How to Work With Nonprofits
I've often been hired by nonprofit organizations to help "re-do our website." And occasionally this translates to: Please write and implement a project plan that suggests a new design and site structure, and also devise an online strategy including member outreach through e-mail blasts, social networking, and other fantastic tools that will transform our work into the next online revolution. No small undertaking.
Later in the process, I'm often informed by the development person that they just need something pretty to show to funders and a purple "Donate Here" button in the upper right corner of the new front page. Five weeks into the project, the Executive Director asks for her own blog and mentions that she doesn't like purple.
"What happened to your project plan?" I'll ask.
Many good causes with too little funding require people in nonprofit organizations to wear different hats each day. This creates an environment where individuals are used to having an opinion on every aspect of the organization. What's more, the needs of a non-profit website change frequently, and those changes may be dependant on the time in the election year or the funding cycle of the biggest donor.
So how do you cope with all this change? Do your homework and define the scope before beginning a project is one best practice. But the key to successfully working with nonprofits is to keep your mind flexible and be open to their various needs along the way—without compromising the coherence of your project. Striking that balance is the real work.
—Natascha Shawver, writer and consultant, neshawver@gmail.com