Thinking of using a donation jar to take your fundraising to the next level? We’re here to help, with expert tips to boost fundraising success, a step-by-step guide to making your jar, and answers to some frequently asked questions.
Join the fundraising movement! Join the fundraising movement!
Add us as a preferred source on Google
Donation jars, similar to donation boxes, are a simple yet creative way to collect donations for your nonprofit organization. To make your jar as effective as possible, we’ll share some helpful tips and ideas to get you started.
Let’s dive in!
Fortunately, there are a few sure-fire ways to fill up your jar! Here are some important things to keep in mind, including what wording to use when creating your jar and where to place it.
Where you place your donation jar will significantly impact the amount of contributions your charity will garner. Remember to place your jar in high-traffic areas to ensure high visibility for potential donors.
This could be at the entrance of your local office or next to the cash register at your fundraising event.
For example, the St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church and National Shrine placed their Donorbox Live™ Kiosk (a good alternative to a donation jar for contactless payments) at the entrance to their facility:
Decorate your jar with high-quality images that are sure to attract attention from the crowd. For example, if you’re raising funds for your animal shelter, include emotive images of pets. Don’t forget to add your logo so supporters recognize your nonprofit!
You could also include a QR code that donors can scan to learn more about your organization, or one that links to your online donation page.
Themes are a great way to make your donation jar pop (more on this later). If you aren’t designing your jar according to a theme, use your organization’s brand colors and fonts to instill trust among supporters.
Pro tip: Keep your design minimal to avoid overwhelming potential donors with a “busy” jar that distracts.
Since donation jars aren’t that sizable, simple yet impactful messaging is the way to go.
Include a compelling call to action that encourages supporters to donate, along with a clear, short description of your organization or specific campaign. Adding a strong statistic is another way to motivate people to give.
Bonus tip: Increase your credibility by adding your contact information so donors can reach out and learn more about your organization.
Personalizing your giving jar is the perfect opportunity to get those creative juices flowing! Here are some donation jar ideas to get you started.
Connecting your jar to a specific theme will not only make it stand out but also let supporters know what the money will be used for.
For example, if you’re raising funds for a school project, you can include school-related images like books or children learning in a classroom. If you’re collecting donations for your food bank, add images of food or theme it after a common local meal.
Pro tip: You don’t have to limit your decor to your jar! Decorate the table it will stand on to match your theme, or create a sign that can be placed alongside it.
For this donation jar idea, make sure the design and materials you use reflect the time of year. For example, fall fundraising jars can be decorated with aesthetic leaves and fall colors.
If you are raising funds just in time for the holiday season, get creative with Christmas lights, festive colors, or red ribbons.
Spruce up summer-themed jars with miniature beach umbrellas, images of ice cream cones and sand buckets, and more.
Hosting a community cook-off, gala, or picnic fundraiser soon? Personalize your jar according to the theme of your event to engage potential donors and encourage them to give.
For example, if your event has a Winter Wonderland theme, add artificial snowflakes and fairy lights to your giving jar.
This is an affordable and creative fundraising idea! DIY donation jars require simple items you probably have on hand already. And they’re fun and easy to make!
Check out Pinterest and Etsy for giving jar templates, labels, and more.
For now, here are some ideas to get you started:
The wording you include on the label of your jar will depend on the outcome you want to achieve. Here are seven wording templates you can personalize to make your own:
Now that you’ve got some good ideas, let’s take a look at how to make a donation jar.
Once you’ve gathered all the necessary materials, follow these easy steps on how to set up a donation jar.
Place your jar, canister, or water bottle top-down onto the cheesecloth or paper. Using your marker, draw a circle big enough to overlap the sides of your jar.
Then, cut out the circle using scissors.
Using your scissors or craft knife, cut a slit into the middle of your cheesecloth or paper circle without touching the edges. Make sure the slit is wide enough to accommodate bills and coins.
Next, place your circle on the mouth of your jar and secure it using a metal ring or rubber band.
Pro tip: Tie a ribbon or rope around the rubber band or metal ring for an aesthetically pleasing finish!
Decorate your donation jar with your printed wording and images that will appeal to potential donors. Use clear tape to secure it on your jar. Be sure not to add too much so your jar isn’t overwhelming.
Top tip: If you’d like to keep it simple, add a QR code to your jar that links to your website. Or print some pamphlets that you can place next to your giving jar so donors can learn more about your cause online.
Place your jar in a high-traffic area and start collecting donations.
70% of people use cards more often than cash! While donation jars are a fantastic way to boost donations to your cause, adding a contactless payment option will drive further support from supporters who don’t have cash on hand.
Maximize your fundraising potential by including a giving kiosk next to your jar to accept cashless donations easily and provide added convenience for donors.
With the Donorbox Live™ Kiosk app, donors can give using credit/debit cards, smartphones, or smartwatches – and even choose to make their donation recurring, helping you turn spontaneous generosity into long-term support.
Simply download the app onto your tablet and pair it with a card reader device!
Get Started with Donorbox Live™ Kiosk
Or, fundraise on the go by downloading the Donorbox Live™ Kiosk app to your Android smartphone to use the Tap to Pay feature – no card reader required (coming soon to iOS).
Pro tip: Add your free QR code available with every Donorbox campaign you create to your giving jar so donors can scan it using their smartphones to learn more about your fundraiser!
Learn more about Donorbox Live™ Kiosk in this blog post.
With the right wording, placement, and design, donation jars are a highly effective way to ramp up support for your organization. When paired with a donation kiosk, you’re sure to take your fundraising potential to new heights.
At Donorbox, we’re always working to create optimal fundraising features that help scale support for your mission. Learn more about our powerful donation forms, event ticketing tool, peer-to-peer, crowdfunding, and other features here.
Join more than 100,000 organizations that have raised a collective $3 billion with our platform when you sign up today.
For more fundraising tips and ideas, check out the rest of our Nonprofit Blog. Visit our YouTube channel for expert fundraising videos, tutorials, and more.
Happy fundraising!
Create a jar using materials you have around the house. Once you’ve added impactful wording and decor to your jar, place it in a high-traffic area, like the entrance of your fundraising event or in your offices where you receive guests.
Decorate your jar in line with your fundraising campaign, the theme of your upcoming event, or to celebrate the season.
Keep wording to a minimum to avoid a “busy” jar. Use a compelling call to action or statistic, and include your contact information and information about your fundraiser or organization.
Jamy-Lee has over 7 years of experience in copywriting and content marketing. With a background in volunteering, she now uses her passion for writing to help accelerate the all-important missions of nonprofits worldwide.
Join the fundraising movement! Join the fundraising movement!
Subscribe to our e-newsletter to receive the latest blogs, news, and more in your inbox.
