Keeping a donation box at your location or event venue is a fantastic way to boost funds for your cause! Read on for everything you need to know about creating and setting up an efficient donation box, plus tips to adapt it to your donors' preferences.
Join the fundraising movement! Join the fundraising movement!Similar to DIY donation jars or bins, donation boxes are a simple yet effective way to raise extra funds and boost awareness for your cause.
If you’re thinking of adding a giving box to your fundraising strategy and looking for DIY donation box ideas, you’ve come to the right place.
In this post, we’ll share best practices, how to create your own, and include tips for a donation box that turns heads and boosts funds. Read on!
When thinking of donation box placement ideas, consider high-traffic areas that boost your fundraising potential and offer added convenience for your donors.
For example, giving boxes usually sit next to the cash register or point-of-sale stations in stores, restaurants, or other high-traffic retail locations. This makes them highly visible and more successful. If they’re anywhere else in the store, it’s easier for people to ignore them.
If you’ll be placing your DIY donation box at your facility or local offices, consider where you receive the most visitors so it gets as much visibility as possible!
From the right location to when to opt for a cashless alternative, here are some best practices to keep in mind with your giving box.
Think of it as a numbers game. Not everyone will put their coins in a donation box. You want to increase the chances that some people passing your DIY donation box will be inspired to donate.
The more visible your donation box, the more donations you’ll receive. Choose a business that gets plenty of customers on an average day.
A few examples of these include:
Pro tip: Reach out to mom-and-pop stores and other small businesses. You’ll often find them more receptive than big chains like Walmart, Olive Garden, and Pizza Hut. If you run an animal shelter, you may want to consider your local pet groomer, vet, or pet shop.
Some businesses are more likely to attract customers using credit or debit cards. It’s unlikely that those customers will have loose change to donate — they’re making cashless purchases, after all.
Focus your efforts on a business that receives smaller transactions. When people pay with cash, there’s a bigger chance they’ll donate to your cause.
Pro tip: Convenience stores and gas stations can be a great location for your giving boxes. Since most people make smaller transactions, they’ll likely pay in cash and donate their change.
Businesses that have a tip jar for staff are often reluctant to have a giving box. Your DIY donation box will be competing with the tip jar, which probably won’t be a big hit with the staff!
Although it’s not best practice to add a donation box in restaurants, cafes, and other businesses with a tip jar, consider how you might structure your ask. Pairing it with a specific awareness day that aligns with your mission can be a great way to partner with restaurants. It drives up interest in your cause while offering the restaurant a time-bound way to support your organization.
Speak to managers in a couple of restaurants and see how they feel about having a giving box. You might be surprised at how receptive they can be to the idea!
63% of donors prefer to give to their favorite causes online. While DIY donation boxes can scale your fundraising efforts, a cashless giving kiosk will perform better at your in-person events.
Donation kiosks are a great tool to bring in more donations in an increasingly cashless world. A stationary kiosk allows donors to interact with it independently. Or you could turn your kiosk into a portable giving tool and have staff members or volunteers walk around with it during your events.
These donation kiosks typically pair your iPad or Android tablet with a card reader and a powerful kiosk app to streamline cashless in-person giving. Ideally, they should offer an intuitive user interface, so donors of all tech skill levels can easily donate to your cause with cards, smartphones, and smartwatches.
Donorbox Live™ Kiosk helps you turn your tablet and card reader into a powerful tool to collect cashless gifts in person. Or, utilize our Tap to Pay feature on your Android smartphone – no card reader needed (coming soon to iOS). Your donors can give swiftly with quick taps, dips, or swipes using credit/debit cards and digital wallets like Apple Pay.
Don’t limit your DIY donation box to just coins and notes.
Widen the pool of potential donors who may want to support your cause by incorporating QR codes on your donation box. QR codes can take donors straight to your donation page, allowing them to support your cause online.
Alternatively, you could raise awareness of your nonprofit by redirecting donors to a compelling video showcasing your impact or information that allows them to learn more about your current campaign or cause.
Donorbox gives you a free QR code for every campaign you create. Your QR code takes supporters to your donation form or campaign page hosted on Donorbox. It’s simple to use — when you create a campaign on Donorbox, a QR code is automatically generated and added.
Go to your Donorbox dashboard, select a campaign, and find the QR code below your campaign name. Click the dropdown next to it, select the file type, and download to spread the word.
Now that you’ve decided where to place your DIY giving box, visit local businesses and speak to the managers.
Share the impact of your donation box. How many extra children can you feed or how many animals could be rescued with these extra funds? This helps them feel they can make a real difference by having a donation box on their premises.
Time-sensitive goals can be a smart move, too. For example, explain that you’re hoping to achieve the desired impact in the next 3 months. Letting businesses feel they can play a key role in making this a reality can get them on board.
Pro tip: Take one of your giving boxes along when you visit locations and meet with the managers. This saves time if they agree to have one on the premises. It can be placed and secured right away, and you’re more likely to have a big say in where it’s located.
For small organizations, donors may find out about you through your giving boxes. It’s a great chance to make an impact.
Your branding helps your giving box stand out from the crowd. Even with limited space, you can help potential donors recognize how their cash will be spent with branded boxes.
Here are some ideas and best practices to keep in mind when customizing your DIY donation box:
Here are some simple steps for creating your very own DIY donation box.
Once you’ve got all the materials together, follow the easy steps below to get crafting!
Use your craft knife or scissors to cut a slit in the middle of your lid. Make sure that the slit is wide enough to fit both coins and bills.
Using clear tape, secure your images, logo, contact information, printed text (like your fundraising story or call to action), and any other decor to your DIY donation box.
Pro tip: Use your campaign’s QR code to direct donors to your fundraising story and keep your donation box as minimalist as possible. Remember, adding too many elements to your donation box could deter potential donors!
That’s it! Now that your DIY donation box is ready, place it in a high-traffic location to garner as many donations as possible.
Like any fundraising strategy, weigh up how well it’s working for you.
You might find that placing your giving box in a certain location garners more gifts compared to others. This helps you decide where to place your DIY donation box in the future.
Your giving box or donations can be stolen easily if it’s not secured or emptied regularly.
Depending on how quickly your giving box fills up, you can arrange to empty it weekly or monthly. Send a key staff member, volunteer, or board member to do this. Collecting donations regularly helps prevent fraud — there’s less cash to tempt thieves!
Opt for a donation box with built-in security features. If this isn’t feasible, make sure it’s not easy to steal your donation box. Cord or cable ties can fix your giving boxes to counters, for example. Placing them next to cash registers is a smart move so staff can keep an eye on them during opening hours.
Remember to thank the staff for allowing you to have a donation box when you do collections. Thank-you notes or verbal thank-you messages can work well for this. You can also reiterate how the donations are helping your mission. This helps build stronger relationships with your partner businesses.
Giving boxes are a great passive fundraising tactic to help you raise more funds with minimal effort. We hope these tips for donation boxes take your fundraising to the next level! If you’re hosting in-person events, cashless donation kiosks are a fantastic alternative. With Donorbox Live™ Kiosk, you can offer donors a swift yet secure way to give to your cause.
At Donorbox, we’re passionate about helping you help others with our powerful fundraising features.
For more fundraising tips and ideas, check out the rest of our Nonprofit Blog! Don’t forget to subscribe to our monthly newsletter for curated content sent straight to your inbox.
Sally Aquire is a copywriter with a background in crafting communications and fundraising for a women's center. She writes about fundraising, nonprofit management, and wellness initiatives.
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