Engage Donors and Maximize Donations On Your Website  

As a fundraising professional, there’s nothing quite like the thrill of watching donations pour in and seeing your campaign get closer to its goal. Donors can feel the same way about seeing donation progress in real-time. That’s where the fundraising thermometer comes in—a dynamic fundraising widget that turns your fundraising progress into an engaging, motivating tool for donors. 

I have seen a lot of donation links that get overlooked over the years – sometimes I see just a link with a few words at the bottom of a post. So I wanted to create something free to give your donation calls to action more of a pop. I also know some website platforms/website themes make this more difficult to do for free. It is aligned with online fundraising best practices, offers a LOT of flexibility and can be added to virtually any website. 

With a few minutes crafting your fundraising widget below, you can easily add it to key pages on your site  and add some excitement to your efforts, giving donors a real-time view of their impact.

Fundraising Thermometer Overview

Our fundraising widget is designed for ease of use, even if you’re not a tech expert. 

While this is a thermometer bar and may not look like the thermometer you are imagining (check here if you just want a thermometer), this can be a great way to engage people and get them onto your donation page from any page as you can add inspiring text around it. 

Fundraising Widget Tips:

• Keep it Updated: Manually update the “Amount Raised” field regularly to reflect new donations and encourage further contributions. 
• Share on Social Media: You can link to the page with the thermometer from your social media profiles to reach a wider audience.
• Use Clear Calls to Action: Don’t forget to use action-oriented language like “Help Us Reach Our Goal!” or “Donate Now!” to motivate immediate action.

How To Use The Free Fundraising Thermometer Widget

1. Add a Fundraising Goal

Start by adding in the fundraising goal amount and the amount you’ve raised. The thermometer bar will automatically reflect how close you are to your goal. Text will also be automatically added reflecting the amounts and a percentage calculated. You don’t need to include both of these texts.

2. Use a Strong Call To Action

Then add the link to your donation page and change the “call to action”. A strong call to action – for example DONATE NOW or DONATE TODAY can inspire donors to act more quickly.

3. Design It To Stand Out

You can choose a color scheme and a font. All 6 font options work well on all browsers and are highly readable. Using high contrasting colors not only helps the widget stand out but helps with accessibility – you can check color contrast here by plugging in your brand colors there. If you don’t have brand colors yet, this is a great tool to get color scheme ideas.

You can increase the size of the font and increase the size of the thermometer.

4. Customize It To Fit Your Needs

You can also add a short inspirational text or a testimonial for social proof and a logo. Using all of these elements might be overwhelming – I’d choose some type of social proof if you have it first and foremost. This can go A LONG way with potential donors to hear about how they can make an impact. 

Personal stories build trust and emotional connection, encouraging more people to contribute. For example, use a quote such as  “This nonprofit helped change my life—your donation can do the same for someone else.” Also, if you have you have an award or something along the lines of the guidestar seal of transparency that could be added as an image to build trust/social proof.

When adding an image, make sure you have the image link and not a page link or a google image link otherwise it will appear broken. 

Once you’re ready, hit the button to see a preview. Once that looks good on your end, you’ll have an embed code and then you’ll be ready to copy and paste the code to your website! You can see instructions for how to embed an HTML block below – be su

5. Choose Where to Add A Fundraising Widget

Whenever you have a fundraising campaign, you can check the pages that get more traffic and think about embedding it there. The home page is a great place to start.

The higher up the page you add it, the more likely it will be seen though you might want to add more context if you place it in the middle of a popular article. 

6. How To Add The Fundraising Widget To Your Website

Paste the code into the HTML of your website. If you’re unsure how to do this, you can ask your web developer for help. If you search “how to embed an html code block using [insert your website platform such as wix or wordpress theme such as divi] you are sure to find an easy way to do it! 

Here is how to embed on wix.

Here is how to embed on WordPress Gutenberg.

Here is how to embed on Squarespace.

Be sure to test it out as well to make sure everything is looking good.

*This is HTML code with some styling so if you have the option to select the type of code, choose HTML instead of a generic code block.

Learning how to embed an HTML code block can seem a bit daunting at first, but it’s usually fairly quick to learn. Plus, once you figure it out the first time it gives you a lot more flexibility to change up your nonprofit’s website in dynamic ways. If you have any trouble embedding, feel free to reach out: jordan@treerootsnonprofits.com.

Tips for Crafting Effective Fundraising Copy

1. Tap Into Emotions: Fundraising is about connecting with people’s hearts. Rather than focusing solely on facts and figures, use emotional storytelling. Share how your organization has transformed lives and give concrete examples of the challenges your community faces. Engaging readers emotionally will inspire them to take action and donate.
2. Be Direct and Transparent: Donors want to know exactly where their money is going and how it will make a difference. Be clear about your goals and specific about what donations will fund. For example, instead of saying, “Support our cause,” try, “Your $50 donation will provide 10 meals for families in need.” Transparency builds trust and encourages generosity.
3. Craft Compelling Calls to Action (CTAs): Your CTA should motivate people to act immediately. Phrases like “Join Us Today” or “Make a Difference Now” give urgency and guide your audience to the next step. Avoid vague phrases; instead, clearly direct your readers to donate, volunteer, or engage in other ways.
4. Create a Sense of Urgency: Encourage donors to act quickly by adding time-sensitive language. Highlight deadlines or goals with phrases like, “We’re only $500 away from our target!” or “Help us reach our goal by the end of the month!” Urgency creates momentum and prevents potential donors from postponing their support.
5. Address the Reader Directly: Engage your audience by speaking directly to them using “you” language. Make it clear how their individual contribution will make an impact. For instance, “You can provide clean water to a family in need,” makes it personal, giving donors the feeling that they are directly part of the solution.
6. Keep It Easy to Read: People are more likely to engage with copy that’s easy to scan. Use short paragraphs, bullet points, and headings to break up the content. Ensure your most important points are clear and accessible for quick understanding. Clarity and simplicity go a long way in converting readers into donors.
7. Show Visible Progress: Donors are motivated when they can see their contribution making a real difference. Tools like fundraising thermometers that display real-time progress keep donors engaged. When they see the goal getting closer, they’re more likely to feel that their donation matters and might even donate again to help reach the finish line.

The Power of Testimonials in Fundraising

Testimonials are a powerful tool for several key reasons:

1. They Build Credibility: Having someone who’s been directly impacted by your organization tell their story adds authenticity. It’s proof that your work changes lives. Testimonials from beneficiaries or supporters offer real-world validation of your efforts.
2. They Inspire Trust: Potential donors are often hesitant to give if they’re unfamiliar with your organization. Hearing from others who’ve had a positive experience can help build trust. Testimonials show that other people believe in your mission, making new donors more likely to join in.
3. They Create an Emotional Connection: Personal stories create a deeper emotional connection than data alone. When a potential donor reads about someone whose life has been transformed by your work, it allows them to picture how their own donation can have a tangible impact.
4. They Provide Social Proof: People often look to others to determine their own actions. By showcasing the stories of satisfied supporters or beneficiaries, you provide reassurance that contributing to your cause is a smart decision. Seeing others give can inspire more people to get involved.
5. They Demonstrate Success: A well-placed testimonial is a testament to the success of your organization. It helps highlight the positive outcomes that result from donations, whether it’s a community revitalized or a person whose life has improved. Success stories offer reassurance that future donations will continue to drive positive change.

Using testimonials in your fundraising copy allows potential donors to relate to the experiences of others and see the direct impact of their contribution. By showing how past support has transformed lives, you offer a compelling reason for new donors to take action.

Conclusion

A fundraising thermometer is more than just a display—it’s a powerful tool that drives results. By using our fundraising widget, your nonprofit can connect with donors, show real-time progress, and boost contributions in ways that traditional fundraising methods can’t match.

As a digital agency dedicated to nonprofits, we’re offering this fundraising thermometer widget for free because we believe in your mission and want to support your fundraising efforts without adding financial strain. Nonprofits often operate on tight budgets, and by providing this tool at no cost, we’re helping you focus on what really matters—making a difference.

Our goal is to level the playing field, giving small and mid-sized organizations access to powerful, easy-to-use digital tools that larger nonprofits use to boost donations. We want to empower nonprofits to engage donors, raise more money, and succeed in their campaigns without worrying about the costs of technical solutions. If you’d like to schedule a free call with us, please get in touch with us at jordan@treerootsnonprofits.com.

FAQ: Fundraising Thermometer and Widget

What is a fundraising thermometer?

A fundraising thermometer is a visual tool that displays the progress of a fundraising campaign. It starts at zero and rises as donations come in, helping both the nonprofit and its donors track how close they are to the campaign goal.

How does a fundraising widget work?

A fundraising widget is a customizable tool that you embed on your website. It allows you to display campaign progress, set a donation goal, and even include a call-to-action button for visitors to donate directly from the page. Our fundraising widget also allows you to adjust colors, fonts, and other design elements to match your brand.

Why is using a fundraising thermometer effective for campaigns?

Seeing tangible progress motivates people to give more. When donors see how close a campaign is to its goal, it adds urgency and can spur them to donate again or encourage others to contribute. The visual appeal also makes it easy for nonprofits to update supporters on their progress.

Is the fundraising widget hard to use?

Not at all! Our fundraising widget is designed for ease of use with no coding knowledge required. You just fill out the fields, customize the appearance, and copy the embed code. If you know how to paste text into a website, you can use our widget!

Can I customize the thermometer to match my brand colors?

Yes! You can choose colors for the thermometer, text, and background, ensuring the fundraising widget seamlessly blends with your organization’s existing website design. This makes it feel like an integral part of your website, rather than a third-party tool.

How do I update the fundraising thermometer when new donations come in?

You can manually update the “Amount Raised” field in the widget settings and regenerate the embed code to reflect the current total. Keeping the thermometer updated ensures your donors have the most accurate information and are encouraged to keep giving.

Does the fundraising thermometer work on mobile?

Yes, the fundraising widget is fully responsive, meaning it will automatically resize to look great on any screen, from desktops to smartphones. This ensures that your supporters can engage with your campaign no matter how they access your website.

Can I share the fundraising thermometer on social media?

While you can’t embed the widget directly in social media posts, you can share a link to your website page where the thermometer is displayed. Pair the link with a compelling message about your campaign to drive traffic from social platforms back to your site.

Will the widget slow down my website?

No, the widget is lightweight and designed to load efficiently. It won’t slow down your page, ensuring that visitors have a smooth experience when engaging with your fundraising campaign.

How can this help me raise more money?

A fundraising thermometer increases donor engagement by providing visual motivation and transparency. It encourages more frequent and higher donations by making each contribution feel impactful. In short, it turns fundraising into an interactive experience that donors can get excited about.

Is there support if I need help with the widget?

Absolutely! If you need assistance with setup, troubleshooting, or customizing the widget, we offer support to guide you through every step of the process. Just reach out, and we’ll help ensure your fundraising efforts are a success.