### [How to Add Cookie Consent to a WordPress Donation Site (Without Breaking Your Donation Tracking)](https://wpconsent.com/how-to-add-cookie-consent-to-wordpress-donation-site/)

**Published:** November 13, 2026
**Author:** Alvin Collin

**Content:**

Short Answer

Nonprofits aren’t automatically exempt from cookie rules. To add consent to a WordPress donation site, install WPConsent for free, run its setup wizard, connect your donation plugin through the free WP Consent API, and then test whether your tracking pixels wait for the donor’s choice.

Key Takeaways

- **Who needs it:** There’s no blanket charity exemption in the UK or EU. Some US state privacy laws cover nonprofits too.
- **What’s free:** WPConsent’s free version handles the banner, the scan, known tracker blocking, and your cookie policy page. Place the banner where it won’t cover the Donate button.
- **Donations keep working:** Stripe, PayPal, and Square aren’t on WPConsent’s block list, and our Offline test donation went through after Reject. Donations from donors who click Reject won’t show up in your ad reports, though. Test your own form the same way.
- **The catch:** Some donation plugins load their pixels from their own files, which a scan can miss. If a pixel still loads after Reject, a custom script rule on a paid WPConsent plan can hold it back.

A donation page can collect a lot of information: a donor’s name, email, billing details, and often a home address.

On some sites, that same page also loads [advertising trackers](https://wpconsent.com/what-are-tracking-cookies/) before the donor has made any choice about tracking.

You can’t see that from the front of your site, which is what makes it easy to miss.

We checked this when setting up a test donation page for a winter food bank campaign. The donation went through, but we also needed to see which tracking scripts ran before and after the donor made a choice.

In this guide, we’ll show you how to add cookie consent to your WordPress donation site with WPConsent. You’ll also learn how to make your donation tracking wait for a donor’s choice, and how to check it yourself without any code.

---

Use the table of contents below to navigate this guide.

- [Do Nonprofits Need Cookie Consent?](#aioseo-do-nonprofits-need-cookie-consent)
- [What Runs on a Donation Page, and What Can Wait?](#aioseo-what-runs-on-a-donation-page-and-what-can-wait)
    - [How WPConsent Handles Common Donation Page Scripts by Default](#aioseo-how-wpconsent-handles-common-donation-page-scripts-by-default)
- [How to Set Up Cookie Consent for Nonprofits in WordPress](#aioseo-how-to-set-up-cookie-consent-for-nonprofits-in-wordpress)
    - [Step 1: Install WPConsent](#aioseo-step-1-install-wpconsent)
    - [Step 2: Scan Your Donation Site](#aioseo-step-2-scan-your-donation-site)
    - [Step 3: Review What the Scan Found](#aioseo-step-3-review-what-the-scan-found)
    - [Step 4: Put the Banner Where It Won't Cover the Donate Button](#aioseo-step-4-put-the-banner-where-it-wont-cover-the-donate-button)
    - [Step 5: Write a Banner Message for Donors](#aioseo-step-5-write-a-banner-message-for-donors)
    - [Step 6: Keep Default Allow Off](#aioseo-step-6-keep-default-allow-off)
    - [Step 7: Generate Your Cookie Policy Page](#aioseo-step-7-generate-your-cookie-policy-page)
- [How to Make Your Donation Tracking Wait for Consent](#aioseo-how-to-make-your-donation-tracking-wait-for-consent)
- [How to Test Your Cookie Consent Like a Donor](#aioseo-how-to-test-your-cookie-consent-like-a-donor)
- [How to Keep Your Cookie Consent Working](#aioseo-how-to-keep-your-cookie-consent-working)
- [FAQs: Cookie Consent for Nonprofits](#aioseo-faqs-cookie-consent-for-nonprofits)
- [Set Up and Test Cookie Consent on Your Donation Site](#aioseo-set-up-and-test-cookie-consent-on-your-donation-site)

---

## Do Nonprofits Need Cookie Consent?

Yes, if your donation site uses ad pixels and has donors in the UK or EU, the rules usually require their consent first.

The answer depends mostly on where your donors live. In some US states, it also depends on how much donor data you collect.

Here’s how it breaks down by region.

### In the UK

The UK’s cookie rules live in PECR, the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations.

They apply to anyone storing or reading information on a visitor’s device, and that includes charities.

Here’s what’s current as of November 2026:

- **Tracking pixels count.** The ICO, the UK’s privacy regulator, finalized its [updated cookie guidance](https://ico.org.uk/for-organisations/direct-marketing-and-privacy-and-electronic-communications/guidance-on-the-use-of-storage-and-access-technologies/) on 29 April 2026. It says the rules cover tracking pixels whenever they store or read information on a visitor’s device.
- **Some cookies no longer need consent.** Since 5 February 2026, under changes made by the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025, [PECR doesn’t require consent](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2003/2426/schedule/A1) for some analytics cookies used only to improve your site. The data can’t be shared, except with a provider helping you make those improvements. Cookies that remember a visitor’s settings, like their language or text size, are exempt too. We’ll show where common tools fall in the table below.
- **Visitors can still say no to those.** You must tell visitors what these cookies do and give them a free, simple way to object.
- **Ad pixels don’t get that exception.** They still need consent first.

### In the EU

The [ePrivacy Directive](https://wpconsent.com/eprivacy-directive-wordpress/) generally requires consent before a site stores or reads anything on a visitor’s device, unless it’s strictly necessary. It has no exception for nonprofits.

### In the US

The US has no national cookie law, for charities or anyone else. Each state sets its own rules, and only some of them cover nonprofits. Here are three that do, as of November 2026:

- **California’s CCPA** generally does not apply to nonprofits. The main exception is a nonprofit closely tied to a business the law covers. One controls the other, they share a brand, and the business shares customer data with it. Many charities won’t fit that description.
- **Colorado’s privacy law** covers nonprofits that process data on 100,000 or more Colorado residents a year. It also covers those that earn revenue or discounts from selling data on 25,000 or more.
- **Oregon’s privacy law** has covered nonprofits since July 1, 2025, once they handle data on 100,000 or more Oregon consumers a year, or 25,000 or more if more than a quarter of their revenue comes from selling data.
- **Delaware’s privacy law** has no general nonprofit exemption. Until January 1, 2027, it covers organizations that handle data on 35,000 or more Delaware consumers a year, or 10,000 or more if over 20% of their revenue comes from selling data. From January 1, 2027, those numbers drop to 10,000 and 5,000.

These state laws mainly give visitors the right to opt out of targeted advertising, rather than requiring consent first.

So if all your donors are in the US and you’re below those numbers, no state privacy law may cover you yet.

Donors in the UK or EU are different. Their cookie rules have no size limit, so they can apply even to a small charity.

#### Sensitive Data Needs Consent First

Under these state laws, sensitive data, such as health conditions or religious beliefs, is different: it needs consent first.

For example, a gift to a church can hint at a donor’s faith. A gift to a cancer charity can hint at their health. Some state laws may count that as sensitive data.

Even where no law requires it, a banner tells donors what you track before they give. Leaving WPConsent’s **Default Allow** setting off (Step 6 below) also gives visitors an opt-in choice, which is a good starting point if you later gain supporters where consent is required.

⚠️ Check first

This isn’t legal advice. We only cover the basics here. For the rules that apply to your donors, check with your legal adviser, and see our guide to [cookie consent requirements by country](https://wpconsent.com/cookie-consent-wordpress-requirements-by-country/) for more detail.

Next, check which scripts your donation page loads.

---

## What Runs on a Donation Page, and What Can Wait?

Some scripts on a donation page have to run for the donation to work. Others can wait for the donor’s choice.

Here’s how it usually breaks down on a WordPress donation site:

| What’s on the page | What it does | Waits for consent? |
|---|---|---|
| Donation form | Collects the amount and donor details | No, it always runs |
| Payment gateway (Stripe, PayPal) | Takes the payment, often checks for fraud | No, it’s usually treated as necessary to complete the donation |
| Login and session cookies | Keep logged-in donors signed in | No, they’re needed to keep donors signed in |
| Analytics (Google Analytics) | Shows which campaigns bring donors in | Usually yes (UK: simple analytics used only to improve your site may be exempt, with an opt-out, if the provider doesn’t use the data for its own purposes) |
| Ad pixels (Meta, TikTok) | Report donations back to your ad accounts | Yes in the UK and EU, because they’re used for advertising, not to run your site. Covered US states require at least an opt-out. |
| Embeds (YouTube, Google Maps) | Show videos and maps on campaign pages | Usually yes, because they can set their own cookies as soon as they load |

### How WPConsent Handles Common Donation Page Scripts by Default

Here’s what WPConsent does with the main scripts in that table as soon as it’s set up.

#### How WPConsent Handles Payment Gateways

Payment gateways often set their own cookies too, for example, to check for fraud. Whether those can run without consent depends on what they do. Your legal adviser can confirm it for your setup.

WPConsent doesn’t block Stripe, PayPal, or Square by default. Your donation form keeps working while marketing scripts wait for consent.

Using a different gateway?

Make sure donations still go through when a donor clicks Reject. The test donation later in this guide shows you how.

#### How WPConsent Handles Ad Pixels

WPConsent’s block list includes standard TikTok and [Meta pixel code](https://wpconsent.com/facebook-pixel-consent-mode-in-wordpress/). Once you set it up in the steps below, it holds those pixels back until a donor accepts.

#### How WPConsent Handles Google Analytics

Google Consent Mode is on by default in WPConsent. Google Analytics still loads, but with consent set to “denied.” Until a donor accepts Statistics, it sends only cookieless pings and sets no analytics cookies.

Google calls this Advanced Consent Mode. Our guide to [Google Consent Mode v2 in WordPress](https://wpconsent.com/how-to-set-up-google-consent-v2-mode-in-wordpress/) explains how it differs from Basic mode.

---

## How to Set Up Cookie Consent for Nonprofits in WordPress

We’ll use [WPConsent](https://wpconsent.com/) for the banner.

It’s the [best WordPress cookie consent plugin](https://wpconsent.com/best-wordpress-cookie-consent-plugins/). It scans your site, shows a banner, and holds back known tracking scripts until a visitor agrees. Google’s own tags load in Consent Mode instead.

WPConsent is a [self-hosted consent plugin](https://wpconsent.com/self-hosted/). Turn on consent logs (paid plans), and those records stay in your WordPress database.

The free version covers all seven setup steps below. A few sections after that need a paid plan, and we’ve marked those “(Paid Plans).”

For this guide, we’ll show the paid version in our screenshots, so you can see the extra options.

The install steps below are for the free plugin.

### Step 1: Install WPConsent

To start, go to **Plugins » Add New Plugin** in your WordPress dashboard and search for “WPConsent.”

Next, click **Install Now** and then **Activate**.

![WPConsent plugin in the WordPress plugin search results with the Activate button](https://wpconsent.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/install-wpconsent-free-plugin.png)*Click Activate after installing WPConsent in your WordPress dashboard.*

Want the paid plan instead? Buy a plan, then download the plugin and copy your license key from your WPConsent account. This guide shows [how to set it up](https://wpconsent.com/docs/how-to-install-the-wpconsent-plugin/).

![WPConsent account Downloads tab with the Download WPConsent button and the license key](https://wpconsent.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/download-wpconsent-zip-files.png)*Download and copy the License Key to set up WPConsent Pro.*

💡 Using Charitable?

The [Charitable donation plugin](https://www.wpcharitable.com/?utm_source=wpconsent&utm_medium=post&utm_campaign=charitable-cp) has a **Privacy Compliance** link in its WordPress menu. It leads to WPConsent too, so either route gets you the same plugin.

When WPConsent activates, it opens its setup wizard where you click **Let’s Get Started** to begin.

![WPConsent setup wizard welcome screen with the Let's Get Started button](https://wpconsent.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/11/wpconsent-setup-wizard-welcome.png)*The setup wizard opens as soon as WPConsent is active.*

### Step 2: Scan Your Donation Site

On the next screen, click **Scan Your Website** so the wizard runs a privacy scan.

![WPConsent setup wizard scan step with the Scan Your Website button](https://wpconsent.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/11/wpconsent-scan-your-website.png)*The scan step of the setup wizard. Click Scan Your Website to start.*

After this, WPConsent [checks your pages for cookies and tracking scripts](https://wpconsent.com/how-to-find-which-cookies-your-wordpress-site-is-using/). On our test site, the scan found 8 services setting 37 cookies across 6 pages.

![WPConsent Scan completed popup showing 8 services that set 37 cookies](https://wpconsent.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/11/wpconsent-scan-completed-donation-site.png)*The Scan completed popup on our test site. Click OK to review each service*.

### Step 3: Review What the Scan Found

Next, you’ll see each service the scan detected, with a short description of what it does.

Keep every service ticked. If you uncheck any, Auto-Configuration will skip those. WPConsent then adds each ticked one to your cookie list and your cookie policy page.

Then check that **Prevent known scripts from adding cookies before consent is given** is ticked. This is the setting that holds tracking scripts back until a donor agrees.

After that, click **Auto-Configure Selected**.

![WPConsent scan results with Prevent known scripts ticked and the Auto-Configure Selected button](https://wpconsent.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/11/wpconsent-scan-results-auto-configure.png)*Leave Prevent known scripts ticked, then click Auto-Configure Selected.*

Your donation plugin may also add tracking of its own. Once your banner is up, we’ll show you how to check that it waits too.

### Step 4: Put the Banner Where It Won’t Cover the Donate Button

Now you’ll customize how the banner looks.

WPConsent offers a **Long Banner** across the page, a **Floating Banner** in a corner, and a **Modal Banner** in the middle of the screen. The Modal Banner is part of the paid plans.

For a donation page, we recommend a **Long Banner** with **Position** set to **Bottom**, because it’s easy to spot and stays clear of the amount buttons.

![WPConsent wizard layout step with Long Banner selected and Position set to Bottom](https://wpconsent.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/11/wpconsent-long-banner-bottom-layout.png)*Long Banner selected, with Position set to Bottom.*

Scroll down to see a live preview, then click **Save & Complete Setup**.

Here’s how the banner looked on our test campaign, with the amount buttons and the custom amount field still in full view above it.

![Donation form with the cookie banner along the bottom of the page and the amount buttons visible above it](https://wpconsent.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/11/donation-form-cookie-banner-desktop.png)*The banner sits below the donation amounts, so donors can still pick one.*

On a phone, the same banner took up about the bottom third of the screen on our test form, but the buttons stacked full width and the donation amounts stayed visible.

![Phone view of the donation form with the cookie banner covering the bottom third of the screen](https://wpconsent.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/11/donation-form-cookie-banner-phone.png)*On a phone, the banner buttons stack full width and the amounts stay in view.*

⚠️ Check first

Preview your own campaign page on a phone. A tall floating banner or a modal can cover the Donate button on smaller screens.

Once the wizard closes, you’ll land on the WPConsent dashboard, where the **Site Consent Health** score shows what’s done and what’s left to do.

If it suggests turning on **Content Blocking** and your donation form uses reCAPTCHA, untick **Recaptcha** in that setting’s list first. Otherwise, donors who click Reject see an empty CAPTCHA box.

### Step 5: Write a Banner Message for Donors

The default banner message is written for any website, and you can leave it as is. But we recommend you rewrite it so it’s on-brand and speaks to your donors.

To change it, go to **WPConsent » Banner Design** and open the **Content** tab.

You can edit the message and the text on each button there.

Here’s the message we used on our test campaign that you can adapt:

> We use cookies to keep our donation form working. With your permission, we also use them to see which campaigns bring in new supporters. You can accept, reject, or choose which ones to allow.

![WPConsent Banner Design Content tab with the donor banner message in the Message box](https://wpconsent.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/11/wpconsent-banner-message-for-donors.png)*Our donor message in the Content tab of Banner Design.*

Your banner already has a **Reject** button, so the message should tell donors that saying no is fine.

Click **Save** when you’re done.

### Step 6: Keep Default Allow Off

Go to **WPConsent » Settings** and find the toggles below the license box.

**Consent Banner** and **Script Blocking** should both be on, because the wizard turns them on for you.

Leave **Default Allow** off so that the tracking scripts WPConsent blocks stay blocked until a donor clicks Accept. This is the ask-first approach EU and UK guidance describes for ad tracking.

![WPConsent settings with Consent Banner and Script Blocking on and Default Allow off](https://wpconsent.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/11/wpconsent-script-blocking-default-allow-off.png)*Consent Banner and Script Blocking on, with Default Allow left off.*

If a donor ignores the banner, those scripts stay blocked, and they can still fill in the form and donate. (If you add [Geolocation rules](https://wpconsent.com/smart-geolocation/) later, this only applies in the regions you set up. More on that below.)

### Step 7: Generate Your Cookie Policy Page

Your banner should link to a page that explains each cookie, and WPConsent can [build that cookie policy page for you](https://wpconsent.com/how-to-create-a-cookie-policy-page-in-wordpress/).

On the same **Settings** screen, find **Cookie Policy** and click **Generate Cookie Policy Page**.

![Cookie Policy setting in WPConsent with the Generate Cookie Policy Page button](https://wpconsent.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/11/wpconsent-generate-cookie-policy-page.png)*The Generate Cookie Policy Page button appears when no policy page is selected.*

WPConsent publishes the page right away, with starter text and a cookie table, and links to it from your banner.

The table lists every cookie configured in WPConsent, so it updates when you add new services from a scan. Check it again after each scan.

Read the starter text straight away. It’s a solid starting point, but it should describe your organization in your own words.

That’s the banner done. Next, let’s make sure your donation tracking waits for the donor’s answer too.

---

## How to Make Your Donation Tracking Wait for Consent

Earlier, we saw that WPConsent already holds back standard Meta and TikTok pixel code.

Pixels added by a donation plugin are different. Some plugins add their own ad tracking, and that tracking needs to hear the donor’s choice too.

There are three parts to this:

- Share the donor’s choice with your donation plugin.
- Make sure its tracking respects that choice.
- Check that nothing fires after Reject.

If something still fires, the Custom Scripts step after that shows how to hold it back yourself.

### Connect Your Donation Plugin to the Banner

Plugins pass consent to each other through a free plugin called the [WP Consent API](https://wordpress.org/plugins/wp-consent-api/).

Think of it as a shared noticeboard: WPConsent posts the donor’s choice there, and other plugins read it.

To add it, search for “WP Consent API” under **Plugins » Add New Plugin**, then install and activate it.

![WP Consent API plugin card in the WordPress plugin search with the Install Now button](https://wpconsent.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/11/wp-consent-api-plugin.png)*Search for WP Consent API and click Install Now, then Activate.*

You don’t need to set up the plugin after this. WPConsent [sends each donor’s choice to it automatically](https://wpconsent.com/docs/wp-consent-api-integration/) while your banner is on.

### Turn On Your Donation Plugin’s Consent Setting

Next, your donation plugin has to be told to read that choice.

We’ll use [Charitable](https://www.wpcharitable.com/?utm_source=wpconsent&utm_medium=post&utm_campaign=charitable-cp) as the example here, since it has a dedicated setting for it. Here is a guide on [how to install this charity plugin](https://www.wpcharitable.com/documentation/how-to-install-charitable-plugin-wordpress/?utm_source=wpconsent&utm_medium=post&utm_campaign=charitable-cp).

Using a different donation plugin? Look in its settings for a **WP Consent API** or consent option. If it doesn’t have one, the Reject test and the Custom Scripts step below still cover you.

Charitable’s Conversion Tracking addon reports each donation back to Meta, TikTok, or Google Tag Manager. It’s part of Charitable’s Pro plan and higher.

To install it, go to **Charitable » Addons**, find **Conversion Tracking**, and click **Install Addon**.

![Charitable Conversion Tracking addon card with the Install Addon button](https://wpconsent.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/11/charitable-conversion-tracking-addon.png)*The Conversion Tracking addon in Charitable » Addons.*

Then go to **Charitable » Settings » Marketing » Conversion Tracking** and add your **Meta Pixel ID** or **TikTok Pixel ID**. You’ll find your Meta Pixel ID in Meta Events Manager.

Under **Advanced**, make sure **Enable WP Consent API integration** is on. It’s on by default. Then click **Save Changes**.

![Charitable Conversion Tracking advanced settings with Enable WP Consent API integration switched on](https://wpconsent.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/11/charitable-conversion-tracking-consent-setting.png)*Enable WP Consent API integration is on by default. Click Save Changes.*

We tested this with Charitable Pro 1.8.19.6 and Conversion Tracking 1.1.2 in November 2026. If you’re on an older version, update both first.

If you use Google Tag Manager instead, Charitable sends donation data to it but does not load it for you.

In that case, you’d set up Tag Manager’s own consent handling with Google Consent Mode. Our guide to [Google Consent Mode v2 with Google Tag Manager](https://wpconsent.com/how-to-set-up-google-consent-mode-v2-wordpress-with-google-tag-manager/) shows how.

### Check What Your Plugin Really Loads

With that setting on, we wanted to see it working.

So we opened our test campaign in a private window and clicked **Reject**.

Charitable’s conversion tracking didn’t fire. The pixel files stayed off, and so did the donation reports, the messages that tell Meta or TikTok “someone just gave $50.”

Then we clicked **Accept All**. The pixels started straight away, without a page reload.

![Chrome DevTools Network tab filtered to fbevents.js, showing the Meta pixel loaded by Charitable's conversion tracking script](https://wpconsent.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/11/devtools-network-pixel-after-accept.png)*After Accept All, `fbevents.js` loads, started by Charitable’s Conversion Tracking script.*

Not every donation plugin listens like this. And when a plugin loads its pixels from its own script file, as Charitable does, the WPConsent scan may not list them.

That’s why the Reject test further down this guide is worth doing on any donation site, whatever plugin you use.

If a pixel still loads after Reject, first check that **Script Blocking** is on and **Default Allow** is off. If they are, something on your site is loading it outside WPConsent’s known scripts.

That could be a plugin, your theme, or custom code. The test section shows how to find the source, and a rule like the one below holds it back.

### If Your Plugin Doesn’t Wait: Add a Custom Script Rule (Paid Plans)

💡 Using Charitable? You can skip this step.

Charitable’s Conversion Tracking addon listens to the WP Consent API, so its pixels wait for the donor without a custom rule. In our test, nothing fired until we clicked **Accept All**.

Some donation plugins don’t listen to the WP Consent API. Older versions of a plugin may not either. In such a case, the plugin can load its pixels before the donor chooses.

[WPConsent’s paid plans](https://wpconsent.com/pricing/) let you add your own rule for that script. The script then waits until the donor accepts the category you pick.

First, give the pixels a name donors will recognize. Go to **WPConsent » Settings** and open the **Cookies** tab.

Click **Add A Service**, and set **Category** to **Marketing**.

Give it a clear name, such as “Donation Ad Tracking,” and a short description. Then click **Save**.

![WPConsent Add New Service form with Marketing as the category and Donation Ad Tracking as the name](https://wpconsent.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/11/wpconsent-add-marketing-service-generic.png)*A new Marketing service for your donation plugin’s pixels.*

Next, open the **Advanced** tab and find **Custom Iframes/Scripts**. Click **Add Custom iFrame/Script**.

In the form, fill in these fields:

1. **Category:** Marketing
2. **Service:** the service you just created
3. **Type:** Script
4. **Script Tag:** a unique part of the script file’s address. The **Initiator** tab in the test section below shows you which file it is.
5. **Script Keywords:** optional. The name the script uses inside the page, so anything that depends on it waits too. The plugin’s support team can tell you what it is.

![WPConsent Add New Script or iFrame form with Donation Ad Tracking as the service and a sample script tag](https://wpconsent.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/11/wpconsent-custom-script-rule-generic.png)*A custom script rule with sample values. Use your own plugin’s file address.*

Click **Save**. Your rule now appears under **Marketing Scripts**. Click that heading to open the group.

![Saved Donation Ad Tracking rule listed under Marketing Scripts in WPConsent](https://wpconsent.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/11/wpconsent-custom-script-saved-generic.png)*The saved rule under Marketing Scripts.*

Then run the Reject test again. Nothing should load until you click **Accept All**.

You still get ad data from donors who say yes. You get none from donors who say no or never answer.

Asking first does mean fewer donors show up in your ad reports. That’s the tradeoff.

One job stays with you: repeat the Reject test whenever you add a plugin that tracks donors. Our guide to [blocking custom scripts and iframes in WordPress](https://wpconsent.com/how-to-block-custom-scripts-and-iframes-in-wordpress/) covers more examples.

---

## How to Test Your Cookie Consent Like a Donor

The last step is to see it work on your own site. A couple of checks use your browser’s developer tools, but each one is only a few clicks.

To start, open your donation page in a private browser window, so you arrive with no saved choices, just like a new donor.

Your banner should appear at the bottom. Click **Preferences** to see the panel your donors will see.

![WPConsent cookie preferences panel over the donation form with the Marketing toggle off](https://wpconsent.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/11/donation-form-cookie-preferences.png)*The preferences panel. Marketing stays off until a donor turns it on.*

Close the panel, then run these three checks.

1. **Check the consent cookie.** Click **Reject** and reload the page. Right-click anywhere on the page and choose **Inspect** to open the developer tools. In Chrome, open the **Application** tab (click **»** if you don’t see it), expand **Cookies** in the left menu, and click your site’s address. In Firefox, it’s the **Storage** tab. Find `wp_consent_marketing`. It should say **deny**. (You’ll only see this cookie once the WP Consent API plugin is active.)

![Chrome DevTools Application tab showing the wp_consent cookies, with wp_consent_marketing set to deny](https://wpconsent.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/11/devtools-consent-cookie-deny.png)*After Reject, `wp_consent_marketing` says deny.*

2. **Watch for the pixel.** In the developer tools, open the **Network** tab and type `fbevents.js` in the filter box. For TikTok, use `analytics.tiktok.com`. Reload the page, and nothing should appear.
3. **Make a test donation.** In Charitable, go to **Settings » Payment Gateways**, tick **Turn on Test Mode**, and save. Donations then go to your gateway’s test account instead of charging anyone. If your gateway isn’t set up for test payments, turn on Charitable’s **Offline** gateway instead, which records a donation without taking a payment. An Offline donation tests the form and the receipt page, but not your real gateway. Switch either one off afterward. Then donate as a donor who clicked Reject. You should reach the receipt page. That’s what happened on our test campaign: a $50 Offline donation made after clicking Reject went straight through.

After that, close every private window, open a fresh one, click **Accept All**, and check again.

This time the cookie should say **allow**, and the pixel file should load.

If the pixel loads even after Reject, click the `fbevents.js` row and open its **Initiator** tab to see which file loaded it.

It shows the file that asked for the pixel. Then go back to the Custom Scripts step and add a rule with part of that file’s address as the Script Tag, or fix the one you already added.

⚠️ One catch

WPConsent also has a **Content Blocking** setting that holds back embeds like YouTube videos until consent. If you’ve turned it on under **WPConsent » Settings**, its list includes [**Recaptcha**](https://wpconsent.com/how-to-stop-recaptcha-before-consent-in-wordpress/), ticked by default. On our test form, that left an empty CAPTCHA box for donors who clicked Reject. If your form uses reCAPTCHA, untick it in that list, then repeat the test donation.

---

## How to Keep Your Cookie Consent Working

Your site will change over time, with new campaigns, new embeds, and maybe a new ad platform.

Review these settings as your site changes.

### Consent Logs (Paid Plans)

Consent logs keep [timestamped records](https://wpconsent.com/how-to-manage-cookie-consent-data-in-wordpress/) of when each donor’s consent was recorded.

If anyone ever asks how you collect consent, that record is one part of the answer.

To turn them on, go to **WPConsent » Settings**, scroll to **Consent Logs**, switch the toggle on, and click **Save Changes**. The records stay on your own site.

![WPConsent Consent Logs setting switched on](https://wpconsent.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/11/wpconsent-consent-logs-on.png)*Consent Logs switched on in WPConsent » Settings.*

Once it’s on, each entry shows the donor’s choice for each category, the date, a masked IP address, and the banner they saw.

![WPConsent consent logs with one visitor who accepted all categories and one who declined statistics and marketing](https://wpconsent.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/11/wpconsent-consent-logs-reject-and-accept.png)*Each log entry records what a visitor accepted or declined.*

### Auto Scanning (Paid Plans)

New embeds or tools can add new cookies without you noticing.

**Auto Scanning** rescans your site on a schedule, so you don’t have to remember to run the scan yourself. Find this setting under the **Auto Scanning** tab of **WPConsent » Scanner**.

![WPConsent Auto Scanning tab with the Auto Scanning toggle switched on and the scan interval set to Daily](https://wpconsent.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/11/wpconsent-scanner-auto-scanning.png)*Turn on Auto Scanning, then pick how often it runs.*

Scans still can’t see inside other plugins’ files, so repeat the Reject test after you add any new plugin.

### Let Donors Change Their Consent Choice Later

A donor who clicked Reject might want to say yes later, or the other way around.

Allow them to update their consent choice with a **Settings Button**.

Go to **WPConsent » Settings**, make sure **Settings Button** is on, and click **Save Changes**. It adds a small floating button that [reopens the preferences panel](https://wpconsent.com/how-to-let-visitors-change-cookie-preferences-wordpress/), and it’s included in the free version.

![WPConsent floating settings button reopening the Cookie Preferences panel on the donation site](https://wpconsent.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/11/wpconsent-floating-button.png)*A floating settings button allows users to change their consent choice.*

### Geolocation for Supporters Abroad (Paid Plans)

If your supporters come from several countries, **WPConsent » Geolocation** can show a different banner by location.

Check what happens to visitors outside the regions you set up.

On our test site, our location rules covered only the EU and California. Visitors from anywhere else saw no banner, and their tracking scripts weren’t blocked, even with Default Allow off.

![WPConsent Geolocation rules for GDPR Compliance in Europe and CCPA Compliance in California](https://wpconsent.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/11/gdpr-and-ccpa-geolocation-rules-together.png)*WPConsent allows you to set up GDPR and CCPA geolocation rules at the same time.*

So after you add location rules, visit your donation page from outside your listed regions, for example with a VPN, to see what those visitors get. Add a location group for any region that should see the banner.

Check out this tutorial on [how to add location rules with WPConsent](https://wpconsent.com/how-to-set-up-location-based-cookie-consent-in-wordpress/).

### Global Privacy Control for Oregon Supporters

If you have supporters in Oregon, note that its privacy law has required covered organizations to honor opt-out signals such as Global Privacy Control since January 1, 2026.

WPConsent’s free version includes a **Respect Global Privacy Controls** setting. Make sure it’s switched on. Our guide to [Global Privacy Control support in WordPress](https://wpconsent.com/how-to-implement-global-privacy-control-support-in-wordpress/) shows where to find it.

---

## FAQs: Cookie Consent for Nonprofits

### Are nonprofits exempt from cookie consent rules?

Not in the UK or EU. The cookie rules there apply to anyone who stores or reads information on a visitor’s device, with no exception for charities. In the US, California’s CCPA generally does not cover nonprofits. Colorado, Oregon, and Delaware do cover nonprofits above their thresholds, but those laws mainly give visitors a right to opt out of targeted advertising rather than requiring consent first, except for sensitive data such as health or religious beliefs.

### Will a cookie banner lower my donations?

The banner doesn’t block your form, as long as Content Blocking isn’t holding back your reCAPTCHA (see the test section), so donors can still give whatever they choose. Keeping it small and clear of the Donate button helps. What you will see is fewer donors in your ad reports, because some will say no to tracking.

### Does WPConsent work with Charitable Lite?

Yes. The banner, scan, and script blocking don’t depend on your donation plugin, so they work alongside Charitable Lite. Charitable’s Conversion Tracking addon, which reports donations to ad platforms, needs Charitable’s Pro plan or higher.

### Do I need to mention my ad pixels in my privacy policy?

It’s common practice. Your cookie policy lists the cookies, and your privacy policy usually explains how you use donor data, including any sharing with ad platforms. Ask your adviser what yours needs to say.

### What happens if a donor ignores the banner?

With **Default Allow** off, blocked scripts stay blocked until the donor makes a choice. They can still fill in the form and donate.

### Is WPConsent free?

Yes. The free version includes the banner, the site scan, known tracker blocking, the cookie policy page, and the WP Consent API connection. [Paid plans](https://wpconsent.com/wpconsent-free-vs-pro/) start at $49.50 and add consent logs, geolocation, auto scanning, and custom script rules.

---

## Set Up and Test Cookie Consent on Your Donation Site

You now have a banner that gives donors a real choice, and a way to check that your tracking listens to it.

Start with the Reject test on your own donation page. It shows you which tracking waits for your donors’ answer, and which doesn’t.

A banner on its own doesn’t make a site compliant. It does let you ask first, and with consent logs on, keep a record of each answer.

Want to give your donors that choice today? 
**[Get WPConsent for free →](https://wordpress.org/plugins/wpconsent-cookies-banner-privacy-suite/)**

Need consent logs and custom script rules for plugin-built pixels? 
**[See WPConsent pricing →](https://wpconsent.com/pricing/)**

## Additional Resources

These guides help you handle the rest of your donation site.

- **[How to Block YouTube Cookies Before Consent in WordPress](https://wpconsent.com/how-to-block-youtube-cookies-before-consent-in-wordpress/)**: hold back campaign videos until donors agree.
- **[Beginner’s Guide to WordPress and GDPR Compliance](https://wpconsent.com/beginners-guide-to-wordpress-and-gdpr-compliance/)**: the wider rules if you have donors in the EU.
- **[Ultimate Guide to WordPress and CCPA Compliance](https://wpconsent.com/ultimate-guide-to-wordpress-and-ccpa-compliance/)**: what US privacy rules ask of your site.

---

*This article is for general information and does not constitute legal advice. Consult a licensed attorney about the rules that apply to your organization. No tool, WPConsent included, can by itself guarantee compliance.*

---

**Categories:** Informational

**Tags:** ad tracking, consent charity, consent donation, tracking cookies, WP Consent API

---