Web Site Development Strategies and Resources for Neighborhood Networks Centers and Consortia

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Why develop a consortium Web site?

A Web site is an effective method of communicating the mission and vision of your Neighborhood Networks Consortium to a broad audience. Web sites can serve a variety of purposes for consortia, including membership development, fundraising, publicizing events and activities, and sharing success stories and best practices. As your Neighborhood Networks Consortium strives to grow through partnership development, fundraising, and increased membership, a Web site can be an essential tool for communicating with stakeholders and gaining support from the greater community.

The Web Development Process

The following are steps to develop a Web site for your Neighborhood Networks Consortium:

	Create a development plan and set a schedule.
	Develop, organize, and edit content.
	Enlist design services from the community (local colleges, universities, technical schools, large community technology centers, design firms, etc.).
	Develop a plan for marketing the site (remember to involve all stakeholders in the plan).

Consortia might want to form a Web-development committee and assign tasks to individual members to ensure that each step of the process is carried out thoroughly and in a timely manner.

Developing Web Content

Web content consists of the text and pictures to be included on a Web site. For Neighborhood Networks Consortia, general content includes:

	Mission, vision, and values.
	Major goals and objectives.
	History of the consortium.
	Contact information.
	News and events.

Your Web site may be the first introduction others have to your consortium. Therefore, it is important to provide this basic information to allow visitors to clearly understand the role your consortium plays in the community.

Writing Style

Web content should be written in a clear and concise manner. Visitors will not necessarily read all the content on any given Web page, so content should be written in a style similar to newspaper articles: the main ideas or basic facts should come first, while supporting details should appear later in the text. You can use techniques like subheads, bulleted lists, short phrases, and direct conclusions to keep content organized and succinct. You should still provide the full amount of information, but the basic facts should link to more detailed information, so that people who do not want all the details do not have to read them in order to get to the main ideas.

Target Audiences

Neighborhood Networks Consortia can utilize Web sites to disseminate information to a variety of audiences--including prospective members, volunteers, partners, and funders. When developing content, be mindful of the audiences you want to reach with your Web site. Each audience will want different information for different reasons, so organize content in a way that will be accessible for each type of visitor.

Prospective Members

Consortia can utilize their Web sites to market the benefits of consortium participation to prospective members. In addition to basic information about the consortium, your Web site should demonstrate how the consortium has helped individual centers serve their clients more effectively. Consortia might also want to indicate the types of organizations that are eligible to join as well as what is required of members to maintain good standing. The membership section of your Web site should include:

	Center descriptions (including locations, descriptions of programs and services offered, and clients served).
	Center success stories.
	Description of membership benefits (including current partnerships and grants awarded).
	Membership eligibility requirements.
	Member roles and responsibilities.
	Membership application instructions.
	Downloadable membership application form.

It is particularly important to give Web site visitors the option of applying for membership online, once they become interested in joining your consortium. If you are not able to include a downloadable membership application form, then provide accurate and reliable contact information potential members can use to contact a consortium leader about joining the consortium.

Current Members

A Web site can build a sense of community among members, especially in cases where they are spread across a large geographic area. Your Web site should include a communication tool to facilitate the process of members getting to know one another. One of the greatest benefits of consortium participation is resource sharing, and your Web site can make it easy and convenient for members to share ideas and information with one another. You might also want to include links to resources and related Web sites, like those of other Neighborhood Networks consortia, funders, and similar nonprofit organizations.

Funders

Neighborhood Networks Consortia can also use Web sites to help funders learn more about what they do. When you reach out to funders about funding opportunities, they will want to determine whether your organization's mission and goals match their funding priorities. They will also want to become familiar with your membership, since member centers ultimately benefit from any grants awarded to the consortium. Your Web site should include the following information for potential funders:

	Types of programs/activities to be funded.
	Current and past funding sources.
	How past grants were distributed and utilized.
	Center success stories.

Funders want their grantees to show not only a need for additional funds, but also the capacity to administer those funds effectively. Including success stories and other information about consortium activities will help potential funders understand how funds are utilized to support member centers. Also, information about other funding sources will suggest to potential funders that your organization has the capacity and sustainability to efficiently administer grants.

You should not exaggerate your consortium's accomplishments when developing Web site content for potential funders. Rather, your Web site should present a clear and accurate picture of your consortium, one that supports the direct contact you have with funders. This allows them to make an informed decision about further engaging with the consortium.

Partners and Volunteers

Some individuals and organizations may have interest in becoming involved in your consortium in ways other than joining or providing funding. Like other audiences, these partners and volunteers will want a general overview of your consortium's mission and goals. They will also visit your Web site to get ideas about how they can get involved.

By providing information about the programming and services offered by your member centers (as well as any current partnerships you have), your Web site should get potential partners and volunteers to think creatively about ways of contributing their time and resources. Remember, partners and volunteers ultimately want to feel that they are making a positive impact on the community. So, your Web site should demonstrate how integral your member centers are to the communities they serve.

Visitors should always come away from your Web site with a strong sense of your consortium's purpose and goals. The more effectively the content on your Web site conveys the mission and goals of your consortium, the more likely visitors will be to recommend the site to others. To make your Web site most effective, include ways for visitors to contact a consortium leader about funding and partnership opportunities, to sign up as a volunteer, or to simply get more information about the organization.

Designing Your Web Site

After writing, compiling, and editing content, the next step is to design your Web site. When you begin the design phase, it is often best to start by developing a very basic Web site. Once it is up and running, you can add content and more advanced features as you deem necessary and appropriate.

Web sites should be designed in a way that allows users to navigate easily and quickly access the information they are seeking. They should also be inviting and visually appealing. When creating the design, consider the impression or experience you want visitors to have. Develop a wish list of Web features you would like to incorporate, and then decide later which are actually feasible. You can visit the Web sites of organizations that are similar to yours to get an idea of which design features will work best for your Web site.

Most Neighborhood Networks Consortia do not have all the resources they need to develop Web sites internally. If this is the case for your consortium, reach out to other community members for assistance with Web design. Local community colleges, universities, technical schools, and design firms are likely to have the skills and other resources your consortium needs. Contact these institutions about the possibility of donating their Web design services or establishing a partnership that involves an exchange of resources.

Marketing the Web Site

Marketing your Web site is just as important as building it, since a Web site will not serve its purpose unless people actually access the information. Web site marketing is an ongoing process that should be incorporated into all consortium activities. The following are offline and online marketing strategies your consortium can use to get the word out about your new Web site:

Offline Marketing Strategies:

	Include your Web address in all informational and marketing materials, including consortium letterhead, newsletters, and brochures.
	Announce the launch of your Web site in your newsletter and any other correspondence with current and potential stakeholders (members, funders, partners, volunteers, etc.)
	In each edition of your newsletter, reference a resource that is available exclusively on your Web site.
	Familiarize all stakeholders with the Web address and the information that is available on the Web site. Encourage them to tell other community members about the site.
	Reference your Web site in all communication with the media (including press releases, media advisories, telephone conversations, etc.) so it will be mentioned in newspaper articles and other media coverage of your consortium.

Online Marketing Strategies:

	I Include your consortium's Web address in your signature when sending e-mails on behalf of the consortium.
	E-mail your current stakeholders to announce the launch of the Web site, and to inform them of any major updates you make to the Web site in the future.
	Develop a list of organizations that provide related services and programs and contact them about providing links to your Web site on their Web sites.

Web Site Maintenance

Web site maintenance is a continual process that involves ensuring the site operates properly and is updated with current information. This is particularly important because people are not likely to visit a site more than a few times if it is not updated regularly. The more complicated the design of the Web site, the more complicated maintenance will be. So, try to anticipate your site's maintenance needs during the design phase of development. If you work with an outside developer, assign at least one consortium member to learn how to update and maintain the site as it is being built. Whenever possible, avoid taking your site down while it is being updated or redesigned.

Web Site Development Links

The following Web sites offer information about Web development for nonprofit organizations: Web Development Resources for Nonprofit Organizations:

Grassroots.org: A 2005 Neighborhood Networks National Partner. Provides free Web hosting for nonprofit organizations.

CharityFocus.org: Links nonprofit organizations with community volunteers who provide free Web-building services.

Altrue: Provides affordable Web hosting and custom Web sites for nonprofit organizations.

Web Developer's Toolkit: Links to Web authoring, design, and graphics resources for Web development beginners.

Resources for Online Fundraising:

Network For Good: A 2005 Neighborhood Networks National Partner. Provides free online fundraising tools and volunteer recruitment resources.

Sample Consortia Web Sites:

Digital Promise: This Neighborhood Networks Consortium is based in Seattle, Washington, and was founded in 1996.

MassIMPACT: This Neighborhood Networks Consortium is based in Massachusetts, and was founded in 2004.