by Donation Thermometer WordPress Plugin
In the world of fundraising, visual tools can be powerful motivators. One such tool that has proven effective time and again is the donation thermometer—a simple yet impactful way to show fundraising progress and encourage more contributions. If you’re running a charity, crowdfunding campaign, church fundraiser, school donation drive, or any non-profit initiative, the Donation Thermometer WordPress plugin is a must-have.
This plugin allows you to add a customizable thermometer graphic to your site to show how close you are to your donation goal. It’s simple, easy to use, and very effective in driving donations.
1. What is the Donation Thermometer Plugin?
The Donation Thermometer plugin is a free WordPress plugin developed by Twinpictures. It enables users to create a classic-style fundraising thermometer that can be easily embedded anywhere on your WordPress site using shortcodes.
The plugin dynamically generates a thermometer image based on the donation goal, current amount raised, and date range. You can display the thermometer in posts, pages, sidebars, or widget areas to visually show progress toward a fundraising target.
Its simplicity, ease of integration, and customizable options make it ideal for anyone looking to visually represent fundraising progress in real-time.
2. Key Features of the Donation Thermometer Plugin
a. Classic Thermometer Style
The plugin replicates the traditional fundraising thermometer—a familiar and highly recognized visual cue that inspires action. The thermometer fills from bottom to top as donations increase, making the goal visually reachable.
b. Customizable Labels
You can customize the text labels above and below the thermometer. For example:
- “We’ve raised $4,500 of our $10,000 goal!”
- “Help us reach our goal!”
- “Only $500 to go!”
This allows you to personalize the messaging based on your audience and campaign.
c. Shortcode-Based Integration
The plugin works via a simple shortcode. You can add it to posts, pages, widgets, or anywhere on your site that supports shortcodes. You can also include different goals on different pages using shortcode parameters.
d. Multiple Thermometers
Need more than one fundraising campaign? No problem! Donation Thermometer allows you to create multiple thermometers with different goals and current values. This makes it suitable for organizations managing several projects at once.
e. Fully Customizable Appearance
While the plugin uses a default thermometer graphic, you can modify its look using:
- Custom CSS
- Width and height parameters
- Color customization (with some tweaking)
This ensures it aligns with your website branding and color scheme.
f. Real-Time Display
The thermometer dynamically updates based on the values you set in the shortcode. This allows your audience to see real-time progress, which can significantly boost credibility and encourage continued support.
3. How to Use the Donation Thermometer Plugin
a. Installation Steps
- Log in to your WordPress admin dashboard.
- Go to Plugins > Add New.
- Search for “Donation Thermometer.”
- Click Install Now and then Activate.
After activation, the plugin is ready to use via shortcode.
b. Creating a Thermometer
To insert a thermometer into a post or page, use the following shortcode:
plaintextCopyEdit
This displays a label below the thermometer.
4. Use Cases for the Donation Thermometer Plugin
a. Non-Profit Campaigns
Show how close you are to your donation goal for causes such as disaster relief, animal welfare, or community projects. The visual progress can motivate repeat donors and larger contributions.
b. Church Fundraisers
Churches often run seasonal campaigns for building funds, missions, or events. A donation thermometer on the homepage or giving page can inspire the congregation to contribute and track progress together.
c. School or PTA Fundraisers
Schools and Parent-Teacher Associations can raise money for field trips, equipment, or school improvements. Students and parents love to see the visual representation of their efforts paying off.
d. Political or Advocacy Campaigns
Political candidates or activists raising funds for a cause can use the thermometer to build a sense of urgency and show transparency in their funding.
e. Crowdfunding Pages
If you’re hosting your own crowdfunding campaign outside platforms like GoFundMe or Kickstarter, Donation Thermometer can provide the same motivating visuals directly on your website.
5. Advantages of Using Donation Thermometer
✅ Highly Visual and Motivating
People respond to visuals. A partially filled thermometer creates urgency and encourages visitors to help you “fill the tube.”
✅ Simple Yet Effective
There’s no need for complex configuration or API connections. You update the raised amount manually, giving you full control.
✅ No External Dependencies
Unlike other donation trackers that rely on third-party platforms or APIs, this plugin is self-contained. It doesn’t require integration with PayPal or Stripe, making it lightweight and secure.
✅ Works with Any Donation Plugin
You can use this plugin alongside any other donation plugin (like GiveWP, Charitable, or WPForms with Stripe integration) to visually display progress.
✅ Free and Open Source
The plugin is available for free on the WordPress Plugin Repository, making it accessible to all users without licensing concerns.
6. Limitations and Considerations
While the Donation Thermometer plugin is highly useful, it’s important to be aware of its limitations:
❌ Manual Updates
The plugin does not automatically sync with your donation platform (like PayPal, Stripe, or WooCommerce). You must manually update the raised value in the shortcode each time.
❌ Limited Styling in Free Version
While you can use CSS to customize the appearance, it doesn’t come with a visual styling interface. Some customization may require basic CSS knowledge.
❌ No Analytics or Reporting
The plugin doesn’t track user interactions or donation trends. It’s purely visual and not a complete donation management system.
❌ Not Ideal for Large-Scale Campaigns
For major campaigns requiring automation, recurring donations, CRM integration, and analytics, you might want to pair this plugin with a more robust fundraising tool like GiveWP.
7. Enhancing the Plugin with Custom Styling
To make the thermometer stand out, you can add custom CSS to your WordPress theme or Customizer:
cssCopyEdit.thermometer-container {
margin: 20px auto;
text-align: center;
}
.thermometer-label {
font-size: 18px;
font-weight: bold;
color: #0066cc;
}
You can also target specific thermometer IDs or classes if you’re embedding multiple thermometers on the same site.
8. User Reviews and Feedback
The plugin enjoys positive reviews on the WordPress plugin repository. Users often mention:
- Its simplicity and ease of use
- The nostalgia of classic thermometer fundraising visuals
- The plugin’s lightweight performance
- Responsive support from the developer
Many site owners praise it for being a “set it and forget it” solution that does what it says on the tin—without bloated features.
9. Conclusion: Is Donation Thermometer Right for You?
If you’re running a small to mid-size fundraising campaign and want to clearly show how much money has been raised toward a goal, Donation Thermometer is a fantastic tool.
Its:
- Classic fundraising look
- Shortcode-based integration
- Customizable settings
- Lightweight design
- and Free availability
…make it a favorite among churches, schools, non-profits, and local community fundraisers.
While it may lack advanced features like automated donation syncing, it makes up for it with ease of use, visual appeal, and wide compatibility with other plugins.
Verdict: For simple, visual, and motivational fundraising progress tracking—Donation Thermometer delivers exactly what it promises.
