Website accessibility guide for nonprofits

Donation forms, event sign-ups and volunteer pages are how people reach your mission. This guide shows a small team where to start and how to keep improving.

By Allie. Published and last reviewed October 16, 2026.

This guide is general information, not legal advice. If you need to know what the law requires of your organisation, ask a qualified lawyer.

Why accessibility matters for a nonprofit

The U.S. Department of Justice says inaccessible web content denies people with disabilities equal access to information, and that barriers can be prevented or removed. Beyond any legal question, the people you serve, your volunteers, your donors and your board members may all use assistive technology, a keyboard instead of a mouse, captions or large text. If your donate button cannot be used with a keyboard, you lose that donation.

Start with the pages that matter most

You do not need to fix the whole site at once. Pick the five to ten pages people use to do something, and test them first:

1. The home page.
2. Your donation page and its form, including the payment steps.
3. Event registration, volunteer sign-up and any application forms.
4. Your contact page.
5. Your most visited programme or information pages.

Scan each one with Allie for a quick list of automated findings, then work through the same pages with your keyboard.

Fixes that cover most small sites

• Alt text. Give every meaningful image a short description of its purpose. Mark decorative images as decorative. The ADA.gov guidance says alt text should be short and descriptive.
• Colour contrast. Check text against its background. Pale grey text on white and white text on a light brand colour are frequent problems.
• Form labels. Every field on the donation and sign-up forms needs a visible label tied to the field. Do not use placeholder text as the only label.
• Keyboard use. Press Tab through each key page. You should see where focus is, reach every link and button, and be able to submit forms.
• Video captions. Add accurate captions to videos, including fundraising and story videos.
• Clear link text. Replace “click here” with “Download the 2026 volunteer handbook”.
• Headings. Use real heading elements in a logical order so screen reader users can navigate.

Third-party tools on your site

Donation platforms, event tools and embedded forms are part of the experience your visitors have. Ask each vendor how they test accessibility and test the pages yourself. If a tool you rely on has barriers, tell the vendor and keep a record.

Make it a habit with a small team

• Name one person who owns accessibility, even if it is a small part of their job.
• Add a check to the checklist you already use before publishing a new page or campaign.
• Re-scan your key pages after each redesign or plugin update, and keep dated reports to see progress.
• Publish a way for visitors to report a problem, such as an email address. ADA.gov lists this as a useful practice.
• Ask people who use assistive technology to try your key pages when you can.

What automated tools will not tell you

A scan finds some problems quickly, but a clean result does not mean a page is fully accessible. ADA.gov makes this point: a “clean” report does not necessarily mean everything is accessible. Pair scans with manual checks. See the WCAG 2.2 checklist for what to look at by hand.

Frequently asked questions

Where should a nonprofit start with website accessibility?

Start with the pages where people take action: donations, event and volunteer sign-ups, and contact. Test them with an automated scan and with your keyboard, then fix what you find.

Do we need an expert to begin?

No. Many common problems, such as missing alt text, low contrast and unlabelled form fields, can be found with a scan and fixed by whoever edits your site. For complex issues or legal questions, bring in an accessibility specialist or a lawyer.

How often should we test?

Test your key pages after any redesign, plugin update or new campaign page, and on a regular schedule you can keep up with.

Sources

We checked these pages when writing this guide.

• Guidance on Web Accessibility and the ADA, ADA.gov
• WCAG 2.2, W3C Recommendation

More guides

• WCAG 2.2 checklist
• Accessibility barriers for small businesses
• Fixing common axe issues
• What automated testing can and cannot catch

This guide is general information, not legal advice, and Allie reports do not certify conformance with WCAG or any law.