Each Donor is different, so making the same ask of everyone just doesn't work, especially for a Responsive nonprofit.
In a Form, you get to decide what amount(s) you suggest for Donors in your Donation Block.
When building your Form, a Donation Block is added by default. Select the Donation Block, and to the right, a menu will open to configure the Settings. The Display allows for a few Gift Amount options:
- Gift Array and Custom Amount: suggested amounts with an open amount field
- Gift Array: suggested amount without an open amount field
- Custom Amount: an open amount field with no suggested amount
- Fixed Amount: a set amount
Let’s walk through the experience(s) each option can give:
Gift Arrays (and Custom Amount)
A Gift Array is simply a set of multiple suggest amounts a Donor can choose from.
A Donor selects a value without having to type anything. This is particularly handy in cases where you make a specific ask amount to a wide audience through an appeal (e.g., “For $25, you can provide tasty treats to our dogs in need!”).
There are a few different configurations of Gift Arrays you can use:
- Standard Gift Arrays
- Smart Gift Arrays
- Gift Array values for Recurring Gifts
Standard and Smart Gift Arrays
Standard Gift Arrays and Smart Gift Arrays both give Donors suggested Gift amounts on an online Giving Form or Page.
Standard Gift Arrays are typically used for unknown Donors who are giving online to your organization for the first time. They will present the Donor with preset amounts to contribute. All unknown Donors will be presented with the same suggested amounts configured in the array.
Smart Gift Arrays work for known Donors and customize the suggested amount based on giving habits of the Donor. To use Smart Gift Arrays in a Form, you'll need to:
- have an active Virtuous Giving account AND
- activate the Responsive Listener. Learn more about the Responsive Listener here.
Once the Responsive Listener has been deployed on your website, Virtuous Raise will begin to identify your website visitors and connect them with existing Donor records. When this connection has been established, Virtuous Raise will use everything known about an existing Donor to customize the Gift Array on a Form.
If a user is unknown and they make a donation through a Form, then that user will be displayed a Standard Gift Array. However, the next time the same Donor visits your Donation Page, they will see a Smart Gift Array.
To use Smart Gift Arrays in this form, in the Donation Block Settings, toggle on to “Use Smart Gift Arrays.”
A dropdown will prompt base your Smart Gift Array amounts on:
- Virtuous Suggested Amount: The recommended Gift Ask calculated by Virtuous for each Donor.
- Average Gift Amount: The average size (or, if you want to get technical, the statistical mean) of a Donor’s Gifts, based on their life-to-date giving history.
- Last Gift Amount: The size of the Donor’s most recent Gift.
You’ll then be able to add Smart Gift Array multipliers of the amount you select above.
For example: If a Donor has an average gift amount of $50 and you enter 2X multiplier, the amount shown to them would be $100.
Select ‘+ Add Smart Gift Multiplier’ to add more values and use the grab handles to rearrange them. Additionally, if you want a specific value defaulted when the Donor views the Form, press the star next to the value.
Both Gift Arrays allow for the option to include a Custom Amount field, if desired.
Standard Gift Arrays + Descriptions
Below Smart Gift Arrays in the Builder, you’ll see a toggle to "Include Gift Array Descriptions" and Standard Gift Array Values.
When "Include Gift Array Descriptions" is toggled on, the Standard Gift Array Value boxes will expand to include text. This allows you to include appeals or descriptions of what the Gift may cover.
You can press ‘+ Add Gift Value’ to add more values and use the grab handles to rearrange them. Additionally, if you want a specific value selected when the Donor views the form, press the star next to the value.
Gift Array values for Recurring Gifts
These will be the same values available if the Donor chooses to create a Recurring Gift, unless you toggle below:
Then, you’ll have the ability to configure new values specifically for Recurring Gifts. This is important to consider if your single Gift asks are large.
Custom Amount
In addition to the Smart Gift Arrays and default Gift Arrays, you can choose to include a Custom Amount field that allows Donors to fill in their own custom gift amount. Whether the Custom Amount is include with a Gift Array or a Custom Amount field on its own.
Fixed Amount
A fixed amount locks in a donation amount of your choice and does not allow the Donor to change it.
Now you can embrace responsive fundraising by making tailored suggestions!
Need More Help?
Need more help optimizing your Giving Pages? Virtuous Professional Services can customize, build, and optimize your Virtuous Raise Forms or Pages to boost donor engagement. Click here to learn more about our Professional Services offerings, or contact your Customer Success Manager to get started!