A guide for community orgs, nonprofits, and cultural institutions building their online presence
A few years ago, I volunteered to build a website for an arts and culture market. I was a student at the time, but I brought technical training and cultural care to the project. For free, my team and I created a custom website using HTML, CSS, and JavaScript — no templates, no shortcuts. It was responsive, accessible, fast-loading, and designed with their mission in mind. I helped them maintain this site over the next year.
But the project fell apart. This wasn’t because of poor code or bad design, but because of misaligned expectations, tech misunderstandings, and a rush toward “easy” solutions. My work was replaced by a Squarespace site that cost more, did less, removed all the features I created for them, and looked worse. A year after this, the site is still underdeveloped and unprofessional.
This experience taught me a lot. And I want to share some of those lessons–not to vent, but to help other nonprofits and new devs avoid making the same mistakes.
Five Things Non-Tech Orgs Need to Understand When Someone Volunteers to Build Your Website
1. Clarify What You’re Getting
Not all websites are created the same. A custom site built with code gives you control, speed, and future scalability. A no-code platform like Squarespace gives you convenience–but with limits. Know what you’re asking for, and what the tradeoffs are.
2. Ownership Doesn’t Mean Control
If a volunteer sets up hosting or registers your domain, that doesn’t mean they’re trying to “own” your organization’s web presence. Often, they’re just filling a gap in infrastructure. Ask questions–please, don’t assume bad faith.
3. Free Work Doesn’t Mean Low Value
If someone is building you a custom website for free, they’re giving you hundreds–sometimes thousands–of dollars worth of work. Treat it with respect. Communicate clearly. Be transparent. If you change direction, have the decency to say so.
4. Excitement Isn’t a Substitute for Experience
We’ve all met the enthusiastic new team member who just discovered Wix or Squarespace. But that excitement doesn’t mean they understand UX, accessibility, responsive design, or long-term hosting costs. Don’t let hype override experience. Don’t assume the new guy is going to deliver based on their enthusiasm and then end up with a half-assed, subpar site.
5. Listen to the People Doing the Work
If someone is building your site, listen to them. If they say something’s going to take time, trust them. If they try to explain the pros and cons of different tools, hear them out. The most damaging thing you can do is treat your developer like an afterthought.
A Note on My Own Missteps
When starting out, no one really teaches you how to interact with clients–or if they do, it’s often too clean, too idealized. Real-world projects are messy. People misunderstand. Assumptions creep in. And unless you’ve lived through it, you don’t yet know how to navigate that chaos.
Document EVERYTHING.
I was doing my best with the knowledge and resources I had at the time. But in hindsight, I see where I could’ve communicated more clearly. I should have set firmer expectations. I could’ve explained technical terms in more accessible ways. I might have benefited from more visual tools, more upfront documentation, and clearer boundary-setting. These are all things I’ve learned–not in a classroom, but by going through it.
Which is why I share this now–not as blame, but as lived experience. We all learn. I did.
The Bigger Picture
Platforms like Wix, Loveable, and Cursor market themselves as tools that make web development effortless. And for simple needs, maybe they do. But they also sell the illusion that anyone can build a website that’s as good as a developer’s–with no context, no technical skill, and no planning.
That illusion has real consequences. Community orgs deserve websites that reflect their mission, tell their story, and serve their people. That doesn’t happen by accident—or by dragging and dropping a few blocks onto a screen.
If you’re a nonprofit or cultural organization, invest in your tech the same way you invest in your people. And if someone volunteers their skills? Make sure you’re ready to support them—not undermine them.
— Joel Southall, developer, designer, and community technologist
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