How to Enhance Your Charity's Website Accessibility with Limited Funding

In today's digital age, ensuring that your charity's website is accessible to all users is not just a moral obligation but also a legal requirement in many parts of the world. Accessibility ensures that everyone, regardless of their abilities, can access and benefit from the information and services you offer online. With limited funding, this may seem like a daunting task. However, there are several cost-effective steps you can take to enhance your site's accessibility without breaking the bank. Here’s how:

1. Understand WCAG guidelines

The first step in enhancing your website's accessibility is to familiarize yourself with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG). Currently, WCAG 2.2 offers a comprehensive set of recommendations to make web content more accessible. These guidelines cover a wide range of disabilities, including visual, auditory, physical, speech, cognitive, language, learning, and neurological disabilities. You can learn more about these guidelines on the official WCAG website here.

2. Perform an accessibility audit

Before making changes, identify the areas that need improvement by conducting an accessibility audit. There are various free tools available, such as Axe by Deque Systems and WAVE by WebAIM, which can help you pinpoint issues on your site. A simple self-assessment using these tools can highlight key areas that require immediate attention. Or, contact us and we can support you.

3. Prioritize key improvements

With limited funding, it's essential to prioritize the changes that will have the most significant impact. Focus on:

• Providing Text Alternatives: Ensure all non-text content (e.g., images, videos) has appropriate text alternatives, like alt text and captions.
• Improving Navigation: Enhance your website’s navigation to be more intuitive and keyboard-friendly.
• Ensuring Readability: Use legible fonts, sufficient colour contrast, and simple language to make your content easily understandable.

4. Seek volunteer expertise

Another cost-effective way to enhance your website’s accessibility is by leveraging volunteer expertise. Reach out to local colleges, tech communities, or accessibility advocacy groups. Many professionals and students are willing to offer their skills and knowledge for a good cause. This approach can provide the expertise you need without the associated costs.

5. Enroll in free webinars and courses

There are numerous free online webinars and courses that provide education on web accessibility. Platforms like Coursera, edX, and the W3C offer valuable courses that can help your staff understand and implement WCAG guidelines effectively.

6. Apply for grants and funding

Explore grants and special funds designed to support digital accessibility initiatives. Organizations such as the American Foundation for the Blind and government bodies often offer grants that can provide the necessary funding to enhance accessibility features on your website.

7. Engage with your community

Engage with your user community to gather feedback. Sometimes, the most valuable insights come directly from the users who experience accessibility barriers. Implementing user feedback can result in practical and effective website improvements.

Conclusion

Improving your charity’s website accessibility with limited funding is entirely possible with the right approach. By understanding the WCAG guidelines, leveraging free resources, prioritizing key improvements, and seeking volunteer and community support, you can significantly enhance your website’s inclusivity. This ensures that your charity remains accessible to everyone, facilitating greater engagement and support from all corners of your community. Remember, every small step towards accessibility is a leap towards inclusivity.

For more information on web accessibility and to access detailed guidelines, visit the WCAG website.