Glossary
Whether you're a seasoned fundraising pro or just starting out, our digital fundraising glossary has all the key terms (and a few nerdy gems) – more than 250 of them. Enjoy!
U
Unit Donations is a fundraising feature of the online donation tool Soulclick. With this feature, donors can contribute specific units, such as meals, trees, or aid packages, instead of just a monetary amount. A specific donation goal is set when launching the campaign – similar to traditional crowdfunding – which further encourages people to participate.
Uptime refers to the amount of time a digital service is available and fully functional for users – as opposed to downtime. High uptime is especially important for nonprofits that rely heavily on online fundraising as part of their income mix.
In general, the higher the uptime, the more reliable the digital infrastructure. Uptime levels of 99.9% or 99.99% mean that a service is unavailable for only a few hours or minutes per year. These levels are often guaranteed through a Service Level Agreement (SLA), which also defines response and resolution times.
At Soulclick, we also define uptime and support availability in our SLAs to ensure maximum operational stability for our fundraising platforms.
UTMs are URL parameters (e.g. utm_source and utm_medium), added to the end of a URL. They enable tracking of performance and user behavior on specific pages. When a link with a UTM parameter is clicked, the data is sent to Google Analytics, allowing interactions to be tracked effectively.
URL stands for Uniform Resource Locator and refers to the unique web address used to access a resource on the internet — such as a webpage, image, or PDF. A typical URL consists of several parts, for example:
https://www.example.org/donation-form
- https:// is the protocol
- www.example.org is the domain
- /donation-form is the path to the specific page
In online fundraising, URLs play an important role — e.g. for donation forms, tracking links, or campaign landing pages. Clear URL patterns improve a website’s trustworthiness and search engine optimization (SEO). So-called UTM parameters can also be added to URLs to measure the performance of marketing campaigns.
User-generated Content (UGC): UGC refers to any content—such as text, images, videos, or reviews—created by users rather than the brand or organization itself. Often generated through social media platforms, UGC provides authentic, relatable content that enhances brand credibility. In digital fundraising, UGC can appear in peer-to-peer fundraising campaigns, where supporters share their stories, or in donor testimonials that showcase personal connections to the cause.
The User Interface (UI) refers to the visual design, layout, and interactive elements that users engage with when interacting with a digital product, such as a website or application. This includes buttons, menus, forms, typography, and color schemes. Effective UI design aims to make the interface intuitive, clear, and visually appealing, facilitating seamless user interactions.
In the context of online fundraising, UI plays a pivotal role in user engagement. A well-structured and aesthetically pleasing donation form, along with strategically placed calls-to-action, can significantly influence a user's decision to donate.
A User Journey describes the entire experience of users with an organization, from the first to the last interaction. It is a key instrument in the field of Customer Experience (CX), used to understand and specifically optimize user behavior across various touchpoints. A User Journey can, for example, start with a Google search ad, a social media post, or a donation letter that catches someone's attention.
Tracking technology such as Google Analytics provides powerful possibilities to monitor and optimize entire User Journeys from A - Z. Often times, the terms Customer Journey (CJ) or Donor Journeys are used in a similar context, referring ot the journey of donors.
User Stories are a key tool in requirement engineering, used to define the specifications of a website, CRM, or other software from the perspective of different user roles. They typically follow the format: "As a [role], I want to [goal] so I can [benefit]."
User stories clearly articulate user needs and outline requirements in simple, actionable terms. They foster collaboration between business stakeholders and development teams, ensuring alignment on goals and expectations for the final product.
User Tests are typically conducted during the development of new websites, online shops, and larger custom digital projects. Pre-tests are used to enhance user acceptance from the outset and to improve the maturity of the product. These often include both internal and external tests, such as lab tests or prototype testing.
UX/UI stands for User Experience and User Interface. UX/UI design is an essential discipline in modern digital development, where the user experience (UX) takes center stage. Following the principle "form follows function," this approach results in a logical yet emotionally engaging design (UI) with clear, customer-centric user journeys. For larger projects, prototypes are created and subjected to user testing before a relaunch.
UX Writing focuses on crafting user-centered text for websites and digital products. Microcopy, such as error messages, button labels, and help texts, plays a vital role in building trust and ensuring a smooth user experience. Effective UX writing can help reduce unnecessary bounces in donor journeys, particularly within donation forms. With the shift towards mobile-first design – given that the majority of web traffic today comes from mobile devices – UX writing must be brief, concise, and focused to fit smaller screens.
Soulclick’s donation portals and websites feature a wide range of default texts, including error messages and donation buttons, crafted in clear, human, and empathetic language to build a strong connection between the organization and its donors.