How to Make a Website for a New Nonprofit

Launching a nonprofit organization means you have a mission to fulfill and people to serve. But before you can make a real impact, you need to establish your online presence. A professional website is no longer optional for nonprofits; it's essential for credibility, donor trust, and spreading your message. Here's how to create a website that helps your nonprofit succeed.

Why Your Nonprofit Needs a Website

In today's digital world, your website serves as the foundation of your nonprofit's online presence. According to research from Capterra, 63% of donors research nonprofits online before giving, and 51% visit a nonprofit's website to verify legitimacy before donating. Your website helps you:

Establish credibility and build trust with potential donors
Share your mission, impact stories, and organizational transparency
Accept online donations and process transactions securely
Recruit volunteers and connect with supporters
Provide information about programs, events, and ways to get involved
Improve your search engine visibility so people can find you
Build your email list for ongoing communication

Common Question

Q: Can I create a nonprofit website myself, or do I need to hire someone?

A: You have options. Many nonprofits start with DIY website builders like Wix for Nonprofits or Squarespace, which offer nonprofit discounts. However, many founders try building their website themselves but end up frustrated running into technical issues, struggling with how it looks, and spending countless hours trying to make everything work. They often give up and hire professionals.

That's why working with professionals like us makes sense: you can focus on your mission while we focus on helping you bring awareness about it to the world. We support nonprofits and work with your budget to provide affordable, custom solutions tailored to your specific needs. Building a professional, conversion-optimized website that properly handles donations, integrates with your systems, and follows best practices requires expertise that most nonprofits find valuable from day one.

Essential Pages Your Nonprofit Website Needs

Every effective nonprofit website includes these core pages. Research from Nonprofit Quarterly shows that sites with these essential pages see higher donor conversion rates:

Homepage

Your homepage is your first impression. Make it count:

Clear mission statement visible above the fold
Compelling hero image or video that tells your story
Prominent donate button that stands out
Brief explanation of your impact and what you do
Call-to-action buttons for key actions (donate, volunteer, learn more)
Testimonials or quotes from beneficiaries or supporters
Recent news or updates to show activity

About Us Page

Donors want to know who you are and why you exist:

Your organization's origin story and founding mission
Core values and guiding principles
Team members and leadership bios with photos
Board of directors information
Your approach to making change
Financial transparency and accountability information

Programs and Impact Page

Show what you actually do and the difference you make:

Detailed descriptions of each program or initiative
Impact metrics and statistics that demonstrate results
Success stories and case studies with photos or videos
How donations are used and allocated
Testimonials from program participants or beneficiaries

Donate Page

Make donating as easy as possible. According to Classy's research, optimized donation pages can increase conversion rates by up to 40%:

Secure, prominent donation form that's easy to find
Multiple giving options (one-time, recurring, monthly, etc.)
Suggested donation amounts based on your average gift size
Clear explanation of what donations fund
Mobile-friendly form that works on all devices
Trust indicators (security badges, nonprofit status, tax-deductible information)
Option to cover processing fees

Get Involved or Volunteer Page

Make it easy for people to help beyond donating:

Volunteer application or sign-up form
Current volunteer opportunities with descriptions
Time commitments and requirements
Other ways to help (advocacy, fundraising, sharing on social media)
Upcoming events and ways to participate

Contact Page

Always make it easy for people to reach you:

Physical address if you have an office
Phone number and email address
Contact form for inquiries
Office hours or availability
Social media links

Design Question

Q: What design elements are most important for nonprofit websites?

A: Focus on clarity, trust, and ease of use. Use high-quality images that tell your story authentically. Ensure your site loads quickly (under 3 seconds) and works perfectly on mobile devices, as over 50% of nonprofit website traffic comes from mobile. Use clear, readable fonts and plenty of white space. Your color scheme should reflect your brand while maintaining good contrast for accessibility. While DIY tools can help you get started, professional designers understand how to optimize layouts for conversion, ensuring your donation buttons, forms, and calls-to-action are strategically placed to maximize engagement.

Key Features and Functionality

Beyond basic pages, your nonprofit website needs specific functionality:

Donation Processing

Choose a secure payment processor that integrates well with your website. Popular options include:

Stripe for nonprofits offers reduced transaction fees
PayPal for Nonprofits provides discounted rates and easy integration
Classy is built specifically for nonprofits with fundraising tools
Givebutter offers free fundraising software with low processing fees

Email List Integration

Build your supporter base by collecting email addresses. Integrate with email marketing platforms:

Mailchimp for Nonprofits offers free plans for eligible organizations
Constant Contact provides nonprofit discounts and email templates
Embed signup forms throughout your site
Offer lead magnets like impact reports or newsletters to encourage signups

Content Management System

Choose a CMS that makes it easy to update your site without technical knowledge:

WordPress with nonprofit-friendly themes and plugins
Website builders like Wix or Squarespace with drag-and-drop editors
Specialized platforms like NationBuilder designed for nonprofits
Consider ease of use for your team members who will maintain the site

Website Builders and Platforms for Nonprofits

Several platforms offer discounts and features specifically for nonprofits. According to TechSoup, which provides discounted technology to nonprofits, these platforms are popular choices:

WordPress

Highly customizable with thousands of themes and plugins
Free open-source software (you'll need hosting)
Large community and extensive resources
Requires more technical knowledge or help to set up properly
Great for organizations that need extensive customization

Squarespace

Beautiful, modern templates that look professional immediately
50% discount for eligible nonprofits
All-in-one hosting and easy-to-use editor
Built-in donation integration
Good customer support and tutorials

Wix

Free plan available with nonprofit upgrade discounts
Very user-friendly drag-and-drop builder
Wide variety of templates including nonprofit-specific designs
Good mobile editing capabilities
App marketplace for additional features

Important note about free and low-cost platforms: That advertised price is just the entry point. Often, add-on features cost more money, and you'll also invest significant time learning new tools. Managing a nonprofit, donors, and events is stressful enough. Just know that if you go the DIY route, website building and maintenance can easily become another part-time job. Many nonprofits find that the time investment and hidden costs add up quickly, making professional web development services a better value in the long run. If you're considering working with professionals, know that we support nonprofits and work with your budget to provide affordable, custom solutions tailored to your specific needs.

Platform Selection

Q: Should I build the site myself or hire a professional?

A: This depends on your budget, timeline, and technical comfort. DIY website builders can work well for simple sites if you're willing to invest significant time learning the platform. However, we've seen many nonprofit founders start with DIY builders only to get frustrated with technical issues, design limitations, and the time commitment required. They often end up hiring professionals after weeks or months of struggling.

Working with experienced professionals brings expertise in nonprofit web design, conversion optimization, security best practices, and technical implementation. Professionals like Local Lead Gen can ensure your donation forms work correctly, your site loads fast, your SEO is optimized, and everything integrates properly with your other systems. We support nonprofits and work with your budget to provide affordable, custom solutions that fit your specific needs. This saves time and ensures your website is built right from the start, allowing you to focus on your mission while we help bring awareness about it to the world.

Design Best Practices for Nonprofit Websites

Your website design directly impacts how visitors perceive your organization and whether they choose to support you:

Mobile-First Design: Over half of nonprofit website traffic is mobile. Ensure your site looks and works perfectly on phones and tablets
Fast Loading Times: Research from Google PageSpeed Insights shows that sites loading in under 3 seconds see much higher engagement
Clear Navigation: Visitors should find what they need within 3 clicks. Use simple, intuitive menu structures
High-Quality Images: Use authentic photos of your programs, beneficiaries, and team. Stock photos can feel impersonal
Accessibility: Follow WCAG guidelines for color contrast, alt text, and keyboard navigation
Trust Indicators: Display your 501(c)(3) status, financial transparency, and security badges prominently
Clear Calls-to-Action: Make it obvious what you want visitors to do (donate, volunteer, sign up)

Content Strategy for Your Nonprofit Website

Great content builds trust and helps people understand your impact:

Tell Stories: Share specific stories about people you've helped or problems you've solved. Stories are more compelling than statistics alone
Show Impact: Use numbers and metrics to demonstrate results, but make them relatable and meaningful
Be Transparent: Share how donations are used, financial information, and organizational structure. Guidestar research shows transparency increases donor trust
Use Simple Language: Avoid jargon. Write as if you're explaining your work to a friend
Include Calls-to-Action: Every page should guide visitors toward taking action (donating, volunteering, learning more)
Keep Content Fresh: Regularly update your site with news, blog posts, or program updates to show activity

Legal and Compliance Considerations

Nonprofit websites have specific legal requirements to consider:

501(c)(3) Status Disclosure: Clearly state your tax-exempt status and that donations are tax-deductible
Privacy Policy: Required if you collect any personal information. Use a generator or consult with a legal professional
Terms of Service: Important if you accept donations or collect data. Templates are available, but legal review is recommended
Accessibility Compliance: Consider ADA compliance requirements for web accessibility
State Registration: Some states require charities to register before soliciting donations. Check your state's requirements
PCI Compliance: If processing credit cards, ensure your payment processor meets PCI DSS standards

Getting Started: Step-by-Step Checklist

Ready to build your nonprofit website? Follow this roadmap:

Step 1: Register your domain name (your organization's name .org is ideal)
Step 2: Choose your platform based on your needs, budget, and technical comfort level
Step 3: Gather your content: mission statement, program descriptions, photos, team bios, impact metrics
Step 4: Set up essential pages: homepage, about, programs, donate, get involved, contact
Step 5: Integrate donation processing and test it thoroughly
Step 6: Set up email list integration and signup forms
Step 7: Ensure mobile responsiveness and test on multiple devices
Step 8: Add trust indicators, legal pages, and transparency information
Step 9: Optimize for search engines (SEO basics: title tags, descriptions, alt text)
Step 10: Test everything, get feedback from team members, and launch

Launch Timeline

Q: How long does it take to build a nonprofit website?

A: Timeline varies significantly. A simple DIY site on a platform like Squarespace or Wix might take 2-4 weeks if you work on it consistently and have all your content ready. More complex sites with custom functionality, professional design, and proper optimization typically take 6-12 weeks when working with professionals. The key is having your content, images, and organizational information prepared before you start building. Many nonprofits find that working with experienced web developers who understand nonprofit needs can actually speed up the process because they know what works and can handle technical details efficiently.

Additional Resources

For more information on creating nonprofit websites:

TechSoup - Discounted technology and software for nonprofits
Nonprofit Quarterly - Resources and best practices for nonprofit organizations
Classy Blog - Fundraising and nonprofit website best practices
Guidestar - Nonprofit transparency and donor research platform
Google Search Central - SEO best practices for better visibility

Conclusion

Creating a website for your nonprofit is a crucial step toward building your organization's online presence and connecting with supporters. Whether you choose to build it yourself using modern website builders or work with professionals who specialize in nonprofit web design, the most important thing is getting started.

Remember that your website is a living tool that should evolve with your organization. Start with the essentials: clear mission, easy donation process, compelling stories, and trust-building transparency. As you grow, you can add more features and content. The key is launching with a solid foundation that clearly communicates who you are, what you do, and how people can help.

Focus on creating a user experience that makes it easy for visitors to understand your impact, trust your organization, and take action. With the right approach and attention to best practices, your website can become one of your most valuable tools for advancing your mission. Many nonprofit founders find that while DIY options look appealing initially, the reality is that building and maintaining a professional website takes significant time and often leads to frustration. That's why working with professionals who understand nonprofit needs makes sense: you can focus entirely on your mission while we help bring awareness about your cause to the world through a website built right from the start. We support nonprofits and work with your budget to provide affordable, custom solutions that meet your specific needs and goals.