Accessible Fundraising for Everyone

At Givergy, we believe that fundraising should be inclusive, empowering, and accessible to everyone, no matter where they are or how they interact with technology. As a global platform operating across the UK, US, Canada, Australia, Hong Kong, and beyond, we know that accessibility is essential for ensuring that every supporter can participate in charitable giving without barriers.

More people than ever rely on assistive technologies or alternative navigation methods when engaging online. This can include individuals with visual or hearing impairments, mobility limitations, cognitive differences, neurodivergence, or situational challenges such as temporary injuries or low-bandwidth environments. By improving accessibility, we’re supporting people with permanent impairments and creating a smoother, more intuitive experience for everyone.

Over the past few months, our team has made a series of improvements designed to enhance accessibility across our platform. We wanted to share some of the work already completed, along with areas we’re continuing to prioritise as part of our long-term commitment to inclusive digital fundraising.

Why Accessibility Matters

Accessibility is a core part of good digital design. People access fundraising sites using a wide range of devices, tools, and preferences. Some may use screen readers, while others navigate using a keyboard, rely on high-contrast settings, or adjust text size to improve readability.

Creating an accessible platform ensures that:

• No supporter is excluded from donating or taking part in an event
• Fundraisers can reach wider and more diverse audiences
• Everyone has a fair, consistent, and positive experience
• Events meet best-practice standards such as WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines)

Accessible design benefits all users, not just those who depend on assistive technologies, and it ultimately strengthens the impact of every fundraising campaign.

What We’ve Improved So Far

Our development team has focused on the areas that matter most for user experience and compliance with key accessibility guidelines.

1. Improved Screen Reader Support

We’ve reviewed and updated core areas of the platform—including donation forms, silent auction pages, and guest registration flows—to ensure better compatibility with popular screen readers such as JAWS, NVDA, and VoiceOver.

This work includes:

• Adding and refining ARIA labels
• Ensuring interactive elements have clear, descriptive text
• Reducing unnecessary navigation paths
• Improving the logical reading order for assistive technology

These updates help ensure screen reader users can navigate, donate, and bid with confidence.

2. Enhanced Keyboard Navigation

Many users navigate digital content using a keyboard alone. We’ve refined:

• Tab order
• Focus states and indicators
• Menu navigation behaviour

Users can now move through event sites and dashboard pages using keyboard controls without unexpected traps or interruptions.

3. Clearer Error Messaging

Accessible error messaging is essential for completing tasks quickly and successfully. We’ve improved:

• The clarity and placement of visual error messages
• How these messages are announced to screen readers
• Links between error messages and their corresponding fields

This makes forms, bidding actions, and registration flows easier and more intuitive for all users.

4. Consistent Heading Structure and Landmarks

A predictable heading structure helps screen reader users understand the layout of a page instantly.

We’ve standardised:

• Page heading hierarchies (H1, H2, H3, etc.)
• Semantic landmarks such as navigation and main content roles

This makes it easier for users to jump between sections and maintain orientation across the site.

5. More Accessible Forms

Forms sit at the centre of many Givergy experiences, from donations to bidding and guest registration.

We’ve improved:

• Field labels
• Mandatory field indicators
• Descriptive, accessible error messages
• Logical form sequencing

These updates help ensure every supporter can complete key actions quickly and confidently.

What’s Next

Accessibility is an ongoing commitment, not a one-off project. We will continue:

• Testing against WCAG standards
• Incorporating user feedback
• Improving readability and clarity
• Enhancing compatibility with assistive tools
• Reviewing new platform features with accessibility built in from the start

Our goal is to create one of the most accessible fundraising platforms in the world, enabling supporters everywhere to engage with causes they care about.

If you’d like to learn more about how Givergy supports inclusive digital fundraising, book a call back with one of our experts!