From the Nominator

The University of California, San Francisco's online giving platform underwent a redesign to transform the donor experience. Our goal was to create a modern, intuitive platform that streamlines giving, strengthens branding, and better showcases UCSF’s fundraising initiatives. The previous site relied on a single, monolithic giving form and was not mobile-friendly. It lacked search functionality and offered incomplete fund descriptions, making navigation and giving difficult for donors. The redesigned experience replaces this with a modern, shopping-cart-style checkout that allows donors to add multiple funds to a single cart and assign varying dollar amounts. They can also combine one-time and recurring gifts in a single transaction. Unlike the previous Convio-Luminate setup, the new platform is fully integrated with our Salesforce donor database, creating a seamless, end-to-end experience for donors and gift administration teams. The platform retains key third-party services, such as corporate matching and donation tools. Through cross-departmental collaboration, iterative testing, and user feedback, we implemented improvements prioritizing clarity and ease of use. Donors can now more easily find funds, make informed giving decisions, and complete donations efficiently. Since the launch, the platform has driven measurable impact, including increased donation volume, improved retention of key services, and streamlined internal operations. This project demonstrates how thoughtful design and technology integration can strengthen donor relationships, advance institutional goals, and serve as a model for digital fundraising innovation.

From the Judges

The judges awarded this entry the grand gold distinction because it revolutionizes how donors find the areas they want to support, creating an intuitive giving experience. The submission demonstrated an extraordinary level of strategy, planning, and execution, with clear evidence of the significant time and effort invested into the project. Judges felt this work sets a new standard for fundraising micro-sites and reflects the kind of innovation all development teams should strive toward.