Let's face it – your nonprofit's website content can make or break whether someone decides to donate, volunteer, or seek your services. While a beautiful design catches the eye, it's your words that capture hearts and inspire action.
74% of donors are more likely to increase their donation amount or give outside of their usual schedule when motivated by powerful content. And 88% say compelling reasons, imagery, or storytelling have inspired them to contribute. These statistics underscore the power of impactful content that engages and inspires donors.
But we know that creating great website content isn't easy. Many nonprofits either share too much information at once or struggle to explain their impact in a way that moves people to act.
Here's the good news: you don't need to be an award-winning writer to create content that works on your nonprofit website design. You just need to follow some proven principles that we'll share in this guide.
Ready to create content that connects with your audiences and drives real results? Let's dive in.
Know Who You're Writing For
Before you write anything for your website, you need to think about who will read it. Most nonprofit websites speak to three main groups:
- People who might donate money to support your cause
- People who want to volunteer their time and skills
- People who need your help and services
Each group comes to your website looking for different things. Someone thinking about donating wants to know their money will make a real difference. A potential volunteer wants to learn about ways they can support your cause and how to get started. Someone who needs your services wants clear information about what you offer and how to get help.
One nonprofit with clear navigation paths for different types of users is Atlanta Habitat for Humanity. As one of the largest affiliates of Habitat for Humanity International, this organization has helped over 5,000 Atlanta-based family members achieve their dreams of homeownership, while over 13,000 individuals have volunteered for the cause year after year.
Prior to their website redesign, Atlanta Habitat for Humanity faced a common obstacle for mission-driven organizations: serving multiple distinct audiences through a single online platform. Their goal was to maintain their impact while streamlining their navigation and creating clear pathways for each type of user to find what they need quickly.
The solution? A complete structural overhaul with dedicated sections for volunteers, donors, and ReStore customers – each with its own intuitive navigation and clear call to action.
The creation of distinct user journeys for different audience segments enabled Atlanta Habitat for Humanity to better serve their community. It also resulted in 40% faster time-to-task completion.
As you brainstorm how you can best appeal to each of your target audiences, remember that your job is to guide each group to exactly what they need while keeping your message consistent throughout your site. Think of it like having three different conversations at once – each with its own focus, but all telling the same core story about your mission and impact.
Must-Have Content for Every Nonprofit Website
Let's look at the essential pieces of content your website needs and how to write each in a way that really connects with readers.
Your Mission
Your mission statement should be front and center on your homepage. But skip the fancy language. Be clear and specific about:
- What your organization does
- Who you help
- How you make life better for those you serve
Campus Bound Scholars is one foundation with a clear, can’t-miss mission statement: to mentor and support first-generation students for college success.
This mission statement is effective because it clearly defines what the organization does (provide support and mentorship), who it helps (first-generation college students), and how it makes life better (prepares those it supports to be successful in college). This concise message immediately communicates the nonprofit's focus and the community it serves, making it easy for potential supporters and beneficiaries to understand its purpose.
Your Impact
You also need to show the real results of your work. Instead of broad statements, share specific examples that paint a picture. For example, rather than saying "We help homeless youth," you might say "Last year, we provided safe housing and support services to 237 young people experiencing homelessness in Atlanta, helping 89% transition to stable housing within 6 months."
Why is this important? Not only do impact statements show potential donors and supporters the real-world difference their contributions make, which builds trust and inspires action, but 75% of people look for concrete information about an organization’s achievements before deciding whether or not to donate.
Guardian Angels Medical Service Dogs is one nonprofit that expands on its mission statement by including specific statistics about its impact. Above the fold is the foundation’s mission statement that conveys its dedication to providing service dogs to veterans, first responders, and individuals with permanent disabilities. This straightforward message immediately communicates the nonprofit’s purpose and the communities it serves.
Below the mission statement, visitors will find an impact statement that strengthens the connection between the organization and its visitors by showcasing tangible achievements (like that 430 individuals have received service dogs or that volunteers have committed over 75,000 hours to the project).
These impressive numbers provide concrete evidence of the organization's effectiveness and reach, instilling confidence in potential donors that their contributions will support a proven, impactful cause.
Descriptions of Your Programs and Services
Keep your programs and services simple and clear. Think about what someone visiting your website really needs to know, like:
- Can this program help me?
- What exactly will I get?
- How do I sign up or get help?
- Do I qualify for assistance?
Break down complex information into smaller, easy-to-read sections with clear headers. Use everyday language instead of technical terms or industry speak that might confuse people.
Remember, the people reading about your services might be stressed or in a hurry. If someone needs emergency housing or food assistance, they need clear, simple steps to get help – not a long explanation about your organization's approach or philosophy.
Strategic Donation Pages
Your donation page design needs to touch hearts and make giving easy. Think of it as a conversation with someone who cares about your cause and wants to help.
Start by explaining why their donation matters right now. Maybe there's an urgent need in your community, or a special opportunity to make twice the impact through matching gifts. Help potential donors see exactly how they can make a difference.
You’ll also need to optimize your donation form. Start by asking only for essential information, keeping the number of fields to a minimum. Offer suggested donation amounts based on your donor data.
From there, move to basic personal information before handling payment details. Save any optional information for the end.
Be sure to incorporate security indicators like trust seals, clear privacy policies, and data encryption notifications to show donors that their information is safe. And always make sure your forms are mobile-friendly, since many users will access them on their phones.
You can also follow these proven strategies for increasing donations.
Telling Stories That Move People to Act
Stories are your secret weapon for connecting with website visitors. They turn statistics and facts into real, human experiences that people can relate to and feel in their hearts.
Nonprofits that incorporate compelling storytelling into their fundraising campaigns see donor retention rates that are nearly 20% higher than those of nonprofits that don’t focus on storytelling. And 41% of donors say that a personal beneficiary story on a nonprofit website influenced their decision to donate.
But keep in mind that sharing stories about the people you help requires care and respect. Here are some important guidelines to follow:
- Always ask permission before sharing someone's story
- Protect people's privacy and dignity
- Focus on strength and hope, not just challenges
- Include real details that bring the story to life
- Show how each story connects to your bigger mission
Remember – while emotional stories are powerful, the best ones also show clear results. Share both how someone's life changed and how your organization made that change possible.
Tips for Clear, Engaging Writing
Writing for your website doesn't have to be complicated. Here are some simple ways to make your content more effective:
Use Active Voice
Active voice makes your writing clearer and more engaging. Here's what we mean:
Instead of: "Last year, 1,000 meals were served by our volunteers."
Write: "Our volunteers served 1,000 meals last year."
See the difference? The second version is shorter, clearer, more actionable, and gives credit to your amazing volunteers.
Write Clearly and Simply
You know your field inside and out, but most website visitors don't. Skip the technical terms and industry jargon. When you need to use specialized terms, explain them in plain language.
For example, The Michael J. Fox Foundation does an excellent job of simplifying the complexities of Parkinson’s disease for visitors who might feel overwhelmed by medical terminology. The site’s simple, straightforward menu breaks everything down in a way that’s clear, approachable, and easy to digest. Users who want to learn more about the progressive disease can click to learn about causes, symptoms, medications, and more.
Let’s take a look at the “Parkinson’s 101” page. Instead of diving into scientific details, this section of the website starts with the basics: what Parkinson's is, how it affects the brain, and what symptoms people might notice. It also answers common questions people might have, like "Who gets Parkinson's?" or "What causes it?"
The page’s tone feels like a trusted friend explaining things rather than a textbook lecturing you. Plus, it incorporates videos and infographics to make the content easy to understand.
By focusing on clarity and empathy, the website helps people get the information they need without feeling intimidated—a big win for anyone newly learning about this disease.
Make It Easy to Scan
Here's something to keep in mind: most people don't read websites word by word. Instead, they scan quickly for the information they need.
Here's how to make your content scanner-friendly:
- Write clear headers that give the main idea
- Keep paragraphs short – just 2-3 sentences
- Leave space between paragraphs
- Make key points stand out in bold
- Use bullet points only for important lists (like this one!)
Writing Calls to Action That Work
Every page on your website should guide visitors toward a specific action. But vague phrases like "Learn More" or "Click Here" don't tell people what to expect.
Instead, use specific action words that tell people exactly what will happen when they click:
- "Sponsor a Child Today"
- "Join Our Volunteer Team"
- "Get Food Assistance Now"
- "Make a Monthly Gift"
One nonprofit that uses actionable language in its calls-to-action (CTAs) is the David Suzuki Foundation, an organization that works to conserve and protect Canada’s natural environment through evidence-based research and policy analysis.
The foundation’s compelling hero message directly addresses a pressing issue – the climate chaos caused by big corporations’ excessive use of oil and gas – while its CTA button invites visitors to participate in meaningful change by signing their petition now.
This clear and specific message inspires visitors to take immediate action and tells them exactly what will happen when they click, setting clear expectations for their involvement.
As visitors scroll down the page, they come across another direct CTA urging them to “Browse Our Petitions and Take Action Now.”
We love this CTA because:
- It allows visitors to sign the petition for the cause nearest their heart
- The language (“Take action”) is clear and actionable
- “Now” provides a sense of urgency that inspires visitors to sign immediately
Be sure to place your most important calls to action where people will see them without scrolling. Make them stand out with different colors, but make sure they still match your overall website design.
Making Your Content Search-Engine Friendly
While you should write primarily for real people – not search engines – understanding some basic search engine optimization (SEO) tips can help more people find your website.
Organic visitors, or people who find a website by searching a keyword and clicking a non-paid search result, accounted for 44% of nonprofit web traffic last year. And 98% of Google searchers will click a link on the first search results page. These statistics highlight the importance of ranking well in organic search through SEO.
Start by researching what words people actually type into Google when looking for organizations like yours. You might be surprised – the way you talk about your work internally could be very different from how the public searches for your services.
Some keyword research tools that offer free plans include Moz Keyword Explorer, Semrush, and Free Keyword Research Tool.
If you serve specific areas, include location terms in your content. For example, someone searching for "food bank Atlanta" probably needs direct help and should quickly find details about where you are and what services you offer.
Try to naturally include your key search terms in:
- Page titles
- Headers
- Opening paragraph
- Image descriptions
- Page summaries
But here's the most important thing: if adding search terms makes your writing sound weird or robotic, leave them out. Clear, natural writing always comes first.
Keeping Your Content Fresh and Updated
Regular updates show that your nonprofit organization is active and engaged. But we know it's not easy to keep creating new content when you're busy doing important work in your community.
Here's a practical way to plan your updates. Create a simple calendar that includes:
- Program milestones and updates
- Upcoming events
- Seasonal campaigns
- Impact reports
- Success stories
- News and announcements
Pick someone to be in charge of content updates. Even small teams can keep their website fresh by planning ahead and finding new ways to share existing stories and information.
Measuring What Works
Creating great content is just the beginning. You need to check if your content is actually helping you reach your goals.
Set up Google Analytics (it's free!) to track important metrics like:
- How many people visit each page
- How long they stay
- How many take action (like donating or signing up)
- Where visitors come from
- How many use phones vs. computers
Pay special attention to your most important pages: donation pages, program information, and volunteer sign-ups. If lots of people leave these pages without taking action, try different approaches like:
- New headlines
- Different button placement and wording
- Shorter or longer content
- Different ways of telling your stories
Common Mistakes to Watch Out For
After completing many nonprofit website designs, we've noticed some common pitfalls. Here's what to avoid:
Old or Outdated Information
Nothing hurts trust more than outdated content. Make sure you regularly check and update:
- Program details
- Staff and board lists
- Impact numbers and reports
- Event calendars
- Contact information
Too Much Information at Once
Many nonprofits try to put everything about their organization on their website. This usually backfires, as overwhelmed visitors often leave without taking action.
Focus on the most important information for each audience. Make it easy for interested people to find more details if they want them.
Unclear Next Steps
Even if your content is inspiring, you'll lose potential supporters if you don't make it crystal clear what they should do next. Every main page should have an obvious path forward.
Feed Nova Scotia, a nonprofit whose mission is to collect and distribute food to local communities in need, features a home page with very clear next steps for visitors based on their user journey. Visitors seeking help are encouraged to click the “Find Food” button, while individuals who came to provide support can choose whether to “Donate,” “Volunteer,” or “Advocate.”
Once clicked, each follow-up page features an obvious next step. For example, visitors who click “Find Food” are asked to fill out a short form that will put them in touch with the nearest food banks and support programs. Visitors who click “Donate” are prompted to select whether they’d like to donate money or food.
This clear, step-by-step approach makes it simple for visitors to take the action that makes the most sense for their journey.
Making Your Content Work for You
Creating a great nonprofit website takes planning and effort. But when you do it right, your content can inspire more people to support your cause and help you make an even bigger difference in your community.
Start by looking at your current website content with fresh eyes. What quick improvements could make the biggest difference in reaching your goals? What best practices have you failed to incorporate?
Remember – your website content isn't set in stone. Try new approaches, see what works best, and keep adjusting based on what you learn about your unique audience and mission.
