Most nonprofit websites don't need a redesign — they need a few basics fixed. Here's a plain-language checklist to score yours, using free tools, so you know what to fix first.

The short version: a good nonprofit website works on a phone, loads fast, makes the next step obvious, and is easy for your team to keep current. Run the eight checks. Each points you at a free tool so you're not guessing. Say "yes" to most and you're in good shape. If not, a handful of targeted fixes — not a rebuild — will usually do it.

The site isn't the point. The people you help are. This is about clearing what quietly gets in their way.

The 8-point checklist

Give yourself a clear yes or no on each. Where I've named a tool, it's free — use it instead of eyeballing.

  1. Works on a phone. Open it on your phone. Easy to read and tap without pinching or zooming? Yes/no.
  2. Loads fast. Run your URL through Google's PageSpeed Insights. Under ~3 seconds on mobile = yes. Google's research has long found that more than half of mobile visitors abandon a page that takes over 3 seconds to load, so slowness costs you people quietly. If the score's low, oversized images are the usual culprit; compress them at TinyPNG first.
  3. One obvious next step per page. Could a stranger tell what to do in five seconds? Yes/no. (The "but we have three audiences" objection is real — see below.)
  4. Says who you help and how, plainly. Would a first-timer get it in one sentence? Yes/no.
  5. Easy to act. Try to donate or sign up on your phone. Three taps or fewer, no dead ends, no forced account? Yes/no. Bonus: an email capture for people not ready to give, and a recurring-gift option — often your highest-value next steps.
  6. Your org controls it and can update it. Two parts: could staff change an event date today without a developer? And does the organization — not a volunteer's personal account — own the domain and hosting logins? Yes to both = yes.
  7. Accessible. Run your homepage through our free Accessibility Check (or WAVE or Lighthouse), then navigate for 30 seconds using only your keyboard (Tab and Enter, no mouse). Passing means 4.5:1 text contrast, real alt text on images, and everything keyboard-reachable — the WCAG 2.2 AA standard. Yes/no. (Also watch for: video captions, not relying on color alone, readable PDFs.)
  8. Builds trust. Real impact, real people, an easy way to reach you — and it loads over https with a padlock, not a "Not secure" warning. The padlock is non-negotiable if you take donations. Yes/no.

One thing that isn't scored but is worth doing: install basic analytics (Google Analytics or Plausible are free) so you can see whether people actually reach your donate and volunteer pages. Without it, every fix here is faith-based.

Score yourself

  • 7–8: great shape — keep it current.
  • 5–6: solid; pick the "no's" with the most leverage.
  • Under 5: don't panic, don't rebuild — a few basics make a big difference.

One override: if you scored "no" on #7, cap your total at 5. A site that locks out people using a screen reader or keyboard isn't in "great shape," however it scores elsewhere. About one in four adults has a disability, ADA Title III drives a steady wave of demand letters against inaccessible sites, and federally funded orgs are bound by Section 508. Mostly, though, this is about reaching more of the people you serve. The legal exposure is just the part that gets a board's attention.

A low score says nothing about the worth of your work. It's just a short to-do list, usually shorter than people fear.

Fix these first, and why

When you can't do everything at once, these three beat the rest, because each stands between a real person and the thing you want them to do:

  1. Mobile + speed — what makes most people give up and leave before they see your work.
  2. One clear next step, near the top of the homepage — not buried below the fold.
  3. Easy donating and signing up — every extra tap loses people.

About "one clear next step" — the objection you're already forming. You're right that a person in crisis and a major donor need different things. So give each page one primary next step, aimed at whoever is most likely to land there. Your homepage can lead with "Get help" or "Donate" depending on who you expect, and if a visitor might be in crisis, that CTA gets top billing every time. One clear choice per page.

If "easy donating" is your weak spot, that's a job — not a rebuild. Most nonprofit traffic is on phones, but most giving still happens on desktop — usually because the mobile checkout is slow or too long. Our fixed-scope Mobile Donation Optimization streamlines your existing giving flow (fewer fields, Apple/Google Pay, a fast tested checkout), then measures whether it moved the number. See how it works →

Fix or rebuild?

Almost always fix. Rebuild only if the site is genuinely broken or on tech that's no longer supported — and that's a judgment worth a second opinion, not a solo guess. The honest cost range: targeted fixes often run a few hundred to low-thousands of dollars; a full custom rebuild is a different order of magnitude. Which you need — and whether to DIY, hire a freelancer, or bring in an agency — is its own decision, covered in Choosing help: DIY, freelancer, or agency →. Diagnose before you spend.

What to skip

  • Animations or video backgrounds that slow the site.
  • Chasing "perfect." Done and clear beats beautiful and confusing.
  • A full redesign when three fixes would do.

FAQ

How long does this take? Most fixes above are hours-to-days, not months. Speed and accessibility are often the fastest wins.

Can a volunteer do it? Some of it — image compression, copy updates, running the free scanners. Just put the domain and hosting in the organization's accounts first (check 6).

Is my platform a dead end? Usually not. If your team can update it and it takes donations securely, the platform is rarely the problem. The Scorecard flags real lock-in before any rebuild.

Related reading: For how to fix what you find, see the digital audit → and strategy on a budget → guides. For the impact numbers and financials funders check on your site, see impact & reporting →. On why load speed is an equity issue — for many people you serve, a phone on a capped data plan is their only internet — see the digital divide →.

CTA: Start with the checklist above. It's free, and it's the fastest way to know where your site actually stands. When you want the fuller picture, the free Scorecard scores your website plus five other areas and turns it into a priced, prioritized plan you can run yourself. And if you'd rather have someone read the results with you, that's what Digital Clarity is for. No pressure, only if it's useful.

Disclosure: MissionAssist is my company, and paid work like Digital Clarity is how I make my living. Everything here is free to use on your own — whether we ever work together or not.

Author: Weston Cox — founder of MissionAssist, where I help nonprofits fix the digital basics without overspending. (MissionAssist grew out of my earlier studio, Tomorrow Labs.) Portland, OR.