Someone on the board says, "We should have a website." A volunteer opens an Instagram account. Somebody else set up a free site years ago, but nobody knows the password. After a while a sponsor or a council officer says, "I looked at your website," and what they saw was an event notice from two years ago.
Associations and foundations don't sell products, but they depend on trust. If people are going to give you their time, effort or support, they first want to understand who you are. In this article I explain which pages an association website needs and how to keep it alive for years.
The site's real job: building trust
A volunteer, a prospective member or a supporter looking at your site is really asking: Is this organization real? What does it do? Who runs it? What does it want from me? Your site should answer these four questions within the first minute or two.
Don't write in a corporate or commercial voice. Instead of "advancing community impact across key pillars," write "We give free homework help to children in the neighborhood."
Purpose and activities
On the home page, visible without scrolling, include:
- One or two sentences on the purpose of the association or foundation.
- Your main activities, each with a short heading and a line or two.
- The year you were founded and your area of work (which town, which group of people).
- A concrete call to action: "Volunteer", "Become a member" or "Contact us".
Use photos of your activities. If recognizable people appear, especially children or people receiving help, you need permission from them and, where appropriate, their parents or guardians. How to obtain that permission properly is a question for your legal adviser or the relevant authority; it would be wrong for me to give you a firm rule here.
Openness: leadership and reports
For associations and foundations, the strongest sign of trust is openness. A visitor relaxes as they get to know you and see how you work. Consider:
| Section | What it might contain |
|---|---|
| Leadership | Names and roles of board members; a short introduction if appropriate |
| Annual report | A yearly summary of activities, as a readable document |
| Constitution or charter | Your purpose and how you operate |
| Contact | Address, phone, email, a real registered address |
Which documents and details may or must be published can differ depending on the type of organization and the country. The same goes for privacy and data protection; I can't give a one-size answer. Decide these with your board, a legal adviser or an accountant. The website then presents those decisions in a clear, orderly way.
Membership and volunteer applications
A membership page can be among the hardest-working pages on the site. Yet on many sites it is either missing or ends with "download the form, sign it and bring it in."
A simple application works like this:
- The page explains what membership is, what it offers and who can join.
- A short form asks for name, contact details and a brief note.
- After sending, it is clear who receives it, and the visitor is told "We got your application and will reply in this way."
- If official paperwork or a signature is needed, that step is stated separately and clearly.
The same goes for volunteers, with one difference: a volunteer asks, "What will I do, and how much of my time will it take?" A volunteer sign up form should say where you need help (events, fieldwork, social media, fundraising) and how much time you expect.
Event announcements
An events page shows the site is alive, but only if it will be updated regularly. If a visitor sees a past date under "Upcoming events", they assume the site has been abandoned.
- Keep upcoming events on top and past ones in a separate "Archive" section.
- For each event give the date, time, place and whether registration is needed.
- After the event add a short summary and a few photos; this is both an archive and proof that the site is moving.
Donation information: be careful
If you accept donations, you will want to say so on the site. But I must add a general warning: collecting donations, sharing account details, issuing receipts and the tax and legal rules around all this differ by type of organization and country, and mistakes can have consequences. Settle what you write, and which permissions or notifications are needed, with your legal adviser or accountant.
My job as the person building the site is to show the information you have approved, clearly and neatly. I don't decide which information is correct. On a donation page, keep things plain: what the money will be used for, whom to contact and which options are available, only as far as your responsible people have approved.
Who will update the site?
The biggest problem with association sites is not design but having no owner. The board changes, a volunteer leaves, the password is lost, and two years later the site is a forgotten shop window.
To prevent that, decide these from the start:
- A responsible person: one person to update the site and one backup. Write their names in a board decision or a file.
- Access details: the domain, hosting and site logins should be tied to a shared association address, not someone's personal email. When a person leaves, the association keeps its site.
- An update routine: a simple calendar, for example adding an event each month and posting the annual report once a year.
Frequently asked questions
Our association is small. Do we still need a site?
Even for a small organization, one good page is more lasting than a social media account. A simple association website that says who you are, what you do and how to reach you is often enough.
Isn't a social media account enough?
Social media isn't under your control and doesn't give you a lasting public archive. For official information and reports, your own address is more trustworthy.
What should we put on the site to collect donations?
That depends on your organization's legal situation. Have your board and accountant approve what is written; I will then show that information properly on the site.
Conclusion
An association or foundation site makes trust visible: what you do, who runs you and how to take part should be clear. Ask your qualified adviser about donations and regulations, and decide who will update the site right at the start. If you'd like to plan a site for your organization along these lines, you can reach me through my website design page.