Most website redesigns begin with a feeling: the site looks dated, staff cannot update it, or donors cannot find what they need. Those are good reasons to start. They are not yet a plan.
Before you request proposals, take time with your team to answer the questions below. Clear answers make every later decision faster, and they help a partner give you an honest recommendation.
What is the website actually for?
A nonprofit website usually serves several audiences at once: people who need services, donors, volunteers, partners, funders, and the press. Decide which audience matters most, and which action you most want each one to take.
If everything is a priority, the homepage ends up saying nothing.
Write down the top three actions you want visitors to take. Use them to judge every design and content decision that follows.
Who will maintain it after launch?
Many websites are strongest on launch day and weaker every month afterward. Ask who will update content, who will handle security and software updates, and who will fix problems when they appear.
- Will your staff manage pages themselves, or do you want a partner to handle it?
- Who approves changes, and how long does that take?
- What happens when the person who knows the site leaves?
What needs to connect to the site?
Your website rarely stands alone. It may need to work with your donor database, email tool, event registration, volunteer sign-up, or a resource directory. List these early, because integrations shape the cost and the timeline more than the visual design does.
How will you know it worked?
Choose a few measures before launch. They might be online gifts, form submissions, event sign-ups, or how quickly people find a service page. Without a starting point, it is hard to show your board or funders what changed.
Is accessibility part of the plan from the beginning?
Accessibility is easiest and least expensive when it is part of design and content from the first conversation. Ask any partner how they plan for it, test it, and support it after launch. Automated tools help, but they do not replace human review.
What will the content need?
New designs still need words, photos, and documents. Decide who will write and gather them, and how much of your current content is worth keeping. Content is one of the most common causes of delay.
Is your budget tied to a grant or a timeline?
If a grant is funding the project, share the reporting dates and allowed uses with your partner at the start. A good plan can spread work and support across more than one year.
Next steps
You do not need every answer before you talk to a partner. Bring what you know, and be clear about what you do not. The goal is a shared understanding of your mission, your audiences, and the support your site will need long after launch.
- website redesign
- planning
- nonprofit website
