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How to Add a Tip Jar or Donation to a Submission Form

Here's how to add the option of a tip jar or donation to a free entry to submission form

Written by Oz Osbaldeston

To add an optional tip jar or donation to a Dapple submission form, connect a Stripe account, open Form Builder, add a Payment field with Select Amount, list $0 (Free) plus your tip tiers, and set $0 as the default. The submission stays free to enter while still letting creators add an optional contribution. Transparency about how the money is used is essential — see best practice below.

When should I use a tip jar?

  • Free submissions where you want to give creators the option to support your cause.

  • Programmes that don't charge submission fees but want to fund organisation time or production costs.

  • Open calls where charging upfront would lock out lower-income creators but optional contributions are welcomed.

Before you start

Connect Stripe in Settings → Payments. Without it, no Payment fields can be added. Full setup: How to Connect a Stripe Account

Step 1: Add a Payment field

  1. Open the project's Form Builder.

  2. Click Add Fields → Payment.

  3. Give the field a label (e.g. 'Tip Jar' or 'Optional Donation').

Step 2: Configure Select Amount with tip tiers

  1. Switch to Select Amount.

  2. Add your tiers — for example $0 (Free Entry), $2, $5, $10, $20.

  3. Add a label and description for each option (e.g. '$5 — covers our editorial review').

  4. Drag the options into the order you want.

  5. Set $0 as the default so the form is free by default.

  6. Save.

Step 3: Be transparent about how tips are used

Your tip description copy matters. Creators should know exactly what they're paying for — and what they're not. Add a clear note in the field description:

  • If tips fund editorial time or running costs, say so plainly.

  • If tips do NOT influence review outcomes, state that. This is critical for trust.

  • If specific tiers unlock anything (e.g. faster feedback, guaranteed comments), explain it. Tying tips to preferential treatment without disclosure damages trust quickly.

Example copy: 'Your submission is free to enter. Optional tips help support our editors and the running of this project. Tips do not affect how submissions are reviewed.'

Step 4: Test before going live

  1. Save the form.

  2. Preview the form as a creator.

  3. Confirm the $0 option is selected by default and the field is genuinely optional.

Tax on tips received

Tips received through Dapple are generally treated as taxable income — you're responsible for declaring this in line with local tax law. See How tax works on Dapple

Where to go next

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