Well-designed donation tiers guide supporters to give at the right level and make every pound go further with Gift Aid.
- Set four to six tiers anchored to your average gift and spaced at roughly 2x increments.
- Show the post-Gift Aid value on each tier: a £50 gift from a UK taxpayer is worth £62.50 to your charity.
- Pre-select your second or third tier as the default to lift your average gift naturally.
- Use item-based or person-based impact descriptions so donors picture exactly what their gift does.
- Zeffy's free donation platform lets you customise tiers, set defaults, and handle Gift Aid at no cost.
For charities, the structure of your donation form can be the difference between inspiring generosity and missing fundraising goals.
While many organisations focus on perfecting their mission statement or campaign message, the psychology behind donation tiers often gets overlooked, yet it is crucial for sustainable fundraising success.
Well-designed donation tiers do more than suggest amounts. They create a framework that connects donors directly to your impact.
In this guide, we cover proven strategies for creating donation tiers that resonate with supporters, the psychology behind smart tier design, 100+ name ideas organised by cause area, and real-world examples, all so you can raise more without spending more.
In this article:
What are donation tiers for charities?
Donation tiers, also known as donation levels, are suggested donation amounts on online fundraising or donation pages. For example, a charity may have donation levels of £10, £25, £50, and so on.
These suggested amounts serve as helpful benchmarks that guide potential donors' giving decisions. Rather than guessing the appropriate amount, donors can quickly select from options that the organisation has carefully chosen based on their needs and their donors' giving patterns.
Each tier typically includes a description that shows donors exactly what their gift will help accomplish, whether it is providing meals, supplies, or services. For example, a homelessness charity might show that a £25 gift supplies food, hygiene and toiletries for one guest at a night shelter for a week.
In the UK, tiers work harder than the number on the button. If your donor is a UK taxpayer and signs a Gift Aid declaration, HMRC lets your charity reclaim 25p for every £1 given, so a £50 tier is really £62.50 to the charity, and a £250 tier is £312.50. Design your tiers with the post-Gift Aid number in mind, and show donors the uplift on the form. (Gift Aid, GOV.UK)
Difference between donation levels and donation types
Donation levels are a series of predetermined donation amounts, such as £50, £100, and £150 on your giving page. The purpose of donation levels is to help supporters decide how much they should contribute.
Donation types refer to different kinds of donations like major gifts, in-kind donations, regular gifts, or one-time donations. They offer donors flexible ways to contribute according to their needs and preferences.
Fundraising tiers, giving levels, donor tiers: what's the difference?
If you have searched for help designing your donation structure, you have probably come across several different terms. "Fundraising tiers," "giving levels," "donor tiers," and "sponsorship tiers" all get used interchangeably, and they mostly mean the same thing.
Here is a quick breakdown to clear up the terminology:
- Fundraising tiers is the broadest term. It covers any structured giving system used in a campaign, annual fund, or membership programme.
- Giving levels typically refers to the suggested amounts on a donation form, the actual £ thresholds a donor chooses between.
- Donor tiers usually describes how you classify donors internally after they give, useful for your CRM, stewardship, and upgrade strategy.
- Sponsorship tiers applies specifically to event or corporate giving structures, where each tier comes with specific visibility or recognition benefits.
All four terms describe the same underlying idea: organising giving into named, tiered amounts that make it easier for donors to decide what to give, and easier for you to steward them long-term. Throughout this guide, we use "fundraising tiers" and "donation tiers" interchangeably.
Benefits of establishing donation tiers or levels
1. Simplifies the giving process
Predefined donation tiers eliminate the guesswork from giving. Instead of facing an empty donation field, supporters can choose easily from suggested amounts. This is especially helpful for first-time donors who might be uncertain about how much to contribute.
2. Makes donor classification effective
Donation levels help categorise your potential donors into different donor groups. Whether someone contributes £5 or £50, you can identify their giving capacity and category, from small-scale to major donors.
This segmentation allows you to tailor your donor engagement efforts to better appeal to each donor. For instance, you can use emails and social media to engage smaller donors, while major donors can receive exclusive event invitations.
3. Allows you to set achievable fundraising goals
Breaking down fundraising targets into different donation tiers makes large goals more manageable.
Rather than just targeting a total amount like "£10,000," you can plan more strategically, aiming for specific numbers of donors at each tier level. This makes it easier to track progress and adjust your fundraising strategies when needed.
4. Makes Gift Aid conversations easier
Named tiers give you a natural moment to ask the Gift Aid question. A donor selecting the £100 'Champion' tier is a warm moment to prompt: "Are you a UK taxpayer? Add Gift Aid and your £100 becomes £125." Charities that build the Gift Aid ask into the tier flow reclaim more than those who bolt it on at the receipt stage. (Gift Aid, GOV.UK, NCVO)
What are the different types of donation tiers?
1. Person-based
Donors connect more deeply with causes when they see the direct impact of their giving. Instead of saying, "Support our education programme," these tiers show specific impacts like "Help Maria get textbooks for a semester."
By tying each donation amount to specific individuals or the number of people you are helping, donors feel a personal connection to the cause. This approach is most effective when your campaign can showcase the real people and communities receiving your services.
2. Item-based
Item-based tiers connect donations to specific tangible gifts, resources, or services your organisation offers.
For instance, "£1 provides 10 meals to families in need" or "£50 supplies a month of school materials." This approach helps donors visualise exactly what their money buys and how it makes a difference.
3. Time-based
For projects where you cannot break down donation tiers based on people or items, consider structuring them around time periods, days, weeks, or months of support needed. For instance, £100 funds a week of therapy, or £500 covers the repair of the shelter's roof.
Time-based donation tiers are particularly useful for fundraising campaigns focused on ongoing needs like medical care, therapy sessions, construction work, or time-bound programmes.
4. Reward-based
With reward-based donation tiers, supporters receive special acknowledgements or perks based on their giving level. Offering supporters something in return for their donation encourages them to give more.
For instance, a £100 donation could earn public recognition or exclusive merchandise. This approach is particularly effective for crowdfunding or seasonal fundraising campaigns, where tangible perks can lead to higher donation amounts.
5. Title-based
Donors receive special titles based on their contribution levels, which often creates a sense of belonging and makes them feel like true members of your community. Using creative titles around a theme makes giving more engaging for your supporters.
For instance, an animal shelter might name £50 donors "Puppy Protectors" and £500 supporters "Lion-Hearted Leaders."
Recommended fundraising tier amounts by charity size
One of the most common mistakes charities make is copying another organisation's tier amounts without checking whether they match their own donors' giving patterns. The right amounts depend on your donor base, your mission, and your organisation's size.
Use the table below as a starting benchmark. Then layer in your own average gift data to fine-tune each threshold.
|
| Entry | £25 | £50 | £100 |
| Core | £50 | £100 | £250 |
| Mid | £100 | £250 | £500 |
| Upper-Mid | £250 | £500 | £1,000 |
| Major | £500 | £1,000 | £2,500 |
| Flagship | £1,000+ | £2,500+ | £5,000+ |
A few principles to keep in mind when setting amounts:
- Start near your average gift. Your entry tier should sit close to your current average donation. Donors are most likely to select amounts in that range, and anchoring too low trains donors to give less.
- Space tiers at roughly 2x increments. Jumping from £25 to £100 without a middle option creates a gap where donors drop off. Each step up should feel achievable, not dramatic.
- Your top tier does not need to be your ceiling. A flagship tier at £1,000 or £5,000 serves an anchoring purpose even if few donors select it. Seeing a high number makes mid-level tiers feel more reasonable by comparison.
- Review annually. If you notice donors clustering at your lowest tier or regularly giving custom amounts above your highest tier, it is time to rebalance. UK sector research from NCVO consistently shows that charities which review tier amounts against actual giving data see meaningful lift in average gift size over time, so treat your tiers as a living structure, not a one-time setup. (NCVO)
Gift Aid uplift: every £ shown in the table above is worth 25% more to your charity if the donor is a UK taxpayer and signs a Gift Aid declaration. A £100 gift becomes £125 at no extra cost to the donor. (Gift Aid, GOV.UK)
For in-person cash and contactless donations of £30 or less, you can also claim the Gift Aid Small Donations Scheme (GASDS), a 25% top-up on up to £8,000 of small donations per year, no declaration needed. Handy if you run fetes, church-plate collections or event bucket collections. (Claim Gift Aid Small Donations Scheme, GOV.UK)
For regular giving programmes, consider setting your recurring tiers 30 to 50% lower than your one-time tiers. A donor who will not commit £100 at once might happily commit £10 per month, which compounds to £120 annually, and if Gift Aided, £150 to the charity.
In the UK, Direct Debit is the dominant regular-giving mechanism. Whichever donation platform you use, make sure your recurring tiers can be paid by Direct Debit as well as card, many supporters, particularly older donors, strongly prefer it.
5 simple steps to build your donation tiers
- 1. Gather donation data. Define the specific objectives your charity aims to achieve, whether it is funding a new project, covering daily operations, or meeting annual targets. Break this goal into smaller targets so you can determine how much money each tier needs to bring in. Look at your past donation data to understand supporters' giving patterns and calculate the average donation amount. Use this data to create tiers that align with your donors' giving capacity and your funding goals. By tailoring tiers to actual giving patterns and keeping them close to your average donation amount, you will make it easier for supporters to give at levels that feel comfortable to them.
- 2. Establish giving levels. Create four to six giving levels that align with your donors' patterns. Too many options can overwhelm donors and slow their decision-making. Start your lowest tier near your average donation amount and build upward strategically. For example, if your typical donations range from £25 to £500, avoid jumping straight to a £10,000 tier. Instead, set your highest tier slightly above your current largest gifts. This approach encourages generous donors to stretch a little higher while keeping all tiers within a realistic range.
- 3. Link each giving level to specific outcomes. Show donors exactly what their gift will do at each giving level. When they understand the specific impact of their donation, they are more likely to give more and stay connected to your cause. Next to each giving level, offer clear and valuable information on the impact it will help your organisation create. For example, a UK wildlife charity might structure their giving levels like this: £10 monthly provides nutritious food for one endangered species; £20 monthly covers essential veterinary care and monitoring; £50 monthly supports habitat restoration and protection; £100 monthly funds research and tracking equipment for conservation efforts; £250 monthly enables complete care for a family of endangered animals. If the donor is a UK taxpayer and adds Gift Aid, each of these amounts is worth 25% more to the charity.
- 4. Name your donation tiers. Give your donation tiers names to create a sense of community and recognition, making donors feel like they are part of something meaningful. While classic names like Bronze, Silver, and Gold work, you can be more creative by choosing names that connect to your mission. For instance, a sea turtle conservation group might use: Guardian (£10/month), protects nesting sites; Defender (£20/month), saves injured turtles; Champion (£50/month), preserves ocean habitats; Legacy Protector (£100/month), creates lasting sanctuary spaces.
- 5. Incorporate incentives. Offering small perks or incentives for your different giving levels creates a sense of appreciation and encourages giving at higher levels. Keep your perks in line with each tier, the higher the contribution, the more special the recognition. For instance, a performing arts charity might offer: monthly donors get early access to show tickets; mid-level supporters receive backstage tours; top-tier donors join exclusive meet-and-greets with artists; all levels get recognition in performance programmes. Choose benefits that connect donors more deeply to your work without draining your resources. The best perks give supporters unique ways to experience your mission firsthand. Note that Gift Aid does not apply to gifts where the donor receives something of material value in return, such as event tickets or exclusive merchandise, so keep your perks modest to protect Gift Aid eligibility where possible. (Charity Tax Group)
The psychology behind effective tier design
The way you structure and present your tiers shapes how donors respond, often in ways they do not consciously notice. Understanding a few behavioural principles helps you design a tier structure that nudges donors towards more generous giving without pressure.
The decoy effect
The decoy effect (also called the attraction effect) works by adding a third option that makes one of the other two look like the obvious choice. In donation tiers, this usually means placing a high-end tier next to your target mid-level tier. When a donor sees a £1,000 "Visionary" tier alongside a £250 "Champion" tier, the £250 option feels accessible and reasonable, even though it is not the cheapest option.
This is why your highest tier does not need to convert at high volume. Its job is to make the tier below it more appealing.
The rule of three
Research on consumer decision-making shows that people tend to feel most comfortable choosing from three options. When there are two, the choice feels binary and harder. When there are seven, paralysis sets in. For donation forms, this means your "featured" or highlighted tiers should cluster around three clear amounts, even if you offer more. Many successful charity forms highlight three tiers prominently and nest additional amounts above and below them.
Charm pricing and round numbers
Pricing psychology research consistently shows that £9.99 feels meaningfully cheaper than £10, a phenomenon called charm pricing. For donations, however, round numbers actually perform better. Donors associate round numbers like £50, £100, and £500 with generosity and clarity. Odd amounts like £47 or £93 can feel arbitrary and undermine trust. Stick with clean, round numbers for your donation tiers.
Pre-selected default tiers
Pre-selecting a tier on your donation form significantly increases the likelihood that a donor gives at that amount or higher. The default selection serves as an implicit social cue, it signals what most donors typically give. Set your default to your second or third tier (not the lowest), and you will naturally lift your average gift. Zeffy's donation forms let you customise which amount is pre-selected, making it easy to put this principle to work immediately.
UK donors are more transparency-sensitive than many others, the concern about platform tipping that surfaces regularly in UK fundraising press shows how closely supporters watch default amounts. A default tier amount works well; a default tip added on top does not. Be clear about what donors are committing to.
The "stretch" ask
Place your tiers so each step up feels achievable, not dramatic. A £25 to £100 jump feels like a leap. A £25 to £50 to £100 progression feels like a natural climb. Donors moving up through your tiers should feel like they are growing with your mission, not being pushed towards something out of reach.
5 best practices to create donation tiers to raise more funds
1. Provide a custom-giving option
Add a "Custom Amount" option alongside your set giving levels on your donation form. While many donors appreciate suggested amounts, some come ready to give a specific sum that fits their budget or giving plans.
Here is why you should let donors choose their amount:
- Gives flexibility to those who want to give more than your highest tier
- Makes it comfortable for those who cannot meet your lowest suggested level
- Shows donors that you respect their individual needs and value their support at any level
2. Offer regular giving at each tier
Include both one-time and regular donation options at each giving level to showcase the power of sustained support.
For instance, alongside a £10 one-time gift, offer a £10 monthly option and highlight its long-term impact, like funding a hot meal at a foodbank for a family each week, or twelve such meals over a year.
Make sure donors know they have full control to start, modify, or pause their monthly contributions as needed.
3. Anchor the tiers strategically
Add a strategically high donation tier to make mid-level options more appealing.
When donors see a £1,000 tier alongside a £500 tier, the £500 option feels more manageable. This approach, known as the attraction effect, helps guide supporters towards middle-range tiers by making these amounts appear more reasonable in comparison.
4. Use social proof
Share proof of how many donors are supporting each tier. People are more likely to join when they see others giving at a certain level.
For instance, a simple mention that 40 donors chose the mid-giving level helps new supporters feel confident about their choice and makes them feel part of a wider community of donors.
5. Integrate matched giving opportunities
Link specific giving tiers to matched giving opportunities to double your donors' impact.
For the £100 tier, highlight: "With Gift Aid, your £100 becomes £125, and if your employer matches, it becomes £250." Showing donors how their contribution can go further, without additional cost, often motivates them to give at match-eligible levels. UK employers can also give through Payroll Giving, an HMRC scheme where donations come out of pre-tax salary and reach charities free of income tax.
6. Show your Gift Aid uplift on the tier itself
UK charity donors respond to visible, honest maths. Under each tier, show the post-Gift Aid total: "£50, worth £62.50 with Gift Aid." This lifts perceived value at zero cost to the donor and doubles as a trust signal, it shows you understand how Gift Aid works and that you will handle it properly. (Gift Aid, GOV.UK)
100+ fundraising tier name ideas organised by category
Choosing the right names for your fundraising tiers does more than label a giving level. It signals your organisation's personality, deepens donor identity, and makes giving feel meaningful rather than transactional. A donor who calls themselves a "Guardian" or a "Trailblazer" is more likely to renew than one who simply gave "£50."
Below is a curated list of tier name ideas organised by theme, along with suggested £ ranges and the charity types they tend to fit best. Mix and match, adapt them to your mission, or use them as a springboard for your own creative naming.
Quick tip: The best tier names connect directly to your mission. A wildlife rescue organisation naming tiers after animals they save will always outperform a generic "Gold/Silver/Bronze" structure, because the name itself tells donors why their gift matters.
Classic and prestige-based names
These work across nearly any charity and signal clear hierarchy without needing heavy explanation.
|
| Friend | £25–£99 | General nonprofits, community orgs |
| Supporter | £100–£249 | General nonprofits, associations |
| Advocate | £250–£499 | Advocacy, civic, legal aid orgs |
| Champion | £500–£999 | Sports, youth programs, health orgs |
| Benefactor | £1,000–£2,499 | Arts, education, hospitals |
| Patron | £2,500–£4,999 | Arts organizations, museums |
| Visionary | £5,000–£9,999 | Foundations, think tanks |
| Legacy | £10,000+ | Any major gift program |
Nature and earth-themed names
Popular with environmental, conservation, and outdoor-focused organisations.
|
| Seedling | £25–£99 | Environmental, gardening nonprofits |
| Sprout | £100–£249 | Environmental, youth development |
| Branch | £250–£499 | Conservation, community orgs |
| Root | £500–£999 | Community foundations, land trusts |
| Grove | £1,000–£2,499 | Conservation, reforestation orgs |
| Canopy | £2,500–£4,999 | Environmental nonprofits |
| Watershed | £5,000–£9,999 | Water conservation, sustainability |
| Evergreen | £10,000+ | Environmental orgs, legacy giving |
Community and impact-themed names
These names centre the outcome of giving, making them versatile and mission-forward.
|
| Neighbor | £25–£99 | Community development, food banks |
| Builder | £100–£249 | Housing, community development |
| Changemaker | £250–£499 | Social justice, advocacy |
| Trailblazer | £500–£999 | Youth programs, empowerment orgs |
| Catalyst | £1,000–£2,499 | Innovation-focused nonprofits |
| Cornerstone | £2,500–£4,999 | Community foundations, shelters |
| Pillar | £5,000–£9,999 | Any community-anchored nonprofit |
| Founding Guardian | £10,000+ | Capital campaigns, new nonprofits |
Faith-based names
Resonant for churches, ministries, and faith-driven charities. Many UK churches are excepted charities under £100k income, meaning they may not be registered with the Charity Commission, but the tier structure and Gift Aid handling still apply to any church recognised by HMRC. (Charity Commission, GOV.UK)
|
| Faithful | £25–£99 | Churches, ministries |
| Servant | £100–£249 | Faith-based service orgs |
| Steward | £250–£499 | Churches, religious nonprofits |
| Shepherd | £500–£999 | Ministries, pastoral orgs |
| Covenant Partner | £1,000–£2,499 | Faith-based missions |
| Cornerstone Partner | £2,500–£4,999 | Churches, religious foundations |
| Anointed Giver | £5,000–£9,999 | Evangelical and charismatic orgs |
| Jubilee Partner | £10,000+ | Debt relief, faith-based initiatives |
Arts and culture-themed names
Ideal for theatres, museums, galleries, and performing arts organisations.
|
| Muse | £25–£99 | Arts organizations, galleries |
| Artisan | £100–£249 | Craft, studio, and maker nonprofits |
| Composer | £250–£499 | Music nonprofits, orchestras |
| Curator | £500–£999 | Museums, archives, galleries |
| Maestro | £1,000–£2,499 | Performing arts organizations |
| Luminary | £2,500–£4,999 | Arts foundations, cultural centers |
| Virtuoso | £5,000–£9,999 | Orchestras, performing arts centers |
| Grand Patron | £10,000+ | Museums, major arts institutions |
Animal and wildlife-themed names
A natural fit for animal rescue charities, wildlife trusts, and animal advocacy organisations.
|
| Companion | £25–£99 | Humane societies, pet rescues |
| Caretaker | £100–£249 | Animal shelters, wildlife centers |
| Protector | £250–£499 | Wildlife conservation, sanctuaries |
| Ranger | £500–£999 | Wildlife orgs, national park nonprofits |
| Warden | £1,000–£2,499 | Conservation, anti-poaching orgs |
| Habitat Hero | £2,500–£4,999 | Wildlife conservation nonprofits |
| Species Saver | £5,000–£9,999 | Endangered species organizations |
| Guardian of the Wild | £10,000+ | Major wildlife conservation orgs |
Education and youth-themed names
Strong for schools, scholarship funds, tutoring charities, and youth development organisations.
|
| Scholar | £25–£99 | Educational nonprofits, libraries |
| Mentor | £100–£249 | Youth mentoring, tutoring orgs |
| Educator | £250–£499 | Schools, literacy nonprofits |
| Innovator | £500–£999 | STEM nonprofits, ed-tech orgs |
| Fellow | £1,000–£2,499 | Scholarship funds, universities |
| Dean's Circle | £2,500–£4,999 | Higher education foundations |
| Chair | £5,000–£9,999 | Academic institutions |
| Endowment Partner | £10,000+ | Scholarship foundations, universities |
Health and wellness-themed names
Well-suited for hospices, medical research charities, mental health organisations, and patient-support funds. For this category, reframe higher tiers around costs the NHS does not cover, such as patient transport, hospice care, mental health service gaps, or research, rather than "medical bills" language, which does not reflect UK healthcare reality.
|
| Supporter | £25–£99 | Health nonprofits, wellness orgs |
| Caregiver | £100–£249 | Hospice, patient advocacy orgs |
| Healer | £250–£499 | Mental health, integrative health |
| Lifeline | £500–£999 | Crisis intervention, health access |
| Vital Partner | £1,000–£2,499 | Hospitals, health foundations |
| Cure Circle | £2,500–£4,999 | Disease-focused research nonprofits |
| Research Champion | £5,000–£9,999 | Medical research organizations |
| Breakthrough Society | £10,000+ | Cancer research, rare disease orgs |
How to finalise your tier names
Once you have shortlisted names, run them through this quick test before you go live:
- 1. Mission alignment, Does the name connect to what your organisation actually does?
- 2. Donor identity, Would a donor feel proud to say "I'm a [Tier Name]"?
- 3. Clarity, Is the hierarchy obvious, even without seeing the £ amounts?
- 4. Consistency, Do all names feel like they belong to the same family?
If a name passes all four, it is worth keeping. If it only passes one or two, keep refining, or borrow freely from the lists above.
Fundraising tier examples from real charities
Seeing how other organisations structure their tiers makes it easier to build your own. The most effective tiers share one quality: specificity. Rather than saying "supports our work," they name exactly what a given amount buys.
The power of item-based specificity
A UK foodbank might tier by grocery parcels: £5 covers one emergency food parcel, £25 covers a family of four for a week. Donors do not think in pounds, they think in parcels, families supported, and nights sheltered. The moment you replace a generic impact line with a concrete unit, the tier becomes more compelling.
This same principle applies across cause areas. A homelessness night shelter might show that £25 provides food, hygiene and toiletries for one guest. An air ambulance charity, one of the UK's distinctive fundraising sub-sectors, where the service is charity-funded despite operating alongside the NHS, might show how many missions a £250 gift helps fund.
What the best examples share
Every effective tier does the same thing: it skips the generic and goes specific. Neither "your gift helps us serve more people" nor a bare £ figure is enough. The winning combination is amount plus concrete unit of impact.
When you build your own tiers, ask at each level: "Can a donor picture what this does?" If the answer is no, rewrite the impact description until it is concrete enough to visualise.
Applying this to your cause area
The right structure depends on what your organisation can actually quantify. Here are common frameworks by cause area:
- Foodbanks: emergency food parcels, three-day food supplies, families supported (Trussell network terminology)
- Air ambulances (charity-funded in the UK): missions funded, minutes of flight time, crew hours covered
- Hospices (a strong UK sub-sector): days of care, nurse hours, family support sessions
- Wildlife trusts and conservation charities: acres of habitat restored, species monitored, volunteer training sessions funded
- Animal rescues: days of care, veterinary procedures, animals rehomed
- Education charities: tutoring hours, textbooks, scholarships funded
- Health and medical research charities: clinic visits, therapy sessions, screenings covered, research hours funded, framed around gaps in NHS provision
- Arts organisations: performances funded, youth arts seats, residencies supported
If your organisation cannot easily quantify impact at each tier, time-based framing ("funds one week of operations") is a reliable fallback. It is less vivid than item-based impact language, but still far more compelling than a £ amount alone.
Final thoughts on donation tiers for charities
Donation tiers provide a clear framework that guides supporters in their giving journey. Each level connects to specific outcomes, helping build donor trust and showing exactly how their gifts create change in the community.
Start by creating four to six giving levels that match your donors' patterns and organisational goals. Link each tier to a specific impact and regularly review to ensure your tiers stay effective and continue inspiring support.
Keep every pound you raise with Zeffy's free online donation platform. Set up donation forms with custom tiers, recurring gift options and pre-selected defaults, no platform fees, no transaction fees, no card fees. Zeffy handles Gift Aid so every £1 from a UK taxpayer is worth £1.25 to your charity.
Frequently asked questions
What's a good entry-level donation tier amount for a UK charity?
It depends on your organisation's size and your donors' giving patterns. As a starting benchmark: small charities with an average gift of £20 to £50 should set their entry tier around £20; mid-size charities with an average gift of £50 to £125 should start around £50; larger charities can open at £100 or above. Remember that Gift Aid means a £20 entry tier is already worth £25 to the charity from a UK taxpayer, so the effective value is higher than the button shows.
How many donation tiers should I have?
Four to six tiers is the sweet spot for most charities. Fewer than four gives donors too little guidance; more than six can trigger decision paralysis. Feature three amounts prominently on your form and nest additional options above and below them. The "rule of three" in decision-making research consistently shows people choose most comfortably from a small, clear set of options.
Should I name my donation tiers?
Yes. Named tiers create a sense of identity and belonging that generic amounts do not. A donor who thinks of themselves as a "Guardian" or "Champion" is more likely to renew their gift. Choose names that connect to your mission rather than defaulting to Bronze/Silver/Gold, the more your tier names reflect your cause, the more meaningful the giving feels.
How often should I review and update my donation tiers?
At least once a year. Review your giving data and check whether donors are clustering at your lowest tier or regularly giving custom amounts above your highest. If so, rebalance. UK sector research from NCVO suggests that charities which actively optimise tier amounts see a meaningful lift in average gift size over time. (NCVO)
Can I use donation tiers for regular giving programmes?
Absolutely. Include both one-time and monthly options at each level. Set your recurring tiers 30 to 50% lower than your one-time tiers, a donor who will not commit £100 at once might happily commit £10 per month, which compounds to £120 a year. In the UK, Direct Debit is the dominant mechanism for regular giving, so make sure your platform supports it alongside card payments.
What is the difference between donation tiers and membership tiers?
Donation tiers are suggested amounts on a giving form, where the donor receives no material benefit in return (which is what makes the gift Gift Aid eligible). Membership tiers involve a subscription relationship where the member typically receives benefits, access, discounts, or exclusive content. Because members receive something of value, the membership fee itself is usually not Gift Aid eligible unless the benefits are below the HMRC small-benefit threshold. (Charity Tax Group)
How do I know if my donation tiers are working?
Track three metrics: average gift size, tier selection distribution, and upgrade rate. If most donors cluster at your lowest tier, your entry amount may be set too low or your higher-tier impact descriptions may not be compelling enough. If you see many custom gifts above your top tier, raise the ceiling. Review these figures after each campaign and annually at minimum to keep your tiers calibrated to your actual donor base.
Does Gift Aid apply to every tier?
Only to pure donations. Gift Aid does not apply when the donor receives something of value in return, event tickets, raffle entries, auction lots, or membership benefits above a small threshold. It also does not apply to donations from companies. For straightforward donation tiers where the supporter receives no material benefit, every eligible £1 from a UK taxpayer is worth £1.25 to your charity. (Gift Aid, GOV.UK, Charity Tax Group)
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