First impressions count.
And it’s usually your website that creates it. For potential donors, volunteers, and funders of your charity or nonprofit, their first introduction to what you do and why it matters is your website. It’s your elevator pitch, and a thousand pixels are worth ten thousand words.
In the online world, not having a professional charity website signals you’re not serious or, worse, that you’re not trustworthy. That’s why it’s so important to create a charity website with a clear visual identity that communicates what you’re all about beyond words alone.
A good charity website builds trust and credibility
A key user behaviour we see for digital transactions is that people research before they commit to parting with their money. This is especially true in the charity sector. People don’t want to give to an organisation they don’t believe is valid and credible. If your website looks outdated or unprofessional, they’ll question where their money is going.
Approximately one in three (roughly 33%) donors conduct research on an organisation before making a donation.While many donations, particularly in response to crises, are impulsive, a significant portion of online donors invest time in validating organisations through websites, ratings, and other digital assets.
A polished nonprofit or charity website with a clear visual brand signals that you’re organised, transparent, and worth supporting. This builds trust in the credibility of your organisation and also the efficacy of your services. When your website looks intentional it indicates that you’re a legitimate organisation that can deliver the impact you promise.
This means a good charity website can transform people from passive supporters into active donors.
5 ways an effective charity website boosts online donations
1. It tells your story 24/7
Your website works round-the-clock to communicate your impact. What story do you want it to tell?
Hone in your mission statement. Get precise. You can’t do everything but you can do something to affect change and create a positive impact. So, what change is your organisation striving for?
The more clear and transparent you can be, the easier it is for website visitors to understand what you do, resonate with your cause, and see how their donation could make a difference to that cause.
The most effective nonprofit and charity websites don’t just list what they do—they show the transformation they create. Instead of saying “We provide meals to families in need,” they provide specific case studies of individuals and communtiies they’ve helped and the difference they’ve made.
Use multiple storytelling formats. Different people connect with different types of content. A comprehensive charity website includes:
- Written impact stories: Brief narratives (200-300 words) about individuals or families you’ve helped, with their permission. Include names, photos, and specific details that make the story real.
- Photo galleries: Photos of real people, communities or event coverage that shows your work in action.
- Video testimonials: Short clips (60-90 seconds) of beneficiaries, volunteers, or staff explaining the impact in their own words. Video creates emotional connection in ways text alone cannot.
- Data visualisations: Infographics showing how many people you’ve helped, percentage of funds going directly to programs, or year-over-year growth in impact. Numbers tell a compelling story when presented visually.
- Annual impact reports: Detailed reports or interactive web pages showing your accomplishments, financials, and goals. This builds transparency and credibility with major donors.
2. It makes giving easy
Online giving is the new norm.
In 2024, 63% of donors preferred to give online via credit or debit cards.
Your website should inspire people to donate and make it easy for them to do so. When your website is user-friendly and easy to navigate, you eliminate friction and barriers that make it possible for more people to engage with the content and donate to your mission.
Too often charity and nonprofit websites miss out on online donations because they (unintentionally) make it hard for website visitors to give money. The mission statement is unclear, pages are overloaded with text, and the path to donate is confusing with the “donate” button hidden, buried deep in the site or absent all together. Each of these issues creates a moment where a potential donor thinks, “This is too complicated” or “Maybe I’ll come back later”, but they rarely do. Every unnecessary click is a potential lost donation.
Think about the moment someone decides to donate. They’ve just read a powerful story about your impact, watched a moving video, or connected deeply with your mission. Their emotional commitment is at its peak. This is your window. If they have to hunt for the donate button, navigate through multiple pages, or decipher a confusing form, that emotional energy dissipates. The inspiration fades.
Your job is to capture that moment of inspiration and guide them seamlessly from “I want to help” to “I just helped” in as few steps as possible. Don’t make people hunt for how to donate. Guide users through the flow from inspiration to donation with clear CTAs that signpost them to the next step in the desired user journey.
There’s a number of ways you can make it easy for people to donate:
- Make “Donate” visible on every page: include in the top menu bar or add a sticky widget
- Include integrated donation forms reduce friction
- Provide recurring donation options increase lifetime donor value
- Create mobile-friendly donation pages capture gifts on-the-go
3. It builds community & attracts volunteers
Volunteers are the lifeblood of most charities and nonprofits. They keep the cogs running: they answer phones, organise events, manage social media, and countless other tasks that keep your mission moving forward. But here’s what many organisations overlook: potential volunteers are evaluating you just as carefully. Potential volunteers want to know the organisation they are committing their time to is legitimate and worthwhile. And a beautiful, well-functioning website demonstrates just that. It shows that you’re an organisation worth their time.
In a 2022 survey with 471 senior decision makers at nonprofits across North America, the UK, Australia and New Zealand, more than two-thirds of charities (68%) say a strong visual brand increases volunteer interest. When someone considers volunteering, they’re making a significant commitment. Unlike a one-time donation that takes thirty seconds, volunteering means giving their time, energy, and skills, often on a recurring basis. Before they commit, they need to know your organisation is legitimate, well-run, and worth their investment.
A professional, well-functioning website answers these unspoken questions immediately. It signals: “We’re organised. We value your time. We’re doing important work, and we’ll make good use of your contribution.” Conversely, a broken website with outdated information or confusing navigation suggests disorganisation—and potential volunteers will simply look elsewhere.
A good charity or nonprofit website should show:
- Clear volunteer opportunities pages
- Easy sign-up forms
- Calendar of upcoming events
- Testimonials from current volunteers
- Makes the path from “I want to help” to “I’m helping” as short as possible
4. It builds credibility
A professionally designed website reflects your values and gives credibility. 93% of nonprofits believe a strong brand identity has a positive impact on donor engagement. Through photos, videos, and compelling copy, you can show (not just tell) what you do.
If your copyright dates from five years ago, the event calendars are old, and your site is littered with broken links then people will not trust your work. An outdated design and information signals neglect and disorganisation
Keeping your website up-to-date with information on the latest events, news and impact reports shows your current and active, reinforcing your commitment to your cause. Real photos (not stock images) of your work and impact further bolster that you do what you say you do.
Security badges, especially on donation pages, are another important way to reassure website visitors. When potential donors are considering giving, they’re looking for the reassurance that their personal details and payment information will be handled safely and securely.
5. It improves your visibility and reach
An effective nonprofit or charity website doesn’t neglect the power of search engine optimisation (SEO).
Think about how people search: someone types “food bank near me” or “how to help homeless families in [city]” into Google. If your website is optimised with the right keywords, you’ll appear in those search results and connect with people who are already motivated to take action.
SEO starts with understanding the language your audience uses. A children’s literacy nonprofit might optimise for phrases like “donate books to kids,” “reading programs for children,” or “childhood literacy charity.” By incorporating these keywords naturally throughout your site you increase your discoverability and attract the right supporters.
Good SEO does more than bring visitors to your site:
- Establishes credibility and authority: Ranking highly for relevant searches signals that you’re a legitimate, established organisation in your field. Grant funders and corporate partners often start their research on Google, so being easily findable matters.
- Creates shareable, evergreen content: Blog posts about your cause area (like “How to support foster children in your community”) continue attracting visitors for months or years, and can be shared across social media to drive even more traffic.
- Improves your entire online presence: Creating SEO-optimised blog content creates shareable content for social media, creating multiple pathways for people to discover and engage with your mission.
Your charity website is your most important fundraising tool
Trust is everything in the nonprofit sector.
When potential donors land on your website, they’re asking themselves a crucial question: “Can I trust this organisation?”
A professional, well-designed charity website answers that question with a resounding yes. It shows you’re effective, credible, and serious about your mission. It proves that donations will be handled responsibly and used to create real impact.
The good news? You don’t need to build the perfect website overnight. Start with the essentials: a clear mission statement, an easy donation process, and straightforward ways for people to get involved. From there, you can improve and expand over time. Each enhancement—whether it’s adding impact stories, improving your volunteer sign-up flow, or optimising for search engines—compounds value over time.
Supporting charities and nonprofits is what we do. We offer up to 20% discount for charities and nonprofits because we believe a good website can change the world.
Ready to build a website that builds trust and drives real results? Check out our web design and development services or get in touch to learn how we can help transform your website.
