1. How Websites can Support your Impact
With over 160,000 organisations now registered with the Charity Commission, the third sector is
a competitive place to operate in. Reduced funding and increased demands are adding to the
pressures of every third sector organisation.
Effective communication can give organisations the edge whilst engaging all stakeholders
particularly the all important funders. Effective, consistent and constant communications with
stakeholders is essential for third sector organisations.
In one of the first papers on the sector‘s use of the internet in 19981, one of the conclusions
drawn was that: in order to raise funds, organisations must maintain exposure to ensure that
the public is aware of their mission and needs. This still applies today but with the added focus
on transparency and accountability. In the past supporters of third sector organisations have
been less concerned with results unlike the shareholders of companies however this has evolved
with more questioning how their donations are being spent.
Websites are the perfect tool for third sector organisations. Convince surfers that you are
accountable and transparent with a worthy cause and they will donate more, volunteer, sign
your online petition and champion your cause. Key online features that will help demonstrate
your organisation’s accountability and impact online are outlined below.
Mission and Vision Statement
Obvious but so important. Tell visitors to your website your raison detre and what your vision is.
Succinctness and clarity of message are important. Make sure your mission and vision
statements are inspiring. If you don’t engage visitors here, there is no hope of them getting
involved with your organisation.
About Us
Be open about the history of your organisation. Give visitors a sense of the culture and
philosophies of your organisation, what drives it and how it has developed over the years.
People buy people. The more personal you make this area of the site, the better the
engagement. List all your members of staff including board members, what they do, how they
can be contacted and the contact details of your organisation. Don’t give people a reason not to
get in touch and find out more.
Impact and Annual Reports
In the private sector, companies post their annual reports on their website mainly to
demonstrate their ROI to existing and potential shareholders. There are a multitude of reasons
why posting this type of information on a third sector website is important. Impact (non-
financial, narrative) and Annual (financial) reports are crucial for influencing potential
stakeholders and demonstrating return on donations, funding or society. With increasing
1
Elliott, B., Katsioloudes, M. and Weldon, R.(1998) Nonprofit Organizations and the Internet Nonprofit
Management & Leadership, vol. 8, no. 3, Spring

2. competition and reduced government funding, demonstrating the value that the organisation
can bring, is key for future donations.
Research2 conducted in the US suggested that the disclosure of the finances and performances
of 100 not-for-profit organisations lead to increased donations: in effect donors were ‘willing to
pay in the form of increased donations, for quality information disclosed on nonprofit
websites...”. Whether this research is generalisable is largely unimportant. Shouldn’t this
information be shared as a matter of course?
Well written reports will convey professionalism and will attract the more questioning donor or
funder. They may be more inclined to invest in your organisation if they believe that their
money is going to be utilised wisely. Their judgement may be based on what they read in your
report.
The beauty of websites is that your reports can take any format you like. A PDF download, MS
Word document, or PowerPoint presentation or podcasts. Be imaginative and accommodating,
offering different formats according to your key audiences.
Case Studies
Possibly the most compelling message for your organisation is the case study. These can be used
to demonstrate your organisation’s performance, the benefit to your beneficiaries or your
impact on society. Case studies can convince the sceptic that your cause has really made a
difference. Provide them in different online formats to engage with and communicate how
important your organisation is.
Funding
Where does your money come from; why did you receive it and what did you do with it?
Showing how you are funded will make others more likely to invest in your organisation as they
have gotten a sense as to why others have invested in your cause. Be clear about how you
intend to spend their donation. This adds to the all important organisational transparency.
Online Communication
Once you have all this information on your website, get people to visit it by constantly talking
about it. Use social networking tools such as Twitter, LinkedIn, You Tube, Facebook and Share
This Page software to create online buzz and encourage dialogue between your organisation
and existing and potential stakeholders. Send newsletters updating them on what your
organisation has been doing and how this has helped your mission and users. It’s a relationship.
The more communication there is in a relationship, the more transparency there is and the
more trust is built. Project accountability and trustworthiness through continued
communications and reporting.
Where possible on your website, ask for feedback and what your site visitors would like to see
more of. User journey experiences are key. Not all third sector organisations can afford to have
2
Saxton, G.D., Neely, D.G. and Chao, C, (2010) Web Disclosure and the Market for Charitable
Contributions. Independent Paper

3. the website user journeys examined but you can ask users to give feedback directly or check the
analytics to find out how they are navigating your site.
Accessibility
With all of the features above it is important to have all of them easily accessible on your
website. Being buried under pages of less relevant material will only frustrate someone eager to
find information on your organisation so make it easy for your information to be found.. Test
your site to ensure those with visual disabilities can access the site easily too. RNIB can provide
further guidance on online accessibility.
Accountability, Clarity and Transparency
Bottomline: demonstrating accountability, clarity and transparency can engender trust. The
more your website can demonstrate this, the more value you will get from it. Trust is a core
actor in the donor/third sector organisation relationship. It is therefore important for third
sector organisation websites to demonstrate accountability over and above their private and
public sector counterparts.
Research3 has indicated that by improving communication, non-profit organisations can create a
lever for improving trust with their funders. Websites can provide this two-way communication
that builds both a relationship with different stakeholders and ultimately your ImpACT.
Agnes Jumah, Head of Marketing, ACEVO
3
MacMillan, K., Money, K., Money, A., and Downing, S. (2003) Relationship marketing in the not-for-
profit sector: an extension and application of the commitment–trust theory. Centre for Organisation
Reputation and Relationships, Henley Management College