Does this sound familiar? 

You’re a small nonprofit who wants to open up to international donors, but you don’t feel like you have the resources available to make it happen. 

But what you may not realize is that you’re not just missing out on a few donations here and there. You’re missing out on ongoing, long-term support from donors who want to make your mission happen. 

But there’s good news! Creating a donation flow that’s optimized for donors from all over the world isn’t difficult, and it doesn’t require any special resources. 

Here’s what I recommend you focus on:

6 Donation Experience Must-Haves for International Donors

Every donor has their own story, and your engagement strategies need to reflect that. Effective segmentation is like having a map in a treasure hunt—it guides you to where you can find the most value and make the most impact. Here’s how to craft that map:

Okay, this one might seem obvious. But first, you’ll need a donation form that supports your donors’ local currencies in order for them to feel comfortable giving. 

While some donation forms allow donors to give in currencies that are then exchanged later, this can be confusing and add friction to the checkout process. 

Donors always feel more comfortable when they see their own currency. When they’re more comfortable, they’re more likely to give! 

2. Your Donors’ Languages 

Next on the donor-comfort journey is language. Donors will feel most comfortable giving when your donation form is perfectly clear to them. 

Platforms like Donorbox build donation forms that auto-detect the donor’s browser language and automatically translate your form, with 12 languages supported. 

That means a donor lands on your donation page and instantly feels not only at ease, but welcome to become a part of your story! 

3. Preferred Payment Methods 

This one might be the most important yet. Nothing causes abandoned carts more than a lack of preferred payment methods. 

Think about it: a donor is all fired up to give, but they get through your donation form only to find they have to get up and rummage for their credit card. 

Tools like the Donorbox OmniGive™ Donation Form dynamically display over 22 payment methods depending on your donors’ locations and devices. That means supporters only see the payment methods that are most relevant to them, leading to a quick and easy checkout. 

4. Mobile-first Design 

Almost half (45%) of all donations are made on a mobile device. And this includes your international donors! 

If your donation form doesn’t render properly or is difficult to navigate on mobile, you’re going to miss out on many donations, whether your donors are domestic or international. 

My advice? Test your form on mobile, then test it again. Have other people test it, too (bonus points for different generations!). Refine your donation process until it feels seamless on mobile, starting with choosing a donation form with a mobile-first design. 

5. Trust Signals 

Like all donors, international donors want to feel confident that their hard-earned money is going to the best possible place. 

This is where trust signals come in! 

Trust signals include: 

• A brand-aligned donation form (that looks legit) 
• Badges from sites like Charity Navigator and Candid 
• Social proof through a donor wall or recent donation widget 

Donors review these signals when they want to feel good about their gift. 

If you’re targeting donors from a particular international country, consider any specific signals they might be looking for and be sure to include those on your donation page. 

6. Compliant Receipting 

You might think your receipts are an afterthought, but they’re actually an important part of your donation experience! 

After international donors give, they expect to receive a compliant, well-written receipt acknowledging their donation. 

While you may not be able to translate your receipt into every one of your international donors’ preferred languages, it’s important to ensure your receipt still includes all the necessary information. 

This should include: 

• Donation amount 
• Any donation designations your donor entered on your form 
• Whether any goods or services were offered in exchange for this donation

Making sure your donor has all the information they need will show them that you value them. And you’ll be one step closer to building a lasting relationship with them! 

Conclusion 

See? Creating a donor experience that welcomes international donors in and doesn’t scare them off at checkout isn’t impossible! Even for small nonprofits with limited resources. 

Partnering with the right fundraising platform, one that’s designed for exceptional donor experiences, will make it even easier.