In the 21st century, it is hard to imagine starting a non-profit organization and not having a website. The website, along with the internet, has become a major source of information. Not having a website, can limit the exposure and effectiveness of a non-profit organization.
Developing the non-profit organization and the website should go hand in hand. Taking the time to carefully plan the website is as essential as planning the projects of the organization. Just about anyone can “copy and paste” a website together, but it takes some effort to develop a website that will meet the needs of the organization. If the website does not have a clear purpose, there is a good chance that visitors of the site will not see it either.
So, where should one begin? Focus on two key questions before anything else.
What is the objective of the website?
Immediately, one should think that the objectives of the website and the non-profit organization are the same. For example, if your goal is to raise the awareness of obesity in today’s youths, a website simply saying that the “mission of this organization’s website is to raise the awareness of obesity in today’s youths” is a good start, but not exactly how one should think when developing the website. Here’s a more detailed approach:
The objectives of the website are:
- Bring awareness to the increasing problem of obesity in today’s youths by providing articles and statistics on childhood obesity.
- Inform visitors on why this non-profit is unique in its cause and how it is achieving it by holding fundraisers and events.
- Inform visitors on how they can help the cause.
- Provide an opportunity for visitors to get involved with the organization’s endeavors.
- Accept donations to assist the non-profit’s goals.
This more detailed list of objectives allows the organization to see what it is trying to accomplish with the website. It can develop a budget to determine the cost of starting and maintaining the website.
What outcomes are expected from the website?
Outcomes are used to determine that the website has met its objectives. Looking at the objectives defined in the example website, here is a possible set of outcomes that can help the organization determine what improvements are needed.
The outcomes of the website are:
- Information is current and up to date and visitors are visiting the website for this reason.
- The number of visitors to the website increases on a regular basis.
- Attendance increases at events and fundraisers which can be attributed to the website.
- Increase in the number of volunteers/members.
- Online donations are a major source of contributions.
Now with these outcomes, the area(s) in need of improvement becomes apparent. For example, an organization may notice that online donations are very small compared to other methods of contributions. The organization can begin focusing on why the visitors are not making donations online. Is it because it is not obvious on how to make a donation? Maybe visitors feel the current process is not secure? Worse, maybe the appearance of the website does not give the impression of a reputable non-profit organization. Once a possible solution has been determined, implement it, and evaluate it again to see if the outcome has been met.
It is not necessary to have all the objectives and outcomes defined. As the organization grows, the objectives and outcomes change. Remember, the website will be a continuing process of development. Don’t worry too much about the bells and whistles. Start with a seed and the website will blossom.