Donation Campaigns and Recurring Payments

Create a Donation Site

Admins have multiple options for creating, customizing, and sharing a Donation Site. 

Features:

How to create a Donation Site

Customize the look of a donation campaign

Get the link to your Donation Site

Copy, customize, or shorten the campaign page URL

Select a bank account to deposit funds

Copy a campaign 

How to create a Donation Site

1. On the left navigation bar, click Donation Sites
2. In the submenu, select Create Donation Site

3. Select one of the following choices:

• Use a Template - Select a template from various categories
  • Click on the + sign to expand a category. A preview will appear to the right of your selection.
  • Once you have found the template you want to use, click the Use This Template button
• Copy a Campaign - Make a copy of an existing campaign you wish to use
• Blank Campaign - Start from scratch to completely build your campaign

Note: The main difference between using a template and a blank campaign is that a template will have the site already formatted and designed with filler text.

4. Finish creating a campaign by filling in the required information: Campaign Title, Category, Why Are You Fundraising?, Campaign Goal, End Date, and Default Donation
5. Click Save & Continue

Customize the look of a donation campaign

These next steps allow admins to customize their Donation Sites. Use a memorable custom URL, choose specific colors, and upload a banner - key identifiers for brand recognition and consistency. You can also upload a photo album that you’ve created on the platform; images are a great way to strengthen the connection between your cause and your donors. For example, including pictures of who will benefit from the funds raised or showing how the funds will be put to use is an effective way to convey your donors’ impact.

To customize the URL:

1. In the features list of the donation campaign you wish to edit, select Copy or Customize the Campaign Page URL
2. In the overlay that appears, select the Customize button to change the bolded part of the URL
3. Click into the text box and make desired changes, then select Save

Note: You must enter a valid URL suffix using only letters, numbers, or dashes in order to save your changes.

To change the accent color:

1. Navigate to the donation campaign you wish to edit
2. Click the Edit button at the top right of the page
3. Hit Save & Continue at the bottom of the page to navigate to campaign page edits
4. Click the Accent Color icon to pick a different color

5. On the overlay that appears, choose the desired color or enter the hex code and select the OK button

To change the button text color:

1. Click the Button Text Color icon to pick a different color
2. On the overlay that appears, choose the desired color or enter the hex code and select the OK button

 Your updated donation campaign page will display with a preview of the selected colors.

To change the banner:

1. Hover over the banner image section. Click on the Edit icon that appears

2. On the overlay that appears, drag and drop your desired photo into the allotted area, or click to browse and upload

Note: The recommended image size is 900 px wide. You can resize your image by using one of the numerous, free, basic photo editors online by searching "edit image pixel size" in a search engine. 

3. Click the Upload button

To add a photo album:

Only photo albums that have previously been created on the platform can be added to a Donation Site.

1. Click the Add Photo Albums section
2. Select the checkbox next to the photo album that you’ve previously created on the platform
3. Click Save

You can always come back and make changes to this page if you decide to navigate away from it.

1. On the left navigation bar, hover over Donation Sites and select Manage Donation Sites in the submenu
2. Select the campaign you wish to customize
3. Click the Edit button on the top right
4. Update desired information on the campaign page and hit Save & Continue

• Make desired changes to color palette, add photo albums, videos, and choose to hide or display the donor ticker and other elements before selecting Save & Close

Get the link to your Donation Site

Once you’ve published your Donation Site, you can get the link to it at anytime.

1. On the left navigation bar, click on Donation Sites
2. Click on the gear icon next to the campaign you wish to get the link for

3. In the dropdown menu, select Get Link

An overlay will appear wherein you can copy the entire URL.

Copy, customize, or shorten the campaign page URL

Admins have the option to modify part of the campaign page URL as well as use a built-in URL shortener when the number of characters in the URL is an issue. Modifying the URL works best when you want to create a more memorable URL, use keywords, or use a naming convention. Shortening the URL is convenient when there’s a need to limit the number of characters, such as in a Twitter post.

1. On the left navigation bar, click on Donation Sites
2. Select the title of the campaign you want to copy or customize the form URL for
3. In the features list, click on Copy or Customize the Campaign Page URL
4. An overlay will appear with the following options:

• To copy either the full URL or shortened URL, click on the respective Copy to Clipboard button

• Click the Customize button to modify part of the campaign page URL. The text box that appears will allow you to edit the portion of the URL that is customizable. Click Save.

Note: After you customize your URL, your previous URL will no longer work. If you have given out your old URL to anyone, they will no longer be able to use it. Shortened URLs do not change, so users can continue to use the same shortened URL whether or not you edit the full URL.

Select a bank account to deposit funds

Even if you have not yet set up a bank account to deposit funds, you can still create a Donation Site. Selecting a charity through our Find a Cause module will allow you to skip this step. If you’re raising funds for your own group that has not yet selected a bank account to deposit funds, it’s important to note that you must do this in order to access collected funds. To view the process of how to select a bank account to deposit funds, please see Add and Verify a Bank Account in the Reporting and Account Settings section.

1. On the left navigation bar, click on Donation Sites
2. Select the title of the campaign you wish to manage
3. In the features list, click Select a Bank Account to Deposit Funds

4. Click the dropdown menu to select a bank account or select Add a New Bank Account

• If you add a new bank account, you will be required to fill in the bank account’s information fields and verify the account in order to access collected funds.

5. Click Save & Close

Copy a campaign

This feature allows admins to make a copy of an existing campaign, ideal for creating a variation of a Donation Site without altering the original.

1. On the left navigation bar, hover over Donation Sites and click Manage Donation Sites in the submenu
2. Select the name of the campaign you wish to copy
3. Near the top right of the admin page, click Copy Campaign
4. A copy of the new form will appear in edit mode, which you can customize and save

How to Create Supporter Pages

A Fundraiser refers to a team or an individual that creates a Supporter Page in support of your main donation campaign. Supporter Pages are more effective in helping you reach your fundraising goal for these reasons:

• Fundraisers (a team, you, your admins, your members, and anyone else) can promote the campaign with a smaller goal in support of the main donation campaign
• Your Fundraisers can emphasize their personal connection to the cause, which is more appealing to donors
• Funds go straight to your organization’s bank account, and your Fundraisers don’t have to deal with collecting cash or check donations

The very first step is creating a Donation Site if you haven’t already. In the creation process, keep Supporter Pages enabled (they are by default). When you’re finished creating your Donation Site, ask your Fundraisers to create a Supporter Page when you share the link to your campaign. Alternatively, you can create Supporter Pages for them.

Here’s how you and your members (or anyone, really) can create a Supporter Page:

1.   From your Donation Site, click Support this Campaign

2. Users will be prompted to log in to memberplanet or create an account if they don’t have one
3. After logging in or creating an account, a new browser window will appear in which Fundraisers can set their own goal and add their own reason why they’re supporting the campaign

4. When finished, click Publish

The Supporter Page URL will be provided, and you can share it to social media directly from the platform, mobile app, or the page itself.

How to Add the Fundraisers Pie Chart to a Donation Site

Fundraisers, or those who create a donation site in support of a donation campaign, can be displayed in a pie chart on the main page. For those campaigns that leverage the spirit of competition, this front-and-center statistical graphic indicates those who are leading in donations.

Note: For the chart to display properly, there needs to be at least one donation made on a Fundraiser or Supporter page.

Here’s how to enable the pie chart on your donation site.

1. On the left navigation bar, hover over Donation Sites
2. Click Manage Donation Sites in the submenu

• A list of your donation campaigns will be displayed.

3. Select the donation campaign you want to enable the Fundraisers pie chart for
4. On the admin page, click the Edit button on the top right

• The pie chart setting is on the second page, so it is not necessary to make any updates to the first page.

5. At the bottom of the page, click the Save & Continue button to go to the second page

6. Beneath the videos section, select Add Fundraisers Chart

7. Hit the Save & Close button at the bottom of the page

When you view your live donation site page, these elements will be displayed:

• The pie chart and the top 10 Fundraisers along with their amounts raised will be listed underneath the donation campaign description and any videos you have, ordered from highest to lowest contribution.
• If a campaign has more than 10 Fundraisers, the ones below the top 10 will be included in the “All others” category.
• “Other donors” refers to the contributions made on the main donation site.

• When users hover over a slice of the pie chart, the name of the Fundraiser will appear.

• Beneath the pie chart, the top Fundraisers will be listed with their goal, amount raised, and a progress bar. The name of the Fundraiser will be hyperlinked to the Fundraiser page.

View Donation Campaign Reports

As a group leader, understanding how effective your donation campaign efforts are is critical. Donation reports allow you to view how much is raised for each campaign, as well as all the information submitted with each donation. This is especially helpful if you’re trying to determine who was emailed, how much you recently raised, and the progress you’ve made for each campaign. All reports are exportable to an Excel spreadsheet for more advanced sorting and editing options.

View overall statistics for your donation campaigns

View a specific donation campaign report

View email history

View Supporter Page funds

View overall statistics for your donation campaigns

1. On the left navigation bar, click Donation Sites

• Data from the last four months will appear as a summary at the top of the page, and the rest of your donation campaign data will display in sortable columns. 

2. To sort by column, click on the column header

• Data will be sorted by column header in ascending order.

3. To sort by descending order, click on the column header again

View a specific donation campaign report

There may be times when you want to see all the details of your campaign, such as all the data a donor submitted on the donation form. This includes information submitted in custom fields you may have created, the date and time of the donation, username, the email address the receipt was sent to, the amount submitted, any fees collected for electronic payments, and transferable funds.

1. On the left navigation bar, click Donation Sites
2. Select the gear icon of the donation campaign you wish to manage
3. In the dropdown menu, click Form Responses

• All form responses will be listed in sortable columns. To sort by column, click on the column header. 

4. To hide or show columns from displaying, click the Choose Columns button

5. Uncheck or check the box next to the column name you wish to hide or show
6. Click Save

View email history

If you have notified your members of your campaign via email on the platform, you will be able to view the email history and see whom you’ve sent the email to.

1. On the left navigation bar, click Donation Sites
2. Click on the name of the donation campaign you wish to manage
3. On the top right, select View Email History

• A summary of emails sent will be displayed.

4. To view details and tracking stats of an email, click on the date listed. 

Email data, including email addresses, delivery status, and whether or not it was opened will be displayed in sortable columns.

View Supporter Page funds

A Supporter Page is an individual’s fundraising page created in support of your donation campaign. 

To view Supporter Page funds:

1. On the left navigation bar, click Donation Sites
2. Select the gear icon next to the donation campaign you wish to manage
3. In the dropdown menu, click Form Responses

If your group has collected any funds through a Supporter Page, that data will be displayed in sortable columns.

Manage Recurring Payment Options and More

Admins have a variety of options available to customize their Donation Sites and optimize them for their own organizations. Some of our most useful features allow admins to manage recurring payment options, collect donor data, record offline (cash or check) donations, and collect payments with the mobile app.

Features:

Manage recurring and installment payment options

Record an offline donation

Collect more information from donors

Customize giving levels or payment options

Manage payment alerts

Close a campaign

Add a thank-you message

Assign the convenience fee to the payer

Modify whom your campaign is visible to

Share a campaign with leaders in another group

Use a widget to show a campaign on an external website

Collect payments with the mobile app

Create a Donate button for your email campaigns

Create a Donate button for your external website

Enable pay-by-mail

Manage recurring and installment payment options

By default, recurring donation options are enabled on our Donation Sites with One-time Payment on auto-select. We recommend keeping this option available to donors because it makes it easy for them to donate.

To customize:

1. On the left navigation bar, hover over over Donation Sites and click Manage Donation Sites in the submenu
2. Select the title of the donation campaign you want to manage
3. Select Manage Recurring and Installment Payment Options from the features list

4. Using the checkbox options, remove recurring payments if you would only like donors to have recurring payment options for Recurring or Installments.
5. On the Frequency section, click Custom

• This will display more recurring payment options for you to select.
• Clicking Enabled in the Auto-select section will allow you to set an auto-selected or default recurring payment frequency.

6. Click Save & Close once you have made desired changes

Record an offline donation

Some of your donors may pay via cash or check offline. You can still keep accurate records, recognize these donors, and show progress on your goal meter by logging these payments on your Donation Site.

1. On the left navigation bar, hover over Donation Sites and click Manage Donation Sites in the submenu
2. Select the name of the published campaign you wish to manage
3. Click Record an Offline Payment
4. Enter the amount, date, payment type, member info/name/email and any additional notes

5. Optional - Assign a Deposit
   • If you have not set up accounts in Deposit you will need to complete this set up before assignment can be completed
6. Click the Record Payment button

Collect more information from donors

Each donation campaign is unique, and every admin can choose what information is necessary to collect when someone makes an online donation to their organization. The basic donation form requires a donor to submit first and last name and email address. You can collect more information with a custom form by following the steps below.

1. On the left navigation bar, hover over Donation Sites and click Manage Donation Sites in the submenu
2. Select the name of the campaign you wish to manage
3. In the features list, click Collect More Information with a Custom Form

On the Add Fields tab, you have the option to drag and drop four different types of fields into their survey preview:

Basic: text or paragraph

Selection: dropdown, radio buttons, etc.

Preset: name, address, etc.

Section & Separators: divider or description

4. Add a new field by dragging it from the Add Field tab and dropping it onto your survey form

• It will embed where you drop it.

Note: On the form, you can select fields, including section headers, and drag and drop them to reposition them.

5. Use the Field Options tab to label, assign default values, and add notes to each field

• Click on the field you want to edit and fill in the corresponding text boxes appearing on the left.

Pro Tip: One of the field options is to pre-fill fields with member information, which can save time for those who are members of your group. As long as they're logged in, or coming to the form from a personalized link in an email campaign, their information will already be filled out for them and they can skip the field. Basic member data like name, email, contact info, address, and any custom membership questions your group has are available for pre-filling. Please note that certain types of fields can only be pre-filled with certain types of member info. For example, you must add a Name field to your form; you cannot pre-fill the member's name into a Basic Text field.

6. Remove a field by selecting it on your form and clicking the trash icon located on the Field Options tab
7. Once your form is complete, click Save & Close
    
   

Customize giving levels or payment options

Different payment options work best in different situations. If your campaign is a basic fundraiser, the Giving Levels setting is recommended, and giving levels are enabled by default. The Other Payment Options setting is useful for more advanced campaigns wherein there’s a need to show multiple payment items, make certain line items required, or track inventory. Selecting Other Payment Options will disable giving levels.

To customize giving levels:

1. On the left navigation bar, hover over Donation Sites and click Manage Donation Sites in the submenu
2. Select the name of the campaign you wish to manage
3. In the features list, click Customize Giving Levels or Payment Options
4. In the Giving Levels section, click in the appropriate field to edit the dollar amount, giving level title, and description

• To add a new giving level: Click the Add a Giving Level button.
• To reorder the giving levels: Click the up and down arrows to move the giving level to the desired position.
• To delete a giving level: Select the trash icon next to the giving level you wish to delete.

5. Optional - Assign an Account
   • If you have not set up accounts in Chart of Accounts you will need to complete this set up before assignment can be completed

To customize other payment options:

1. On the left navigation bar, hover over Donation Sites and click Manage Donation Sites in the submenu
2. Select the name of the campaign you wish to manage
3. In the features list, click Customize Giving Levels or Payment Options

4. In the Payment Style section, select Other Payment Options

Admins have the option to set the following attributes for payment items: Type, Label, and Item Group Label. You can also set any item as required.

Payment Type defines how a user interacts with a payment item. Admins can set the type to:

• Any amount: Users can choose any amount they wish to pay. This is usually done for donations.
• Any amount (multi-item): Users can choose a few different amounts that add up to their total payment.
• Fixed amount: All users will pay the same fixed amount. This displays as a required payment item to a user.
• Fixed amount (multi-item): Users can pick one fixed amount from a few different choices.
• Item quantity: Users will choose a quantity of an item. For example, they can choose the quantity of T-shirts (fixed price) to purchase.
• Item quantity (multi-item): Users can choose quantities of different items.

Payment Label: the name an admin gives to a payment item, which is visible to a user.

Item Group Label: the name an admin gives to a group of payment items, which is visible to a user. For example, if your form has a group of different sized blue T-shirt items, they may all be labeled under “Blue T-shirts.”

5. To edit a payment item, click the pencil icon, or to add a payment item, click the Add Payment Item button
6. Select Payment Type from the dropdown menu
7. In the options that appear, enter the Payment Label and other information for the item for which you are receiving payment
8. Optional - Assign an Account
   • If you have not set up accounts in Chart of Accounts you will need to complete this set up before assignment can be completed
9. Click Save

• To edit or delete an existing payment item, click the pencil icon or X icon next to the item name. 

9. When you have completed adding and editing payment items, click Save & Close

Manage payment alerts

You and other administrators can be notified by email whenever someone makes a payment. By default, an alert will be sent to the email address associated with the account from which the donation campaign was created.

To edit who is receiving payment alerts:

1. On the left navigation bar, hover over Donation Sites and click Manage Donation Sites in the submenu
2. Select the name of the campaign you wish to manage
3. In the features list, select Manage Payment Alerts
4. Disable payment alerts by deselecting the checkbox in the overlay that appears, or modify who is receiving payment alerts by typing in or removing email addresses in the text field
5. Click Save

Close a campaign

The status of a donation campaign can either be published, editing, or closed. Closing your campaign is the same thing as unpublishing it. If you close your campaign, users will no longer be able to donate on the Donation Site. If they navigate to your Donation Site, they will see a message stating: This campaign has ended. You can always re-open a campaign after it has been closed. Campaigns will exist in your Donation Sites list until they’re deleted.

1. On the left navigation bar, hover over Donation Sites and click Manage Donation Sites in the submenu
2. Select the gear icon next to the name of the published campaign you wish to close
3. In the dropdown menu, click Close
4. In the pop-up overlay, select the OK button to confirm

Add a thank-you message

Once a member submits a donation, a confirmation email automatically goes out to the member. Admins have the option to include a thank-you message in the confirmation email. Customized thank-you messages help keep your donors engaged and feeling positive about their contributions.

1. On the left navigation bar, hover over Donation Sites and click Manage Donation Sites in the submenu
2. Select the title of the donation campaign you want to add a thank-you message for
3. Click Add Thank-you Message in the feature list
4. You have two checkbox options:

Add a thank-you message to the payment confirmation email

• Upon selecting this feature, a text box will appear wherein you can write a custom message

Send an email campaign as a thank-you when someone makes a payment

• You can select an existing email campaign to be sent

5. Click Save & Close

Assign the convenience fee to the payer

By default, the Convenience Fee, which is the processing fee deducted from payments collected on the system, is charged to the organization.

1. On the left navigation bar, hover over Donation Sites and click Manage Donation Sites in the submenu
2. Select the name of the campaign you wish to manage
3. In the features list, click Customize Giving Levels or Payment Options

4. Near the bottom of the page, click More Options
5. Next to Convenience Fee, select the radio button The Person Making the Payment Will Pay the Convenience Fee
6. Click Save & Close

Modify whom your campaign is visible to

By default, all your members can see a published campaign in their memberplanet activity feed. To modify who can see it, or to send to a different distribution list, follow the steps below. (Learn how to create a distribution list.)

1. On the left navigation bar, hover over Donation Sites and click Manage Donation Sites in the submenu
2. Select the name of the campaign you wish to manage
3. In the features list, select Notify Your Members
4. Select the members you want to share the campaign with by checking the box next to their names, or choose from a list you’ve previously created
5. Click Save & Close

Share a campaign with leaders in another group

Many organizations have sister groups, local chapters or clubs, or other groups they collaborate with. If the group you work with also uses memberplanet, you can share a campaign or any other form with admins or leaders from that group. This feature helps save time for other admins who will utilize the form on the platform for their own member engagement efforts. Sharing your campaign will give the leaders of the selected group full access to editing or deleting this campaign. Only the bank account is locked -- leaders of the other groups cannot change the bank account where your funds from this campaign will be deposited.

1. On the left navigation bar, hover over Donation Sites and click Manage Donation Sites in the submenu
2. Select the title of the donation campaign you want to share with leaders in another group
3. In the features list, click Share this Campaign with Leaders in Another Group

4. Use the search box to search for the group name
5. Select Add for the desired group
6. Click Save

Use a widget to show a campaign on an external website

If you have an external website you would like to promote your donation campaign on, you can use a widget to display some details of your campaign:

Using the widget is an easy way to drive visitors to your campaign to make a donation.

1. On the left navigation bar, hover over over Donation Sites and click Manage Donation Sites in the submenu
2. Select the title of the donation campaign you want to manage
3. In the features list, click Use a Widget to Show this Campaign on an External Website
4. Copy and paste the entire snippet of HTML code provided to your website

Each external website builder is different. Check out the customer support for your website hosting company for instructions on embedding the code.

Collect payments with the mobile app

Through memberplanet’s mobile app, admins can collect payments for their group on the go. You can use your smartphone to scan credit cards to accept payments without any additional hardware. This tool can be used to collect donations on site. To view instructions on using this feature on the mobile app, please see Collect Payments with the Mobile App.

Create a Donate button for your email campaigns

When creating email campaigns, you have the option to include buttons – not just links – for any form created on the platform.

1. On the left navigation bar, hover over over Donation Sites and click Manage Donation Sites in the submenu
2. Select the title of the donation campaign you want to manage
3. In the features list, click Create a Donate Button for Your Email Campaigns
4. Admins have one of two options to select:

• Choose a Button: Use the dropdown menu to select the desired button text, then click on the color of your choice
• Upload Your Own Image: Click the Choose Image button, and drag and drop your desired image into the allotted area, or click to browse and upload. <span style=

How to Stop Recurring or Installment Payments (Member View)

Depending on your organization’s setup, the steps to view your payment history and stop recurring or installment payments may differ slightly. If you opted to make a recurring or installment payment for a donation, you can stop your payments any time, even if you are not a member.

Log in to your membership account using your email address and password, then follow the steps below. (If you are not a member and have your payment confirmation email, you can view your payment history by clicking the Login to memberplanet button within the email. You will be prompted to create a password.)

Note: If you are an admin, when you log in, you will be taken to your group portal (the default view). At the top right, click to view your account menu, then select Go to My Member Portal.

1. On the left navigation sidebar, select History

Your payment history will be displayed. If you have an upcoming recurring payment or a saved payment method, those will also be displayed.

2. Under the My Payment History section, click Recurring Payments

Details associated with your recurring payments will be displayed.

3. Click the gear icon next to the recurring payment you wish to stop, then click View/Edit Details in the dropdown menu

 The next page will display more details, including the schedule of your recurring payments.

4. Select Stop Payments on the top right of the next page

5. Confirm your selection on the overlay pop-up screen

You will be brought back to the payment form detail page. If you have stopped your recurring payment successfully, you will no longer see a schedule for your next recurring payment.

Glossary - Donation Campaigns and Recurring Payments

Convenience Fee: the processing fee deducted from payments collected on the system. By default, this fee is charged to the organization.

Donation Site: a customizable web page designed to optimize raising funds online, while making the process easy and convenient for group admins and donors.

Fundraiser: an individual or team that creates a donation site in support of a donation campaign. A Fundraiser may or may not be a member of your organization. 

Fundraiser Page: an individual’s or team's donation site created in support of a donation campaign. This is also known as a Supporter page.

Installment Payment: a partial payment consisting of the total amount due split into equal payments. Each time a payment is made toward the total amount it is called an installment.

Item Group Label: the name an admin gives to a group of payment items, which is visible to a user.

Packets: multiple online forms bundled together because the information needs to be submitted at the same time. Packets are the only forms for which admins have the option of enabling pay-by-mail.

Payment Type defines how a user interacts with a payment item. Admins can set the type to:

• Any amount: Users can choose any amount they wish to pay. This is usually done for donations.

• Any amount (multi-item): Users can choose a few different amounts that add up to their total payment.

• Fixed amount: All users will pay the same fixed amount. This displays as a required payment item to a user.

• Fixed amount (multi-item): Users can pick one fixed amount from a few different choices.

• Item quantity: Users will choose a quantity of an item. For example, they can choose the quantity of T-shirts (fixed price) to purchase.

• Item quantity (multi-item): Users can choose quantities of different items.

Payment Label: the name an admin gives to a payment item, which is visible to a user.

Recurring Payment: are automatic payments where you authorize us to collect the total charges from your credit card or bank account every due date.