Your Website Needs An Impact Page
Small and mid-sized nonprofits in New England do not lose donations because their work is not real. They lose donations because their website does not make the work legible fast enough, with enough proof, for a skeptical stranger who is deciding where their money goes.
A practical impact page is one of the highest-leverage fixes because it answers the quiet questions people have before they give. “Is this real.” “Is it working.” “Will my gift matter.” “Can I trust this team.”
THE DATA BEHIND THE HESITATION
Donors Do Look For Proof Before They Give
A commonly cited stat is that 75% of donors look for information about a nonprofit’s impact when deciding what to support. The most credible version of that claim traces to a Root Cause study of Fidelity Charitable donors, where “impact information” is explicitly called out as a decision input.
You should interpret that number carefully. It is real data, but it comes from a specific donor segment. Still, the direction is hard to argue with. People want to see evidence that the work is producing results.
If you want a second angle, Give.org’s Donor Trust research shows that trust is not automatic. 67.4% of respondents say it is essential to trust a charity before giving, while only 22.1% say they highly trust charities.
WHAT PEOPLE ARE REALLY ASKING
“Impact” Is a Trust Problem, Not A Marketing Problem
People are increasingly cautious. They do not want inspirational language. They want clarity.
“What will you do with my money?”
In the Give.org study, 33.8% say they are most discouraged from donating if they are not sure what the charity will do with the money. That is higher than the share discouraged by overhead concerns.
“Show me what you accomplished.”
When asked what signals trustworthiness, the most commonly selected factor is accomplishments shared by the organization (53.1%). Third-party evaluation is next at 36.1%.
“Your website is part of My decision.”
Give.org also reports that giving through a charity’s website is one of the most commonly reported channels in the past year. A separate nonprofit survey summarized by NPTechForGood reports that 17% of donors say a nonprofit’s website is the resource that inspires them most to give.
YOU DO NOT NEED AN EVALUATION DEPARTMENT
What “Proof” Looks Like For Local Nonprofits
You do not need randomized controlled trials. You need honest signals that reduce uncertainty. Here are forms of proof that small teams can produce and maintain.
Output metrics that are clearly defined
Outputs are not the whole story, but they are credible when you define them plainly. “Meals distributed.” “Families served.” “Counseling sessions delivered.” “Students attending weekly.” People can understand these quickly.
A small set of outcome indicators
Outcomes can be modest and still meaningful. “% housed at 90 days.” “% who improved reading level by one grade band.” “% who retained employment at 6 months.” If you cannot measure a true outcome yet, say so and use a proxy you can defend.
Before-and-after stories that match the metrics
One short story can do more than a long narrative page, if it is concrete. What changed. Over what period. What service was provided. What support made it possible. Keep it specific and anonymize as needed.
Third-party signals that are easy to verify
These include accreditation, external program partners, municipal contracts, grant awards, and major institutional funders. This is also where a Candid profile and transparency seal can help, if you keep it current. Candid reports research showing organizations earning a GuideStar Seal averaged 53% more in contributions the following year, with controls. Treat this as correlation, not a guarantee.
Financial transparency that does not feel defensive
Do not bury basics. Make it easy to find your annual report or a simple financial snapshot. Users associate being “upfront” with trust. Nielsen Norman Group’s credibility research consistently finds that missing or hidden fundamentals can cause people to rule a site out quickly.
A FAST WAY TO GET THIS DONE
The “Five Metrics” Method For Small Teams
This is intentionally constrained. The goal is consistency, not perfection.
Pick five numbers you can update quarterly
Choose five that reflect your core programs. Avoid vanity metrics (followers, impressions) unless your mission is actually communications-based.
Write down definitions in one internal doc
What counts as “served.” What counts as “completed.” Who enters the data. What source system is used. This prevents accidental inflation over time.
Add one sentence of context per metric
A number without framing can mislead. Give the denominator or the timeframe. “14,000 meals in 2024.” “1,200 volunteer hours this quarter.” That is enough.
Put a visible “Updated” date on the page
Stale data reads as neglect, even if your work is strong. If you cannot update frequently, update less often but reliably.
COMMON MISTAKES TO AVOID
The Impact Page That Backfires
The impact page that backfires is usually the one that tries to do too much, or tries to sound more certain than the organization can honestly support.
If you overclaim outcomes you cannot defend, it will eventually cost you credibility. Conservative claims tend to age better because they are easier to validate over time. Another common issue is burying the proof under a PDF. PDFs are fine as a supplement, but your impact page should carry the essentials quickly so a visitor does not have to work to find the point.
It is also risky to gate impact behind forms. Asking for personal information before providing value can reduce trust, which aligns with broader web credibility patterns documented by Nielsen Norman Group.
Finally, an impact page can fail simply by sounding like a brochure. People are more skeptical than they used to be and they compare what you say against third-party sources. Clear, plain language and a credible tone matter, which Nielsen Norman Group also reinforces in its guidance on “About” information and credibility signals.
WHERE THIS FITS IN A WEBSITE SERIES
Your Website Should Be Proving The Work
If your site does not make impact concrete, you are asking donors and funders to take a leap of faith. Many will not. A focused impact page is a practical way to reduce that friction without turning your team into a research department.
If you want a quick self-check, open your website in a private browser window and ask one question. “Can a stranger understand what changed because we exist within 30 seconds.” If the answer is no, an impact page is a good place to start.