No More Website Shame: 4 Strategic Steps to Update Your Nonprofit’s Website
-
Lauren Atherton
Is your website your nonprofit’s best-kept secret? And not in a good way?
Let’s talk about the clunky digital elephant in the room: that website you’ve been meaning to update since… well, since before TikTok existed – could be the reason you’re missing out on donations.
If you’ve ever caught yourself saying “Sorry about our website…” or “We’re updating it soon!” to a potential donor, then this post is for you.
In this post, I’m going to cover:
- Real talk about outdated nonprofit websites – and why apologizing for yours may be costing you more than you think.
- My 4-step Website Refresh Roadmap that turns your site from a funding roadblock into your favorite fundraising tool.
- Secrets to knowing exactly which step to tackle first (because who has time to do everything at once?)
The good news? You don’t need to completely overhaul your website to start catching the attention of donors. Let’s start with some straight talk:
Your website may be costing you more than a good first impression.
When your website looks outdated, you’re missing an opportunity to turn those passive visitors into donors. And this clunky elephant of a website can show up at the most inconvenient times.
Like when marketing opportunities keep landing in your inbox (hello, because you’re making waves!) – speaking engagements, partnership proposals, grant applications. But instead of jumping on them, you hesitate. What’s the point of driving traffic to a website that doesn’t convert?
It feels like inviting guests to a house that’s half-packed for a move, with boxes everywhere and nothing quite in its right place.
The most frustrating part? Your organization is doing amazing work every day, changing lives and making real impact in your community. But when it comes to sharing those powerful stories online, your website feels like a brick wall instead of a bridge.
Running a nonprofit is hard enough without your website holding you back.
Just ask Christi, the founder of Children Striving Together.
Her nonprofit provides life-changing mentorship to teens in LA and Orange Counties, but for years, their website wasn’t capturing that impact.
After years of apologizing for her outdated website, she decided enough was enough.
How Christi refreshed her website and got a Nike grant – yep, that Nike.
Within months of launching her refreshed website, something incredible happened: she applied for Nike’s Black Community Commitment grant and was one of 44 Black-owned nonprofits in LA selected to receive a $10,000 grant.
The best part? Christi didn’t have to over-explain or apologize for her website – it finally told the story of their transformative youth mentorship program in a way that matched the real-world impact they had been making for years.
When your website works, everything starts flowing. People finally “get it” so you don’t have to do so much explaining at every donor meeting. Those powerful stories and impact numbers shine through on every page, making it easy for visitors to understand their impact. Your volunteers and board members become enthusiastic ambassadors because they’re proud to share a link to your website.
And you? You get to focus on what really matters – supporting the day-to-day lives being changed – instead of constantly apologizing for your website. It’s not just about having a prettier website – it’s about having a powerful tool that opens doors, builds trust with your community, and raises more money from aligned donors.
So… what changes did Christi make to her site that flipped the switch so quickly?
Every client I work with is different, but most of the changes we made to ChildrenStrivingTogether.org were based on ideas shared in the Website Refresh Roadmap below.
Let’s talk about 4 specific strategies that YOU can consider as you start thinking about what your nonprofit’s website needs to become a funding magnet.
The Website Refresh Roadmap: 4 Steps to Plan for Your Funding-Ready Website
Before you dive into a complete website overhaul, there are 4 essential strategies that only you and your team can get in order. These are decisions that a designer can’t make for you, so it’ll be helpful to make up your mind about them first.
The best part is that you and your team can chip away at them and start seeing results. Because we all need little wins along the way – and maybe a few big wins thrown in there, too!
Stand Out Strategy 1: Get Your Brand in Order
Plot twist: Most nonprofit leaders think they need an updated website, when what they really need is a more clearly defined visual brand. Here’s why: you can’t build a new, updated style on what you don’t have – or you’ll fall into the trap of using trendy design. A new website won’t fix a mismatched or misaligned brand. If anything, it can actually reveal more gaps and needs.
Here are the branding essentials you’ll need to gather up into a Google Drive or Dropbox folder:
- Current logo files (all versions)
- Brand colors (get the exact Hex codes if you have them)
- Font pairings
- Real photos and videos from your programs and events (no older than 2 years)
- Brand guidelines
Don’t have some of these brand pieces? That’s okay – identifying these gaps is actually the first step toward building a stronger brand that funders trust.
In my framework, I take clients through the “4 Corners Exercise” where we’ll tease out what brand pieces are working well, what’s not working, what’s missing, and what’s confusing. Most of my clients are surprised to see how many gaps were in their brand toolkit – that would’ve gone totally unchecked if they just skipped ahead to building a new website!
Remember, consistent branding isn’t just about looking good (even though you will!) – it’s about being intentional about the messages you’re sending to potential funders so that they’ll feel more connected to your mission.
Strategy 2: Map Your Must-Have Content
When it comes to refreshing your website, everyone suddenly has ideas about what to add. But here’s the truth: more isn’t always better. A funding-ready website needs to be focused, functional, and easy to navigate.
Think of it as Marie Kondo-ing your website. Let’s use the MOSCOW Method to prioritize your content and features:
Must Have: Core pages that drive funding
- Homepage with clear mission and calls to action
- About page that builds trust
- Donation page that converts
- Impact stories and statistics
- Program information
Should Have: Content that strengthens your case
- Board and team bios
- News and updates
- Partner highlights
- Success stories
- Resource library
Could Have: Nice-to-have features
- Blog posts
- Video gallery
- Event calendar
- Volunteer portal
- Newsletter archives
Won’t Have: Features that create clutter
- Outdated program pages
- Homepage sliding banner
- Broken links
- Complex mega menus
- Unnecessary animations
Get your team involved in this content audit – they know which pages funders, partners, and program participants actually use. While you’re meeting, this is also a great time to chat about whether your current website platform still serves your needs.
Too many nonprofits feel stuck with complex systems (ahem…WordPress) or unresponsive developers. Since you’re already reworking your site, maybe the best course of action is to explore a new CMS platform that would make website updates and management a breeze for you and your team. Go ahead, dream a little!
Remember: A clear, well-organized website that makes it easy to donate will serve you better than a complex site filled with rarely-used features.
Strategy 3: Focus on the Pages That Bring in Funding
We can’t control why people visit your website, but we can encourage them to stay by connecting them to your story. In most cases we don’t even know who they are until they take action and tell us about themselves.
Despite their various motivations, most people who are new to your mission are looking for answers to 3 key questions about your nonprofit (whether they say it out loud or not!):
Do they look legit?
What do they do?
How does this apply to me?
The best way to answer these questions is to have pages dedicated to these topics clearly labeled in your main menu. Then on these pages, have clear and concise answers to the questions:
- Homepage: Think of this as your nonprofit’s handshake – make it firm and memorable. Your header area is prime real estate, so use it wisely. Visitors’ eyes move in a Z pattern across this section, so this is where your branding comes in. Use an up-to-date photo (or event better, a background video) to help showcase your work. Keep content relevant and current – nothing says “outdated” like a homepage featuring your 2021 gala. Yikes!
- About Page: This is your chance to build trust through storytelling. Share your origin story, demonstrate your expertise, and showcase your impact. Include both data and stories – some funders will connect better with numbers and others with pictures and testimonials.
- Donation Page: This is your nonprofit’s sales page, so keep people on it as long as possible. Embed your donation form into the page if you can so people stay here and complete their donation. My favorite online giving tools for the job are Fundraise Up or Givebutter, both of which can optimize the giving experience for you. Test your donation process regularly (seriously, try making a donation right now – you might be surprised by what you find!)
Strategy 4: Plan for the Long Haul, Not Just the Launch
It’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking, “Our website is done, now we can move on!” But your website launch isn’t the finish line – it’s the starting point.
Your website is like a digital home that requires upkeep and maintenance. And if you don’t make a plan for how to care for it, you may end up in the same spot in a few years.
Now maintenance doesn’t necessarily mean hiring a web developer on retainer, but you should consider what is sustainable for you and your team right now. Before I ever start a website project with a client, I’ll ask these questions. Because at the end of the day it helps inform the type of platform we should build on. If you have a small team and no one feels comfortable updating plugins, I’m not going to recommend WordPress for you! You’ll be better served by a site that requires minimal updates.
So here are the questions to chat about with your team:
- Who’s responsible for text and design updates?
- Who’s tracking website performance (GA4 + Google Console)?
- What needs to be checked monthly? Quarterly? Annually? (Hint: donation links, program dates, news)
- How will we keep photos and content fresh?
Even a simple plan, consistently executed, beats a perfect plan that sits in a drawer. Assign clear ownership for each of the tasks and check in with your team after 3 months or 6 months to see what’s working and what needs to be improved.
I’m a firm believer in training your team members so that they feel more comfortable with making website updates – not held captive by the website. So consider who should be a part of the website redesign process, as well as on these training calls. I guarantee that the more involved they are in the process, the more they’ll embrace this new responsibility and not feel overwhelmed by it!
Now, at this point you may be thinking…
This all sounds great, but I’m already wearing multiple hats and barely have time for lunch. How do I know which step to tackle first? Should I start with gathering assets, content organization, or fixing our donation page??
You’re right – you’re already juggling a million things, and the idea of adding “website updates” to your plate might make you want to close this tab right now.
But here’s what most EDs don’t realize: you don’t have to tackle all four steps at once. The key is identifying which website issue matters most to you right now.
Here’s how to figure out your starting point (choose your own adventure style!):
- If you just applied for a major grant or are in talks with a corporate partnership, start with Step 3 (High-Impact Pages). Focus on your About or Impact pages first. You can update your brand elements later, but make sure funders can immediately find your mission, impact numbers, and success stories right now.
- If you’re losing online donors (or barely getting any) or are planning for a big fundraising push – prioritize your donation page. A clunky donation process is like having a hole in your bucket – fixing this one thing could dramatically improve your monthly revenue. Don’t wait until your brand is perfect to make giving easier.
- If your team is constantly scrambling to put together presentations or grant applications, start with Step 1 (Branding Essentials Folder) and get your brand in order. This foundational work will help gather your assets in one place and save your team time hunting down the most recent logo, color palette, or presentation template. And if you feel stuck trying to figure out what’s working and not working, I’ve got the perfect next step for you below!
- And if you’re finding yourself updating the same content in multiple places or can’t find important links? Begin with Step 2 (Content Inventory). Use the MoSCoW Method to simplify your navigation and start collecting ideas for your new website. This is typically the next step before hiring a design firm like HeartSpark!
Remember: Every nonprofit’s funding challenges are different. Pick the step that addresses your biggest pain point right now. Small, strategic improvements in the right areas can lead to big funding wins – and give you the breathing room to tackle the rest of your website updates properly.
Tackling a website refresh starts with a few small, strategic steps
Your website can be one of your nonprofit’s most powerful fundraising assets – or its biggest obstacle. The good news? You don’t need a complete website overhaul to start seeing results. Small, strategic improvements can make a big difference in your funding success.
By focusing on these four key strategies – getting your brand in order, organizing your content into a simplified journey, creating funder-friendly pages that showcase your impact, and optimizing your donation process – you can transform your website into a funding magnet. Each step builds on the last to create a stronger online presence that attracts and converts.
I totally get the pressures of trying to tackle website updates while you’re also “flying the plane” so to speak. That’s why I recommend starting with the step that fits what your nonprofit needs right now. Take it one piece at a time, and you’ll be surprised at how quickly you can make meaningful progress!
And if you’re ready to stop stressing about what your outdated website is costing you? Let’s chat about it!
Schedule a free 25-minute consultation call with me and during our chat, we’ll:
- Review your current website and identify quick wins for attracting funders
- Discuss which of the four steps will be best for your nonprofit right now
- Share specific strategies that have helped other nonprofits increase their online donations
Schedule your free consultation call with me today and start your journey toward a website that’s your biggest funding magnet!
Lauren Atherton
Related Resources
Explore these additional resources for more info on how branding can help your nonprofit stand out:
Why You Don't Have to Blow Up Your Brand to Make it Better
Treat Your Website Like a Digital Home
