A custom design
Designed around your cause and your brand, not a template with your name dropped in.
Giving something back
I’d like to build your charity’s first website. For free.
Over the next few months I’m designing and building 6 complete websites, at no cost, for start-up charities and Community Interest Companies doing good work and ready to grow.
6
free websites, designed and built
- For UK charities, CIOs and CICs
- Registered in the last 3 years, or applying now
- Applications close 31 January 2027
Why I’m doing this
Good causes deserve to be found
I spend most of my working life mentoring business owners and building the websites that support them. Over the years a good share of that work has been for charities and community projects, and one thing comes up again and again: the people starting them are brilliant at the cause, and short on everything else — time, money, and a website that does them justice.
That matters more than it sounds. A website is often the first thing a funder, a volunteer or someone looking for help will check. Without one, a new organisation can look less established than it really is, and the opportunities that would help it grow quietly go elsewhere.
So I’m going to do something about it. I’ll design and build 6 websites, completely free, for 6 start-up charities and CICs who I think will put them to good use. Not a template, not a trial: a proper, working site, built around your cause, that you own and can update yourselves.
If you’re putting your evenings and weekends into helping other people, the least I can do is help people find you.
The one thing I ask is that your new site is hosted with OnPoint Hosts, our own UK hosting company. It means we can build, test and look after it properly without relying on anyone else, and in many cases it works out cheaper than what organisations are already paying.
I’ll read every application personally, so please just tell me, honestly, what you do and what a website would change for you.
Ian F. Cliffen
What you get
Everything you need to look credible and be found
Mobile-friendly and accessible
Built to work on any phone, tablet or computer, and for visitors using assistive technology.
All the core pages
Home, about, what you do, get involved, and contact — the pages a new organisation needs to be taken seriously.
A working contact form
Spam-protected, so enquiries from volunteers, donors and the people you help reach you.
Set up to be found
Search-engine basics done properly, and your site registered with Google Search Console.
Launched on OnPoint Hosts
Set up, secured and launched on fast UK hosting, with a free SSL certificate, by the same team that built it.
Handover and training
A session showing your team how to keep the site up to date yourselves.
What isn’t included
- Your domain name and your OnPoint Hosts plan (from £4.25 a month; we’ll help you pick the right one)
- Writing all of your content for you, though we’ll help you shape it
- Ongoing changes after handover, online shops and other bespoke features
How I’ll choose
Picking the 6
I’ll read every application, have a short, informal call with a shortlist, and choose the organisations where a website will make the biggest difference.
What we look for
Impact
The difference your work makes to people or your community.
Need
How much a proper website would help you grow, fundraise or reach the people you serve.
Readiness
That you have the time and a named person to work with us over a few weeks.
Key dates
- NowApplications open
- 31 January 2027Applications close at midnight
- February 2027Shortlisted applicants invited to a short call
- By the end of February 2027Six organisations announced
- From March 2027Design and build begins
Your justification statement
What makes a strong application
Start with the people you help
Tell us who they are and what changes for them because you exist. A real example beats a mission statement.
Connect the website to a goal
“We need a website” is the start. “We need one so funders can check us out before our first grant application in May” is a case.
Be honest about where you are
Small, new and not yet registered is fine. We’re choosing organisations that will put a website to good use, not the most polished application.
Application form
Apply for a free website
It takes about 10 minutes. You can’t save and come back, so you may want to draft your longer answers first. Closes 31 January 2027.
Application received — thank you
Your reference is . We’ve emailed you a copy. Applications close on 31 January 2027 and we’ll be in touch with every applicant by the end of February 2027.
Know another start-up charity or CIC that deserves a hand? Please share this page with them.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
Is it really free?
Yes. The design and build of your website costs you nothing. Your only running costs are your domain name and your hosting plan with OnPoint Hosts, which starts from £4.25 a month.
We haven’t finished registering yet. Can we apply?
Yes. If you’ve applied to the Charity Commission, OSCR, the Charity Commission for Northern Ireland or Companies House (for a CIC), choose the “applying to register” option and tell us where you’ve got to.
What counts as a start-up?
As a guide, an organisation registered in the last 3 years, or not yet registered. If you’re a little older but have never had a proper website, apply anyway and tell us why.
We already have a website. Can we still apply?
Yes, if it no longer does the job. Tell us what’s wrong with it and what you need it to do instead.
Do we have to host the website with OnPoint Hosts?
Yes, that’s part of the offer. OnPoint Hosts is our own UK hosting company (part of the same family as Cliffen Consulting), and building on hosting we run ourselves is what lets us give six complete websites away: we can set everything up, test it properly and fix things quickly without waiting on a third party. Plans start from £4.25 a month.
We already pay for hosting somewhere else. Will this cost us more?
Often it’s the opposite. Many small organisations are on hosting that’s more expensive than it needs to be, or paying for extras they don’t use. Tell us what you pay now and we’ll look at it with you; in many cases we can save you money over time. We’ll also handle moving your domain and email across if you need us to.
Will we own the website?
Yes. The website and everything you put on it are yours, and you’ll have your own login to update it.
How long will the build take?
It depends mostly on how quickly words, photos and decisions come together. We’ll agree a realistic timetable with each organisation when building starts from March 2027.
Can we apply more than once, or on more than one site?
Please send one application per organisation. The form is the same on cliffen-consulting.com, cliffen.com and onpointhosts.com, and every application goes into the same pile.
What if we’re not chosen?
We’ll let every applicant know by the end of February 2027, either way. You’re also welcome to book a free 15-minute call with Cliffen Consulting to talk through your options.
Know someone who should apply?
Most start-up charities hear about things like this from a friend. Please pass it on.