News and Insights
The top 8 website designs from non-profit organisations in 2019
November 15, 2019
There are more than 185,000 registered charities in England and Wales alone, and an average of 5000 new charities being created every single year, and it can be hard to find your place.
Even if your non-profit enterprise does not meet the criteria to become a registered charity, visibility is still a huge barrier.
Visibility
You need to be found, you need to have a stellar reputation, and you need to compete. It is unfortunate, but with so many charities in the UK alone, and many more non-profit enterprises, you are going to have to kick your efforts up a notch. Reinvesting in your digital infrastructure and in your marketing campaigns is one of the best methods to accomplish your goals for raising awareness and helping those in need. To help inspire you, we have put together the top eight website designs from non-profit organisations:
1. HeForShe
HeForShe is a UN non-profit that is committed to gender equality. It gained huge momentum when Emma Watson announced it back in 2014. Its website features interactive, engaging video, a clear call to action, and what the non-profit is about—gender equality—all within a glance.
As you scroll down, you are greeted with dynamic information like a live counter, social media posts, and the global commitments and events throughout the world. Its navigation is simple, the graphics are fluid, and overall it is a great website design to take inspiration from for your own non-profit.
2. CARE
Care is a non-profit that provides relief to those in crisis. This website is narrative driven, and the first things you see are the faces of some of the children who the non-profit works to provide for. With several calls to action just below and plainly visible both on desktop and on mobile, it’s a strong landing page that keeps on giving-clearly a well crafted WordPress SEO.This is because the title cards that continue below are engaging, and focus on providing clear infographics and images that convey their services and how they help. You can learn more, send a care package, or join the fight.
Non-profit organisations can take inspiration by placing the stories of those they are trying to help at the forefront of their site.
3. Charity: Water
This is a beautiful site that offers large, high-quality images and interactive elements that encourage visitors to get involved from the second the page loads. It’s easy to sign up, easy to sponsor an event, and there is an additional live counter that showcases just how much money the fundraisers have raised for the good of the world in the fight to provide clean water to those in need.
Non-profit organizations can learn from this site. Use a few high-quality images, and work to provide stunning and interactive text that engages users directly on the page to encourage them to carry on to fundraise or donate to the cause.
4. Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is a charity working to reduce inequality around the world. It is unique from many of the other non-profits on this list in that its home page is built more similarly to a newsletter, which gives a cleaner, more sleek layout that readers can scroll through and learn about the work the non-profit does.
Non-profits should take note because the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation home page showcases a great method to separate the different charity work they do, whilst maintaining a cohesive look. More than that, of course, there is diversity right on the page.
5. Conservation International
Conservation International puts information centre stage, with title cards that highlight the most pressing conservation crises around the world, and just below that a section containing the latest conservation news. Like other sites on this list, Conservation International also features live counters, though its calls to action are at the bottom.
6. Audubon
The first thing you see is a stunning vista and a featured post from this non-profit’s magazine. With sticky sections (the top section lifts away to reveal what is below) this is an engaging and beautiful magazine-style website that puts its content at the forefront right alongside its call to action. Continue down, and you learn more about the conservation work they do, the birds and wildlife they work to protect, and more.
There is a lot of content on this page, and though it can be a bit distracting, it encourages visitors to explore, learn about and care for the environment and in turn conservation efforts that work to protect it.
7. GreenWave.org
GreenWave is unique as it offers an engaging and animated video right from the start that explains its 3D ocean farming concept. Following that are press reviews and the awards they’ve won. This is primarily because the non-profit is working to change existing farming methods within the business sector. Despite them not accepting donations, GreenWave is unlike most other non-profit organizations as this is not their focus. Rather, they are farmer-centric, which their website reflects. They work to help individuals become farmers to expand the use of their restorative ocean farming methods.
The site highlights how your goal as a non-profit will change the dynamic and focus of your website. If you are looking to attract businesses to adopt more sustainable practices, awards, accolades, and proof of concept are preferred over narrative focus.
8. NRDC
Be a force for nature is a powerful call to action that sits right at the top of the NRDC’s website, and following its title card the website highlights some of the biggest accomplishments the non-profit has achieved since its creation. The donation system is easy, clean, and right there below the work they have done to help the earth, which is a great position that any non-profit should consider copying.
What sets these non-profit websites apart?
There are a lot of traits and lessons you can learn from these top non-profit website designs that you can use when creating or revamping your own website. The top traits that these non-profit website designs all feature include:
- Responsiveness
- A long home page
- Simple navigation
- Animated backgrounds
- Infographics
- Great photography