Building an online presence is crucial for nonprofits to reach a wider audience and achieve their goals. Weebly is a popular website builder that can help nonprofits create a professional online presence without needing extensive coding knowledge.
Weebly offers a range of features that are specifically designed for nonprofits, including customizable templates and drag-and-drop functionality. This makes it easy to create a website that reflects your organization's brand and values.
Nonprofits can use Weebly to create a website that showcases their mission, services, and impact. With Weebly's built-in e-commerce features, nonprofits can also accept donations and sell merchandise online.
Pricing and Discounts
Weebly's pricing plans are quite straightforward. The Team and Agency plan costs $16.50 and $22 per month, respectively, with the option to discuss custom plans with the company.
You can host only one website in the first two plans, while the Agency plan lets you host up to four websites. Some premium features like dynamic pages and extensible widget builders are only available in the most expensive plan.
If you're a nonprofit, you might be happy to know that some website builders, including Weebly, offer discounts for registered nonprofits. You can request this discount directly when purchasing your contract or by contacting the vendor.
Here are some specific details about Weebly's pricing plans:
Do Builders Offer Discounts?
Some website builders offer discounts for nonprofits, which can be applied directly when purchasing your contract. You may also need to contact the vendor directly to request the discount.
You can benefit from reduced transaction fees when selling goods, services, and tickets, or accepting donations. Certain providers offer special nonprofit discounts, such as PayPal's charity rate.
To qualify for these discounts, you must be a registered nonprofit. Community-based programs may have a harder time accessing this financial help.
$99/month
The $99/month plan is a solid choice for businesses and individuals who want a reliable website solution. This plan includes 10 managed webpages, which is a great starting point for most small to medium-sized websites.
You also get unlimited additional webpages, so your site can grow as your business does. Secure hosting is included, which means your website will be protected from malware and other online threats.
Ongoing plug-in updates and maintenance are also part of this plan, so you can be sure your site is always running smoothly. One website change per year is included, which can be a big cost savings.
You'll also get access to a Partner Web specialist for up to 5 hours per year, which can be a huge help if you need some extra guidance or support. And, you can have up to 5 users, which is perfect for small teams or families.
Here's a quick rundown of the features included in the $99/month plan:
- 10 managed webpages included
- Unlimited additional webpages
- Secure hosting
- Ongoing plug-in updates and maintenance
- 1 Website change/year included
- Up to 5 hrs of access to Partner Web specialist/year
- Up to 5 users
- Monthly backups
$199/month
At $199/month, you get a lot of value for your money. This plan includes 20 managed webpages, which is a great starting point for most small businesses.
You also get unlimited additional webpages, so you can scale up as your business grows. Secure hosting is included, which gives you peace of mind knowing your website is protected.
Ongoing plug-in updates and maintenance are also taken care of, so you don't have to worry about keeping your website up to date. You get 3 Website changes per year, which is perfect for making updates or trying out new designs.
You'll also have access to up to 12 hours of Partner Web specialist time per year, which can be a huge help when you need expert advice. This plan also includes weekly backups, so you can rest easy knowing your data is safe.
Here's a breakdown of the key features included in this plan:
- 20 managed webpages included
- Unlimited additional webpages
- Secure hosting
- Ongoing plug-in updates and maintenance
- 3 Website changes/year
- Up to 12 hrs of access to Partner Web specialist/year
- Up to 10 users
- Weekly backups
- 2 Campaign landing pages included/year
Getting Started
Weebly is a user-friendly platform that allows nonprofits to create a website in just a few minutes, with no coding required.
Weebly offers a free plan that includes 500MB of storage and a custom domain, making it an ideal choice for small nonprofits.
To get started, simply sign up for a Weebly account and choose a plan that suits your needs.
Weebly's drag-and-drop editor makes it easy to create a website, even for those with no technical experience.
You can choose from a variety of templates to get started, and customize them to fit your nonprofit's brand and style.
Weebly's customer support team is available 24/7 to help you with any questions or issues you may have.
Don't worry if you're not tech-savvy - Weebly's website builder is designed to be intuitive and easy to use.
With Weebly, you can create a professional-looking website that showcases your nonprofit's mission and impact.
7 Must-Haves
Building a website for your nonprofit organization can be a daunting task, but with the right tools and features, you can create a site that effectively communicates your mission and engages your supporters.
A simple and clean design is essential for a nonprofit website. Keep the essence of your work shining through by avoiding irrelevant details and redundant messaging.
Your website should be up-to-date and current. This means regularly updating your content, especially your news and events sections. If you have an upcoming event, make sure to highlight it prominently on your site.
Make sure your website is easy to navigate. Don't make visitors search for common information like your contact details or address. Keep your contact information in the footer and on the Contact Us page.
A prominent Donate button is crucial for encouraging donations. Make it big, red, and place it at the top of each page. Consider creating fundraising landing pages for specific campaigns and using an online donation processor.
Donors should receive a warm thank-you message after making a donation. Take them to a thank-you page that acknowledges their gift and lets them know how it will be used. Send them a donation receipt that shares more about your organization's work.
Signing up for your newsletter should be easy and inviting. Add a sign-up option in the footer, but avoid using the word "newsletter." Instead, invite visitors to stay in the loop or get the latest news.
Your website should be 100% mobile-friendly. Test every page to ensure it displays correctly on a cell phone. Many supporters will visit your site on their phone, so make sure everything is easy to do via a phone.
Pricing and Summary
Weebly offers pricing plans that are surprisingly reasonable considering all the features you get.
You can host only one website in the basic plans, but the more expensive plans allow for more websites.
The Team and Agency plans cost $16.50 and $22 per month, respectively.
Custom plans are also available, but the details are not specified.
Some premium features are only available in the most expensive plan.
Weebly helps save time on tasks like hosting, support options, and eCommerce management.
The pricing plans are super-expensive from any perspective, but they offer a lot of value.
You may need to pay $22 per month when billed annually for the best features.
Runner-up: Morweb
Morweb is a great alternative for nonprofits looking to create a website. It offers a free plan with unlimited pages, which is a big plus for organizations with a lot to say.
One notable feature of Morweb is its drag-and-drop editor, which makes it easy for users to create a website without needing to know how to code.
Planning & Prep
Before you start building your nonprofit website on Weebly, it's essential to plan and prepare carefully. To avoid wasting time and resources, create a list of items you need to collect before creating the website.
You'll want to ask yourself some key questions, just like Slam does. Here are a few to get you started:
- What are the goals of my website?
- Who's my target audience?
- What are websites I really love, content-wise and design-wise? Why?
- What are websites I really dislike, content-wise and design-wise? Why?
- What are the best platforms, website builders, or content management systems that fit my needs? How much do they cost?
By answering these questions, you'll have a solid foundation for your website and be able to make informed decisions about your design and functionality.
Technical Setup
Weebly is a user-friendly platform that allows nonprofits to create professional websites without requiring extensive coding knowledge.
To get started, you'll need to sign up for a Weebly account, which is free for nonprofits with a verified 501(c)(3) status.
The Weebly website builder is drag-and-drop, making it easy to add and arrange elements on your site.
You can choose from a variety of customizable templates to match your nonprofit's brand and style.
Weebly offers a range of integrations with popular third-party apps, including email marketing tools and social media platforms.
E-commerce features, such as online donation forms and shopping carts, can be easily added to your site.
Weebly's mobile-responsive design ensures that your site will look great on any device, from smartphones to desktop computers.
The Weebly editor is accessible on multiple devices, allowing you to make changes to your site from anywhere.
Building an Online Presence
Building an online presence is crucial for nonprofits to reach their audience and achieve their goals. Nonprofit websites should offer standard features like displaying business information, including maps, socials, blog posts, and videos.
Processing online payments, especially donations, can be tricky, so it's essential to choose a website builder that can handle this feature. Donations are different from online stores, and nonprofits may also sell goods and services to raise funds.
A good website builder should offer calendar and event management, allowing nonprofits to manage and promote events directly from their dashboard. This feature can help nonprofits stay organized and reach a wider audience.
Newsletters and mailing lists are a reliable way for nonprofits to communicate updates and news to their donors. Choosing a website builder that integrates with email marketing platforms is a must. Some website builders even let you turn blog posts into newsletters, saving time and effort on promotion.
Search engine optimization (SEO) is also crucial for nonprofits to increase their online visibility. A good website builder should offer SEO features, allowing nonprofits to be found organically by search engines like Google or Bing.
Here are some essential features to look for in a nonprofit website builder:
- Donations and online store capabilities
- Calendar and event management
- Newsletter integration
- SEO features
- Ready-made templates for nonprofits
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to create a website for a nonprofit?
The cost to create a website for a nonprofit can range from $500 to $20,000, depending on the complexity and features required. For a more detailed estimate, please review our pricing options for a custom solution tailored to your nonprofit's needs.
Featured Images: pexels.com