Plan an NGO website that clearly presents programmes, protects participants, supports accessibility and makes reporting easier for donors and communities.
Begin with the people the website serves
A nonprofit website has several audiences: community members looking for services, partners evaluating collaboration, donors following results, volunteers, and staff sharing updates. Each group needs an obvious route to relevant information. Make the organisation's mission, programmes, locations and contact methods clear without forcing visitors to download a long report first. Where possible, organise content around outcomes and services rather than internal department names.
Tell a credible story with appropriate evidence
Publish programme descriptions, reporting periods, methods and useful indicators with context. If a project reports how many people were reached, explain what 'reached' means and the period covered. Do not present estimated results as independently verified impact. Obtain permission before using identifiable images or sensitive stories, especially when working with children or people receiving support. Provide downloadable reports in accessible formats when practical.
Design for low bandwidth and accessibility
Use straightforward navigation, readable typography, descriptive image alternatives, keyboard-friendly forms and sufficient contrast. Visitors may have limited data or older mobile phones. Optimise photographs and avoid making a large video mandatory to understand the mission. Important documents should have descriptive filenames and clear summaries. Include a reliable way to request alternative formats or assistance.
Protect donations and stakeholder information
If the organisation accepts donations, use an established payment provider and show transparent transaction and refund terms. Limit access to donor and beneficiary information. For projects that collect registrations or case reports, define a retention period and the minimum necessary data. Backups and incident procedures matter just as much for a small organisation as for a large business.
Make updates easy for nontechnical teams
Give programme staff templates for updates, stories, events and reports. Set an editorial approval process and include a date when information was last reviewed. Track useful outcomes such as downloads of official reports, event sign-ups, referral requests and volunteer enquiries. For a structured brief, see our website planning resource or discuss an accessible NGO website.
What to do next
Write down the outcome you want to improve, the people responsible and the information needed to measure progress. Start with a manageable first phase, test it with real users and update the plan based on evidence rather than assumptions.
