Website Challenge provides a glimmer of light for non-profits in a dark forecast

Yesterday, the Minnesota Council of Non-Profits released its 2008 Minnesota Nonprofit Economy Report (that links to a PDF of the report). The Star Tribune has a rundown of the numbers and reports that of the 600 agencies surveyed for the report 1 in 4 have cut their staffs, over half have cut their budgets and 47% have reported a decrease in individual donations.

In MinnPost today Scott Russell talks to three Minnesota non-profits about how their dealing with the recession, budgetary problems and increased demand, including Families Moving Forward, one of our success stories from last year’s Website Challenge.

Also today MPR’s Midmorning discussed how nonprofits will survive this harsh economic climate. You can listen below, and if you listen closely at about 8 minutes, you’ll hear our own Mark Hurlburt offering up a glimmer light in these dark times. Listen below:

Not only does Mark talk about how people can help non-profits by volunteering and donating time instead of money, he talks about how non-profits can get some free help by signing up for the Overnight Website Challenge.

So how can you help? If you’re a Web pro, create a team or join one what’s that already formed. If you’re not a Web pro, just tell your favorite MN non-profit about the challenge and they can sign up to get a better Web site, which will bring more attention to their cause and maybe even help generate donations in this trying time.