Charitable Blog

Everything you need to know about Charitable and our team.

How to Add Checkboxes to Donation Forms

How to Add Checkboxes To Your Donation Form

Last updated on

  • By

Charitable donation forms can be customized in various ways thanks to Charitable’s internal API. One of the most requested features is to add one or more custom fields to the Charitable donation form. In this post we are going to show you a few examples of adding custom fields with code snippets.

Even if you’re aren’t a developer, adding code snippets are easy to do. You have the option of installing a code snippet plugin of your choice but since Charitable works great with WPCode… we will assume you are using that for this post.

Note: If you ARE a developer then you are aware code snippets can be added to the functions.php of a WordPress theme or within it’s own plugin… if you go down this route we recommend you follow our instructions on best practices for writing code with Charitable. You should also be reading our Charitable_Donation_Field documentation.

Using WPCode

The first step is to install WPCode itself. You can install and activate the free version just like you can with any other WordPress plugin. However, Charitable has an easier built-in process. Please read our documentation on installing and browsing code snippets with WPCode.

Remember that once is added (via the Charitable snippet screen or by copy and pasting the code) in WPCode you need give it a descriptive title, make sure the code type is “PHP snippet”, and that you’ve selected auto-insert/run everywhere. Make the snippet active/enabled. Here’s an example:

Adding A Checkbox

The code snippet for a single checkbox is not that different from a text box. Notice the use of “checkbox” as the “type”. You can also view this code on our WPCode snippet library.

/**
 * Collect a checkbox field in the donation form.
 *
 * This snippet only works in Charitable 1.5 or above.
 *
 * Related examples:
 *
 * @see Register a text field (detailed example) - https://github.com/Charitable/library/blob/master/donation-form/register-new-donation-field-1.5.php
 * @see Register multiple fields - https://github.com/Charitable/library/blob/master/donation-form/register-multiple-donation-fields.php
 * @see The old way to add fields - https://github.com/Charitable/library/blob/master/donation-form/legacy/add-checkbox-field-to-donation-form.php
 */
function wpchar_charitable_register_new_checkbox_field() {
	
	if ( ! class_exists("Charitable_Donation_Field" ) ) {
		return;
	};
	
    /**
     * Define a new checkbox field.
     */
    $field = new Charitable_Donation_Field( 'new_checkbox_field', array(
        'label' => __( 'New Checkbox Field', 'charitable' ),
        'data_type' => 'user',
        'donation_form' => array(
            'type' => 'checkbox',
            'show_before' => 'phone',
            'required'   => false,
        ),
        'admin_form' => true,
        'show_in_meta' => true,
        'show_in_export' => true,
        'email_tag' => array(
            'description' => __( 'The new checkbox field' , 'charitable' ),
        ),
    ) );

    /**
     * Register the checkbox field.
     */
    charitable()->donation_fields()->register_field( $field );
}

add_action( 'init', 'wpchar_charitable_register_new_checkbox_field' );

Here are the key fields to customize:

  • Label. Change the “My Custom Field” text within the quotes to what you want this to say to donors who see this field in the public donation form.
  • donation_form -> type. This is the type of donation field (text, select, checkbox, datepicker etc.). See our documentation for a full list of supported donation field types.
  • donation_form -> required. If you want this field to be required, set it to true.
  • email_tag. If you want to include the value entered into this field in your email with an email tag in Charitable, add a description here so you can see it appear in the email settings. By default, Charitable uses the key value as the tag (‘my_custom_field’ in this case).

Once this code (via the Charitable snippet screen or by copy and pasting the code) is in WPCode, make sure you give it a descriptive title, make sure the code type is “PHP snippet”, and that you’ve selected auto-insert/run everywhere. Make the snippet active/enabled.

One this is active, visit a donation form (either generated automatically by Charitable or via a shortcode) and you should see your checkbox. 🎉

Multiple Checkboxes

Adding multiple checkboxes requires adding “options” to the snippet and changing the type to “multi-checkbox”.

The below script adds MULTIPLE CHECKBOXES (using “multi-checkbox” and can also be found in our WPCode snippet library and you can also view another more real world examples of using checkboxes that add a bit more logic, like this example of adding a donation receipt opt out checkbox.

/**
 * Add three checkboxes (the same group) in the donation form.
 *
 * This snippet only works in Charitable 1.5 or above.
 *
 */
function wpchar_charitable_register_new_checkboxes_field() {
	
    if ( ! class_exists("Charitable_Donation_Field" ) ) {
	return;
    };
	
    /**
     * Define a new checkbox field.
     */
    $field = new Charitable_Donation_Field( 'new_checkboxes_field', array(
        'label' => __( 'New Checkboxes Field', 'charitable' ),
        'data_type' => 'user',
        'donation_form' => array(
            'type' => 'multi-checkbox',
            'show_before' => 'phone',
            'required'   => false,
            'options' => array (
                 'option_1_value' => 'Option One',
                 'option_2_value' => 'Option Two',
                 'option_3_value' => 'Option Three',
	     ),
        ),
        'admin_form' => true,
        'show_in_meta' => true,
        'show_in_export' => true,
        'email_tag' => array(
            'description' => __( 'The new checkbox field' , 'charitable' ),
        ),
    ) );

    /**
     * Register the checkbox field.
     */
    charitable()->donation_fields()->register_field( $field );
}

add_action( 'init', 'wpchar_charitable_register_new_checkboxes_field' );

This should appear like this in your donation form:

author avatar
David Bisset Project Manager
David is the project manager of Charitable since 2022. David works with several non-profits (one operated by his wife) along with managing and developing features, support, and marketing for Charitable. Has been with WordPress since 2006 and has been lead organizer of multiple conferences, events, and meetups.

Disclosure: Our content is reader-supported. This means if you click on some of our links, then we may earn a commission. We only recommend products that we believe will add value to our readers.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Get free tips and resources right in your inbox, along with 60,000+ others

Join our Newsletter

We won’t spam you. We only send an email when we think it will genuinely help you. Unsubscribe at any time!

Featured Video:

Watch more videos on our YouTube channel.

What's New In Charitable

View The Latest Updates
🔔 Subscribe to get our latest updates
📧 Subscribe to Emails

Email Subscription

Join our Newsletter

We won’t spam you. We only send an email when we think it will genuinely help you. Unsubscribe at any time!

Integration page builder

Divi Fans Rejoice! Native Divi 5 Campaign Progress Bar Module!

With our new native Divi 5 module, you can anchor your microsites with real-time fundraising stats directly on the visual canvas. Here’s how it works, and why it’s worth turning on today.

Create campaign updates that are VISUAL AND LIVE. You can also:

📊 Campaign Progress Bar: Drop a live progress bar into any Divi 5 layout and show goal progress in real time.

🎨 Deep styling controls: Easily customize the bar and track color, height, and radius to match your brand perfectly.

👁️ Visual Builder ready: Configure and preview everything directly on the Divi canvas as a first-class module.

🔁 Identical rendering: The same exact engine powers this module, meaning consistent design without legacy shims.

✅ Faster launches: Never leave the Divi 5 interface to configure shortcodes or guess how your goal labels will look.

Learn more here.

author avatar
David Bisset Project Manager
David is the project manager of Charitable since 2022. David works with several non-profits (one operated by his wife) along with managing and developing features, support, and marketing for Charitable. Has been with WordPress since 2006 and has been lead organizer of multiple conferences, events, and meetups.
Integration page builder

👉🏻 New in Charitable: Native Elementor Widgets for Seamless Campaign Building

With native Elementor widgets, you design donation campaigns right alongside the rest of your page without touching code. Here’s how it works, and why it’s worth turning on today.

Create fundraising pages that are VISUAL, NATIVE, AND SHORTCODE-FREE. You can also:

⚡ Mini Donation: Add a compact, high-converting donation widget with preset amounts and full color control.

⏳ Campaign Countdown: Build urgency for a deadline-driven appeal, complete with optional confetti when the goal is hit.

📣 Donation Feed: Prove momentum by showing visitors the social proof of real people giving right now.

🏆 Donor Leaderboard: Celebrate top supporters with gold, silver, and bronze styling to spark friendly giving.

🖼️ Campaign Showcase: Feature multiple campaigns in a landing page grid or carousel, with search, filters, and badges.

Learn more here.

author avatar
David Bisset Project Manager
David is the project manager of Charitable since 2022. David works with several non-profits (one operated by his wife) along with managing and developing features, support, and marketing for Charitable. Has been with WordPress since 2006 and has been lead organizer of multiple conferences, events, and meetups.
Addon New

🗒️ Custom Receipts… New Addon!

With Custom Receipts, you decide which page your donors see, on every campaign. Here’s how it works, and why it’s worth turning on today.

Left side shows a donation receipt with donation number, date, total, and payment method for a  gift to Anywhere, titled 'One Family Gets Clean Water For A Week.'

Create receipts that are CUSTOM TO THE DONOR OR CAMPAIGN. You can also:

📅 Year-end appeal: Reinforce the goal and invite donors to share while momentum is high.

🎗️ Memorial or tribute campaign: Give a gentle, respectful thank-you that fits the moment.

💎 Major gifts: Show a special message only to donors who give above a threshold.

🔁 Recurring growth: Invite one-time donors to become monthly supporters right on the receipt.

🌍 Global campaigns: Surface a country-specific note, like a Gift Aid reminder, only where it applies.

Learn more here.

author avatar
David Bisset Project Manager
David is the project manager of Charitable since 2022. David works with several non-profits (one operated by his wife) along with managing and developing features, support, and marketing for Charitable. Has been with WordPress since 2006 and has been lead organizer of multiple conferences, events, and meetups.
New templates

🤩 New Beacon Campaign Templates w/ “Hero” Block!

With the new Beacon Campaign Templates for Charitable Pro, you can launch a stunning, full-width fundraising page that instantly captures visitor attention above the fold.

Fundraising page header for Save Maple Grove Park with a donation widget and a small square photo of a sunlit tree thumbnail on the left.

🔦 Above-the-Fold Impact: Lead with a full-width hero image, your logo, and your goal with a donation widget locked right on top of the banner so your ask and momentum register instantly without scrolling.

📐 Two Flexible Layouts: Choose between a structured two-column layout for side-by-side storytelling and supporting details, or a clean one-column view designed for uninterrupted long-form narratives.

⚡ All-in-One Hero Field: Powered by the new Campaign Hero field, bringing background media, live progress bars, custom donation amounts, and recurring giving tabs together into a single cohesive block that can be dropped into any layout.

🎨 Automatic Theme Matching: The hero banner and donation widget automatically inherit your campaign theme’s button and accent colors, ensuring your entire presentation stays beautifully on-brand without touching a line of CSS.

Learn more here.

author avatar
David Bisset Project Manager
David is the project manager of Charitable since 2022. David works with several non-profits (one operated by his wife) along with managing and developing features, support, and marketing for Charitable. Has been with WordPress since 2006 and has been lead organizer of multiple conferences, events, and meetups.
donation form Feature New

📝 Donation Form Block: Embed a Working Donation Form Anywhere

With the new Donation Form Block for Charitable Pro, you can drop a fully working donation form directly onto any page or post in the WordPress block editor. No redirects, no page reloads, and zero friction between reading your story and making a contribution.

📝 Drop Forms Anywhere: Place a working form directly onto your homepage, inside a story-driven blog post, on a dedicated landing page, or within a campaign announcement.

🎯 Dynamic Campaign Binding: Easily choose a specific campaign from the block sidebar or set it to automatically bind to whichever campaign is currently being viewed.

📐 Full vs. Minimal Form Views: Switch between a full layout or a compact minimal view to perfectly fit sidebars, narrow columns, or wide landing pages.

🎨 Scoped No-Code Styling: Customize typography, container spacing, border radius, amount buttons, and accent colors independently for every form instance without touching a line of CSS.

Learn more here.

author avatar
David Bisset Project Manager
David is the project manager of Charitable since 2022. David works with several non-profits (one operated by his wife) along with managing and developing features, support, and marketing for Charitable. Has been with WordPress since 2006 and has been lead organizer of multiple conferences, events, and meetups.