Nonprofits have always been notorious for being on tight budgets, and this is something that hasn’t changed in a long time. Because they forego the typical actions that help create profits, they’re often left to accomplish their missions on pennies, many times barely being able to make ends meet.
So while hosting a website for a nonprofit is one thing that can be difficult (although a website called Web HostingBuddy created a detailed resource page about web hosting for nonprofits), developing and hosting a web application for a nonprofit can seem like a miracle. However, there are ways that nonprofits can actually get slick web applications created for them without spending a ton of money, believe it or not.
One way this can happen is be web application developers donating their time to help nonprofits get the programming help they need, and this happens more often than you think—you just need to find a web developer who identifies with your cause and they may be more than willing to actually donate some time to help you get what you need in terms of having a web application developed.
Another way to get a web application developed for a nonprofit is to try and raise some money, and then use that money in order to get your web application developed. This sounds like something that may be obvious, but it’s really easier than you might think. People are constantly donating to nonprofits, and as a nonprofit, you’ve essentially got some discretion as to how this money may be used (and it may be able to be used on developing a web application).
So as you can see, there are a variety of ways that nonprofits can actually get web applications developed, even though it may seem like something that’s far out of reach, if you are determined and don’t take no for an answer when trying to get your web application developed, it’s reasonably likely that as a nonprofit, you’ll be able to find someone who is willing to do the development work and assist you with your cause. Of course, this may not always be the case, but one of the most important things to understand is the idea of not giving up. If you put your mind to getting a web application developed and then keep seeking a developer, it’s going to become more and more likely that you’ll succeed in finding what you need.