THE COMPLETE
WEBSITE REDESIGN
GUIDE
EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW
Costs, timelines, accessibility requirements, and how to migrate without losing your search rankings.
REDESIGN VS REFRESH
Not every outdated website needs a complete overhaul. Understanding the difference can save you time, money, and headaches.
WEBSITE REFRESH
Best when your foundation is solid
- →Updated colors, fonts, and imagery
- →New content and messaging
- →Minor layout adjustments
- →Performance optimizations
- →Timeline: 4-8 weeks
- →Cost: $2,000-$8,000
FULL REDESIGN
Required when fundamentals need changing
- →New information architecture
- →Platform migration
- →Complete visual overhaul
- →Custom functionality
- →Timeline: 8-16 weeks
- →Cost: $5,000-$25,000+
Signs you need a full redesign: Your site isn't mobile-responsive, loads slowly, has accessibility issues, or is built on an outdated platform that limits your capabilities.
COST BREAKDOWN
Website redesign costs vary widely based on your organization's needs. Here's what drives the investment.
BASIC NONPROFIT SITE: $5,000 - $10,000
- →5-10 pages (Home, About, Programs, Donate, Contact)
- →Mobile-responsive design
- →WCAG AA accessibility compliance
- →Donation integration (Stripe, PayPal)
- →Basic content management system
ADVANCED NONPROFIT SITE: $10,000 - $20,000
- →Everything in Basic, plus:
- →15-25 pages with complex information architecture
- →CRM integration (Salesforce, HubSpot, Bloomerang)
- →Custom interactive features
- →Multi-language support
- →Comprehensive SEO optimization
ENTERPRISE PLATFORM: $20,000+
- →30+ pages with custom web applications
- →Donor portals and member areas
- →Advanced automation and integrations
- →Multi-site management
- →Ongoing support and maintenance
TIMELINE EXPECTATIONS
A typical nonprofit website redesign follows this timeline.
DISCOVERY & STRATEGY
Stakeholder interviews, competitor analysis, content audit, technical requirements gathering
WIREFRAMING & ARCHITECTURE
Site map, page layouts, user flow diagrams, content hierarchy planning
DESIGN & REVISIONS
High-fidelity mockups, brand application, stakeholder feedback, design refinement
DEVELOPMENT
Front-end build, CMS setup, integrations, donation forms, accessibility implementation
CONTENT MIGRATION
Content transfer, URL redirects, image optimization, SEO metadata preservation
TESTING & LAUNCH
QA testing, accessibility audit, browser/device testing, training, go-live
ACCESSIBILITY REQUIREMENTS
For nonprofits, website accessibility isn't optional—it's essential. A proper website redesign should meet WCAG 2.1 AA standards at minimum.
PERCEIVABLE
- →Alt text for all images
- →Captions for videos
- →4.5:1 color contrast ratio
- →Resizable text up to 200%
OPERABLE
- →Full keyboard navigation
- →Skip navigation links
- →No flashing content
- →Sufficient time limits
UNDERSTANDABLE
- →Clear, consistent navigation
- →Error identification and suggestions
- →Predictable page behavior
- →Reading level appropriate content
ROBUST
- →Valid HTML markup
- →Screen reader compatibility
- →Works across browsers
- →Compatible with assistive tech
CONTENT MIGRATION CHECKLIST
Migrating content during a website redesign requires careful planning to preserve your SEO rankings and ensure nothing gets lost.
BEFORE MIGRATION
- →Audit all existing pages and their current rankings
- →Create URL mapping document (old URLs → new URLs)
- →Export all metadata (titles, descriptions)
- →Inventory all images and documents
- →Identify content to archive vs. migrate
DURING MIGRATION
- →Set up 301 redirects for all changed URLs
- →Preserve or improve all metadata
- →Optimize images (compress, add alt text)
- →Test all internal links
- →Verify forms and donation integrations work
AFTER MIGRATION
- →Submit new sitemap to Google Search Console
- →Monitor for 404 errors and fix promptly
- →Track ranking changes for key pages
- →Update external links and social profiles
- →Set up ongoing analytics and conversion tracking
CHOOSING THE RIGHT PLATFORM
Your website redesign is an opportunity to evaluate whether your current platform still serves your needs.
WORDPRESS
Best for: Organizations needing frequent content updates
- →Requires security maintenance
- →Plugin updates needed
- →Flexible and customizable
- →Large plugin ecosystem
SQUARESPACE
Best for: Simple sites with limited customization needs
- →Easy to use
- →Limited nonprofit-specific features
- →Monthly subscription fees
- →Templates-based approach
CUSTOM (NEXT.JS)
Best for: Maximum performance, security, and flexibility
- →Higher upfront cost
- →Requires developer for changes
- →Best performance and security
- →Complete customization
WEBFLOW
Best for: Design-focused organizations with some technical capacity
- →Monthly fees
- →Limited donation integrations
- →Visual design interface
- →Good for designers
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Real questions. Real answers.
A nonprofit website redesign typically costs between $5,000 for a basic 5-10 page site to $25,000+ for enterprise platforms with custom features. Factors include the number of pages, custom functionality, integrations, content creation, and accessibility requirements. Get a detailed quote based on your specific needs.
Most nonprofit website redesigns take 8-16 weeks from kickoff to launch. This includes discovery (1-2 weeks), design (2-4 weeks), development (3-6 weeks), content migration (1-2 weeks), and testing/launch (1-2 weeks). Complex projects with extensive content or custom features may take longer.
A refresh (updating visuals, content, and minor improvements) works if your site structure is solid and just looks dated. A full redesign is needed when you have fundamental issues: poor conversion rates, accessibility problems, slow load times, or a platform that no longer meets your needs.
WordPress remains popular for its flexibility and nonprofit-specific plugins. For maximum performance and security, custom-built solutions (Next.js, React) are ideal. The right choice depends on your team's technical comfort, budget, and specific feature needs.
Proper content migration requires URL mapping, 301 redirects, metadata preservation, and XML sitemap updates. We audit your existing rankings, preserve high-performing pages, and implement redirects to maintain your search visibility through the transition.
At minimum, your site should meet WCAG 2.1 AA standards. This includes proper heading structure, alt text for images, keyboard navigation, color contrast ratios, and screen reader compatibility. For organizations receiving federal funding, Section 508 compliance may also be required.
Signs you need a redesign: low donation conversion rates, high bounce rates, slow page load times (over 3 seconds), not mobile-friendly, accessibility issues, difficulty updating content, or your brand has evolved beyond what the site represents.
READY FOR YOUR
WEBSITE REDESIGN?
Let's discuss your goals and create a roadmap for your nonprofit's digital transformation.