A donation QR code can take someone from a poster, event card, or printed appeal to your nonprofit’s donation page. The code doesn’t collect or process a donation by itself. It gives supporters a route to a page where they can check who is asking, choose an amount, and complete a contribution.
Link to a page supporters can trust
Use a donation page on your organisation’s own domain or on a payment provider you already use. The page should identify the organisation, explain what the appeal supports, and show the payment details before someone submits. If a campaign has an end date or a specific purpose, keep that information visible on the page.
For a standard web address, paste the donation URL into the Link option in BlissQR’s QR code editor. The editor creates the QR artwork; your donation platform handles the form, payment, confirmation, and receipt.
Before printing, check that the donation page names the correct organisation and shows the currency, suggested amounts, and receipt process. Don’t promise that a gift is tax-deductible or that a receipt qualifies for a tax benefit unless the organisation has confirmed the rules for the donor’s location. Fundraising and tax treatment differ across markets.
Example: check a PayPal donation page
PayPal’s donation-page tools show how to turn those checks into a real flow. Its US page describes hosted donation pages, campaign links, suggested amounts, recurring gifts, program choices, and a QR code; available features and charity eligibility depend on the account and market. Before printing, check the nonprofit name, campaign, recipient, currency, payment choices, and receipt details in the page your organization can actually create. PayPal notes that a personal account can create a page but can’t update it later, while a Business account offers more customization. Review PayPal’s donation-page options and the rules for your account’s country.
If you integrate PayPal’s Donate SDK, create the button in its sandbox and complete a test donation with a sandbox account or test card. Check the transaction result, then replace the sandbox button details with the live ones before release. That tests the integration; it doesn’t prove that your live donation page is available to donors in every country. Follow PayPal’s Donate SDK test and go-live steps.
Use separate links when campaigns differ
If you run separate appeals for a food bank, a building project, and an annual fund, give each one a clearly labelled destination. This helps supporters understand where they are giving and helps your team reconcile campaign results. Avoid reusing a code just because it is already printed if the appeal behind it has changed.
For example, a collection tin at a local event can link to that event’s appeal page, while an annual report can link to the organisation’s regular donation page. Use a label that names the purpose, and make the organisation’s name visible before the payment form asks for details.
Only add campaign tracking parameters if your donation platform and analytics setup support them. Keep a record of the final URL and test that the added parameters don’t break the checkout or remove the campaign attribution.
Make the printed request clear
Place the code next to a short explanation of the appeal and the organisation’s name. Include a readable web address or another way to donate for people who can’t scan. Don’t imply that a scan itself completes a donation, and don’t pressure someone to give while they’re trying to access an event or service.
Test from a donor’s point of view
Open the code on a phone that isn’t signed into your organisation’s accounts. Check that the donation page loads, the suggested amounts and currency are correct, and the payment provider shows the expected recipient. Verify the confirmation page and receipt flow with a test or sandbox transaction if the platform offers one.
Keep the printed destination stable through the campaign. If you need to change the page, update the link behind any URL you control or replace the code. At the end of the appeal, point supporters to a useful update rather than leaving a stale fundraising page online.
For an example of the difference between a payment provider’s own code and a link QR code, see how to use a QR code for PayPal payments.