Build a Non-Profit Website That Stands Out
Online platforms and social media are powerful tools to help individuals and groups organize, fundraise, and grow their audiences. As such, building an outstanding website is an essential step in solidifying impact for social good and gaining the visibility needed to garner traction. To make the most of your non-profit clients’ online presence, utilize these essential components to help build an inspiring and actionable non-profit or community website.
Create a visually compelling homepage and header
You only have a few seconds to capture an online audience's attention. Thus, the first thing users come across on a community page needs to be striking and communicate your cause very clearly. This is where you maximize the use of typography, eye-catching logos, and a banner image or video that embodies the spirit of the cause.
You want users to get a good sense of the emotion behind your cause as they arrive on the site homepage. The homepage sets the stage for the story you’re trying to tell, and it also determines your website’s voice, what kind of media will be used, and how the pages will be laid out. Inevitably, everything you put on an online platform develops into a brand, so think of this as an opportunity to lay the groundwork for a brand identity that resonates with the target audience.
When designing a website for Climate Jam Project, Circle member and Squarespace Expert Milan Sopic used motion graphics to create a visually compelling header that greets visitors and introduces Climate Jam Project as a dynamic creative agency focused on climate education.
Put your mission statement front and center
You want the cause to speak for itself. To do this, you need to ensure that users can immediately identify exactly what the initiative is all about. One option can be to feature the core tenets of your cause that users can click to reveal more information. This makes for an interactive experience as visitors curate their unique navigation experience and connect with the content as they go long.
Another option is simply featuring one bold mission statement as one of the first content blocks featured on the home page. Whichever route you choose, the goal is to make sure the audience gets an upfront understanding or synopsis that prompts them to engage further.
For Diamond Wave, a queer arts organization in San Francisco, Circle member Sydney Franz designed a website with the organization’s mission statement as the key visual element in the website header. Sydney also hyperlinked text within the mission statement so visitors can quickly learn what the organization is all about without even having to scroll down the page.
Make it simple to learn more
An essential detail to keep in mind is that people want online interactions to come with as little hassle as possible. One of the key reasons we gravitate towards online platforms and apps is the ease of use to interact, buy, share, search, and so on. This is no different for a community or non-profit site. While people may be more inspired to engage based on the nature of the cause, they still need to be able to find information easily.
You want to make sure your navigation is straightforward and users can clearly find how to get involved, additional resources, event dates, contact options, social links, and so on. This is where you get to choose between dropdown menu navigation or featuring page titles in your header. Whether you have a one-page style site or one that's sectioned out into individual pages, ensure that you use clear language and cues that tell users exactly where to go to find what they want.
Circle member Ari Craven featured a few of Definition Theatre’s core initiatives in image blocks on the website homepage. By providing brief descriptions and linking out to more information, Ari was able to cover the breadth of the organization’s work without making the homepage too text-heavy.
Have some fun with multimedia
The importance of using multimedia strategically can’t be overstated. For a community site, the aim is to inform and inspire simultaneously. As such, it’s necessary to explore creative ways to use photos, background videos, gifs, and other elements to evoke desired emotions from the intended audience.
A few instances where you want to make sure you make use of visual elements can include:
A video intro of the cause or organization; its needs, achievements, and why users should engage
An events page where you can create an immersive experience with photos of what getting involved looks like
A press page that highlights the initiative’s features and media coverage
A content block that shows members of the team for users to connect with
To create a sense of movement for the non-profit VeloCity Atlanta, an annual ride/walk/run event supporting Grady Health System, Circle member Kimberly Jones chose to feature videos from past Velocity events on the site homepage. This element delivers an energetic introduction to the cause as well as an enticing invitation to join the event.
Create a clear call to action
The end goal of all the creative elements on a community website is to get visitors to take action. This can range from signing up for a newsletter to contacting the team, following on social media, or making a donation. Whichever the case, you need to make sure the call to action is featured in a clear and accessible way.
You can opt to have a donation button or link that appears at the top of the homepage when users reach the website. Another option is to include a pop-up or external link with actionable steps the audience can take to stay connected or involved.
After introducing the organization and explaining what it aims to achieve, the Generation Equality website for Women Deliver, designed by Circle member Milan Sopic, includes an urgent call to action with “ACT NOW” highlighted in green. Below this call to action, visitors are provided with clear next steps to learn more about Generation Equality’s six action coalitions and sign up for the Generation Equality newsletter.
Conclusion
Building and sustaining communities for worthwhile causes is a top priority for many organizations. Therefore, developing online platforms that represent non-profit organizations as compelling and engaging is just as important. When building a community-focused website, remember to incorporate eye-catching landing pages, a mission statement that gets users interested, easy-to-use navigation, multimedia elements, and a clear call to action for the audience.
Special thanks to Circle members Milan Sopic, Ari Craven, Kimberly Jones, and Sydney Franz for sharing their work with us. If you’re a Circle member interested in submitting your own work for a chance to be featured in upcoming content, fill out this form.
