I got a call last week from a school board candidate who’d been live for three weeks but still hadn’t set up online donations. “It just seems complicated,” she said. “I wanted to get it right.”
Meanwhile, her opponent had already raised $8,000 online.
I get it. Between campaign finance compliance, payment processors, and website integration, donation setup feels like one more technical thing you don’t have time to figure out. But here’s the reality: if people can’t donate to your campaign with two clicks on their phone, you’re leaving money on the table.
The good news? You can get this done in about 30 minutes. Here’s exactly how.
Let’s be clear: online donations won’t win your election by themselves. Doors and phones still matter. But try knocking on 10,000 doors without a way for people to contribute when they get home and look you up. Good luck.
Here’s what we’re seeing across Republican campaigns right now:
67% of campaign contributions come through digital channels. Not next year. Right now.
Mobile donations convert 3x higher than desktop. Your donors are on their phones at 9 PM, not at their computers.
Impulse donations happen within 48 hours of contact. Someone meets you at their door, gets excited, and wants to donate that night. If they have to mail a check or wait until they “remember later,” you’ve lost them.
Bottom line: if accepting donations online feels optional, you’re already behind.
If you’re running as a Republican, you’ve got two main options: WinRed or Anedot. Both are built specifically for conservative campaigns.
WinRed is the official Republican fundraising platform. It’s not just a payment processor—it’s a complete fundraising ecosystem.
Pros:
Cons:
Best for: Republican candidates at any level who want access to the established GOP donor network.
Anedot is another Republican-friendly platform, particularly popular with state and local campaigns.
Pros:
Cons:
Best for: Republican candidates looking for lower fees, especially at state and local levels.
My take: If you’re running for Congress or Senate, WinRed is probably your best bet—the donor network is worth the extra fees. If you’re running for state legislature, school board, or county office, Anedot’s lower fees make a lot of sense.
Okay, let’s actually do this. I’m walking you through the WinRed setup since that’s what most Republican candidates use. The process for Anedot is similar.
Common mistake: Using your personal bank account instead of your campaign account. Don’t do this. WinRed needs to deposit directly into your registered campaign account for compliance.
WinRed gives you a donation page template. You’ll customize:
Donation amounts: Set suggested amounts ($25, $50, $100, $250, $500, $1000). Most campaigns see the best results with lower options—don’t just put $100 and up.
Recurring donations: Decide if you want to offer monthly recurring gifts. (You should—recurring donors give 5x more over a campaign cycle.)
Donor information fields: WinRed collects name, address, email, employer, and occupation automatically (required for compliance). Don’t remove these fields.
Thank you message: Write a short personal thank you that donors see after giving. Make it warm, not corporate.
Example: “Thank you! Your support means everything to this campaign. I’ll make you proud. – [Your Name]”
This is where people get stuck, but it’s easier than you think.
WinRed gives you two options:
Option A: Embed the donation form directly on your site
Option B: Link to your WinRed donation page
Most campaigns use Option B because it’s simpler and more secure. WinRed handles all the payment security and compliance on their end.
If you’re using a campaign website platform like VOTEGTR, this integration is usually one click. The platform already knows how to connect to WinRed—you just enter your WinRed account info and you’re done.
Before you announce it to the world, test it yourself.
If something breaks, fix it before you send the link to actual donors. There’s nothing worse than a supporter trying to give you money and hitting an error.
WinRed sends automatic receipts, but you should also send a personal follow-up email.
Most email platforms (Mailchimp, Constant Contact) can trigger an email when someone donates. Keep it short:
This turns a one-time donor into an engaged supporter.
Everyone panics about campaign finance compliance. Let’s clear this up.
If you’re running for Congress or Senate (federal races):
FEC rules apply. WinRed and Anedot both handle most of this automatically:
You still need to file your FEC reports on time—the platforms don’t file for you, they just collect and organize the data.
If you’re running for state legislature, school board, city council, or any local office:
FEC doesn’t apply to you. You follow your state’s campaign finance rules instead.
State rules vary wildly. Some states have contribution limits, some don’t. Some require reporting donations over $100, others set the threshold at $1,000. Check with your state or county election board—they’ll tell you exactly what applies to your race.
Both WinRed and Anedot work for state and local races too. They collect the donor information you need regardless of which level you’re running at.
Okay, you’ve got donations set up. But will people actually give?
Here’s what makes a difference:
67% of donors give on their phones. If your donation button is tiny, hidden, or doesn’t work on mobile, you’re done.
Test this: Pull out your phone right now and try to donate to your campaign. Can you do it in under 30 seconds without zooming or scrolling sideways? If not, fix it.
Your “Donate” button should be:
Don’t just offer $500 and $1000 donation options. Most donors give $25-$100.
Try this spread: $25, $50, $100, $250, $500, Other
The “Other” option lets people enter any amount. Some will give $5, some will give $2,000. Both matter.
If you have a real deadline—end of quarter, primary election, filing deadline—mention it.
“We need to raise $5,000 before our filing deadline on Friday” works because it’s true and specific.
“Donate now before it’s too late!!!” feels desperate and fake. Don’t do that.
I see the same mistakes over and over. Don’t be that campaign.
Waiting too long to set this up. You should be accepting donations the day you launch your website. Every day you wait is money you’re not raising.
Making it too complicated. If someone has to create an account, verify their email, and click through three pages to donate $25, they’ll quit. Two clicks maximum.
Only asking once. You need a donate button on every page, in every email, and in your social media profiles. People donate when it’s convenient for them, not when you think they should.
Forgetting mobile. Test on your phone. If it doesn’t work perfectly there, fix it before you do anything else.
Not following up. Someone just gave you money. Send them a personal thank you email within 24 hours. Not an auto-receipt—an actual thank you.
Here’s the typical flow:
For federal races, donations over $200 need to be reported individually on your next FEC filing. WinRed flags these for you—just export the data when it’s time to file.
Let’s talk fees because everyone asks.
WinRed:
So a $100 donation costs you $4.24 in fees. You keep $95.76.
Anedot:
Same $100 donation costs you $3.80 in fees. You keep $96.20.
Is the savings worth switching from WinRed to Anedot? Depends. If you’re running for Congress or Senate and want access to WinRed’s established donor network, the extra 0.44% is probably worth it. If you’re running for state legislature or local office, Anedot’s lower fees add up over a campaign cycle.
Look, I know this feels like one more thing on your list. But here’s the reality: campaigns that can’t accept donations online raise about 40% less than campaigns that can.
You don’t need a perfect donation page. You need a working donation page. You can always improve it later. You can’t improve what doesn’t exist.
If you’re stuck on any of this, I’m happy to walk you through it. No charge, no pitch—just a conversation about what makes sense for your campaign. Reach out anytime.
And if you want a platform that handles all of this automatically—donation integration, mobile optimization, compliant forms—that’s exactly why we built VOTEGTR. Take a look here.
Now go set up those donations. Your future self (and your campaign treasurer) will thank you.
