Is Your Nonprofit Website Building Trust or Creating Doubt?

In today's environment of heightened expectations, being trustworthy isn't always enough — nonprofit organizations must be able to clearly demonstrate trust, transparency, and accountability online.

This interactive audit helps you evaluate how well your website communicates trust today — and where small gaps may be creating uncertainty for donors, board members, or the public.

What You'll Get From This Audit

Answer 18 guided questions and receive:

  • A personalized trust score based on your responses
  • Clear insight into how your website communicates mission, impact, and transparency
  • Prioritized recommendations highlighting where improvements will have the greatest effect
  • The option to download a custom PDF summary to review internally or share with leadership

1. Mission Clarity

Can people quickly understand who you are and what you do?
Outdated/unclear Perfect clarity
Very confusing Instantly clear
Missing/buried Prominently displayed
Vague/unclear Crystal clear
Why this matters

If people don't understand your mission quickly, trust has a hard time forming. Clarity builds confidence.

2. Impact Visibility

Can people see progress and understand results?
All stock photos 100% authentic
No metrics shown Clear connection
Raw data only Compelling story
No trend data Clear trajectory
Why this matters

Impact builds confidence when progress is visible, authentic, and easy to understand.

3. Financial Transparency

Is accountability clear, accessible, and human?
Hidden/missing Easy to find
No visuals Clear charts
Jargon-heavy Easy to understand
Outdated/missing Up to date
Why this matters

Transparency feels more trustworthy when people can see both the numbers and the people behind them.

4. Language & Tone

Does the site feel clear and approachable?
Very formal Warm & accessible
Heavy jargon Plain language
Uncertain/off Trustworthy tone

5. Calls to Action

Are you building trust before asking for action?
Pushy/premature Well-timed
Donate only Multiple pathways
No context Clear rationale