Lancaster Yeshiva Center

This small nonprofit’s site needs to convey more warmth, cohesiveness and professionalism.

May 2008 By Sarah Durham and Farra Trompeter

multipage

* Program descriptions: Lancaster Yeshiva Center would benefit from adding more information about its programs. We found quite a bit of information about it from other sources — the organization might even consider repurposing the copy on its GuideStar profile for its own site.

* Admissions: Adding an admissions area to the site would be relatively easy within the current structure and might cover such topics as admission requirements, a schedule with dates for interviews and notification, an online application, and stories or testimonials from alumni. Many other schools do this well — a quick survey of the competition usually is a great way to start when figuring out what to include on your site.

* For donors: Lancaster Yeshiva Center could add some simple benefits for recognition to help donors feel more connected to the lives they positively impact through their support. Maybe donors are listed in a regular newsletter. If there are tangible benefits for donating, list them. In the section for planned giving (which is one of the most intimate forms of giving), using an “info@” e-mail address is a bit too impersonal. Adding a name, a direct phone number and e-mail address here would be appropriate for the intimacy inherent in this type of giving.

* E-mail addresses: It’s terrific that Lancaster Yeshiva Center provides e-mail contact information for everyone on staff. But we recommend that the domains be consistent. Everyone should have an e-mail address that ends in @lancasteryeshiva (.com or .org). A simple change like that increases the perception that the organization is cohesive, professionally run and organized.

Last but not least
Lancaster Yeshiva Center is securely processing donations online through Google Checkout. Since Google has waived its transaction fee for nonprofits through late 2008, 100 percent of gifts goes directly to the organization itself. On the flip side, the donations-processing form displays Google’s brand and not the look or design of the nonprofit organization. Another option would be for Lancaster Yeshiva Center to use Network for Good (which offers online donation processing for any nonprofit listed by GuideStar). Although there is still no unique branding and a 3 percent transaction fee, donors can make recurring donations, designate gifts to a specific fund, and make a gift in honor or memory of someone.

Now that the world is at its doorstep, we suggest Lancaster Yeshiva Center implement a few inexpensive online best practices to reassure donors, parents and prospective students alike about the value of its work and capacity to truly transform lives. FS

To have your nonprofit’s Web site critiqued here, send an e-mail with the URL and your contact info to sarah@bigducknyc.com