The Donation feature gives your attendees/participants the ability to send you dollar amounts through the site. This feature is free to use and does not need any other fundraising module to be activated for it to be used.
In any type of event, adding a donate feature will increase your reach to a larger potential donor base. With Accelevents, there are many ways on how you can add the donate feature to your virtual event or fundraising event. You can also have only donations as the main focus of your event page.
Participants can donate directly through your event page, while they are buying a ticket or while watching a session. The donation feature does not cost extra, there is no activation fee involved, you simply enable it and connect your payment processor to start receiving donations!
The Donation Feature
1. Enable the Donation Feature
Go to Settings > General Settings
Toggle on Enable Donation Page. The Donations tab on the left-side navigation should appear.
2. Customize Your Donation Options
Go to the Donations > Settings
Default Donation Amount
These are suggested donation amounts. Donors can select 1 out of 4 options, but they will also have the option to enter a custom amount.
Donation Goal Amount
This is the amount that you want to raise through donations. You have the option to show this goal to your event page and Donation Page Views.
Donation Page Description
This is the message that appears in the Donation tab on your event page. It appears right below the Donation Thermometer.
Donation Email Message
This is the message that will appear in the email that donors receive after they submit their donation.
Enable Recurring Donations
If this is enabled, a recurring donations checkbox will appear in the checkout pop-up. If the donor checks that box, then they will be charged every month for the same amount they donated until they cancel.
Enable Scroll on Goal Page
If this is enabled, the donor names and amount will scroll automatically in the event page and Donation Page Views.
Show Donor Name
If this is turned off, only the amounts will show if you have enabled the scroll on the goal page
Show Text Message Instructions for Donation
The instructions will show on the left side of the Donate tab on the event page. This will also appear in Donation Page Views.
Note: This feature will only work if you activate the Text to Give Feature with a fee of $49 per month. Click here to learn more about Text to Give.
Collect Fundraising Participant Mailing Addresses
When this is enabled, donors will be asked to enter their mailing address every time they make a donation.
Donation Goal View Page Background Image
Upload a background image (1920 x 1080 pixels) that will show in your Donation Goal View Page. This image will not show on your event page.
Main Donation Page Image
Upload a background image (352 x 240 pixels) for the donation thermometer that appears on the Donation tab event page. The image will "brighten up" from bottom to top when you get more donations.
3. Connect Your Payment Processor
Ensure to connect your payment processor to start receiving donations. Go to Settings > Payment Processing. Click here to learn more about connecting Stripe or Square for payment processing.
Where else can I add the donate option for my event?
As a default, when you enable the donations feature, participants will be able to donate through the Donate tab on your main event page. You can also add a donate option during the ticket purchase and while watching a session.
Donate While Buying a Ticket - If you're also selling tickets for your event, you can add this option. If they only make a donation without availing of a ticket, they won't be able to enter the event as a donation will not issue them a ticket. They will still need to get a ticket to enter your event.
Donate While Watching a Session - If you have a virtual event, you can add a donate option right below the video. Open your session details and enable Display donation buttons below video. This feature is only available for regular and main stage sessions.
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the difference between Donation and Text to Give?
If you enable the donation feature, participants will only be able to donate online
If you enable and activate Text to Give, participants will be able t donate online and through text messaging
Note: To use Text to Give, the donation feature must be enabled as well.
Click here to learn more about Text to Give:
Will donations instantly show on the event page and donation page views?
Yes, it should appear once a donation is made.
Can I refund a donation?
Yes, go to Donations > Activity. Click the gear icon on the donation and select Refund. You cannot make partial refunds.
Are there extra fees when someone makes a donation?
We take a 1% fee for every donation.
Donations are subject are also subject to credit card processing fees of 2.9% plus 30 cents a transaction. You can choose to pass the fees to the donor or absorb these fees.
Can I embed my donation page on my website?
Do you have shareable instructions on how to donate?
Why are my totals in Stripe / Square not the same in Funds Raised in the Donations > Activity in the admin console?
If your attendees made a donation while buying a ticket, that donation amount will not show in Funds Raised. It will show in Attendees > Orders.
Can I enter a donation on behalf of someone?
Yes you can do that through the Staff Portal on the event page. Click here to learn more about the Staff Portal
How do I enter donations I have collected before I set up the donate feature?
You can enter a Goal Starting Amount in Settings > General Settings.