Giving Compass' Take:

• Nonprofit organizations should consider these strategies to make their websites more digitally accessible for all types of users to increase engagement with diverse communities. 

• How can philanthropists help support technology expertise for nonprofits to become more digitally accessible? How can accessibility help strengthen outreach for nonprofit missions? 

• Learn how data can supercharge your nonprofit. 

We live in one of the most remarkable eras ever, a time when a tidal wave of technologies and digital information is opening up limitless opportunities and empowering society like never before. But as innovation moves faster, we need to make sure that these advances empower everyone, equally. For nonprofits in particular, a strong commitment to digital accessibility is a perfect opportunity to engage audiences online and reinforce your organization's commitment to equity and inclusion.

But when thinking about how best to engage your target audiences, you need to be sure you aren't ignoring anyone in the process. Ask yourself: "How will my website be experienced by users that may be hard of hearing, blind or low-vision, as well as users with restricted mobility or learning disabilities?"

In an attempt to make the scope of an accessibility initiative a bit more digestible, WCAG breaks down the steps you can take into four main categories:

Perceivable — Whatever you put on your website, whether text-based information or a video, should be shared in such a way that it is "perceivable" for the end user. For instance, if you've embedded an audio clip, you should also offer a text transcription for the benefit of the hard of hearing.

Operable — All user interface elements and navigation controls need to be operable by all.

Understandable — It should be intuitive for users to grasp how to use your website the website. This could be something as straightforward as providing a way for screen readers to determine the language options on the site.

Robust — The information on your site should be available to a wide range of devices, particularly those designed to accommodate users with accessibility concerns.

Read the full article about digital accessibility by Frank Lakatos at PhilanTopic.