What makes a good charity website?

Your website is more than just a digital brochure. It’s a central hub where you can:

• Tell your charity’s story clearly.
• Make it easy for people to donate or get involved.
• Showcase your impact with real results.
• Provide practical information for supporters, volunteers, and beneficiaries.
• Build trust through transparency, security, and professional design.

Research by the Charity Digital Skills Report highlights that over 80% of charities see their website as a core digital tool for fundraising and engagement. Getting it right really does matter.

What are the essential features of a charity website?

Here are the most important charity website features to include:

• Clear mission and storytelling

Visitors should quickly understand what your charity does and why it matters. Use plain language, real stories, and photos that reflect your community. Avoid jargon - people respond best to authentic, human stories.

• Easy donation options

Make giving simple with:

- Prominent donation buttons on every page.

- Mobile-friendly donation forms.

- Options for one-off or regular giving.

- Suggested donation amounts to guide supporters.

• Strong calls to action

Every page should have a clear next step: donate, sign up, volunteer, share, or learn more. Keep these short, friendly, and action-driven.

• Volunteer and supporter opportunities

A dedicated section for volunteering and fundraising makes it easy for people to get involved beyond donating. Include forms or links where people can register interest.

• Event promotion

If you run events - whether community gatherings or virtual challenges - your website should showcase them with sign-up options and easy social sharing.

• Membership or supporter login areas

If you offer memberships or supporter logins, make sure these areas are simple to navigate and secure.

• Accessibility and inclusivity

Your site should meet WCAG accessibility standards, ensuring that people with disabilities can use it. That includes clear fonts, alt text for images, and good colour contrast.

• Trust signals

Reassure visitors by including:

- Charity registration number.

- Impact statistics.

- Case studies and testimonials.

- Transparent financial information.

• Mobile-first design

More than half of all web traffic comes from mobile devices. A responsive site is a must for the best charity website design.

• Simple content management system (CMS)

Behind the scenes, a content management system helps your team update pages, add content, and publish news without technical know-how. Choose one that’s user-friendly and integrates with your fundraising tools.

Charity website development doesn’t have to feel overwhelming. Here’s a step-by-step approach:

• Plan around your audience:

Who are you trying to reach: donors, beneficiaries, volunteers, policymakers? Your site should reflect their needs.

• Audit your current site:

What’s working? What’s missing? Collect feedback from your supporters.

• Define goals:

Do you want to increase donations, recruit volunteers, or raise awareness?

• Choose the right platform:

Look for one built with charities in mind (like Access Raise) with secure donation tools and integration with your CRM.

• Design with simplicity:

Clean layouts, scannable content, and clear CTAs work better than clutter.

• Test before launch:

Ask supporters or trustees to test the site on different devices.

• Measure and refine:

Use analytics to track visitor behaviour and improve over time.

What about accessibility, data privacy, and maintenance? Let's dig deeper here.

Prioritising accessibility & inclusivity

A great charity website should feel welcoming to everyone. Making your site accessible means people with disabilities can navigate and engage with your content just as easily as anyone else. The good news is that small design choices can make a big difference:

• Keyboard navigation – let users move around the site with their keyboard (tab, enter, arrow keys).

• Screen reader compatibility – use proper headings (H1, H2, etc.) and alt text for images so screen readers can describe your content.

• High colour contrast – aim for at least 4.5:1 contrast ratio so text stands out clearly.

• Text resizing and readability – make sure people can zoom in up to 200% without breaking the design, and stick to fonts that are clean and legible.

• Captions and transcripts – add closed captions to videos and provide transcripts so deaf or hard-of-hearing users don’t miss out.

An accessible site isn’t just about compliance — it’s about inclusivity. It shows that you value every supporter, volunteer, and beneficiary.

Data privacy and security

Trust is everything in the charity sector. Donors need to know their personal information is safe when they visit your site or make a donation. To build that confidence:

• Protect sensitive data – keep supporter names, emails, and payment details secure from breaches.

• Comply with regulations – follow GDPR and other data protection laws to avoid risks.

• Use HTTPS encryption – a secure site not only reassures visitors but also helps your search rankings.

• Be transparent – include a clear privacy policy and explain how supporter data will be used.

By prioritising security, you protect your supporters and strengthen your charity’s reputation.

Keeping your website fresh

Launching your new website isn’t the end of the journey - it’s the start! A site that’s regularly updated will perform better, engage visitors for longer, and support fundraising goals.

Here’s why ongoing maintenance matters:

• Better user experience – fix broken links, keep donation forms smooth, and avoid slow-loading pages.

• Relevant, engaging content – highlight your latest campaigns, share recent impact stories, and celebrate successes.

• Improved performance – optimise images and code to keep your site quick to load, which helps with both SEO and supporter satisfaction.

Think of your website as a living part of your charity. Nurture it, and it will continue to deliver value.

Learn more about nonprofit website best practices

Charities often struggle with limited time, budgets, and technical expertise. That’s where tools like Access Raise can help.

Access Raise is an all-in-one digital awareness and fundraising platform that brings together website tools, online fundraising, and supporter engagement in one place. Instead of juggling multiple platforms, you can manage donations, events, campaigns, and communications seamlessly - saving time and offering supporters a smoother online experience.

"Access Charity Websites is good value for money. The thing we really valued was the strategic input and project management."

Anna Woollven, Communications and Fundraising Manager, The British Thyroid Foundation

Final thoughts: Building a website that works for your charity

Your charity website should do more than look good - it should actively support your mission by raising funds, engaging supporters, and telling your story with clarity. Put yourself in the shoes of your supporters, what would you want to see and happen as a visitor?

By focusing on the essential charity website features outlined here, and taking a structured approach to charity website development, you can build a site that inspires trust and encourages action.

If you'd benefit from support and advice, our charity website experts can help guide you in the right direction.