How to Build a Basic Website for Your Charitable Foundation

Last month, we shared a shocking statistic: Out of the nearly 120,000 foundations in this country, only 10% have a website. That means 90% do not. So if you’re reading this because you’ve decided to be the one out of every ten U.S. foundations that has its own online home, then kudos! Here’s what you need to know in order to get started.

What should your foundation’s website include?

If nothing else, your website should at least provide up-to-date contact information and the foundation’s mission statement. However, a well-thought-out website does far more. It opens a communication channel with the world at large, providing grant-seekers with valuable information about your purpose and programs. 

Having a website also expands your foundation’s reach. Furthermore, it helps establish the legitimacy (and reputation) of your philanthropic enterprise in the public eye.

Best of all, you don’t necessarily need to have a lot of money or extensive tech skills to create an effective and professional-looking website. Just make sure that it’s straightforward and easy to navigate. Your goal is to make it easy for visitors to understand your mission and impact as well as to find what they’re looking for.

This website was built using SquareSpace, which provides modular templates. You can drag and drop images and text, add various types of modules (e.g., text, graphics, spacers, etc.), insert links, and create a fully customized site, from branding and color scheme to layout and text font. It also flexes to look good on smartphones and tablets.

WordPress is the most popular and powerful web-hosting platform. It has a steeper learning curve, but it’s well worth mastering if you have someone associated with your organization who’s willing to take on the challenge.

If you prefer to work with a professional web designer, there are plenty from which to choose. Look for a company that specializes in working with nonprofit organizations and charitable foundations. They understand the field, and they can take your vision and make it a reality. 

Once your site goes live, make sure that your web designer or someone from the company teaches you the basics of how the back end works, or you’ll need to keep at least a part-time webmaster on the payroll. It’s not hard to upload new blog posts and/or refresh other content.

What’s in a domain name?

First, you’ll need to buy a domain name or names. More is better, for reasons that will be made clear in a moment. Your primary URL (web address) should ideally be YourFoundationName.org. It’s both intuitive and easy to remember, while .org is the domain name extension (suffix) intended for use by nonprofit organizations. Think of your primary domain name as the address of the virtual vacant lot where you’re going to build your website.

 It’s a smart move to also invest in YourFoundationName.com, YourFoundationName.net, plus the .org, .com, and .net versions of any obvious slight variations of your foundation name. For instance, The Bolger Foundation owns thebolgerfoundation.org/.com/.net along with bolgerfoundation.org/.com/.net.

These secondary URLs can be set up to redirect to the primary URL where your website is actually located. They’ll enable more people to find you online, while also serving to ward off potential cybersquatters and/or copycat scammers who might try to siphon off traffic intended for your foundation for nefarious reasons of their own.

Domains (most of which come with optional email accounts) may be purchased and managed through GoDaddy and other web-hosting companies. GoDaddy also offers a simple and intuitive site-building functionality.

From front-page news to your back pages

Setting up a basic website is as easy as 1-2-3:

1.     Every website starts with a home page. Yours should feature your foundation’s name, mission statement, and a prominently displayed notification that tells visitors “How to Apply” or “Grant Applications by Invitation Only”. Most visitors to your site will be interested in getting money from you, so let them know right away whether or not they may apply or must be invited to do so. 

2.     In addition to your mission statement, your website should state your areas of focus and what types of projects your foundation will fund — and what you won’t fund. You should also outline your funding budget (so applicants have some idea of how much they can ask for or expect to receive); expected deliverables; review procedures; any deadlines for grant request submissions; and how to apply, plus your contact information.

A dedicated foundation phone number (you can get one through Google) and email address will help you to stay organized. It’s useful to set up an email account using your domain name, e.g., info@yourfoundationname.org, for this purpose.

You can include this information on your home page, an About page, a grant guidelines page, or an FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions) page. Providing clear funding requirements and parameters saves a lot of time for both grantors and grant-seekers.

3.     The third must-have for your website is a list or database of projects/programs you’ve previously funded. This gives would-be applicants some idea of what you’re looking for so they can determine whether or not they’re likely to be a good match.

It’s also a good idea to have an About page or section of your home page that shares your foundation’s backstory and introduces key personnel, such as the board of directors. This helps grant-seekers get to know you and gives them a better feel for your foundation’s culture and purpose.

There’s more that you can add to your foundation’s website, with an online application process being probably the most mission critical. A blog is useful as well, especially in terms of driving traffic and SEO.

SEO stands for search engine optimization, and learning the basics thereof will pay big-time dividends. The higher your foundation’s website ranks in search results, the easier it will be for people to find you, and the more people who will be likely to find you. As a result, you’ll get more and better quality grant applicants. Web-hosting platforms include built-in SEO tools. Use them.

Now go forth and join the 21st century by becoming the one out of every ten foundations to have its very own website!