The RI & MA Non-Profit Website Toolkit

Running a non-profit website in Rhode Island or Massachusetts comes with a short list of things worth doing. Some are free, some are legally required, and most can be finished in an afternoon. This is the list I walk every client through, in the order that pays off fastest.

Free money and free tools

• Google for Nonprofits. Free Google Workspace, meaning @yourorg.org email for the whole team, and the Ad Grant of up to $10,000 a month in free search advertising for eligible non-profits. Most small organizations qualify and never apply. It’s the most underused resource on this list.
• TechSoup. Verified non-profits get deep discounts or donations on software most organizations pay full price for. Registration takes about a week. Do it once and benefit for years.
• Canva for Nonprofits. The paid tier of the design tool your volunteers already know, free for registered non-profits. Good enough for flyers and graphics that match your website.

Get found by your neighbors

• Google Business Profile. Free, and for local searches such as “food pantry near me” it matters as much as your website. Claim it, add photos and hours, and ask three supporters for reviews. This is the highest-value hour on this page.
• Name your towns on your website. Search engines can’t guess that you serve Woonsocket or Worcester. Your pages have to say so in sentences. Your service area belongs in your homepage text, your about page, and your contact page.

Look as legitimate as you are

• State registration. Most charities that solicit donations must register, in Rhode Island with the Department of Business Regulation and in Massachusetts with the Attorney General’s Non-Profits/Public Charities Division. Donors and grant reviewers check. If you’re unsure of your status, your accountant will know.
• Candid (GuideStar). Claim your free profile and fill it in. Foundations look here before they fund, and an empty profile reads as an unanswered question.
• A short privacy policy. If your site has a contact form, say what happens to what people type. It builds trust and it’s increasingly expected. Mine is one page.
• Own your domain and hosting. The organization should hold the keys, not a volunteer and not a designer. This is how I set that up.

Make it usable by everyone

A large share of your audience in both states is over 65, and some visitors use screen readers or zoomed text. Readable font sizes, strong contrast, buttons that say what they do, and photos with descriptions: the basics aren’t hard, and they’re the difference between serving everyone and serving almost everyone. For organizations receiving federal funds, accessibility is required.

The one-afternoon version

If you only do three things: claim your Google Business Profile, apply for Google for Nonprofits, and put your towns into your website’s text. All free, all fast, and together they will do more for your reach than a redesign.

Want a hand with any of it, or a look at which of these your organization is missing? The first conversation is free.