How to Launch a Nonprofit Website from Scratch
If you're starting a nonprofit organization, creating a website is a crucial step in establishing your online presence and reaching potential donors and volunteers.
Here are the steps to take to launch a nonprofit website from scratch:
Image source credit: Ray Kang
1. Determine Your Website Goals
Before you start building your website, you need to determine what you want to achieve with it. Some common goals for nonprofit websites include:
Raising awareness about your cause
Recruiting volunteers
Collecting donations
Sharing news and updates about your organization
Understanding what your plan is helps make adding the content so much easier since you will have a very clear idea of where to begin.
2. Choose a Website Platform
Once you have a clear idea of your website goals, it's time to choose a website platform. There are many options available, including:
Squarespace (our go-to platform with great user experience!)
Webflow (a great option for more robust websites with large amounts of information to organize)
Wix (a budget-friendly option, but with heavy limitations on design)
Consider the features and functionality that are important to you, as well as your budget, when making your decision. There’s also plenty of other platforms you can use like Shopify, Showit, Wordpress, and more. Consider your options based on what’s valuable to you in your business. If you have questions, you can reach out to us for a free consultation so we can help you decide!
Image source credit: Anna Shvets
3. Write the content for your website
When writing copy for your nonprofit website, it's important to convey your organization's mission and vision clearly and succinctly. Visitors to your site should be able to quickly understand what your organization is all about and how they can get involved. Be sure to also include information about your programs and the impact your organization has had. Additionally, make it easy for visitors to donate, sign up to volunteer, and get in touch with your organization.
4. Design Your Website
Once you’ve got the bones ready - the platform and the copy, it's time to design your website. You have two options for two different scenarios:
DIY your website using a website template.
This option is great for nonprofits who are on a budget. Many platforms have free website templates you can begin from, but there are also paid templates from different websites that offer more unique options.
Choose a template or theme that matches your brand and customize it to fit your needs. Add in your colors, logo, photos, and fonts to be personalized. Make sure your website is visually appealing, easy to navigate, and mobile-friendly.
Hire a website designer to design and develop a custom website.
This option is for nonprofits who want to make a statement with their website and have a website that doesn’t look cookie cutter just like every other site.
A web designer can help you take away the late night hours learning a website platform. Their eye for design will help you organize any amount of information into a clear and impactful story. They’ll do the heavy work of the strategy, layouts, and coding and create a website that is custom to your nonprofit.
5. Register Your Domain and Hosting
Your website will need a domain name (such as www.yournonprofit.org) and a hosting plan (which is where your website will live online). There are many domain registrars and hosting providers to choose from, so do your research to find the best fit for your nonprofit.
6. Test and Launch
Before you launch your website, make sure to test it thoroughly to ensure it's functioning properly and looks great on all devices. Once you're confident everything is working as it should, it's time to launch your nonprofit website!
Before you start building your website, you need to determine what you want to achieve with it.
Image Source Credit: Maresa Smith
Launching a nonprofit website from scratch can seem overwhelming, but by following these steps, you can create a professional and effective online presence for your organization.
If you need help with any part of the website design process, our team would be happy to help!
Let us help tell your story in the most thoughtful and strategic way. Fill out an inquiry form or hit reply to send us an email so we can start the conversations. We know you have a story to tell and lives to touch, let us help you get there.
