How to set up a donation page for your charity

To set up a donation page, you need four things: a verified charity account on a donation platform, a short clear ask, a way to take card payments safely, and a Gift Aid declaration built into checkout. With Kayana Aid that takes minutes rather than weeks, and you do not need a developer. Here is the full process, including what to write and what to check before you share the link.

Before you start: what to have ready

Gather these first so you are not hunting mid-way through:

Your registered charity number (and HMRC charity reference if you plan to claim Gift Aid).
Your charity’s bank details for payouts.
A logo and one good photo. Candid and warm beats staged.
One sentence that says what a gift does. For example: “£10 gives one family a week of fresh food.”
The name and email of the person who will manage the page.

Step 1: Register and verify your charity

Create your account at kayanaaid.com/gb/signup. You will be asked for your charity details and to connect a payout account through one of our payment partners. Verification protects donors and your charity, and it is why supporters can trust the page. If anything is unclear, the help centre walks through each screen.

Step 2: Create your first page

Choose a plain donation page to start. Campaigns and events come later, and we explain the difference in Campaign page vs event page. Give the page:

A clear title. “Support [Charity name]” is fine. “Help keep the night shelter open this winter” is better.
A short description. Two or three sentences. Who you help, what a gift does, and a thank you.
Suggested amounts. Three or four options with a line of impact under each. Let people type their own amount too.
Monthly giving. Turn on recurring donations so supporters can choose to give every month.

Keep the page uncluttered. One ask, one button.

Step 3: Turn on Gift Aid

If you are a UK charity recognised by HMRC, enable Gift Aid. At checkout, eligible donors will see a tick box and be asked for their full name and home address. Kayana Aid stores the declaration with the donation. Later, you can download an HMRC-ready CSV from Reports → Gift Aid, review it, and submit the claim to HMRC yourself. If Gift Aid is new to you, start with Gift Aid explained for small charities.

Step 4: Check the payments and fees

Card details are handled by PCI DSS compliant payment partners, not stored by Kayana Aid. Before you go live, read the fee table on the pricing page so you know what reaches your charity on each gift. There is no monthly platform fee on the free plan. Donors can add an optional tip to Kayana Aid at checkout; it starts at 1%, the donor can change it or set it to zero, and it is not part of your fees.

Step 5: Add your trust signals

Supporters decide to give in seconds. Make it easy:

Show your registered charity number on the page.
Use your real logo and a real photo.
Say what happens next: a receipt by email, and how you will use the gift.
Link to your website so people can check who you are.

We cover this in more depth in How to build donor trust.

Step 6: Test it yourself

Make a small real donation from your own card and check:

The receipt arrives and looks right.
The Gift Aid question appears and the declaration wording is complete.
The donation shows in your dashboard with the right amount and fee.
The page looks good on a phone, because most people will open it there.

Then refund yourself from the dashboard if you wish, or leave it as your first gift.

Step 7: Share the link

Your page has a unique link and a QR code. Put the link in your website header, your email signature, and your social bios. Print the QR code for noticeboards, newsletters, and collection points. Our guide How to share a donation link has a simple plan for the first two weeks.

What to do in the first month

Thank every donor personally where you can. A short email from a real person goes a long way.
Download the donation CSV and reconcile it with your bank once.
Prepare your first Gift Aid claim from Reports → Gift Aid.
Look at which suggested amount people choose most, and adjust the impact lines.

FAQ

How long does it take to set up a donation page?

Minutes for the page itself. Verification of your charity and payout account can take a little longer, depending on the checks needed.

Do I need a website to have a donation page?

No. Your Kayana Aid page is hosted for you. If you do have a website, link to the page or embed a donate button.

Can donors give monthly?

Yes. Turn on recurring donations and supporters can choose a monthly gift at checkout and manage it themselves later.

Does Kayana Aid claim Gift Aid for me?

Kayana Aid captures the declaration and prepares the claim data. Your charity reviews it and submits it to HMRC.

Next step

Ready to try it? Set up your donation page. If you would rather see it first, book a short demo.

How to set up a donation page for your charity (step by step)