A nonprofit website has one job that most business sites don't: it has to make a stranger care enough to give their time or money. For S.W.I.P.E. CE, a small Charlotte nonprofit with years of community work behind it, the stories were already there. They just didn't have a home online.
About S.W.I.P.E. CE
S.W.I.P.E. CE stands for Sisters Walking in Purpose and Excellence Community Empowerment. Since 2017, they've worked to empower youth, women and the elderly in underserved communities. That work includes supporting college students and unhoused students, McKinney-Vento students at West Charlotte, and back-to-school drives that get kids ready for the year.
Like a lot of small nonprofits, they had plenty of impact and plenty of photos, but no single place where a potential donor, volunteer or partner could see the whole picture and take the next step.
What we built
A timeline of their history
Instead of burying years of work in a block of text, the site tells S.W.I.P.E. CE's story as a visual timeline. Visitors can scroll through the milestones and see how the organization has grown since 2017.
A gallery of community events
Photos from past events do more to build trust than any mission statement. The gallery shows the real people and real events behind the work.
A memorial tribute
The site includes a memorial section honoring people important to the organization's story. It was a meaningful part of the project, and a reminder that a nonprofit's website is personal.
Clear paths to donate and volunteer
Every page leads toward the two actions that keep a nonprofit running: giving and showing up. Donation and volunteer options are easy to find, not hidden in a footer.
Social media built in
Integrated social feeds keep the site current without the team having to update it every week, which matters for a small, volunteer-powered organization.
The site was built in about three weeks with React, Tailwind CSS and Supabase.
What other nonprofits can take from this
If you run a small nonprofit in Charlotte, Gastonia or anywhere in between, here's what I'd make sure your website has:
- Your mission in one sentence at the top of the homepage. Who do you serve, and how?
- Proof of the work: photos, a timeline, the programs you run and who they help.
- A donate button on every page, and a donation flow that works well on a phone.
- A simple volunteer sign-up. Ask for a name, an email and what they're interested in. That's enough to start.
- An easy way to keep it fresh, whether that's a social feed, an events section or a news page you can update yourself.
Want to see more of our work? Browse the Sites on Polaris portfolio, or read what a website costs in Gastonia and Charlotte.
Need a website for your nonprofit?
If your organization is doing great work that isn't showing up online, get in touch. I'll put together a sample of what your site could look like so you can see it before you decide anything.
