At 118Group, we’re suckers for a great nonprofit website. We even have a weekly team session where we all get together and share nonprofit websites we’ve run into over the course of the preceding week that we think are exceptional (or particularly bad).
We’ve done deep examinations (and tear-downs) of hundreds of nonprofit websites over the years so at this point we know what to look for.
We’re sharing this content with you because sometimes the best way to understand something is to see it in action, and the following examples help to communicate what we believe makes nonprofit websites great!
Charitywater.org
Charity: water has been on a mission to end the water crisis since 2006, and their website leverages everything we believe a great nonprofit website should.
- Their content puts visitors at the center of the crisis and leverages data to provide context on the true impact of the water crisis
- They provide a frictionless giving experience and many different ways of getting involved
- They leverage real stories from the field to build an emotional connection with the visitor
CityYear.org
City Year was founded in 1988 as a national service program to unite young adults from diverse backgrounds for a demanding year of full-time community service.
Their website does an excellent job of crafting a compelling story arc that makes visitors want to get involved.
- Their content uses donor-centric language to put visitors at the center of their mission
- Their homepage showcases key facts about our current education system and the impact City Year has had on the problem
- Their website leverages video storytelling to form an emotional connection with the visitor
Animalhaven.org
Animal Haven provides animal care, behavior intervention, and adoption support services to the New York City Tri-State area. Their website does a great job of using robust fundraising technology to promote conversions along with a modern aesthetic and intuitive user experience.
- They provide a friction-less donation experience above the fold
- They’ve productized their donation levels and made it easy for visitors to start fundraising on their behalf
- Their main navigation and CTAs are simple and intuitive
- They leverage compelling imagery (that is one cute cat) to capture the visitor’s attention
GiveDirectly.org
GiveDirectly is a nonprofit that lets donors send money directly to the world’s poorest households. Their core belief is that people living in poverty deserve the dignity to choose for themselves how best to improve their lives and they know that cash enables that choice.
- They provide a friction-less donor experience above the fold
- They use donor-centric language throughout the site
- They provide social proof
- They leverage real-impact stories from their work
- They back their claims with real data from around the world
- They allow visitors to choose which programs they put their money towards
TheHumaneLeague.org
The Human League exists to end the abuse of animals raised for food by influencing policies and advocating for change. Their website does a great job of inciting users to take action.
- Their website uses powerful imagery to evoke deep emotional responses from visitors
- They leverage color theory to convey a sense of urgency and importance
- They provide a giving experience and social proof above the fold
- They provide compelling data about the current conditions of animal agriculture
TheExodusRoad.org
The Exodus Road is on a mission to “disrupt the darkness of modern-day slavery by partnering with law enforcement to fight human trafficking crime.” Their website does a great job of leveraging nonprofit website best practices to spark action.
- They effectively leverage color contrast to draw attention to key content
- They provide a frictionless donor experience with modern fundraising technology
- They highlight their impact statements front and center on their homepage
What about your nonprofit website?
Are you included on any lists of the best examples of nonprofit website design? If not, what are the biggest issues with your current website and how might those shortcomings be holding your nonprofit back from making a bigger impact?
If you think your website might be better suited on the list of “Worst Nonprofit Website Examples”, schedule a time to meet with one of our strategists ASAP.
