Best Nonprofit Websites of 2014

To accomplish great web design, it isn’t necessary to re-invent the wheel! Instead, it can be easier to draw inspiration from other sites to home in on a look and feel that will work best for your targeted site visitors.

Since we work with multiple nonprofits at Figmints, we’re always closely tracking emerging trends and best practices.

We’ve pulled the best of the best nonprofit websites of 2014. The list was hand selected from the gardens of the interwebs by our designers, developers, and clients – like a fresh fig in the fall – based on the following criteria:

• Design – Following best practices
• Usability – Is the site accessible on mobile?
• Creativity – The X factor!
• Content – Is it relevant to the visitor? Does it tell a creative story?
• Code – Organization and browser compatibility

Happy website exploring!

1. CHARITY WATER

Charity Water is a nonprofit that brings clean, safe drinking water to people in developing countries. Check out: www.charitywater.org.

2. YEAR UP

Year Up provides a one-year, intensive training program that provides low-income young adults, ages 18-24, with a combination of hands-on skill development, college credits, corporate internships, and support. They’ve seen tremendous sucess with 85% of program graduates either securing employment or attending college full-time. You can view their site here: yearup.org.

Also, read our post about their website redesign here.

3. NPR

Most likely, you’ve heard of npr. Last September, they revamped their site. They switched from a standard newspaper-style site format to a more streamlined, simple format. Overall, they received extremely positive reviews! More importantly, their number of site visitors increased astronomically. You can view their site here: www.npr.org.

4. THE JIMMY FUND

The Jimmy Fund is actively supporting the fight against cancer in children and adults alike. They’re based out of nearby Boston, and specifically support the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. Check out their site here: www.jimmyfund.org.

5. VENTURE FOR AMERICA

Venture for America (or VFA as it is more commonly known) is a career accelerator for recent grads who want to learn how to build a company and make an impact. VFA Fellows join a startup in an emerging city, where they learn hands-on what it takes to become a successful entrepreneur. You can view their site here: ventureforamerica.org.

Also, check out our blog post talking about VFA’s website redesign here.

Any favorites you think we forgot? Tweet us @figmints!