How to Use Donation Blocks on Squarespace
Donations are essential for organizations like nonprofits, community groups, religious institutions, and schools to sustain and grow their missions. Individual fundraisers, such as artists, musicians, or creators, can also benefit when raising money for supplies, projects, or personal causes.
A website can be a powerful fundraising tool, making it easy for visitors to learn about a cause and contribute directly. With Squarespace, you can set up client sites to accept and manage donations using the integrated donation block. Read on to discover key features of Squarespace’s donation blocks and fundraising best practices.
Why use Squarespace donation blocks?
Donation blocks simplify the online giving process, offering a user-friendly experience that helps reduce abandoned donations through features like:
An all-in-one donation acceptance and management platform
Total responsiveness on any platform, including mobile
Full integration and lower processing fees with Squarespace Payments*, and full integration with Stripe and PayPal
Recurring donations to help donors commit to long-term contributions from a single visit to your website.
When you place a donation block into a site section, its appearance will automatically match your client site’s global style and brand. You can change button text and fund settings, like suggested donation amounts and recurring donations options, so donors can schedule regular weekly or monthly contributions. When a page with a donation block goes live, your client can view and manage donor profiles and contributions from the Donations dashboard.
*Squarespace Payments is still rolling out and isn’t yet available globally. You can check this article for the most up-to-date list of supported regions. In the meantime, donation blocks can be integrated with Stripe or PayPal to securely process contributions.
Best practices for fundraising on Squarespace
With donation blocks, you can help clients see greater and more regular contributions from donors. Follow these tips to help clients maximize donation revenue:
Populate the donation page with high-impact imagery relevant to your client’s cause or mission. Select images that help visitors visualize the impact of their contribution.
Write copy that cements the urgency of the client’s cause and that includes a clear call to action throughout the page, using anchor links to direct the audience to the page’s donation block.
Pro tip: Generate high-quality copy with Squarespace AI to show the audience why your client’s cause is worth donating to. Learn more about asking for donations online.
Align the donation block’s design, including buttons, fonts, and colors, with your client’s site and overall branding. Donation blocks automatically adhere to the site’s style settings, and you can also adjust design options like the style and layout of the donation block field. Determine your client’s donation setting preferences to set up suggested amounts, available payment methods, and recurrent payment toggle and cadence accordingly.
Style the client’s checkout page, including header alignment, text, background, and button colors, to match their site’s overall aesthetic. Integrate Email Campaigns so donors can sign up for your client’s mailing list during checkout.
Trigger a pop-up featuring a personal message from your client to appear when someone visits the site, helping them quickly and closely connect with potential donors.
Maximize your client’s prominence in search results by refining their site’s final copy and design using search engine optimization (SEO) best practices.
Set a “thank you” email that automatically sends out when someone donates to remind donors their contribution makes a difference.
Sample client email
Clients who accept donations on their site may not realize there’s a new, improved version of Squarespace’s donation block that became available in 2024. Use the email template below to offer a quick upgrade that enhances their donation experience, and show that you’re keeping their site current with the latest features.
Subject: Let’s Refresh Your Donations Page on Squarespace
Preview Text: Earn up to 1.5x more with the new donation block
Hi [Client Name],
Squarespace recently updated its donation block, and I wanted to make sure your site is using the latest version. I can help you upgrade your setup to improve the donation experience, making it easier for supporters to give both one-time and recurring contributions.
I’ve helped organizations like [Client’s Organization] increase their donation amounts thanks to the block’s recurring donations functionality and improved checkout experience. In fact, donors are 1.5 times more likely to complete a donation using the new block compared to the previous version.
Are you available next week to chat about optimizing your online donation process? I’d love to find a time that works for you: [appointment booking link].
Speak soon!
[Your Name]
[Your Phone Number]
[Your Email Address]
Maximize charitable contributions on Squarespace
With your creative expertise and strategic mindset, you're uniquely positioned to help clients make the most of their fundraising efforts. By implementing the updated Squarespace donation block, you can improve both the look and performance of their donation pages. It’s a simple upgrade that can lead to more meaningful contributions and a stronger connection between your clients and their supporters.
Want more?
Check out Squarespace Circle, Squarespace’s program for professional designers and web design agencies. Along with exclusive content, discounts, and other perks, Circle brings professionals together from across the globe to exchange advice while connecting with new clients and collaborators.
