How do I Start a Non-Profit Website?

For non-profit organizations, getting information to as many potential supporters as possible through the power of the Internet is important for attracting help for their missions. A non-profit website can be an essential tool to educate, gather support, and solicit donations from those who believe in the cause that the nonprofit is addressing. A starting point for a non-profit website can be using a design that will attract more potential donors and provide valuable information to viewers in a user-friendly format.

To start a non-profit website, it is important that the organization being represented is in fact a true non-profit. The organization must be registered with local and national authorities to accept tax-deductible donations before it can present itself as a non-profit organization on a website or otherwise. Keep this in mind before building a non-profit website and accepting any donations from website visitors. To do otherwise can result in severe criminal penalties and legal action.

Non-profit websites are similar to general use websites in that they share many of the same attributes, such as the web page layouts, search-engine-friendly content, information about the organization, and contact forms. On a website, the content and links on the web pages must be interactive and compelling. This will get viewers to take action and make donations to the organization in order to support its mission.

Each non-profit website should be designed with the behavior of typical website visitors in mind. The website should include plenty of information about the mission of the nonprofit organization, who the founding members are, the activities and events in which the organization is involved, and how they are making a difference. The key is to draw viewers in and get them excited about the cause so that they too want to become involved. This involvement can mean forming a local group to address the cause or making a financial donation to support the organization.

In order for a non-profit website to be successful, making it easy to send donations should be a primary focus of the website development team. That means payment buttons need to be easy to find, easy to use, and leave the donor with a good feeling. There should also be alternative methods of supporting the nonprofit organization, such as a store filled with organizational-branded products where purchases can be made to support the organization and advertise it on a local level.