Illustration of a Staff page

People give to people. That’s an adage many nonprofits swear by, and for good reason. The lifeblood of volunteers and the generosity of donors can depend a lot on how well a nonprofit can make connections to these important supporters. So how can you put a face behind your cause? Your Staff page is an untouched, untapped place to start building that relationship.

Craft engaging bios.

To let their voices shine through, let staff members write their own bios. Encourage them to write about their connection to the nonprofit. Asking staff members to write about their day-to-day responsibilities can also give your audience a sense of their role in the organization. And don’t forget about credentials. Sprinkling in some of their burnished backgrounds can add important credibility points.

Stick to a template.

A bio is not your resume. It should be a thoughtfully selective snapshot of a staff member. While you can let each staff member write their own bio, it might be helpful to provide the same template for everyone. Just avoid the standard questions in favor of more specific ones that get to the heart of a person. What are they passionate about? What was their professional and personal journey to the nonprofit?

Make it picture perfect.

Providing photos of people can be reassuring and put people at ease. It’s the same reason you may like seeing pictures of a new doctor you’re considering on a hospital’s staff page (and be more inclined to choose a friendly-looking physician). So make sure your staff page includes friendly photos. Don’t skimp, either. Make sure they’re quality – full color, well lit – and reflect the right tone of the website.

Foster connections.

Staff pages can also serve as a virtual business card. Be sure to have each staff member include their office number and email, as well as social media accounts or LinkedIn profile (if they wish). If they write for the blog, you can also include links to their posts.