How one campaign turned a simple fee-cover option into a $3K gain

Sometimes the smartest revenue gain isn’t about sending more — it’s about empowering donors to choose how their dollars are allocated.

That’s what one political campaign found after switching its donation platform to GoodChange, which lets donors cover the processing fee directly for the campaign instead of being asked to tip the platform.

How one campaign added nearly $3K automatically
Candidate A (anonymized for privacy) made a single operational change: turning on GoodChange’s “donor fee cover” feature.

GoodChange charges a 3.75% + 25¢ base rate, similar to other tools. 

But when donors choose to cover that small fee, the campaign’s effective processing rate dropped to just 1.15%, compared to 3.9% on its previous platform.

The outcome,$2,997.43 added in just 12 weeks, with zero extra emails, ads, or asks.

Why it worked
The lift came down to donor psychology.

According to a recent GoodChange survey, most donors prefer to cover the fee for their favorite candidate rather than tip the platform. 

They see it as part of their gift — a way to ensure every dollar goes to the cause they support.

Legacy fundraising platforms built models around tipping and high processing fees, which quietly drain thousands from campaigns and nonprofits. 

But donors increasingly expect transparency. When given the choice, they want their money to go toward impact, not platform revenue.

By aligning with that instinct, GoodChange didn’t just improve a fee line — it turned donor preference into tangible gain for fundraisers.

How to apply this insight to your program
✅ Audit your forms. Review how your donation platform handles fees and tips. Even a small structural change can have a measurable revenue impact.

✅ Frame it as impact. When donors cover fees, reinforce that it keeps more money going directly to your mission.

✅ Test donor psychology. Try a fee-cover vs. no-fee-cover version to measure the conversion and average gift difference.

✅ Track the net, not just the gross. Savings on fees can add up as much as new gifts do.

The bottom line
Donors aren’t opposed to fees — they’re opposed to waste.

Candidate A’s revenue gain shows that when you give supporters a transparent, mission-aligned choice, they’ll take it — and your campaign keeps more of every dollar raised.

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'Til next time!
Sara

P.S. Looking to add donors to your email list before year-end comes knocking? See how Civic Shout can help.