DonSimply
Empowering non-profits and donors with community-driven fundraising
DonSimply wanted to create a fundraising platform that makes it easier for non-profits to connect with supporters, share their causes, raise funds effectively and, above all, help non-profits retain their donors for continuous giving. The aim was to build a simple but engaging user-friendly platform de-industrialised the current landscape of online giving. They are want to design and develop a platform that would offer everything from customisable donation tools to real-time campaign analytics, all while being flexible enough to help non-profit grow.
Deliverables: Marketing Website, Product Design, Design System
Project Type: Define & Design using Fresh Framework
Team: Project Lead (me)
Business Goal
DonSimply’s main objective is to de-industrialise the online giving landscape and help non-profits raise more funds and more consistent funds. The platform’s goal is to remove barriers of connecting between donors and the charity improving the donor stewardship across the board.
User Impact Goal
The key impact DonSimply wishes to provide for it’s non-profits is to “reconnect with donors on a personal and thankful level” to improve relationships and passion for the work they do. With a focus on ease of use and transparency, DonSimply helps non-profits reach their fundraising goals and empowers individuals to see the difference their donations are making.
Design Process
I started by reviewing the fundraising market in the UK, undertake user and stakeholder interviews to define the core features and the need to support both non-profits and individual donors. Here’s an overview of the process:
01/ Research & Ideation
Via countless user interviews, during the research phase, we identified several pain points within existing fundraising tools, such as a lack of community engagement and complex donation flows. From this, we brainstormed ideas for features like custom donation widgets, giving thanks, and donation impact tracking.
02/ Flow Mapping
We mapped out detailed user journeys for different roles—including non-profits, donors, and admins—to ensure that each interaction was optimised for efficiency and engagement. Each flow was carefully considered to make sure that whether a user was donating or managing a campaign, the experience felt smooth and logical.
03/ Functional Specification & Wireframes
A Functional Specification and Wireframes were created to establish the structure of the platform and key journies like the donation pages, campaign dashboards, profile management areas, and engagement features. Early testing and interviews helped refine the design, keeping it straightforward, user-friendly and desirable.
04/ Concept Designs
In the concept phase, I explored different styles that conveyed a sense of trust and community in both the marketing pages and platform handling. Colours, typography, and layouts were chosen to make the platform feel welcoming and professional, with a focus on accessibility and clarity.
05/ Final Designs
The final design is still in production, but it incorporates these styles into a clean interface, balancing functionality with visual appeal. Interactive elements like donation buttons, real-time data sharing, and impact stories were integrated to encourage user participation and recognition. The platform is being design to make complex data easy to navigate.
06/ Implementation & Growth
I am working closely with a developer to build the platform in sprints. This requires close collaboration, communication about capabilities, often getting involved about data structures to make sure the designs can be implemented effectively. Extensive testing is carried out at the end of each sprint to ensure the platform’s performance mets user expectations and aligned with the original design vision.
Next Steps
As DonSimply continues to be designed and build, we’re looking to introduce features like enhanced donor recognition, more comprehensive analytics for non-profits, and community-driven events to increase engagement further. These updates are all centred around the aim to help non-profits connect more deeply with their supporters.
Round Up
DonSimply’s goal is to bridge the gap between non-profits and donors, creating an easy-to-use platform that empowers both sides. By focusing on community, transparency, and ease of use, DonSimply is making fundraising more accessible and impactful. Designing for a company for-good is hugely energising and helps drive my creativity and passion for design.