This checklist walks you through setting up REACH from initial configuration to launch.
Follow the steps in order. Many settings and imports build on one another, so sequence matters.
Use this article as your primary setup roadmap, and follow linked articles for detailed instructions as needed.
Note: Features vary by plan level.
Quick Start (Recommended Path)
If you’re new to REACH, start here:
- General Setup
- Donations & Payments
- Sponsorships
- Supporters
- Portal Templates or Embeds
- Import Existing Data (if applicable)
- Communications Setup
- Prepare to Launch
- Onboard your Supporters
You can return later to explore additional features like campaigns, events, products, and automations.
Prefer a quick walkthrough?
View our Getting Started Short Video Series for a high-level overview of REACH setup and core features.
Individual videos are also linked throughout this checklist where they’re most helpful.
Just trying out REACH?
If you’re looking to explore REACH by adding a few basic items—without completing full setup—refer to one of the following articles:
These guides are designed for evaluation and testing only and do not require completing the full setup checklist.
1. General Setup
Log in to your Admin Console to begin setup. You will need the URL that was sent to you in your initial confirmation email. It will be similar to: https://yourorganization.reachapp.co/admins/sign-in.
Required
- Add Account Settings (Settings → Account Settings)
- Review General Settings (Settings → General Settings)
- We recommend checking the box to Disable All Supporter Email until setup is complete
- Set up Admin Users and Role-Based Permissions (Settings → Admin Users)
- A minimum of two admin users are required for contingency purposes
- In Settings > Admin Users, review the Admin Activity Notification setting to determine how frequently you’d like to be notified when other admins make changes to your data or tasks. Consider changing to Never or Daily during setup
User Tip:
- Review Welcome to REACH – Getting Started and Initial Setup videos
- We strongly recommend registering for a New Admin Orientation, where our team walks through key setup concepts and best practices.
2. Donations & Payments
Set up how online donations are processed and categorized.
Required
- Configure Donation Setup (Settings → Donation Setup)
- Set up your Payment Gateway (Settings → Donation Setup → Payment Gateway )
- If using REACHpay, go to Settings → REACHpay and follow the REACHpay setup instructions for new clients
Optional
- Customize your Credit Card Setup(Settings → Donation Setup → Credit Card Setup)
- Add Donation Categories
- Create Custom Donation Forms (Settings → Donation Forms)
User Tip:
- Review Donation Processing video
3. Sponsorships
Configure your sponsorship program before importing or publishing to the public.
Required
- Complete the Sponsorship Checklist
User Tip
- Review Setting up for Sponsorships video
4. Supporters
Prepare a supporter record and what supporters see when logging into the Donor Portal.
Required
- Create your personal supporter record (Supporters → + New Supporter)
- Login as a supporter to familiarize yourself with the Donor Portal
Your Donor Portal login page will be similar to https://yourorganization.reachapp.co/users/sign-in
Optional
- Create Custom Fields for Supporters
- Add Custom Fields to Donation Forms to gather information about your supporters
- Create Supporter Groups
User Tip
- Review Setting up for Supporters video
5. Portal Templates or Embeds
This step defines how supporters will see your sponsorships, projects, places or campaigns. Choose your preferred setup below:
OPTION 1: Portal Templates (Recommended) – Use REACH as your website with minimal setup
Portal Templates are ready-made website templates built directly into REACH.
Why choose Portal Templates
- Built specifically for clients who want to use REACH as their website
- No custom coding required
- Easy to customize branding, layout, and content
Next steps
- Review the following short videos: Setting up your REACH Portal: Portal Branding and Setting up your REACH Portal: Portal Templates
- Set your Portal Branding
- Review the Portal Templates Overview article and custom your portal templates as needed.
- Note: Before customizing your templates, we recommend completing this REACH Setup Checklist (and Sponsorships Setup Checklist, if applicable) and adding your key content so you can preview how everything will display on your site.
OPTION 2: Embeds – Embed REACH features into your existing website
Embeds allow you to add REACH content directly into your existing site.
Why choose Embeds
- No website redesign required
- Ideal for adding sponsorships (or projects, places and campaigns) quickly to your website
- No coding required
How Embeds work
- Set up your sponsorship program (or projects, places and campaigns) in REACH
- Generate embed code under Settings → Embeds
- Paste it into your website (WordPress, Webflow, Squarespace, etc.)
Requirements
- An active REACH account
- A connected payment gateway
Next Steps
- Before generating embeds, we recommend completing this REACH Setup Checklist and setting up the features you plan to embed (such as sponsorships, campaigns, projects, or places) so you can preview and test them before adding them to your website.
- Review the short video Adding REACH elements to your website
OPTION 3: Themes (Advanced) – Use REACH as your website with full design and coding control
Themes are fully customizable templates intended for teams with developer resources.
Why choose Themes
- Complete control over layout and styling
- Supports advanced customization and custom code
To use Themes, email the REACH support team to enable them on your account.
Required for All Setup Options
- Configure your Menus (Settings → Menus)
Optional
- Set up a custom Domain Name
- Set up Places
- Set up Projects
- Add additional public Pages
6. Import Existing Data (If Applicable)
Before importing, review the basic guidelines for preparing your data.
If you are not importing legacy data, you may skip this section.
Important: Imports must be completed in this order.
- Import Sponsorship Images (refer to Sponsorship Checklist)
- Import Sponsorships (refer to Sponsorship Checklist)
- Import Supporters
- Import Donation History
- Initiate PCI transfer (if applicable)
User Tip
- Review Importing your Data video
7. Communications Setup
Configure communication tools such as system notifications, text messaging, and mail merge templates.
(Settings → Communications)
Required
- Once your setup is nearly complete and you are ready to test communication, email us and we’ll turn on text and email messaging for your account. Supporters won’t receive any texts or emails until this is enabled.
- If you plan to use general texting and/or Text to Give in REACH, go to Settings > Text to Give to choose a phone number for your account.
Recommended
- To review automated REACH system emails, click on Email Templates > Generate Email Templates
- Review Mail Merge Templates and click Copy next to each template you want to use. (For example, receipts and contribution statements)
8. Prepare to Launch
Complete final checks before going live.
Required
- Complete system testing using the System Checks list
- Confirm that admin access and permissions and notifications are set
9. Onboard Your Supporters
Once setup is complete, prepare your supporters for the transition to REACH.
- Convert sponsorships from legacy to online
- Prepare and send supporter announcement email
- In General Settings, uncheck the box to Disable All Supporter Emails (if previously disabled)
- In Settings > Admin Users, review the Admin Activity Notification setting to determine how frequently you’d like to be notified when other admins make changes to your data or tasks.
After Launch: Optional Features
Once your core setup is complete, you can explore additional tools at your own pace.
Fundraising Features
Communication Tools
- Create Custom Email Templates
- Create Custom Mail Merge Templates
- Prepare additional Supporter Notifications
- Review text message options
Data & Workflow Tools
- Admin Tasks and Notes
- Reports and Segments
- Create Automations to save you time
- Set up additional site integrations (Google Analytics, MailChimp, Double the Donation, Zapier, etc.)
Donor Management Tools
- Create Tags
- Build Supporter Relationships