As a company that lives to “front only the essentials” of life, as our man Henry David would say, we relish the opportunity to recharge our spiritual batteries by working with non-profits. Because they are labors of love, we are somewhat selective in the non-profits we work with: anything having to do with protecting the environment or helping children reach their potential will usually grab our attention.

One group we work very tightly with is the Hope Water Foundation, located in our hometown of Madison, CT. Hope Water’s mission is to give clean, safe water to people everywhere. While all of our websites are user-friendly, easily navigable, and present the company in a compelling, persuasive light, non-profits need more. A good non-profit website should do the following:

KEY POINTS FOR NON-PROFIT WEBSITES:

1: Be Donor Friendly – Donations are necessary for every non profit organization out there. Your website is a great place to solicit donations, especially from new donors. The process needs to be obvious and simple. Lastly, and above all, make certain you have a section to thank your donors.

2: Be Volunteer Friendly – We are witnessing a huge increase in volunteerism. Make it easy for potential volunteers to find information on how they can get involved. There are plenty of people out there who might not have the money to make a donation but are still passionate about what your organization is doing.

3: Be Clear and Apparent in stating Your Purpose – Sometimes it’s difficult to determine the purpose of many websites. A simple solution is to summarize your mission statement on the home page. Of course pictures or video are also a great way to explain the goals of your organization.

4: Be Blogging – Many non-profits are realizing that many of their volunteers are younger. Blogging is a great way to highlight recent event, awards, grants etc. It’s also a great way to explain the fun and experience of volunteering by allowing people to upload pictures, videos and comments.

Are you looking for a communications partner to bring your Non-Profit to the forefront? Please be in touch.