Welcome to StellarSites, your streamlined launchpad for building a professional, donation-ready website with zero tech hassle. If you’re on the Fundraising Plan, your site comes equipped with GiveWP, the most trusted donation plugin for WordPress. This guide will walk you through setup, campaign creation, payment configuration, and everything in between.
Logging Into Your Site #
After purchase, check your inbox for a welcome email. You can log in using the link provided, or head to your StellarSites dashboard > Sites > Log In.
Once you’re inside, it’s recommended to update your password from your WordPress dashboard > Users tab. Click your username, set a new password, and you’re ready to build.
Launch Smarter with Site Assist #
You’ll find Site Assist in your StellarSites dashboard. It’s your personal launch checklist that walks you through everything from theme selection to plugin setup. Follow the prompts and you’ll have a fully functional fundraising site live in no time.
Introducing GiveWP #
GiveWP powers your donation engine. It helps you build donation forms, accept one-time or recurring gifts, manage donor records, send automated receipts, and even track campaign goals all within your StellarSites website.
In Site Assist, you’ll be prompted to launch the GiveWP Setup Wizard. This quick walkthrough helps you connect payment gateways, set up your organization info, and customize your donation pages to match your branding.
Creating a Campaign #
Once setup is complete, it’s time to create your first campaign. Go to Donations > Campaigns > Create a New Campaign.
Give your campaign a title, write a short description, and (optionally) upload a cover image. Then choose the type of goal that best fits your strategy: total amount raised, number of donations, or number of unique donors. If you’re using the Recurring Donations add-on, you’ll also see options to track recurring metrics.
After setup, you’ll land in the Campaign Overview, where you can enable or disable the public landing page, adjust your color scheme, and fine-tune the display. When you’re ready, hit Publish Campaign. You can always come back to make edits later.
Setting Up Payment Gateways #
To collect donations, head to Donations > Settings > Payment Gateways. Choose your preferred platform—like PayPal or Stripe, and click Connect to authorize your account. You can also configure offline donations with simple payment instructions.
Before going live, use Test Mode to simulate transactions and make sure everything’s working properly.
Managing Donors and Tracking Success #
Your WordPress dashboard gives you a central hub for tracking and managing your fundraising performance. Under the Reports tab, you can monitor donation totals, campaign performance, and recurring gifts. The Donors section shows donor history and allows for data export, perfect for year-end reporting or tax compliance.
If you’re on the Plus Plan, you’ll also have access to Recurring Donations, making it easier to grow long-term support. Ultimate Plan users can take it a step further with Peer-to-Peer Fundraising, which lets your supporters create their own fundraising pages under your campaign banner.
What’s Included in Your Plan #
Essentials Plan #
Ideal for getting started with online fundraising. Includes:
- GiveWP core
- GiveWP Basic Add-ons
- All payment gateways
Plus Plan #
Perfect for organizations aiming to deepen donor engagement. Adds:
- Recurring Donations – Enable automated monthly or yearly giving
- All Premium Add-ons, such as:
- Fee Recovery – Allow donors to cover transaction fees
- Tributes – Let donors give in honor or memory of someone
- Currency Switcher – Accept donations in multiple currencies
- Form Field Manager – Customize donation forms with additional fields
- Funds and Designations – Allocate donations to specific funds
- Annual Receipts – Provide donors with yearly donation summaries
Ultimate Plan #
Designed for scaling your impact and empowering your community. Includes everything in Plus and adds Peer-to-Peer Fundraising: Enable supporters to create their own fundraising campaigns.
How to Enable Your New Fundraising Add-ons #
Once you’ve upgraded your StellarSites Fundraising Plan or added individual GiveWP add-ons, the tools are already waiting for you, no extra downloads needed.
Here’s how to activate the ones you want to use:
- Log into your WordPress Dashboard for your StellarSite.
- Go to Plugins in the left-hand menu.
- You’ll see a list of pre-installed GiveWP add-ons.
- Click “Activate” next to any tool you want to use.
- Don’t need a specific add-on? No problem. You can safely delete it from your Plugins list.
Where to Configure Your Add-ons #
Once activated, each add-on adds its own settings inside your donation forms:
- Navigate to Donations > Campaigns > Campaign Forms.
- Click Edit next to the form you want to modify.
- Go to the Settings tab to find and configure your new tools—like enabling recurring donations, setting up tributes, customizing fields, or assigning funds.
These settings help you tailor your forms to match your fundraising strategy—no code required.
Need help understanding what each add-on does? Check out the full list here
Learn More and Get Support #
Want a deeper dive into GiveWP? Check out the GiveWP Getting Started Guide for tutorials and tips.
And if you ever run into questions, the StellarSites Support Team is just a message away.
