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How to Make a Donation Website

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By eHow Contributing Writer
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A donation website can help you accept donations from your family and friends to start a business or for a charity. The website should feature a large "donate now" button to simplify donations. There can be costs associated with creating a donation website, which can include your website host and domain, advertising and a website designer if you can't do the design and HTML coding yourself.

Difficulty: Moderate
Instructions

Things You'll Need:

  • Web host and domain service
  • PayPal account
  • HTML knowledge
  1. Step 1

    Sign up for a web host and domain service. Choose a domain name that is directly associated with your purpose for requesting donations so that it will be more easily located and your visitors will understand what the site is about immediately. For instance, if you are collecting money for your little league team, littleleaguedonations.com would be an ideal choice. Expect to pay anywhere between $5 to $20 per month on your hosting service.

  2. Step 2

    Sign up for a PayPal account. This service will allow you to accept donations online without paying an upfront or monthly fee. You will pay a per transaction fee for each donation that you accept. You will also be able to generate PayPal "Donate Now" buttons automatically using your account.

  3. Step 3

    Create three main HTML web pages for the site: "Homepage," "About the Cause," and "Donate Now."

  4. Step 4

    Start by creating your donation homepage, which will contain all of the links to your other pages. The homepage should have about 350 words about your company or yourself, and the reason why you are asking for donations.

  5. Step 5

    Include a few photos related to the cause on the homepage. Create a side or top menu bar with links to all of the main pages of your site. In addition to the item on the menu, include a large, prominently displayed brightly colored button on the front page that says "Donate Now."

  6. Step 6

    Write about your cause or purpose for asking for donations on the "About the Cause" page. Provide a detailed background on your organization or yourself to assure the potential contributor that your cause is legitimate and worthy.

  7. Step 7

    Create your "Donate Now" page. Tell the reader again why you need this donation and where the money will go. You will place another "Donate Now" link on this page --- this time one that is generated by PayPal to take the visitor to the PayPal site to complete the donation.

Tips & Warnings
  • To set up a free website, use Webs.com. Keep in mind that some people won't take a free website seriously, especially when it comes to spending money. So only use a free website if you plan to advertise to your close friends and family. Trust is everything online, especially when soliciting donations. The easier your site is to navigate and the more professional the design, the more likely your web visitors will trust it and make a contribution. Add your town name, your first name or other specific data to the title if you're having a hard time finding an available domain name.
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