What Should a Non-Profit Website Include?

When creating any website the first question you should ask yourself is what the main goals of the website are. It could be to educate people, to generate leads, create clientele, or raise awareness to certain causes. Most nonprofits use their websites to explain their vision and purpose, announce news and promote events, reach the people they serve, and raise their exposure in the community. To create a quality website for a non-profit you must highlight all of these things in a clear and accessible way to the website user. In this blog, we will cover how to create top-notch websites for non-profits and answer the question of what should a non-profit website include?

What should a non profit website include?

Homepage

The homepage of your non-profit website will be the very first thing a viewer sees so it is important to make it simple and to the point. Here you will clearly express your organization’s mission and vision so that visitors immediately understand the purpose and goals of your non-profit. Along with your mission statement you can add a quick “About Us” blurb. You do not have to go into too much detail yet, just include a quick couple of sentences to give the viewer a gist of who you are.

Having photos of your volunteers and events are great additions to the homepage as well so new visitors can see what kind of events you put on and how you are helping the community. As we mentioned before, you want your homepage to be clear, concise and easily navigable. Other than clearly showcasing your call-to-action, these few elements should be all you need on your homepage.

About the Organization

The most efficient way to turn new visitors into active contributors is to educate them about your organization, which is what you will do on the About page. You will need to offer detailed information about the organization and the problem you are solving. An “About Us” page should provide a brief overview of your organization’s history, values, success stories, and important team members.

Success Stories

By featuring success stories on your nonprofit’s website you can demonstrate impact, promote trust, and encourage support for the organization’s goal. On Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program’s website we featured one of their community members’ stories and let her tell in her own words how the program helped her.

Statistics

You can mention any major achievements and add statistics that show exactly how you have impacted the community. Providing statistics about your non-profit for your supporters, volunteers, and stakeholders to see promotes transparency and can build trust and credibility. On NECAT’s website we clearly highlighted some of their most impressive statistics to show website visitors what their non-profit is capable of.

Upcoming News & Events

In this section, you can describe all of the programs, initiatives, or projects in which your non-profit is involved. Creating a monthly newsletter that people can sign up for on this page is an excellent way to keep people informed and showcase your community involvement. 

You can also make a calendar of upcoming events, workshops, webinars, fundraisers, and other activities. An events calendar that’s accessible to all website visitors is an excellent way for people to stay informed about what is going on with your organization and encourage volunteerism. Visitors who are discovering your group for the first time will be able to see how active it is and discover future events in which they can participate.

Donation Forms

You will want to make sure donation forms and donation call-to-actions are clearly presented throughout the website, but also have a designated page for donation purposes. Accompanying donation forms should be a brief thank you from the organization that explains how important every donation is and how they are greatly appreciated. It is also imperative that you mention all of the various ways that people can contribute and make it simple and quick for them to do so.

How to Get Involved

With most non-profits there are a number of ways website visitors can get involved. Whether it be by making donations, signing up to volunteer, or becoming a sponsor you will want to clearly outline how an individual can do any of these things. Be sure to clearly explain what each role entails and what will be required of them. 

Contact Page

The contact page is perhaps the most important part of any website. Giving volunteers and partners a direct line of contact to your non-profit will give a sense of transparency, build trust with your website visitors and furthermore encourage volunteerism. Along with a clear contact form you will want to list your phone number, address, and what areas your non-profit serves.

This is just a bare-boned outline of what your nonprofit’s website should include. In reality every organization is very different and has different goals, and your website should reflect that in its own unique way. Compete Now has successfully created elite websites for nonprofits all over the country. If you need assistance with getting your nonprofit’s website up and running or are still asking yourself  “what should a non profit website include?” contact us today for a free consultation!