used.
• Look for a gadget that makes it simple to donate to digital donation jars so that supporters are more likely to do so.
• For donation boxes for cash, use a transparent container. Because donors like to see how much other supporters have contributed and then match that amount, clear boxes are more effective.
• If you use donation jars for both cash and credit cards, make sure they are built to provide the same giving experience on each platform. That way, regardless of the method they choose, every donor has a simple, enjoyable experience.

 

Call donors to action

You might not always have a representative to tell donors about the history of your nonprofit or the cause that the money will support, depending on the circumstances. Therefore, it's crucial to include a message that inspires your donors to take action as well as clarifies your cause.

The way you respond should change depending on the circumstance. Imagine, for instance, that you're organizing a fundraiser to support a critical need, such as the recovery from wildfires, and you've found a few stores in the affected area that will take part as well as a few stores across the nation that will also allow you to set up collection jars.

Calls to action should be included on every donation jar, but they should differ depending on how close the jar is to the affected area. The audience for the local giving boxes is more likely to have been directly impacted by the wildfire, so signs and wording that discuss the issue more personally can be used. In contrast, other calls to action need to be more informative, enlightening the audience about the circumstance while urging them to donate money.

To entice your supporters to donate, you can use the same (or very similar) strategies on your donation jars. You can mobilize your supporters by:

• Presenting a range of donations. A tried-and-true best practice that has been shown to help increase individual donations is giving your donors guidance regarding the donation amount. As donors won't need to choose a gift themselves, this will also hasten the donation process.
• Announcing your donation box with signs. You can use signage to describe your cause and how to donate. Use images, your logo, and the colors associated with your nonprofit in your message to draw readers in and uphold a recognizable brand.
• Utilizing catchy language to entice donors. When requesting donations, it's crucial to be direct—but that doesn't mean it can't also be enjoyable! To encourage donations, the Children's Miracle Network, for instance, uses the phrase "Put your money where your miracles are". The phrase is memorable and has a direct message that people will take away even if they choose not to donate.

When creating its call to action, each nonprofit will have its own distinct voice. Give fundraising a positive spin, which fosters the cozy giving environment that donors adore!

To establish the ideal tone for your organization and inspire supporters to donate, you can combine these strategies. Keep in mind that having fun with your message will grab donors' attention and make giving an enjoyable and memorable experience.

 

Wrapping up 

Decide to place the donation jars at the front of the display so it is the first thing potential donors see when they walk by, even though there is a lot of signage and other marketing materials on their table.

Your chances of raising more money for your cause increase if you put your donation jar in a prominent place.

The time-tested donation jar has always been a successful method of collecting money, and by combining it with more modern models that accept credit card payments, you can increase the amount you raise for your cause.

You can find the perfect answer to all of your in-person fundraising needs with the help of these donation jar suggestions!