Managing Donations on Squarespace
TL;DR:
- Donation blocks work on most Squarespace plans including Basic, Core, Plus, Advanced, Business, and Commerce plans
- Track individual donations and total revenue through the Donations Dashboard
- Issue refunds directly through Squarespace Payments, Stripe, or PayPal from your dashboard
- Set up recurring donations and manage them alongside donor profiles
- Customize confirmation emails and manage multiple donation funds
Getting Started with Donations
Donation blocks are available on most Squarespace plans. You'll find them on Basic, Core, Plus, Advanced, Business, Commerce Basic, and Commerce Advanced plans.
The main hub for everything donation-related is your Donations Dashboard. Here's how to navigate it:
Donations Dashboard Overview
- Check your total revenue at a glance
- View individual contributions in detail
- Click "Funds" to see revenue broken down by different donation categories
- Select "View all" to open the full Contributions Panel
- Export data by clicking "Export CSV" for your records
- Scroll down to load older donation records
Understanding Donation Records
Each donation entry shows you everything you need for proper record-keeping:
- Exact time and date of the contribution
- Donor's contact details and billing information
- Payment method and transaction specifics
- Contribution amounts with any fees itemized
Worth noting: Some payment details live on external processors like Stripe or PayPal. You'll need to hop over to those platforms for certain financial specifics or refund processing.
Managing Donors and Refunds
Finding Donor Information
Head to Lists & Segments, then click "Donors" to access individual donor profiles. This shows you their full donation history and contact details.
Processing Refunds
- Open the Contributions panel
- Find the specific transaction
- Click "View payment"
- Follow the prompts to issue refunds through your payment gateway (Squarespace Payments, Stripe, or PayPal)
The process varies slightly depending on which payment processor handled the original transaction.
Handling Recurring Donations
Recurring donations need a bit more attention, but Squarespace makes it straightforward:
From Your End:
- Open any donor's profile and click "Recurring" to see renewal dates and amounts
- Cancel recurring donations by clicking "Cancel recurring donation"
From the Donor's End:
Donors can manage their own recurring donations through their customer accounts. They can update payment details, change amounts, or cancel future donations without needing to contact you.
Customizing Donor Communications
Don't leave donors wondering if their donation went through. Set up proper confirmation emails in the Customer email notifications section.
This keeps donors informed and builds trust in your donation process. You can customize these messages to match your organization's tone and include relevant information about how their contribution helps.
Advanced Donation Management
Multiple Funds
If you're raising money for different causes or projects, you can set up multiple donation funds. Manage these through the Donations Panel where you can add, edit, or remove funds as needed.
Customer Accounts
Enable customer accounts to let donors save their information securely. This speeds up future donations and gives them control over their recurring contributions.
Regular maintenance helps here. Review your fund settings every few months to make sure they align with your current fundraising goals and donor preferences.
FAQs
Which Squarespace plans support donations?
Donation blocks work on Basic, Core, Plus, Advanced, Business, Commerce Basic, and Commerce Advanced plans.
Can donors cancel their own recurring donations?
Yes, if you enable customer accounts, donors can manage their recurring donations independently.
How do I process refunds?
Go to the Contributions panel, find the transaction, click "View payment," and follow the refund process through your payment gateway.
Can I track donations from different fundraising campaigns?
Yes, use multiple donation funds to separate and track different campaigns or causes.
Do I need to use external payment processors?
You can use Squarespace Payments, but you might also connect Stripe or PayPal depending on your needs.
Jargon Buster
Donation Blocks: The Squarespace tool that lets you add donation forms to your website pages.
Recurring Donations: Automatic donations that repeat on a schedule set by the donor.
Customer Accounts: Profiles that let donors save their payment information and manage their recurring donations.
Contribution Panel: The dashboard area where you view and manage all donation records.
Donation Funds: Separate categories you can create to organize donations for different purposes or campaigns.
Wrap-up
Managing donations on Squarespace involves understanding the platform's built-in tools and knowing where to find external payment processor features when needed. The key is staying organized with your donor records, maintaining clear communication, and regularly reviewing your settings to match your fundraising goals.
Most organizations find success by enabling customer accounts, setting up proper email confirmations, and keeping their donation funds organized. This creates a smooth experience for donors while giving you the control and visibility you need for effective fundraising.
Ready to set up professional donation management? Join Pixelhaze Academy for step-by-step guidance on advanced Squarespace features.