Optimize online
fundraising:
Three
evidence-based
quick wins

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Three evidence-
based quick wins:
Overview
Quick win No. 1
Add an anchor
to your online
donation form:
Quick win No. 3
Give
effective
guidance:
Quick win No. 2
Emphasize
recurring
donations:

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Quick win No. 1:
Add an anchor to
your online
donation form
Impact:To do:
Pre-fill a donation amount that is
higher than your average donation
amount.
Frank‘s Level of Evidence scale:
**** Meta-analysis of more than
five randomized controlled
trials (RCTs)
*** Max. five RCTs or more
than five RCTs in a
different context
** General principle proven
by peer-reviewed
quantitative studies
* Expert judgment
Donation Uplift Effect:
++++ >100%
+++ 50-100%
++ 20-50%
+ <20%

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Quick win No. 2:
Emphasize
recurring
donations
Impact:To dos:
Make monthly donations the default
option.
– Eliminate quarterly and half-
yearly payment options
(monthly and annual is
sufficient).
– Reduce accessibility of the
“one-time donation“ option.
Frank‘s Level of Evidence scale:
**** Meta-analysis of more than
five randomized controlled
trials (RCTs)
*** Max. five RCTs or more
than five RCTs in a
different context
** General principle proven
by peer-reviewed
quantitative studies
* Expert judgment
Donation Uplift Effect:
++++ >100%
+++ 50-100%
++ 20-50%
+ <20%

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Quick win No. 3:
Give effective
guidance
Impact:To dos:
Present at least three, but not more
than five monthly donations to
choose from, adhering to typical
thresholds (5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30,
50, 75, 100 etc.)
– Lowest monthly amount of
should be close to your most
frequent recurring donation.
– Second monthly amount should
be one or two thresholds above
your most frequent recurring
donation.
– Highest monthly amount should
be at least double your average
most frequent recurring donation
and should exceed a threshold
Frank‘s Level of Evidence scale:
**** Meta-analysis of more than
five randomized controlled
trials (RCTs)
*** Max. five RCTs or more
than five RCTs in a
different context
** General principle proven
by peer-reviewed
quantitative studies
* Expert judgment
Donation Uplift Effect:
++++ >100%
+++ 50-100%
++ 20-50%
+ <20%

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So how do we know all this?
Unrivaled experience!
– 2000+ randomized controlled trials (RCTs)
or A/B (pre-)tests
– in 10+ countries Donanto Foundation helps charities
improve their fundraising - for free.
Long story short: After more than twenty
years as one of the world’s premier
management consultants focusing on
monetization, Frank realized that charities
need this type of expertise just as much as
the big corporations he had served thus far.
Need help? Contact frank@donanto.org

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Selected learnings
from
charity fundraising

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Example 1: Introducing higher amounts
+21%
Less than 15 Euro
15 Euro
More than 15 Euro
No interest
100 Euro
50 Euro
20 Euro
Other sum
No interestA/B pre-test results with total n = 2000 Germans aged 18+, 2019; sample weighted to be representative of German online users
Assumption for revenue uplift: “more than 15 Euro” = 50 €, “Other sum” = 10 €

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Example 2: Adjusting the message
+7%
100 Euro – 20 trees
50 Euro – 10 trees
20 Euro – 4 trees
Other sum
No interest
100 Euro – 20 trees
50 Euro – 10 trees
20 Euro – 4 trees
Other sum
No interest
Save climate now Donate trees now
A/B pre-test results with total n = 1000 Germans aged 18+, 2019; sample weighted to be representative of German online users
Assumption for revenue uplift: “Other sum” = 10 €

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Example 3: Pushing monthly donations
+341%
100 Euro
50 Euro
20 Euro
Other sum
No interest
Let‘s assume a non-profit
organization advertises with the
following message.
How much Euro would you donate?
Let‘s assume a non-profit
organization advertises with the
following message.
How much Euro would you donate?
5 Euro = 1 tree per month
10 Euro = 2 trees per month
20 Euro = 4 trees per month
Other sum
No interest
A/B pre-test results with total n = 1500 Germans aged 18+, 2019; sample weighted to be representative of German online users
Assumption for revenue uplift: “Other sum” left = 10 €; “Other sum” right = 3 €; avg. subscription length 12 months

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Example 4: Too many options can hurt
+13%
5 Euro = 1 tree per month
10 Euro = 2 trees per month
20 Euro = 4 trees per month
No interest
Let‘s assume a non-profit
organization advertises with the
following message.
How much Euro would you donate?
A/B pre-test results with total n = 1000 Germans aged 18+, 2019; sample weighted to be representative of German online users
5 Euro = 1 tree per month
10 Euro = 2 trees per month
20 Euro = 4 trees per month
Other sum
No interest

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Example 5: Flexibility can hurt
+9%
5 Euro = 1 tree per month
10 Euro = 2 trees per month
20 Euro = 4 trees per month
No interest
Let‘s assume a non-profit
organization advertises with the
following message.
How much Euro would you donate?
Let‘s assume a non-profit
organization advertises with the
following message.
How much Euro would you donate?
(Your recurring donation can be
canceled anytime)
A/B pre-test results with total n = 1000 Germans aged 18+, 2019; sample weighted to be representative of German online users
Assumption for revenue uplift: avg. subscription length 12 months

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In short: Lots of upside potential!
+600%+36%
5 Euro = 1 tree per month
10 Euro = 2 trees per month
20 Euro = 4 trees per month
No interest
Let‘s assume a non-profit
organization advertises with the
following message.
How much Euro would you donate?
Less than 15 Euro
15 Euro
More than 15 Euro
No interest
DONATE
A/B pre-test results with total n = 1000 Germans aged 18+, 2019; sample weighted to be representative of German online users
Assumption for revenue uplift: “more than 15 Euro” = 50 €, avg. subscription length 12 months

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In short: Lots of upside potential!
+497%+10%
A/B pre-test results with total n = 1200 Germans aged 18+, 2020; sample weighted to be representative of German online users
Assumption for revenue uplift: “more than 50 Euro” = 100 €, avg. subscription length 12 months