Design your way

When creating one of the best nonprofit websites, you’ll want to create a website which is easy to navigate, and which clearly communicates the goals or mission of the organization.

Great websites use typography, color and other design websites to put across a clear message. However, charity websites are often different from corporate brands. The best charity websites will be designed with this difference in mind.

A non profit website will need to:

Clearly communicate the values behind their brand
Explain the impact they are able to make
Encourage viewers to engage or take action towards a cause

As a designer, you might wonder how to create one of the best nonprofit websites for your organization. You might want to know what a nonprofit website design should include. How do you create a non profit website design which will encourage users to engage with a charity or organization? The best nonprofit websites enable their organizations to generate enthusiasm and the support associated with this.

This article has created a list of design practices which will help you to create your nonprofit website. Whether this is a design for your own nonprofit website, or one you will be creating for a client, we hope you will find inspiration. By following these steps, you will end up with a highly attractive website design which will engage your viewers.

Share your mission

When creating charity websites, the mission or goal of the organization is very important. Whether it is working for ecological awareness or animals in need, every nonprofit organization has a clear mission. When viewers know and understand that mission, they will be clear about the value offered. You could also share experiences, testimonials or reflections from people who have interacted with the organization.

Are you creating awareness about climate change? If so, it might help you to include reflections from people who have participated in this process. You could take photos to include of participants sharing anxieties or concerns. The best nonprofit websites don’t enforce their missions. Instead, they share them gently in order to share their values, belief systems and impact.

Create a donor friendly site

If your organization relies on external funding, make it easy for your donors to make contributions. Great websites keep their donation button only a single click away from viewers – no matter where viewers are on a site. It should also be very simple and easy to make a donation.

Keep your page simple and clean so that viewers can easily see your Call To Action (CTA) button.
Keep your colour scheme simple and your CTA bold, so that it stands out against your page.
Easy to read and legible text will keep your viewer engaged. Modern fonts without serifs are easiest to read on screen.
Lettering should contrast clearly against the background of your site so that it is easy to read. White text on a dark background, or dark text against a light background increases visibility.
Keep your background clear and uncluttered by making use of white space. Your content should be able to breathe.
Remember that less is more. The best nonprofit websites will inform viewers about the organization’s mission, show supporters how to make a contribution and accept donations. Anything beyond this will merely become a distraction.

Make it easy to recruit volunteers

Charity websites often attract volunteers who wish to make a contribution. If your site relies on attracting volunteers, you will need to show them how to get involved. Many people would like to make a difference in the lives of others even if unable to make donations. People passionate about your organization’s cause may wish to donate time or skills into enhancing the organization.

Work with social media

Social media has become an increasingly popular way to share information and encourage engagement. The best nonprofit websites are social media friendly. Include information about important people playing a role in your organization and include contact information for important people within your organization. Add social media tags to your site and share downloadable information about your organization. Images and photos can be shared online to share your mission and encourage a following.

Create a clear CTA button

From donors to volunteers, charity websites attract people who wish to offer support. Creating a CTA button for different types of supporters will encourage people to offer up what they can.

Here are a few helpful tips:

Keep your donation button visible and easily accessible, no matter where your viewers are on your site.
Once your donors have made a financial contribution, show them fundraising events or volunteer opportunities they can participate in. Interested donors can offer more if they wish. By letting donors know how else they can participate, they can contribute without feeling pestered.
Not all site visitors will be ready to donate time or money. However, they may still be interested in your organization and its mission. Nonprofit websites benefit from a subscriber button, which will allow you to communicate with your visitors by means of emails and newsletters. This will keep any interested parties informed of your activities, goals and achievements.

The best nonprofit websites have multiple CTA buttons. This will keep supporters engaged no matter why they decided to visit your site.

Use images to convey important information

When you design websites for nonprofits, use visual imagery to tell your story. Very often, complex information can be easily digested when it is visually displayed. Create a clear and identifiable logo to go with your site so that when views see your logo, they will easily be able to recognize your organization and mission in the future.

Here are some ways philanthropists use visual information:

Using custom fonts for interesting headers
Animation videos
Site icons
Attractive photos and images
Infographics

Create a responsive website

Top nonprofit websites are always responsive. This is because viewers are using mobile devices more and more frequently. When viewers are able to easily absorb your message, view images as well as navigate your site, you’ll keep their attention. Stick to essential information so that your viewer does not have to navigate a ton of content using a mobile phone.

Include space for a blog or news section

When you keep your viewers informed, you increase the opportunity for exposure. Blogs are often quoted by news sites, as well as shared via social media. The more word gets out about your organization and its goals and achievements, the more visitors your ngo website will attract.

Remember to make connections through social media

As we shared earlier, social media is a great place to share information, and charity sites will benefit from being social media friendly. Give your site visitors easy access to your social media sites such as Twitter, Facebook or Instagram. The best nonprofit websites also enable sharing. By following you on social media, your viewers will be able to interact with you and learn more about the everyday events taking place within your organization.

Create a speedy site

Ensure your nonprofit website design is quick to download. You often have 6 – 8 sessions to capture a viewer’s attention and a site which is slow to load may mean your viewer will bounce off your site.

Here are some tips to create a faster site:

Optimize your images so that they download quickly. You’ll find online tools to help you resize your photos.
Compress your plugins
Limit your use of custom fonts

By working to create a fast and effective site, you will improve your website’s SEO, improving your search engine rankings. You’ll also keep your viewers interested and engaged.

Highlight a matching gifts option

The best nonprofit websites often use matching gifts. Matching gifts enable your viewers to offer up a donation as well as encourage others (such as an employer) to do the same. Many matching gifts are offered up on a 1:1 basis, but some matching gifts can even be as high as 4:1.

When you use matching gifts tools for nonprofit website design, it will assist a charity or NGO to raise more money during fundraising campaigns.

Leave your donors feeling safe and secure

Donors who wish to make a contribution online are often required to offer up credit card or bank account details. This can often feel anxiety provoking for some donors, who are afraid of their information being misused.

Show your donors that your site is trustworthy by placing security logos on your donation forms. If you use a PCI certified logo, your viewers will know that your site is secure (and PCI compliant).

Use SEO strategies to increase your traffic rates

Great websites use SEO to boost traffic to their sites. When you use SEO for your nonprofit website, it’s important to remember that SEO takes time. By using SEO as an ongoing activity, you’ll be able to create one of the best nonprofit websites in your niche.

Here are some tips for great SEO: