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The Secret to 50% More Donations: A/B Testing & Mobile Giving Breakthroughs with Scott Cross

For many nonprofits, online giving has become the lifeline that fuels mission-driven work. But here’s a surprising fact: only 11–12% of visitors who click “Donate” actually complete their gift. That gap between donor intent and actual donations represents a massive missed opportunity.

On a recent Missions to Movements podcast episode, host Dana Snyder sat down with Scott Cross, sales leader at iDonate, to unpack the latest data, tools, and strategies nonprofits can use to close that conversion gap. From mobile-first donation forms to A/B testing, the conversation was full of practical insights that can help organizations increase both one-time and recurring gifts without requiring massive resources.

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Why Donors Drop Off After Clicking “Donate”

Nonprofits are doing a great job attracting visitors to their websites and donation pages, but according to Scott, most donors never finish the giving process. The average conversion rate hovers around 11–12%, meaning nearly 9 out of 10 potential donors exit before completing their gift.

Why? Some may simply be browsing or comparing causes. Others drop off because donation forms are too long, clunky, or not optimized for mobile. Each extra click, field, or scroll increases the chances of losing a gift.

The solution: make giving as simple as possible. Scott recommends the formula:

• Compelling stories to inspire generosity

• Simple processes with fewer clicks and fields

• Easy giving experiences across devices

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The Power of Mobile-Friendly Pop-Up Forms

One of the most exciting innovations Scott’s team has introduced is the pop-up donation form. Unlike traditional embedded forms, pop-ups surface at just the right time during a visitor’s journey, capturing attention when donor intent is strongest.

The results are impressive:

• 50% increase in completed donations compared to traditional forms

• 23% lift in recurring gifts, creating more predictable and sustainable revenue

Recurring giving in particular is “the gift that keeps on giving,” Scott says, since it provides nonprofits with steady income month after month.

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Small Tweaks, Big Results: The Role of A/B Testing

Another key strategy is A/B testing, experimenting with small changes to see what performs best. Even minor adjustments, like button text, suggested gift amounts, or the order of form fields, can lead to significant results.

Scott notes that nonprofits of any size can start testing. “The first test is the hardest,” he admits, but once you try, the process becomes easier. Running two variations side by side for 30–90 days gives statistically valid results that help organizations identify clear winners. Then, you iterate—testing one new change at a time.

The payoff? Nonprofits who’ve adopted this approach have seen stronger conversion rates and more recurring donors without overhauling their entire giving system.

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Preparing for Year-End Giving

As Scott points out, September is crunch time for nonprofits planning their year-end campaigns. By this point, organizations should:

• Be fully trained on their giving platform and tools

• Audit donation pages for missed opportunities

• Identify key campaigns and set clear goals

• Ensure mobile readiness (since more donors give via phone each year)

It’s also smart to check in with your platform provider. Many nonprofits miss out on updated features simply because they overlooked an email or announcement. Providers like iDonate often offer free donation page “tune-ups” to help teams prepare for the busy giving season.

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Real-World Example: 23% Growth in Recurring Gifts

During iDonate’s beta testing, one nonprofit ran an A/B test using both their traditional embedded form and the new pop-up form for a year-end campaign. The results? A 23% increase in recurring donations, along with an uptick in donors covering processing fees.

Those small changes gave the organization more predictable revenue and long-term sustainability, proving that thoughtful optimization pays off.

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The Future of Online Giving

Looking ahead, Scott predicts two major trends:

1. Mobile-first giving experiences: Younger generations increasingly expect sleek, fast, and trustworthy donation pages on their phones. If a page doesn’t load properly or look professional, they’ll quickly abandon it.

2. AI-powered tools: From generating text and images to improving security and integration, AI is already reshaping nonprofit fundraising technology. Organizations should ask their providers how they’re leveraging AI to improve giving experiences.

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Final Takeaway

Closing the donor conversion gap doesn’t require a complete website overhaul. Instead, nonprofits can:

• Simplify donation forms

• Use mobile-friendly pop-ups

• Run A/B tests on small elements

• Prepare early for year-end giving campaigns

With just a few strategic tweaks, nonprofits can see dramatic improvements in completed donations and recurring support, helping them fuel their missions more effectively.

Resources & Links

This show is brought to you by iDonate. Your donation page is leaking donors, and iDonate’s new pop-up donation form is here to fix that. See it in action. Launch the interactive demo here and experience how a well-timed form captures donors in the moment they care most.

Connect with Scott Cross on LinkedIn, at the upcoming NIO Summit in Kansas City, or via email at scross@idonate.com.

Come back to the blog to rewatch my recurring giving workshop with iDonate to learn how to increase your monthly donations.

Episode 196: Is Your Donation Page Leaking Donors? Here’s How to Fix It

My book, The Monthly Giving Mastermind, is here! Grab a copy here and learn my framework to build, grow, and sustain subscriptions for good.

Join The Sustainers, my Slack community for nonprofit professionals growing and scaling a recurring giving program.

Want to make Missions to Movements even better? Take a screenshot of this episode and share it on Instagram. Be sure to tag @positivequation so I can connect with you.