Much is learned about Websites on the fly, with nonprofit leaders and technology experts taking lessons from what goes right, as well as what goes wrong. New lessons will come along, and technology will change in ways that are impossible to predict with certainty.

But, there are several criteria that are likely to feature prominently far into the future of fundraising.

NTEN (The Nonprofit Technology Network) recently conducted a study of the Websites of various organizations to assess which ones are getting the best use out of what they offer. NTEN used certain criteria on which to base its assessment because those standards are likely to be important regardless of what changes come along and have shown themselves to be of primary importance now.

You should consider using the criteria for your organization. The criteria are:

• Ease of navigation. Is the information on the site organized in a clear and concise manner?
• Clear call to action. Does the site ask the audience for a response or trigger a reaction?
• Aesthetic value and strong visuals. Does the site offer compelling visuals to complement the text?
• Up-to-date information. Does the site contain static information or is it regularly updated, giving the audience a reason to come back?