Converting one-time donors to recurring supporters

Process

Discovery

I worked closely with engineering, leadership and data scientists — making sure everything was technically viable but also reflected the needs of our customers and non-profit industry. Working across multiple global timezones, a big part of my approach was sketching, high-fidelity prototyping and video feedback.

My design process began with this key question: How might we convince one-off donors to give regularly without negatively impacting overall conversion rates?

I explored multiple design directions and flow options, from subtle nudges to more prominent interventions.

The wireframes you see below show different approaches to introducing the Regular Giving Upsell at various points in the donation journey. Because it is a modular form, we had to carefully consider all potential user flows.

Solution 01

Regular Giving Upsell

One of the early (and in the end most effective) ideas was to include a Regular Giving Upsell in the Donation Form.

The upsell is a new step in the form that strategically appears right after the donor selects a one-time amount.

Our research indicated that donors weren’t actively declining regular giving, they just weren’t being asked effectively. Our hypothesis was that by adding this step, we could increase the conversion for regular giving without impacting the overall conversion rate.

For validation, I worked closely with our data scientist who created the testing frameworks, and evaluated the data.

Our initial A/B test validated our hypothesis showing that campaigns with the upsell converted 2.5x higher on RG than without the upsell.

We ran further A/B tests to optimise the amounts asked for, as well as the button designs on this step.

We also tested whether the upsell worked better as an integrated form step or as an overlay, with results showing the integrated form step performed significantly better.

For validation, I worked closely with our data scientist who created the testing frameworks, and evaluated the data. Our initial A/B test validated our hypothesis showing that campaigns with the upsell converted 2.5x higher on RG than without the upsell. We ran further A/B tests to optimise the amounts asked for, as well as the button designs on this step.

We also tested whether the upsell worked better as an integrated form step or as an overlay, with results showing the integrated form step performed significantly better.

Solution 02

Strategic Nudge

To further encourage Regular Giving, we enabled charities to add an upsell message on the first step of their Donation Form. This message is customisable and emphasised through a subtle animation.

Solution 03

Customisable messaging & elements of delight

Our research from interviews indicated that donors are more likely to give monthly once they understand the impact their donation has, which is why I decided to make the messaging for both the Regular Giving Upsell and the Strategic Nudge fully customisable.

Beyond the functional aspects of regular giving, I wanted to create moments of delight that would reinforce the donor’s decision.

I designed this heart animation that appears when a donor selects regular giving, providing immediate positive feedback and picking up the design from the first step.

This micro-interaction serves multiple purposes: it creates a moment of joy, it subtly emphasises the emotional impact of regular giving, and it draws attention to the selection in a way that feels rewarding rather than intrusive while still providing clarity about the transaction amount.

Outcomes

A boost to revenue for both nonprofits and Raisely

The Regular Giving project delivered exceptional results across all key metrics.