UPDATING YOUR SQUARESPACE WEBSITE FOR 2026: A CHECKLIST FOR NONPROFITS

Your nonprofit website is your digital front door. Donors, volunteers, and partners visit your site to learn about your mission, see your impact, and decide whether to get involved. But when was the last time you gave it a proper refresh?

If it's been a while, now's the perfect time. Squarespace continues to roll out powerful new features, and a quick audit can help you maximize donor engagement, improve accessibility, and ensure your site reflects the incredible work you're doing.

This checklist will guide you through the essential updates to keep your nonprofit's digital presence strong in 2026.

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Review Your Homepage Impact

Your homepage sets the tone for every visitor. Make sure it's working hard for your mission:

• Update your hero section with a current photo or video that captures your work in action (consider a holiday look to make it evident that you are fundraising for the holiday/ giving season)

• Refresh your mission statement to reflect any organizational growth or new initiatives

• Feature recent wins like fundraising milestones, program launches, or community impact

• Test your primary CTA (donate, volunteer, learn more) to ensure it's prominent and functioning

• Check mobile display since most visitors will view your site on their phones

Optimize Donation Flows

Your donation page is critical infrastructure. A few small tweaks can significantly boost conversions:

• Enable Zeffy if you haven't already, its our favorite Donor & Email Marketing Tool on the market to date!

• Add suggested donation amounts based on your average gift size

• Include impact statements like "Your $50 provides meals for a family of four"

• Set up recurring donation options to build sustainable funding

• *Disclosure: I only recommend the services, products, and tools I use. All opinions expressed here are my own regardless of affiliation. This post may contain affiliate links, that at no additional cost to you, may earn me a small commission if you click. You don’t even have to be a customer. Read the full disclaimer here. 

Refresh Your Content

Outdated content signals an inactive organization. Keep things current:

• Update your About page with recent team photos and bios

• Archive old blog posts or news items (anything older than 18 months)

• Publish fresh impact stories featuring real people your work has helped

• Add recent annual report highlights to keep supporters engaged

Strengthen Accessibility

Making your site accessible isn't just good practice. It expands your reach:

• Add alt text to all images describing what they show

• Check color contrast using Squarespace's built-in accessibility checker

• Use proper heading hierarchy (H1 for page titles, H2 for main sections, etc.)

• Enable captions on any video content

• Review font sizes to ensure readability (16px minimum for body text)

Update Integration and Tools

Technology moves fast. Make sure your integrations are current:

• Connect or update email marketing (Mailer Lite, Constant Contact, Zeffy.)

• Review social media links and remove any inactive accounts

• Check Google Analytics setup and review your tracking goals

• Test contact forms to ensure inquiries are reaching the right people

• Update payment processors if you're using third-party donation tools

• Play with Animation if you have time. Squarespace has recently rolled out animation. Here is our rule though so you don’t overdue it! 3 moving elements MAX on a single page.

Audit Your SEO Performance

Help supporters find you when they search:

• Review page titles and descriptions for your main pages

• Update meta descriptions to include current programs and impact

• Add location information if you serve specific communities

• Check that your site is indexed in Google Search Console

• Create or update your blog with keyword-rich content about your work

Prepare for Growth

Set your site up to support your goals this year:

• Add a volunteer sign-up page if you're expanding your team

• Create campaign landing pages for upcoming fundraising initiatives

• Set up event registration using Zeffy or Squarespace’s scheduling tools

• Build an email capture strategy to grow your supporter list

• Plan a content calendar for regular blog posts or news updates

Make It Count

Your website is one of your most powerful tools for extending your mission's reach. A fresh, functional site builds trust with donors, makes it easy for volunteers to get involved, and clearly communicates the impact you're making.

Block off an afternoon, grab this checklist, and give your Squarespace site the attention it deserves. Your future supporters will thank you.

Need help implementing these updates or want a complete site refresh? Our team specializes in rapid Squarespace builds for nonprofits, launching mission-focused websites in just 5 days. Let's maximize your digital impact together.

ALWAYS on your side + team

Cheers,

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