Most charity websites take eight to twelve weeks from the first workshop to launch, and a completely bespoke build up to sixteen. A focused site with a handful of page types sits at the shorter end. A full rebuild with years of content to move and a CRM to connect sits at the longer end. What decides where yours lands is rarely the code. It’s content, sign-off and the third parties you depend on.
This guide walks through each stage, the things that most often slow charity projects down, and how to plan backwards from a date you can’t move, such as an appeal launch.
The short version
- Eight to twelve weeks is a realistic range for a custom charity website, and up to sixteen for a completely bespoke build.
- Discovery takes about two weeks, design three to five, build four to eight, and testing and launch one to two. The stages overlap.
- Content is the most common cause of delay we see. Start writing during discovery, not after the designs are signed off.
- Agree who signs off what before you start. Waiting for the next board meeting can add a month.
- Working to a deadline? Count back at least four months, and keep a smaller fallback, such as a new donation page, in your back pocket.
The stages of a charity website project
| Stage | Typical length | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| Discovery | About 2 weeks | Workshops with staff, trustees and the people who will use the site. You agree what it must do, the page structure and a content plan. |
| Design | 3 to 5 weeks | Layouts, then designs for the key page types, with accessibility checks on colour and layout and a couple of rounds of feedback. |
| Build | 4 to 8 weeks | The theme, donation forms, integrations with your CRM or other tools, and moving content across from the old site. |
| Testing and launch | 1 to 2 weeks | Accessibility and browser testing, redirects from every old page address, training for your team, then go-live. |
The stages overlap, which is why the total is shorter than adding them up. Content can be written while the designs are being finished, and the build can start on page types that are already signed off.
Three example timelines
These match the three shapes of project in our cost guide. They assume content is written alongside the design and that someone can sign things off within a week.
| Project | Typical length | Where the time goes |
|---|---|---|
| Focused build: a smaller charity with a clear, accessible site and on-site donations | About 8 weeks | A short discovery, a small number of page types, a donation form and a few dozen pages of content. |
| Full rebuild: an established charity replacing an older site | About 12 weeks | More page types, more people to consult, and years of news and resources to move and redirect. |
| Bespoke build: a network or membership site with integrations and automations | 14 to 16 weeks | Testing every integration end to end, waiting on third parties, and training more people on more tools. |
If a quote promises a full rebuild in four weeks, ask what’s been left out. It’s usually content migration, accessibility testing or training.
What slows charity website projects down
- Content. New copy, photos with the right consent, case studies and service information all take longer than anyone expects. It’s the most common cause of delay we see, and the easiest to fix by starting early.
- Sign-off. If designs need trustee approval and the board meets quarterly, the project waits for the board. Agree in advance who can approve what, and plan sign-off points around meeting dates.
- Third parties. CRM suppliers, payment providers and donation platforms all have their own timescales. Opening a payment account for a charity, for example, involves identity checks that can take a while.
- Logins. Nobody can remember who registered the domain, or the person with the password has left. Finding the logins for your domain, hosting and analytics before the project starts can save weeks at launch.
- Changing the brief. New ideas mid-project are normal. Adding them all to the first launch isn’t. Keep a list for phase two.
How to plan backwards from a deadline
If the date can’t move, such as an appeal, a rebrand or the end of a funding period, count back at least four months and agree the dates for each stage with your agency before you start. A new site live by March 2027 means starting in November.
If the deadline is close, separate what has to be ready from what would be nice. A new donation page or a campaign landing page can often be built in a few weeks while the full site follows, which is far better than rushing the whole thing.
What to have ready before day one
- Logins for your domain registrar, hosting, analytics and Google Search Console.
- Your brand guidelines, logo files and fonts, or a note that you need them created.
- A list of what the site must connect to: CRM, donation platform, newsletter, event booking.
- An honest audit of your current content: what to keep, rewrite or drop.
- Photos you have permission to use, especially of the people you support.
- One named person with the time and authority to make decisions.
If you’re still at the budget stage, our guide to how much a charity website costs breaks a typical quote down stage by stage, and our Funding Finder lists grants that can pay for it. For how we run projects, see charity web design.
Questions charities ask
Can a charity website be built in a month?
A small, simple site can, especially if the content is ready to go. Most charities are better served by eight weeks or more, because content, sign-off and testing take time that is hard to squeeze.
What's the slowest part of a website project?
Usually content: writing new copy, choosing photos and getting it all approved. Starting on content during discovery is the best way to keep a project on time.
Do trustees need to approve a new website?
That’s up to your charity, but agree early who signs off what. Waiting for the next board meeting can add a month to a project.
How long does it take to move content from our old website?
Moving content is usually part of the build. A few dozen pages take days. Twelve years of news and resources can take weeks, especially when every old page address needs a redirect.
