How to Set up a Web Site for a Nonprofit Organization

Setting up a Web site for your organization can be your gateway to an audience you didn't know you had and a donor base you wish you'd had a long time ago. It is the way of the future, and every nonprofit ought to have a Web site regardless of the size of the organization.

Instructions

1. Break down your organization into all of the parts that you can think of. If your organization is divided into departments such as program services, administration, management, development, community relations and accounting, take each of those departments and dissect them as well as you can. Remember, you are going to present each of these departments to the world. Literally.

2. Once you have done this, give each department head an assignment to write his own copy. Let each be the one to tell you, as the PR person, what information he wants the world to see. Give deadlines and stick to them.

3. Round-table your discussions about your Web site with your management team. Even nonprofits have an ability to set up a beautiful, informative Web site. Take this opportunity to really get to know your fellow departments and write and re-write until you feel the content of the newly written Web site is ready for public exposure.

4. Call for help. Go to your local university and find its Web design/CIS/graphics design departments and ask students if they want a project for their portfolios. Tell them you will provide pictures and all of the information on disk if they will "design" your site.

5. If this is not an option for your organization, hire someone to do the dirty work for you. Make expectations clear and deadlines enforceable.

6. Register your site. Make sure that your issue, cause or mission is registered with as many sites as allowable. When someone is looking for anything even remotely related to your cause, your site will, hopefully, come up, and he will be introduced to your organization. This is a great way to get volunteers and donors.

7. Roll out your site to the general public and the media. Write a release as you would for any major event your organization has. Make sure the media and the general public are aware they can go to your site and see everything they need to know about your organization. Make sure a story gets in your newsletter so your donors know to look on your site because, chances are, they can find out more here than anywhere else.

8. Change your look. Make sure that all your materials now have your Web address on them including business cards, letterheads, newsletters and all reruns of collateral materials. Remember, this is free advertising for your organization. Let the world know who you are, and you will be rewarded.

Tips & Warnings

• Here is your opportunity to let the world know what you do, who you serve and all of your fundraising efforts in one great Web site.

• Chances are you are a PR person, not a Web developer and, if this is the case, don't spend all of your precious time stuck in the technical stuff that someone else can do quickly. Assure students that they will have the site to put in their portfolios or internship files, and be as helpful to them as possible.

• Assigning the writing to department heads is much more effective and time-efficient than your writing and the back and forth that seems to go on in Web design. One of the most common mistakes an organization makes in setting up its Web Site is getting stuck in the writing, and the rest never seems to get off the ground.