Nonprofit Website Brief Template
Nonprofit websites have to do three jobs at once: raise money, tell impact stories, and recruit volunteers. This brief template covers donation flow, recurring giving, program architecture, and the accessibility and reporting standards funders expect.
Best for: Agencies and designers scoping a website for a charity, nonprofit, foundation, or NGO.
Why this brief matters
- Donation flow conversion is the entire fundraising tech stack — a 0.5% lift can mean six figures annually.
- Recurring giving is 5–10× the LTV of one-time gifts; the website must make it the default option.
- Accessibility (WCAG 2.2 AA) isn't just ethical — it's required for many federal and EU grants.
- Impact storytelling beats statistics. Photo-led, person-led stories drive 2–3× the donation conversion.
What every nonprofit brief must cover
1. Donation flow
Stripe, Donorbox, Givebutter, Classy, RaiseDonors, or a custom flow — and whether donations are processed on-site or off-site (impacts conversion materially).
2. Recurring giving & retention
Default toggle, upgrade flows, donor portal, lapsed-donor reactivation, and how the website surfaces the monthly-giving program.
3. Programs & impact
Each program is its own page with theory of change, beneficiaries served, photo storytelling, and a path to give or volunteer toward that specific program.
4. Volunteers, events & advocacy
Volunteer signup, event RSVPs, peer-to-peer fundraising, advocacy actions (letters, petitions), and where they live in the site IA.
5. Accessibility & reporting
WCAG 2.2 AA conformance, annual report archive, financial transparency, board listing, and Form 990 / Charity Navigator alignment.
Sample questions to ask the client
Drop these straight into your discovery call or intake form.
- Q1.What payment processor / donation platform are you using or planning to use?
- Q2.Is the donation flow on-site (best conversion) or hosted on a third party (easier compliance)?
- Q3.What % of donations are recurring today, and what's the target?
- Q4.How many programs need their own page, and which is the flagship?
- Q5.Do you run peer-to-peer or DIY fundraising campaigns?
- Q6.What's your annual giving goal, and how should the site contribute?
- Q7.What accessibility standard must the site meet (WCAG 2.2 AA, Section 508)?
- Q8.What language(s) does the site need to support?
- Q9.Who maintains content post-launch — staff, volunteer, or agency retainer?
- Q10.Are any grants tied to specific site features or reporting?
Common pitfalls
- ×Choosing a donation processor late — switching platforms post-launch is painful and lossy.
- ×Treating recurring giving as a checkbox instead of the default.
- ×Stock photography instead of beneficiary stories — kills emotional resonance.
- ×Ignoring accessibility until QA — retro-fitting is 5× the cost.
KPIs to align on
- ✓Total online donations
- ✓Recurring donor count
- ✓Donation page conversion rate
- ✓Volunteer signups
- ✓Email-list growth
Frequently asked questions
What should a nonprofit website brief include?
Donation platform and on-site vs. off-site flow, recurring giving strategy, program pages, volunteer and event signup, accessibility commitment, content ownership post-launch, and the fundraising goal the site is accountable for.
Which donation platforms work best for nonprofits?
Donorbox and Givebutter are excellent for small-to-mid nonprofits with easy embeds and donor portals. Classy and Salesforce NPSP suit larger orgs. Stripe + a custom flow gives the highest conversion but requires engineering. Pick based on team capacity, not feature lists.
What accessibility standard should a nonprofit website meet?
WCAG 2.2 AA at minimum. US federal grants increasingly require Section 508 conformance, and EU funders require EN 301 549. Design and build with accessibility from day one — retrofitting costs 3–5× more.
How important is recurring giving for a nonprofit website?
It's the single biggest lever. Monthly donors have 5–10× the lifetime value of one-time donors and retain 80%+ year over year. The website should default to monthly with one-time as the alternate option.
Run this brief for your next nonprofit client
Send a single white-labelled link. Your client answers guided questions. BriefHQ generates a polished, agency-grade nonprofit brief automatically.
Start 14-day free trial