Should donors be given the option to designate where their gift is used on a landing page? Or does that choice create unnecessary friction at the moment of giving?
Central Union Mission had received donor feedback expressing a desire for more control over how gifts were allocated. Specifically, donors missed being able to choose a program designation during online checkout. The instinct is understandable. Choice feels empowering.
This test was designed to answer a simple but important question: Does adding a designation dropdown improve donation performance or quietly suppress it?
The Hypothesis
If donors are allowed to choose where their gift is used via a dropdown designation field, we would see more completed donations on the test variant.
The theory: Increased control creates a stronger emotional connection, which outweighs the added friction of one more decision.
The Test Design
Control
- Streamlined donation page
- No gift designation dropdown
- Unrestricted gift as the default
Variant
- Identical donation page
- Dropdown menu allowing donors to select a specific program designation under the gift selection
The only difference between the two versions was the presence (or absence) of the dropdown.
The Results
At a glance, the variant underperformed.
While the results did not reach statistical significance, the directional pattern was consistent and meaningful. The version without the designation dropdown converted at more than twice the rate of the version that added choice.
What We Learned
This experiment wasn’t asking, “Do donors like choice?”
It was asking, “Does choice help at the point of conversion?”
The answer appears to be no.
Adding a designation dropdown did not increase conversion rates and may have actively decreased them. Even well-intentioned options introduce cognitive load at the worst possible moment: when a donor is deciding whether to complete the gift.
Importantly, the data also answers the original concern with confidence:
Removing the designation dropdown does not hurt giving rates.
If anything, it supports a cleaner, faster path to generosity.
The Takeaway
Not all donor preferences belong on the donation form.
While donors may express a desire for control, the act of giving benefits from clarity, momentum, and simplicity. This test reinforces a broader CRO principle we see repeatedly:
Every additional decision may constitute a tax on conversion.
For organizations weighing whether to add gift designation options directly to their donation page, this test provides direction.
