Donation wishes: what they still do
Donation wishes on older lists keep working and can be edited — but new ones can’t be created. Use a group fund instead.
Got everything already, or simply want to do some good? A donation wish points your guests at a charity instead of at a present.
New donation wishes can’t be created any more. The kind has gone from the add flow. The donation wishes already on your lists keep working and can still be edited. To raise money for a cause today, use a group fund and put the cause in the title — it does the same job and takes contributions.
When a donation wish makes sense
- “I already have everything” — especially at a milestone birthday
- Weddings — “donate instead of gifts” is a lovely habit
- Living with less — less stuff, more effect
- A cause you care about — something that matters to you personally
Editing an existing one
- Open your wishlist
- Open the donation wish with Edit
- Fill in the fields:
- Name, required — “Donation to the Munich animal shelter”, say
- Description — why this organization matters to you
- Link, optional — the organization’s own donation page
- Image, optional — their logo
- Save
Examples
Animal welfare
Name: Donation to the Munich animal shelter Description: Animals matter a lot to me. The shelter looks after stray dogs and cats, and every euro helps. Link: https://www.tierschutzverein-muenchen.de/spenden
The environment
Name: Donation to WWF Description: For endangered species and the places they live. WWF works for nature worldwide. Link: https://www.wwf.de/spenden-helfen
Humanitarian aid
Name: Donation to Doctors Without Borders Description: Medical help in crisis zones — they go where others no longer can. Link: https://www.aerzte-ohne-grenzen.de/spenden
Without naming an organization
Name: A donation to an environmental charity of your choice Description: The environment matters to me. Pick an organization you like.
How it works for your guests
- Your guest sees the donation wish on the list
- They tap the button and land on the organization’s page
- Wishlist.de can optionally note that somebody donated. The wish is not reserved.
- They donate directly to the organization, not through us
The important bit: Wishlist.de never collects money, never passes a donation on, and never reserves the wish. We show it, and we can note that somebody gave. The donation itself happens at the organization.
Getting more out of it
Link the donation page itself
Not the organization’s home page — the page where people can actually give.
Say why
A sentence about why this cause matters to you moves people more than the name does.
Offer a choice
If you already have several donation wishes, keep them: animal welfare, the environment, humanitarian aid. Everyone can back what speaks to them. New ones go on as group funds.
Tax receipts
Worth telling your guests that most organizations will send them a receipt for their tax return.
Donation or group fund?
| What you want | Pick |
|---|---|
| Everyone donates directly to the organization | Donation, on the lists that already have one |
| You collect together and give one bigger donation | Group fund |
| “Donate instead of gifts”, everyone on their own | Donation, on the lists that already have one |
| “Let’s give €500 together” | Group fund |
Common questions
Does Wishlist.de collect the donations?
No. We are the coordination tool. Donations go directly to the organization and we never touch the money.
Do I see who donated?
If someone notes their donation on Wishlist.de, you see who. Whether and how much they actually gave is something we cannot check — that stays between your guest and the organization.
Can I have a donation wish with no link?
Yes. “A donation to an environmental charity of your choice” works perfectly well without one.
What about tax receipts?
Your guest gets that from the organization, not from us. Mention it in the description.
Can I have several donation wishes?
The ones already on your list can stay, as many as there are. New ones aren’t possible — add a group fund instead and name the cause in the title.