Nonprofit Website Design for 2023 – A Primer
Nonprofit organizations face unique challenges when it comes to website design. Here are the very basics you must know before you start.
Nonprofit Versus For-profit Websites
Nonprofit Versus For-profit Websites: what’s the difference?
When a website, be it nonprofit or for-profit, is well thought out and branded, it will have a far better chance to exude the entity’s product and, or mission instantly than a website that is not. Moreover, it should appeal to the viewer’s sensibilities and be very user-friendly. In other words, the “user experience” (UE/UX) is vital for any website to compete in today’s WWW marketplace.
As for the website’s primary reason for being (most will think it’s always about revenue generation), this is where the two entities start to deviate.
For commercial endeavors, the main goal is nearly always to make money, and that’s a given. But for the nonprofit sector, the answer is a bit more complicated.
For the nonprofit, success is not calculated as mere profit (though raising money is undoubtedly a significant priority if it wishes to survive) but rather how well it fulfills its overall mission. Therefore, the product, be it a widget or a social service, has to be sold to someone and generate revenue.
Where the Split Occurs
The for-profit website targets the product buyer—who is almost always (save for gift cards) the product’s end-user. So when creating your website for the commercial sector, you are communicating to one audience: the buyer/user.
The nonprofit website, however, generally addresses two audiences—often split equally. One message is for the product buyer (the donor of the product or service), and the other is for the product user (the people in need of the product or service—the client). And this sort of split-branding can be a challenge.
In both instances, the product needs to be well promoted as necessary to the buyer and of good value—be it a widget for oneself or a critical service to another. For the for-profit, this singular focus makes creating the web presence relatively streamlined.
But what about the nonprofit’s end user—the client? Their user experience will not be buyer’s satisfaction or even return on social investment (ROsI), but on when, where, and how to obtain the product/service and how quickly they can access it. (This client priority, by the way, is also essential to the buyer/funder who considers the overall user experience for clients as a reasonable ROsI.)
ROsI
The ROsI continues beyond the product/service level for the funder or even how well the website offers equal space for donors and clients. The funder tends to look at multiple factors:
- Desktop/laptop viewing first: Can they view the website well on their desktop/laptop as well as a mobile device? (Since donors tend to use desktops/laptops more than mobile devices when considering their involvement in an organization, good content is vital.)
- Is the website engaging without a look of wastefulness? I.E., not too flashy and overly trendy, yet attractive?
- How are the clients (recipients of their intended support) perceived? Will particular content direction (images and descriptions) turn off the donor—or, perhaps, the client? (For the donor, the pitch often shows the worst-case scenario, where when you’re addressing the client, optimism and non-judgment is critical.)
- What is the call to action other than the donation request? The sign-up form or invitation to an event allows the donor to feel like a more significant part of the organization’s community than just another income stream.
- How has the website prioritized its giving, be it donations or volunteering time?
Access
As for the client, their priorities may be:
- Mobile device-friendly first: Is the website conforming well to handheld devices (is it “responsive”)? According to a Pew study, 50-75% of homeless and low-income people only have access to a mobile device, be it a smartphone or tablet. Considering this, the website should be designed with a desktop in mind for the donors and in responsive format for clients—which requires a judicial approach to paring down content, along with format tweaks, for the best view on mobile devices.
- How intuitive is it to locate the product/service? Are dates and times clearly stated? Are schedules, directions, and maps provided?
- What are the limitations and “need to know” messages?
Unique Content for the Nonprofit
There are pages and applications that are geared more toward the nonprofit than the for-profit:
- Client programs/services
- HIPPA or other statements of privacy
- Financial disclosure
- Volunteer program and forms
- Board of directors page
- Access to departmental staff
- Robust About Us / History page(s)
- Achievements and profiles
- Membership/subscription
- Dynamic social networking center-point
- Calendar
- Donation options page (from one-time donations to planned/estate giving)
- A very user-friendly “back end” so that in-house staff can make updates and new pages without needing a dedicated webmaster.
In a nutshell, the user experience differs between nonprofit and for-profit websites, and we get that. Dot Org Web Works stand out from other website developers because we only work for the charitable nonprofit sector.
This article was originally published on May 5, 2018. Last update: January 12, 2023
We would LOVE (that’s no exaggeration!) to work with you on your next (or first ever!) website. And if you think that having professional assistance may be outside of your current budget, you might be in for a pleasant surprise.
6 Things Your Site Can Be Doing Now For the Holiday Giving Period
Traditionally, the holiday period is when many supporters decide on which charity to support and how much to give. (More than 30% of donations processed through Network for Good occur in December alone.) Well before Thanksgiving, you’ll want to ramp up your fundraising program, starting with your website.
Dot Org Web Works offers these suggestions:
First, and foremost, can your website process online donations securely and quickly? If not, Network for Good, Qgiv, and AffiniPay are just a few prime examples of donation services that specialize in processing credit card donations to nonprofit organizations.
1. Showcase the Need
Create a new Post/article showcasing the issue at hand (e.g.: For the homeless, winter is most difficult; Family service needs increase during holidays; Affordable housing solutions for families year-round, etc.). This Post should be given priority placement on your Home page with a strong, inviting, title.
2. Highlight the Giving Opportunity
Provide the opportunity, a call to action (CTA), for your website visitor to give to your program (per the above examples). Throughout your CTA, broadcast your success with the funding amount raised to date, and how much further to go to reach its goal.
- You’ll want to make sure that, at the very least, your giving options page is responsive to mobile devices. About 25% of online donations are made through mobile devices.
- Brand (tailor) your giving page to that of the CTA with suggested amounts and with captivating images.
- Make the case! How will their donation be invested? (E.g: “A $50 donation will provide 2 medical exams for persons without health care options.”)
- Post a copy of the article and give request in your Facebook and other social media avenues, and ask that people Share the content within their networks. (Replace your regular background image with that of the CTA’s.)
3. Add Donate Now to Facebook
Facebook recently added a “Donate Now” option to their call-to-action buttons. Take advantage of it.
4. E-letter Early and Timely
Send out your e-newsletter before the crunch (such as the first week of November and December). And remember, about half of all emails are now read on mobile devices. You’ll want your e-newsletter formatted to view well on these smaller screens.
5. Gifts for the Givers
Many businesses supportive of your organization will gladly provide gift certificates and other products for you to give out as donation incentives. These free dinners, movie tickets, music CDs and whatnot can induce a $10 giver to give $40 or more. Giving benefits are a great way of maximizing everyone’s participation.
6. The Final Push
Don’t forget the final push to give in the last week. Send out e-update on the CTA’s success, and that this may be their last opportunity to be a part of this solution for this giving cycle.
Web Design for Nonprofits
As nonprofit professionals, we clearly understand the difference between a charitable nonprofit organization, to that of a for-profit enterprise.
Website Design that Raises Awareness
The design and development of a website intended to raise awareness can be a real challenge. Here we offer the key steps to an effective awarness campaign.
Giving Tuesday 2021
Giving Tuesday 2021 (#GivingTuesday) is on November 30, 2021. So now may be your best time to really prepare for Giving Tuesday… you know, before crunch time comes.
Donate Your Stimulus Check?
Where to Donate Your Stimulus Check
If you find that the $600 stimulus check isn’t needed, maybe turn it over to someone who really does.
In December, when former President Trump eventually signed the $900 billion Covid-19 relief package, I was first pleased and then (to be brutally honest) disgusted. At the expense of the staggering growing number of unemployed, what could have been a useful and much-needed additional assistance to them, instead deteriorated to a $600 offering to most every American who is not already doing very well economically.
The United States, and the world, have been in a pandemic for one year now; the economic devastation has been both relentless and immense. In December, new jobless claims rose to 900,000, which puts the total unemployed in the U.S. to about 12.6 million, which is the highest level since the Great Depression. In short, life is bleak for many of our loved ones, friends and neighbors.
Like most Americans, I should receive the so-called “stimulus” money sometime in January. The $600 amount will be appreciated for most people: it will allow them to buy food and some other immediate necessities–but not much else. For them, it is not a stimulus as it is a little something for now—to keep one’s head above water, like a tiny life preserver in the middle of the sea.
For others, the ones not yet in dire straits (such as myself), the $600 amount will be, ironically, a stimulus—disposable income.
If you are in the latter category, you might find that putting that $600 to real good use will be an attractive option. You can donate that amount to a struggling family or a charitable organization that will invest it into something life-sustaining.
Finding an organization that can put your stimulus to good work is easy. Here are a few suggestions:
- Google your preference, such as: “donate to homeless near me.”
- Visit Charity Navigator at: https://www.charitynavigator.org/.
- Ask a friend or family member if they know someone who is about to become evicted or who is otherwise in need of financial help.
On my shortlist of community organizations helping to lessen the impact of the financial crisis due to Covid-19, are:
- Rose Haven – A day shelter for women and children.
- Wallace Medical – Providing health services regardless of ability to pay.
- Rose Community Development – Offering long-term housing solutions to families.
- GRASP – Grief recovery for those who have lost loved ones to the opioid epidemic.
- Homeless Health Care L.A. – They are on the frontline of helping those on skid row get access to healthcare.
How to Get Google Ad Grants
Google Ad Grants Just Got Easier to Set Up
Google’s Ad Grants program, which is part of Google for Nonprofits, has been helping tens-of-thousands of nonprofit organizations in more than 50 countries. And up until now, accessing the program could be a little bewildering—which is why I posted my first step-by-step guide “Nabbing Google Ad Grants” in 2017. Since that time, Google has refined its program and have made it easier to access,and a whole lot easier to set up your first ad campaign.
The first thing you will want to do is create a new, specific to your organization, Google account. (Do not use your personal account since you will want to keep a separation between you the person and the nonprofit organization you are representing.)
Then visit: https://www.google.com/nonprofits, scroll on down to near the bottom and begin the process within “Steps to get Google Products”.
Who’s eligible:
Google requires that your organization be a nonprofit charitable organization meeting the full eligibility requirements in your country. For United States based organizations, this usually falls under 501(c)3 tax exempt status, but with the following exclusions: That your organization is:
- Not a governmental entity or organization
- Not a hospital or healthcare organization
- Not a school, academic institution, or university (Google for Educationoffers a separate program for schools)
Verification
You then need to get verified. Begin the verification process here. Specifically, you will need to be verified as a nonprofit organization by TechSoup or the local TechSoup partner.
Then request a Google for Nonprofits account, by going to: https://www.google.com/nonprofits/account/signup/us . Follow the instructions.
Once your nonprofit is verified, Google will inform you about accessing services such as Ad Grants.
Growing your fundraising with Ad Grants:
Ad Grants has made a tutorial on how to create your free Google Ads. Visit: Start the course.
WordPress Compared to Joomla and Drupal
Content Management Systems (CMS) has been the choice for website developers ever since they metamorphosed from its humble beginnings as Dr. Glen Barry’s “blog” in the 1990s, to the web platform that is now powering the vast majority of all websites on the Internet. Though there were many startup CMS choices just a few years ago, the field has narrowed to three main competitors: Joomla, Drupal, and WordPress.
Currently, WordPress is by far the dominant choice. An astounding 64% of all CMS sites are from WordPress (or an even more amazing figure of 38% of all websites within the worldwide web). Trailing far behind is Joomla with its market share of 3.9% of CMS, and Drupal with 2.6% of CMS.
WordPress, Joomla and Drupal have their key technical features in common:
- they’re open source content management systems,
- they all support the MySQL database, although Joomla and Drupal allow for support with other database systems,
- and, all of them use pre-developed themes and plugins (modules that extend features) to enhance functionality and showcase content.
Taking a closer look…
Installation and Use
WordPress is relatively easy to install. If you understand the basics of uploading files to a server and configuring the database (MySQL), then the process will take just a few minutes. (Although, WordPress comes with its “famous five minute install,” unless you are a professional or have prior experience, you better budget in a few more minutes.) Once you’re set up, you’ll be introduced to the Dashboard (control panel) where prime settings are adjusted, new Pages and Posts are made, and customization with the plugins are achieved. WordPress is quite intuitive—and, given its dominance in the market, very familiar to many website managers.
Joomla is also rather quick to install, but not as fast as WordPress. The control panel is a bit more complicated to navigate. Drupal’s installation is also fairly similar to WordPress and Joomla. Its post installation can be a bit complicated for beginners, and knowing how to make changes are not as intuitive. Overall though, they are all intuitive and should work fine for you once you’ve familiarized yourself with the chosen system.
Support
Because of WordPress’ popularity, there are more free support options available. Plus, WordPress has a massive support community through various forums and through WordPress.org. Joomla and Drupal also have support communities, although not as vast.
Plugins and Themes Availability
Where the real benefit of WP is over the other two, aside from a larger market share and user base, is its access to more than 38,000 plugins, which are free within the WordPress.org plugin directory. These are, of course, in addition to the “premium” plugins available to WP systems for a nominal cost.
Joomla and Drupal also have many templates and plugins that work with their respective systems, but they are not nearly as plentiful and the quality tends not to be as high.
Security
For many operators of CMS sites, security ranks near or at the top of concerns. All three provide for a respectable level of security, with quick remedies to counter hacks, and backup systems for when you need to re-install part or all of your website. Overall, there is no clear winner for the average CMS website in the security department. However, since WordPress is the bigger dog in the yard, hackers tend to focus on WP first. That said, all three CMS platforms have equally good response times and fixes for when security breaches are realized.
Two of the less talked about and more vulnerable aspects of a CMS framework, according to Randy Morris of Releventure, are plugins and themes. These prolific and popular elements provide a quick functionality fix, however oftentimes at the cost of security, as they usually have very few developers and not very frequent updates.
In general all three platforms have similar release cycles and robust communities. The key with each of these platforms will always be to follow proper security policies, maintain vigilant updating, use well-maintained monitoring and scanning services (such as Sucuri), have solid backups, and recover processes in place.
Winner?
The overall winner then? Well, since all three CMS are reliable and have adequate access to themes, plugins, and support communities, and each resolves security issues; it comes down to what your specific needs are. But if those needs are sufficiently addressed in all three (which is likely), then it comes down to user friendliness. That said, since WordPress has the natural advantage of being the most popular CMS, with its very user-friendly control panel (Dashboard) and its far greater percentage of users (e.g., staff and volunteers who are familiar with the system), this, in our view, puts WordPress on top.
Sources: PC Tech Magazine, WP for Beginners, W3Techs, Sitepoint, Quora, Randy Morris.
This article was originally published on 17 June 2017
WordPress for Nonprofits
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