Features You Can Offer To Members of an NPO Membership Website

An NPO membership program urges individuals to make a contribution in the form of time or money. These programs give NPOs an opportunity to build a group of loyal supporters, have a predictable source of income and attract people to participate in organizational tasks (fundraising, planning).

One of the most effective ways to offer memberships is through a website. But, before you develop an NPO membership website, certain key features have to be included to make it functional and beneficial for members.

In this blog, we have listed all the possible features you can consider while developing your membership website. These features can make your website appealing and improve your chances of online success.

Features to Offer for Members of an NPO Website

Payment option features

• One-time or recurring payment subscription options
• Option to change/update credit card details for members of paid membership levels
• ‘Delay’ field in membership levels and discount codes to allow members to set variable-length between initial subscription payment and recurring payments
• ‘Pay by check’ option for specific members based on the subscription level

Email notification features

• Email notification for membership expiration can be sent 7 days prior to the expiration date. If required, additional custom emails can also be sent in intervals
• Reminder emails for the next recurring payment due date
• Email alerts for failed recurring payment
• Automated emails to be sent whenever a subscription renewal payment has been successfully paid on the due date
• Based on the membership levels, user’s data must be added to an appropriate MailChimp list. This way, regular updates can be sent to members easily
• Automated reminder email alert if a credit card is about to expire

Membership signup

• Restrict membership signups for specific membership levels with an ‘invite code’. Members can share this invite code to anyone. The usage of these invite codes can be unlimited or multiple single-use codes
• Provide ‘gift codes’ to offer membership as a gift
• Gift Aid checkbox can be placed on the checkout page
• Give customized discounts and offers based on the subscription level
• Provide discounts during special holidays like Black Friday, Cyber Monday, Charity Tuesday, etc. The discount must be available for a specific duration with a starting and ending date
• Offer special gifts to members whenever a membership is purchased. It can also be customized by providing members with an option to purchase any product on the website free of cost

Membership card and award features

• Give active members a printable and customizable membership card
• Based on the membership level, offer members a unique badge to display on their profile page

Membership feedback features

• ‘Reason for cancellation’ field to know why a member is canceling their subscription
• Online feedback form and polls to allow members to share their thoughts

Social login features

• Give members access to a temporary membership level to follow your social media accounts without the need for registering
• Display live social media feeds on your website

Account and privacy features

• Members can activate their membership using a validation link sent along with the confirmation email
• Option to purchase memberships in bulk for institutions or groups. The primary member who has the code can distribute the membership to his/her team. 
• Members can decide whether his/her profile can be displayed in the membership directory 
• Members can customize their profile pages

Cross-selling features

• Members can receive free courses along with memberships. Whenever the membership levels are upgraded, they can unlock additional courses. This feature is applicable if you want to offer LearnDash mapping
• Users can get a free membership level if they purchase books/magazines/products from the NPO website and vise versa

Content access features

• Based on the membership levels, users can unlock the content of pages and posts. Plus, give members ‘Custom Post Type’ access which cannot be accessed by non-members
• Access to specific features of the forum community can be allowed or restricted based on the membership levels
• Give members access to all the WooCommerce products available on the website. Non-members can have certain restrictions to access specific products. This is applicable if you want a WooCommerce store on your website
• ‘Members-only’ events can be conducted for active members 
• Based on membership levels, give members the option to unlock groups of posts and pages at regular intervals
• Offer members an option to subscribe for newsletters 

Winding Up

A membership website is a gateway that offers a whole new platform of opportunities for NPOs. It will give an engaging and rewarding way to promote your NPO in the online world.

Once you have finalized the features, you should be comfortable to build the website by yourself or willing to invest in someone who can build it for you.

If you require any assistance in building a feature-rich membership website for your NPO, contact us anytime. Our Wisevu team has closely worked with many NPOs who specifically required a membership website. We will be more than happy to assist you!