In the pursuit of creating connections between children in the Middle East, Peace Drums Project stands out as a beacon of hope. This unique initiative brings together Israeli and Palestinian youth through the power of music, using steel drums as an instrument of harmony and understanding.
Given the noble mission of Peace Drums Project, it is crucial to have a reliable and effective system in place to manage donations. Donations are the lifeblood of such initiatives, enabling them to continue their work and expand their impact.
With this in mind, the decision was made to implement a new donation system on the Peace Drums Project website, ensuring a seamless and user-friendly experience for donors.
Why We Decided to Implement a New Donation System
For years, the Peace Drums Project relied on Network for Good (now called Bonterra) to manage its donations and communications. While the platform offered essential tools for collecting donations and sending out email blasts, it came with several limitations that eventually prompted a search for a better solution.
Challenges with the Old System:
- High Costs: Network for Good charged an annual fee of $2,760, which was a significant expense for the project.
- Outdated Design: The donation page templates provided by Network for Good were outdated and lacked the customization options needed to create a modern and engaging donation experience.
- Limited Features: The platform offered limited options for acknowledging donors and lacked flexibility in designing email campaigns. Additionally, it did not support automated email streams, a feature commonly available in other tools like Mailchimp.
Given these drawbacks, it became clear that the Peace Drums Project needed a more flexible and cost-effective solution that could be fully integrated into their website.
The Decision to Build an In-House Donation System
After evaluating their options, the Peace Drums Project decided to develop an in-house donation system using Woocommerce, a popular e-commerce plugin for WordPress. This choice was driven by several factors:
- Customization: Woocommerce offered the flexibility to design a donation system tailored specifically to the project’s needs.
- Cost Efficiency: With a yearly cost of $270 for necessary services and a one-time setup fee of $1,500, it presented a more budget-friendly option compared to their previous platform.
The Implementation Process
The implementation of the new donation system involved a structured approach to ensure success:
- Payment System Integration: The project selected ISRA Card as their payment gateway. Known for its reliability and low costs, ISRA Card offered competitive rates with monthly fees of $35 and a one-time setup fee of $175. The negotiated transaction fee of 2.8% + $0.30 per transaction was another cost-saving measure.
- Role of Wito: Our team at Wito was instrumental in the process. We provided a turn-key service, from planning and setup to final execution. Here’s how we managed the implementation:
- Characterization: We began by understanding the specific needs of the Peace Drums Project and planning the system’s features accordingly.
- Content Creation: This involved drafting engaging and effective content for the donation pages, ensuring clarity and appeal.
- Design: Our design team focused on creating a user-friendly and visually attractive interface, making the donation process as smooth as possible.
- Customization and Compliance: We tailored the system to include custom fields for donor information and set up automated thank-you emails. Legal compliance was also a priority, with the inclusion of necessary legal pages and adherence to accessibility standards like WCAG.
Comprehensive Solutions Offered by Wito
At Wito, we pride ourselves on offering end-to-end solutions that take the hassle out of implementing complex systems like online donation platforms.
Service: From initial planning and setup to final execution, Wito provided a full suite of services to Peace Drums Project. This included:
- Setting Up the Donation System: We ensured that the system was fully integrated with the existing website and worked seamlessly with other platforms like Mailchimp.
- Customization: We adapted the system to meet the specific needs of Peace Drums Project, including adding custom fields for donor information and setting up automated thank-you emails.
- Legal Compliance: We added all necessary legal pages (Privacy Policy, Terms and Conditions, etc.) and ensured that the system met accessibility standards like WCAG, making it compliant with regulations in both the US and EU.
Legal and Compliance Information: In today’s digital landscape, it’s essential to ensure that your online donation system is both legally compliant and accessible to all users. Wito’s comprehensive solutions include the necessary legal documentation and adherence to accessibility standards, providing peace of mind for you and your donors.
Conclusion
The successful implementation of the new donation system on the Peace Drums Project website is a testament to the power of customized, in-house solutions. By opting for a system built on Woocommerce, the project not only reduced its costs but also gained greater control over its donation process.
If you’re considering enhancing the donation capabilities of your organization’s website, we invite you to reach out to us. Our team of experts is ready to help you implement a cost-effective, fully integrated donation system tailored to your specific needs.
Check out the results of the donation system on the Peace Drums Project website here: https://www.peacedrumsproject.org/donation/
