PKPU Human Initiative is an Indonesian philanthropy organization focused on managing humanitarian funds and supporting people in need.

Its website already played an important role in fundraising. But the digital donation journey was difficult to follow. Users had to navigate through a complicated structure, find the right campaign, and complete a donation process that was not always clear.

For a nonprofit organization, this creates more than a usability problem. Every point of confusion can become a missed donation, a lost volunteer, or a potential supporter who never fully understands the organization’s work.

In 2016, PKPU partnered with Suitmedia to redesign its website around trust, clarity, and action. The work focused on improving the information architecture, simplifying the interface, clarifying PKPU’s mission, and creating shorter paths from campaign discovery to donation.

The result was a more accessible website that helped potential donors and volunteers understand PKPU’s purpose, see its impact, and participate with greater confidence.

A Humanitarian Mission Was Being Hidden Behind a Difficult User Journey

1. The website was already important, but not yet effective enough

PKPU had an online presence and was already using its website to raise humanitarian funds.

This meant the organization had the right strategic channel. The problem was that the experience did not fully support the action PKPU needed users to take.

A potential donor might arrive with a general desire to help but not know where to begin. They might need to understand PKPU’s mission, review current programs, choose a campaign, and decide whether to donate.

If the website did not guide them through those questions naturally, interest could disappear before reaching the donation stage.

The challenge was therefore not to create online fundraising from scratch. It was to make the existing digital channel more trustworthy, understandable, and effective.

2. The donation journey involved too much uncertainty

The path to donate was described as complicated and puzzling.

Users could struggle to understand which campaign to choose, where to click next, what information was required, or how the donation process would be completed.

Every additional uncertainty creates friction. A donor may ask:

• Is this the official PKPU website?
• What does this campaign support?
• How will the funds be used?
• Where can I donate?
• What happens after I submit the form?
• Can I trust the payment and confirmation process?

If the website does not answer these questions clearly, users may leave even when they genuinely want to help.

3. Trust had to come before conversion

Online fundraising depends on confidence.

Donors give money to causes when they believe the organization is legitimate, the campaign is meaningful, and the contribution will be used responsibly.

A website contributes to that trust through its content, structure, appearance, and ease of use. A disorganized or confusing platform can make a credible organization appear less dependable.

PKPU needed to communicate what it stood for, how it worked, and what its programs achieved before asking users to donate.

The website needed to make the organization’s mission visible and the donation action understandable.

4. The organization’s mission was not prominent enough

Research into nonprofit website behavior showed that people often want to understand an organization’s mission, goals, objectives, and work before contributing.

This is logical. Donors are not only choosing a payment method; they are choosing which cause to support and which organization to trust with their contribution.

PKPU needed to place its purpose at the center of the website experience.

Visitors should be able to understand the organization’s concern for people in need, the type of humanitarian work it conducted, and the positive impact its programs created.

5. Campaign information needed to lead directly to action

PKPU’s ongoing programs represented the most direct way for users to understand the organization’s work.

However, campaign content creates limited value if users must search for the donation function separately.

A visitor who feels connected to a specific campaign should be able to donate immediately. The website needed to reduce the distance between emotional relevance and practical action.

Each campaign needed to explain what it was about, show progress or updates, and provide a visible donation path.

6. Volunteers were also part of the digital audience

PKPU was not only seeking financial support. It also wanted to attract volunteers who could contribute time, skills, and participation.

This created another user journey that needed to be clear.

Potential volunteers needed to understand PKPU’s work and find a simple way to express their interest. If the volunteer form was difficult or buried, the organization could lose valuable support.

The website needed to serve donors and volunteers without confusing their different paths.

7. Too much content could weaken the experience

Nonprofit organizations often have many stories, programs, updates, and impact reports to share.

This information is important, but presenting everything at once can overwhelm visitors. Users need to understand the main message first and then choose whether to explore deeper.

PKPU needed a structure that preserved important information while removing unnecessary friction.

The objective was not to say less. It was to present the right information in the right order.

Making Trust, Mission, and Action Work Together

1. We began with information architecture because clarity comes before conversion

Suitmedia first reorganized the website’s information architecture.

The purpose was to make the site easier to understand and create clearer paths for the actions PKPU wanted users to take.

The structure needed to support several journeys:

1. Learn about PKPU.
2. Understand its mission and impact.
3. Explore current humanitarian programs.
4. Review campaign updates.
5. Donate to a specific campaign.
6. Register as a volunteer.
7. Stay connected with the organization.

This structure created a logical progression from awareness to participation.

A user could begin by learning about PKPU and continue toward a campaign or form without having to reconstruct the organization’s structure independently.

2. We made PKPU’s mission visible from the homepage

The homepage used prominent banner imagery and clear messaging to communicate PKPU’s objectives, mission, and concern for people in need.

This was a deliberate choice. The homepage had to answer the most important question first: why does this organization exist?

A potential donor should not need to search through an “About” section before understanding PKPU’s role.

By placing the mission early, the website created a foundation for trust. Users could evaluate whether PKPU’s purpose aligned with their own values before deciding whether to explore a campaign or make a donation.

3. We connected the mission to evidence of impact

Mission statements are important, but they become more persuasive when supported by evidence.

The website followed the introductory message with information about the positive impact PKPU had created in society.

This helped connect the organization’s intention with its work. Visitors could understand not only what PKPU believed, but also how it translated those beliefs into humanitarian programs.

For donors, this connection is critical. People want to know that their contribution can support meaningful outcomes.

The website therefore presented purpose and impact as connected parts of the same story.

4. We made current programs easier to discover

The redesigned website clearly presented PKPU’s ongoing programs.

This gave users a direct view of the work currently being carried out and helped them identify the causes that resonated with them.

Current programs also made the organization feel active. Visitors could see that PKPU was not only describing past work; it was continuing to respond to humanitarian needs.

The content created a bridge between general awareness and specific participation.

5. We placed donation actions directly within campaign content

Each campaign included a direct donation button.

This was one of the most important usability decisions in the project. When a user found a campaign that mattered to them, they did not need to search for the donation function elsewhere.

The path became shorter:

1. Discover a campaign.
2. Understand the issue.
3. Review the campaign’s progress or updates.
4. Choose to donate.

Reducing this distance helped preserve the user’s motivation. A donor could act while the campaign was still relevant in their mind.

6. We used updates to make campaigns feel accountable

Campaign updates gave users visibility into progress and activity.

This supported trust because donors could see that campaigns were active and that the organization was communicating about what was happening.

Updates also helped new users understand past and ongoing efforts. Someone visiting the website for the first time could see more than a donation request; they could see evidence of continued work.

Transparency became part of the donor experience rather than an additional document users had to find.

7. We simplified the interface around essential tasks

Suitmedia applied a minimalist approach to the website interface.

Unnecessary elements and content that did not support user tasks were reduced or removed. This helped users focus on understanding PKPU, exploring campaigns, donating, or volunteering.

Simplicity was not treated as a visual style alone. It was a way to reduce hesitation and make important actions easier to complete.

The interface used colors, spacing, and visual hierarchy to guide users naturally from one step to the next.

8. We created clear visual hierarchy

Users should be able to recognize the most important information without reading every word on the page.

The website used hierarchy to distinguish mission statements, campaign content, impact information, calls to action, and supporting details.

This helped users understand where they were and what they could do next.

Clear hierarchy also supported emotional communication. Strong imagery could create empathy, while concise text and visible actions helped turn that emotion into practical support.

9. We simplified donation and registration forms

The donation, confirmation, registration, and volunteer forms were designed to be simple and clear.

Forms are often where users abandon an online process. Long, confusing, or poorly structured forms can make people feel burdened, especially when they have already decided to support the organization.

The forms needed to ask for necessary information without creating unnecessary work.

Clear labels and a predictable sequence helped users understand what was required and what would happen after submission.

10. We designed confirmation as part of trust

A donation process does not end when a user clicks submit.

Users need confidence that the action was completed and that the organization received the relevant information.

The confirmation experience therefore needed to feel clear and reliable. It reinforced that the donation or registration had been recorded and helped reduce uncertainty after the transaction.

This is an important but often overlooked part of digital fundraising. A strong confirmation experience can influence whether a donor feels comfortable using the platform again.

11. We supported volunteers as a distinct audience

The website provided a clear route for users interested in volunteering.

This ensured that people who wanted to contribute time or expertise were not forced through a donation journey that did not match their intention.

Supporting volunteers helped PKPU expand the range of participation available through the platform.

A person might not be ready or able to donate financially, but they could still contribute meaningfully. The website made that possibility more visible.

12. We designed the website to support repeat engagement

The website was not built only for one-time donations.

Campaign updates, ongoing programs, impact information, and accessible forms created reasons for users to return.

Repeat engagement matters because philanthropy is often built through long-term relationships. A donor may support one campaign today and another later. A volunteer may begin with one activity and become more involved over time.

The platform needed to support that continuing relationship.

13. We treated digital credibility as part of fundraising performance

The website’s structure, content, and interface worked together to influence whether users trusted PKPU enough to act.

A strong donation experience could not compensate for unclear mission communication. Strong content could not compensate for difficult forms.

The project therefore connected credibility with usability. Trust was built through what PKPU said, how it presented evidence, and how easily users could complete the actions they chose.

From Confusing Donation Process to Clearer Humanitarian Participation

1. Donors gained a more direct route to campaigns

The redesigned website made it easier for users to understand PKPU’s programs and identify campaigns that matched their interests.

Direct donation buttons within campaign content shortened the path from discovery to contribution.

This reduced the chance that a potential donor would lose motivation while searching for the next step.

2. PKPU’s mission became clearer to new visitors

The homepage and supporting content explained PKPU’s purpose, objectives, and concern for people in need more directly.

This helped users understand why the organization existed before being asked to donate.

The clearer mission story strengthened the foundation for trust and made the organization more approachable to first-time visitors.

3. Campaign progress improved transparency

Campaign updates and inside views gave users more information about ongoing efforts.

This helped make the relationship between donation and impact more visible.

Transparency can encourage confidence, especially for users who are deciding whether to support an organization for the first time.

4. Donation forms became less burdensome

Simpler forms reduced the amount of effort required to donate or register.

This improved convenience for users and lowered one of the most common barriers to online fundraising: the feeling that the process is too complicated to complete.

A clear form also helped create a more professional impression of PKPU’s digital operations.

5. Volunteers gained a clearer path to participation

The improved volunteer form made it easier for users to offer their time and support.

This helped PKPU reach beyond financial donors and create a wider participation model.

The website could now support people with different capacities and motivations.

6. The platform strengthened PKPU’s digital credibility

The combination of a clear mission, visible impact, organized campaigns, simple forms, and an accessible interface helped the website appear more trustworthy.

This was important because users often judge nonprofit organizations through their digital experience before making contact.

The redesigned platform helped PKPU communicate that it was serious about both its mission and its relationship with supporters.

7. The organization gained a stronger fundraising foundation

The website created a more effective digital channel for humanitarian fundraising.

It gave PKPU a structure that could support future programs, campaign updates, donor activity, and volunteer engagement.

This allowed the organization to build on the platform rather than repeatedly creating separate donation experiences.

8. The website supported a more continuous relationship with supporters

The improved experience created opportunities for users to remain connected to PKPU.

Donors could return to follow campaigns or support new programs. Volunteers could continue engaging with the organization. New visitors could learn from past work before deciding to participate.

The platform helped move PKPU from one-time online transactions toward longer-term supporter relationships.

What PKPU Reveals About Digital Fundraising

1. Trust is built before the donation form

A donor’s decision depends on more than the payment process.

They need to understand the organization’s mission, see evidence of impact, and feel confident that the campaign is legitimate.

The donation form is the final part of a trust journey that begins with clear communication.

2. Mission clarity improves conversion

People are more likely to support an organization when they understand what it does and why its work matters.

The mission should be visible early, written clearly, and connected to real programs and outcomes.

3. Campaign pages should connect story and action

A campaign story creates emotional relevance. A visible donation button turns that relevance into participation.

Separating these two elements creates unnecessary friction. The best campaign pages allow users to understand and act within the same flow.

4. Minimalism can improve fundraising performance

A simple interface reduces distractions and makes important actions easier to complete.

In nonprofit experiences, minimalism is not about removing the story. It is about ensuring that the story and the next action remain clear.

5. Updates strengthen accountability

Donors want to understand what happens after they contribute.

Campaign updates help show progress and create a stronger relationship between the organization’s work and the supporter’s decision.

6. Different forms of participation should be visible

Not everyone can contribute in the same way.

Donations, volunteering, sharing, and continued engagement all support a nonprofit mission. A website should make these options easy to find.

7. The post-donation experience affects retention

Confirmation, transaction records, updates, and future campaign access influence whether donors return.

Digital fundraising should be designed as a relationship, not a single payment event.

8. Every removed step can protect a donation opportunity

Users often abandon forms or websites because of small obstacles.

Reducing unnecessary navigation, unclear fields, and repeated decisions can improve the likelihood that genuine intent becomes completed support.

Strategic Insights for the C-Suite

1. Design fundraising around the full trust journey.
   Donors need to understand the mission, see evidence of impact, and feel confident in the process before they contribute. Optimize the experience from first impression through confirmation.
2. Put the next action beside the reason to care.
   Campaign stories should lead directly to donation, volunteering, or another meaningful action. Do not make users search for the way to participate after they have become interested.
3. Use simplicity to protect supporter intent.
   Clear navigation, focused content, and short forms reduce the chance that a motivated user will abandon the process. Every unnecessary step can become a lost contribution.
4. Make impact visible and ongoing.
   Updates help supporters understand what their participation enables. Transparency is not only a reporting responsibility; it is a retention tool.
5. Design for more than one kind of supporter.
   Some people donate money, others volunteer time, share campaigns, or return to support future programs. A strong nonprofit platform makes all meaningful forms of participation accessible.