• Think cheap and quick. There are plenty of free web tools out there, but don't use any that take too long to learn.
• The web was created for man, not man for the web. Forgive the abuse of Jesus' advice about the Sabbath. Many large nonprofits need to "have" a web site. A small nonprofit with no budget, no tech staff, who is literally digging itself out of the mud needs to only "do" online what produces real and immediate benefits. If there's no short-term gain online, don't do it.
• Get the fundamentals right, forget the rest. Focus on usability, on value to the web user, and on fundraising. Integration is only a problem if you have a lot of data.
• Web must follow mission. This is a close cousin to the Sabbath advice earlier. Only do online what furthers your mission (this week). If your mission is advocacy, the web can help. If your mission is bringing people together, think chat rooms.
• Everyone wants to help you. Ask. This may primarily be true along the Gulf Coast, but to an extent, it's true among all nonprofits. People genuinely want to help nonprofits further their mission, and many of those people have some valuable technical skills.

This is part of the recommendations made to New Orleans area nonprofits in August of 2006 by Rick Christ, a managing partner in NPAdvisors.com. Rick also volunteers as a Search and Rescue Field Team Leader and instructor with the Virginia Department of Emergency Management.

See also:

"Observations on New Orleans Nonprofits"

"Online, Order is Overrated"

"Ten Free (or almost free) Web Tools and Ideas"

October 2006