While the entry form is an important opportunity to ask for donations, it shouldn't be the only one. The most successful fundraising campaigns remind participants about the charity throughout their event journey.
Before Participants Enter
The participant journey begins before someone starts the entry form, so it's important to clearly communicate your charity partnership on your event page.
Ask yourself:
Is your charity partnership clearly visible on your event page?
Does it explain why you're supporting the charity?
Is the charity description accurate, engaging, and up to date?
đĄ Top tip: Keep your charity description concise and impactful. A short explanation of how donations will make a difference is often more effective than a lengthy description.
Optimise Your Donation Options
Small changes to your donation settings can have a noticeable impact on fundraising.
Consider reviewing:
Your suggested donation amounts
Whether participants can enter their own donation amount
The order and presentation of donation options
Testing different donation amounts over time can help you identify what resonates most with your participants.
Reinforce Your Message After Registration
Your Entry Confirmation Email is one of the best opportunities to remind participants about your charity partnership while excitement for the event is still high.
Consider including:
A brief reminder about the charity you're supporting
Why donations matter
A link to find out more or make a donation
Continue Promoting Throughout the Event Journey
Don't let fundraising end once a participant has entered.
Use your participant communications, email marketing, and social media channels to keep your charity partnership front of mind.
For example, you could:
Share stories about the charity's impact
Highlight fundraising milestones
Thank participants who have already donated
Remind participants that donations remain open before event day
If participants can still donate after registering, include a reminder in your pre-event communications directing them back to your event page.
Best Practice
The highest-performing fundraising campaigns don't rely on a single donation request. Instead, they reinforce the charity partnership throughout the participant journeyâfrom the event page and entry form to confirmation emails and pre-event communications.
Consistent, positive messaging helps participants understand the impact of their contribution and encourages greater engagement.
Summary
Maximising donations isn't about asking more oftenâit's about asking at the right moments.
Review your event page, donation options, confirmation emails, and participant communications to create a consistent fundraising journey. Small improvements at each stage can make a significant difference to the support your chosen charity receives.