3 questions your nonprofit web site's home page must answer to convert online donations

I'm starting a new series of articles for this blog on what it takes to have an effective nonprofit web site. An effective web site is one that is successful in supporting the business goals of your nonprofit. Typically this means the web site is supporting your efforts in taking donations, recruiting volunteers, increasing program participation, etc.

Let's start with the concept of donations. If you want to maximize donations on your web site you should drive donations from the home page. Don't make potential donors have to traverse your whole web site to decide whether to make a donation to you. To do this effectively your home page must immediately answer the following three questions. 

1. What does your organization do?

Your web site visitors don't want to have to search all over your site for a description of who you are, what you do and what you hope to achieve. Present them with a short mission statement or tag line on your home page that quickly summarizes what your nonprofit is all about. If the donor agrees with your mission and your goals they will give to you. Be explicit in your answer to this question. A vague mission statement such "we create a better, empowered world" will not deliver donations.

Here are two good examples from a couple of school foundations, Cobb Schools Foundation and The Montclair Fund for Educational Excellence. Each does a good job of succinctly stating their mission and objectives. They even show a quick highlight of their programs which helps to answer our second home page question.

2. How will my donation help?

Donors want to know how their money will be used, what it go towards and the impact it will make. It goes to the heart of why the donor should give. Your home page should include a statement on how a donation will be used. Here's where you organization can pivot from stating your mission to making a direct pitch for donations. This statement of how a donation will be used can usually be combined with an emotional appeal for those donations. The goal is just to demonstrate what a donation might fund or how it might be used. Again, be explicit as you can. Donors want to understand the tangible results of their donation.

Here's a good example from Feed the Children. On their home, they let a potential donor know that a donation now will "help rush nutritious food and key essentials to a hungry American child".  Now that I know the impact my donation will have, I'm more inclined to give.

Here is an example from Alzheimer's Foundation of America. Their home page show a box calling for donations. In that box they help the donor understand what that donation will help fund. 



3. Where do I click to give?

Now let's assume you have convinced the donor you are worthy of their donation, you must now convert  the sale. You must tell the donor where on your home page to click to donate. You'll want to place your answer to this question in a prominent Donate Now button or link near the pitch for donations you made in your answer to our second question. Your Donate Now link should go directly to your online donation form so donors can begin the donation process.

How effective is your web site in converting online donations? Need help in improving your web site? Get in touch.