A website for your nonprofit consulting business doesn't need to be fancy or expensive. It needs to make it easy for the right people to understand your work and reach you. When you're starting out, you may not need one at all. Here's what I started with, what to skip, and what a simple site needs.
You might not need a website yet
When I started consulting, I built a basic website on Squarespace myself. It had an About page, the organizations I'd worked with, my services, and a way to book a call. That was it.
Some consultants do fine without a website. One consultant I work with has been consulting for two years, is fully booked, and doesn't have one. All of her clients have come through word of mouth. I've also seen consultants send a one-page PDF that explains their services and invites people to email them to book a call, or use their LinkedIn profile as their sales page.
A website matters more when people who don't know you yet are looking you up, like when you're reaching beyond your network or want to show up in Google and AI searches. For more on reaching new people, read how to market your nonprofit consulting business.
Skip the expensive branding for now
Many consultants think they need to spend $5,000 or $10,000 on a designer, a logo, and a brand guide before they can launch. You don't. I paid for professional branding with custom logos, fonts, and a brand guide, and I ended up using a simpler brand I made in Canva. Canva can get you far on your own. Start simple, and invest in something nicer later if you want to.
What a simple website needs
A clear homepage. Think of it as an elevator pitch: who you help, what you do, and the next step. For help describing who you serve, read the best nonprofit consulting niches and how to pick yours.
An About page. Your background, your experience in the nonprofit sector, and why you do this work.
A Services page. What you offer, who each service is for, and the result clients get.
Proof. The organizations you've worked with, testimonials, or short examples of results.
A way to book a call. Use one main button with a clear label, like "Book a call," and put it near the top of your pages, since people spend most of their time on the part of a page they see first. If you use a contact form, keep it short.
Help people find you
Give each page a clear title and a short description, use readable page addresses, and describe your images so search engines understand them. Google's guidance says showing up in its AI search features doesn't take anything extra beyond these basics and helpful content. Then check your site on your phone. The text should be easy to read, and buttons should be easy to tap. For tools to build your site, read the best software for nonprofit consultants.
About the author
Catalina "Cat" Parker is the founder of Relatable Nonprofit. She has a master's in nonprofit management from Columbia, her business has generated nearly $1 million in revenue, and 100+ nonprofit professionals have joined her Mentorship program. Read her story.
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