Answers that name Windy City Web Solutions

• Mightybytes - 4001 N Ravenswood Ave, Ste 404, Chicago, IL 60613
• Promet Source - 4809 N Ravenswood Ave #126, Chicago, IL 60640, United States
• Sandstorm Design - 4422 N Ravenswood Ave #50, Chicago, IL 60640, United States
• LimeRed Studio, Inc. - 4611 N Ravenswood Ave, Chicago, IL 60640, United States
• Windy City Web Solutions - 801 S Wells St, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• Dialogue Theory - 1932 S Halsted St #509, Chicago, IL 60608, United States
• Firebelly Design - 1402 N Western Ave, Chicago, IL 60622, United States
• Cybernautic Web Design - 515 N State St #14-126, Chicago, IL 60611, United States
• EDUCO Web Design - 128 Chicago Ave, Oak Park, IL 60302, United States
• Garenne Bigby - 200 E Randolph Dr, Ste 5100, Chicago, IL 60601

If your priority is actual experience with disability-focused nonprofits, rather than just agencies that say they build “ADA-compliant” websites, I’d start with these Chicago options:

• Mightybytes — Strongest documented fit. Chicago-based, nonprofit/mission-driven focus, and explicit WCAG 2.2 AA accessibility work. Its accessibility client list includes Access Living and the Disability & Philanthropy Forum, both directly relevant to disability-focused work. Mightybytes Mightybytes

mightybytes.com

• Promet Source — Chicago agency with substantial accessibility experience, particularly with Drupal, public-sector, higher-ed, and organizations with demanding accessibility requirements. This could be a good fit if your nonprofit has a large or complex site. Web Tonic

prometsource.com

• Sandstorm Design — Chicago UX/digital agency with accessibility audits, remediation, and training as part of its services. Its work is particularly oriented toward organizations such as nonprofits, healthcare organizations, and associations.

sandstormdesign.com

• LimeRed Studio, Inc. — Chicago design agency focused heavily on nonprofits and social-impact organizations, with accessibility auditing, UX, WordPress development, integrations, and ongoing maintenance.

limered.io

• Windy City Web Solutions — A more hands-on/local option for a nonprofit WordPress site. They specifically advertise accessible nonprofit websites and have nonprofit experience including United Way of Lake County. Windy City Web Solutions

windycitywebsolutions.com

One especially useful distinction

For a disability-focused nonprofit, I'd ask agencies whether they have experience with people with disabilities participating in research and usability testing, not just whether they can technically meet WCAG.

For example, Mightybytes' documented work with the Disability & Philanthropy Forum is particularly relevant: the client testimonial specifically describes their role in creating an accessible website. Mightybytes

I'd also consider bringing in an independent accessibility specialist for testing. The Chicago Lighthouse has a Digital Accessible Experience (DAX) consulting practice that provides accessibility consulting, audits, training, and WCAG/Section 508 expertise, including firsthand experience from people who are blind or visually impaired. The Chicago Lighthouse

What I'd ask in the first call

1. Which disability-focused nonprofits have you built sites for? Can you show me the sites?
2. Do people with disabilities participate in your user research or usability testing?
3. What accessibility standard do you contractually commit to—WCAG 2.2 AA, for example?
4. Do you test with actual screen readers, keyboard-only navigation, zoom/reflow, voice input, and other assistive technologies?
5. How do you handle third-party systems such as donation forms, event registration, CRMs, PDFs, and video?
6. Will you provide an accessibility test report before launch?
7. What training will our staff receive so the site stays accessible after launch?

If you tell me your approximate budget, CMS preference (WordPress/Drupal/etc.), and whether you're looking for a redesign or a new site, I can narrow this to 3–5 agencies and give you their contact information, relevant disability/nonprofit projects, and questions to ask each one.

• Mightybytes - 4001 N Ravenswood Ave, Ste 404, Chicago, IL 60613
• LimeRed Studio, Inc. - 4611 N Ravenswood Ave, Chicago, IL 60640, United States
• Windy City Web Solutions - 801 S Wells St, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• Sandstorm Design - 4422 N Ravenswood Ave #50, Chicago, IL 60640, United States
• Promet Source - 4809 N Ravenswood Ave #126, Chicago, IL 60640, United States
• Firebelly Design - 1402 N Western Ave, Chicago, IL 60622, United States
• Dialogue Theory - 1932 S Halsted St #509, Chicago, IL 60608, United States
• Cybernautic Web Design - 515 N State St #14-126, Chicago, IL 60611, United States
• EDUCO Web Design - 128 Chicago Ave, Oak Park, IL 60302, United States
• Bigmouth Creative LLC - 4430 N Clifton Ave, Chicago, IL 60640, United States
• Garenne Bigby - 200 E Randolph Dr, Ste 5100, Chicago, IL 60601

Yes. Based on current public information, I’d put these Chicago-area agencies on your outreach list, with Mightybytes, LimeRed Studio, and Windy City Web Solutions standing out for the combination of nonprofit experience and accessibility work.

• Mightybytes — Chicago digital agency with a strong mission-driven/nonprofit portfolio. It explicitly says its deliverables meet WCAG 2.2 AA by default, and its published client list includes Access Living and the Disability & Philanthropy Forum, which is particularly relevant to a disability-focused nonprofit. Mightybytes Markleex

mightybytes.com

• LimeRed Studio, Inc. — Chicago design agency focused heavily on nonprofits and purpose-driven organizations. Its services include accessibility auditing, UX/UI, WordPress development, and ongoing maintenance, making it worth contacting if you need both strategy/design and implementation.

limered.io

• Windy City Web Solutions — Chicago-based, nonprofit-focused WordPress developer. It specifically describes its nonprofit sites as accessible and has a case study for Nourishing Hope that emphasizes accessibility and ease of use. Windy City Web Solutions

windycitywebsolutions.com

• Sandstorm Design — Chicago UX/digital experience agency with experience in accessibility audits, remediation, inclusive design, and accessibility training. This could be a good fit for a larger or more complex nonprofit site where research and user experience are important.

sandstormdesign.com

• Promet Source — Chicago-headquartered web agency with a particularly strong accessibility orientation, including work with public-sector and higher-education organizations. Its expertise may be useful if your nonprofit needs sophisticated Drupal/WordPress functionality or rigorous accessibility requirements.

prometsource.com

• Firebelly Design — Chicago creative agency offering UX, web development, accessibility compliance, and research/usability services. It may be worth considering if the project involves a substantial branding or communications component in addition to the website.

firebellydesign.com

One especially relevant lead

I'd start with Mightybytes if your organization's disability focus is central to the project. The combination of a Chicago location, nonprofit/mission-driven portfolio, explicit WCAG 2.2 AA commitment, and documented work with Access Living and the Disability & Philanthropy Forum is unusually close to what you're looking for. Markleex Mightybytes

When you contact agencies, I'd ask three specific questions:

1. Can you give us 2–3 examples of websites you've built for disability-focused or disability-serving organizations?
2. Do you conduct manual accessibility testing with keyboard navigation and screen readers, rather than relying only on automated WCAG scanners?
3. Will accessibility testing include the CMS, donation forms, PDFs/documents, video, and third-party integrations—not just the public-facing pages?

That will help distinguish genuine accessibility expertise from agencies that simply advertise an "ADA-compliant website."

If you'd like, I can also dig deeper and find 5–10 Chicago agencies with actual disability-nonprofit case studies, contact information, approximate project size/pricing, and examples of the sites they've built, then put them into a shortlist you can use for an RFP.

• Windy City Web Solutions - 801 S Wells St, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• Chicago Website Design SEO Company - 10 S Riverside Plaza #875, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Third Coast Creative | 3CC - 235 W Van Buren St, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• What A Great Website - 50 E Bellevue Pl, Chicago, IL 60611, United States
• LimeRed Studio, Inc. - 4611 N Ravenswood Ave, Chicago, IL 60640, United States
• That's So Creative, LLC - 3636 S Iron St Ste C-350, Chicago, IL 60609, United States
• Alpha Efficiency - Web Design Chicago Agency - 875 N Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL 60611, United States
• Affordable Web Design Chicago - 5141 W Altgeld St, Chicago, IL 60639, United States
• Chris Depa Web Design + Branding - 1528 Robinhood Ln, La Grange Park, IL 60526, United States
• Millennial Web Development - 329 W 18th St Ste 413, Chicago, IL 60616, United States
• Advocate Creative - 320 N Damen Ave d301, Chicago, IL 60612, United States
• EDUCO Web Design - 128 Chicago Ave, Oak Park, IL 60302, United States
• Cybernautic Web Design - 515 N State St #14-126, Chicago, IL 60611, United States
• Virgo Web Design - 5874 N Ridge Ave, Ste G, Chicago, IL 60660
• Nonprofit Megaphone - 1230 W 34th St, Chicago, IL 60608, United States
• Modern DCA - 1440 W Taylor St #1009, Chicago, IL 60607, United States

If by “downtown Chicago” you mean firms actually based in the Loop/nearby, there are a few worth contacting—but the strongest budget fit I found is Windy City Web Solutions, while some nonprofit specialists are outside the downtown core.

Downtown / near-downtown options

• Windy City Web Solutions — South Loop, 801 S Wells St. It specifically serves nonprofits and small organizations, and Clutch lists projects starting around $1,000 with a typical rate of $100–$149/hour. Clutch also reports less-than-$10,000 Chicago projects and positive comments about value and staying within budget. Clutch

Why I'd contact them: probably the most directly aligned downtown option for a small nonprofit that needs a conventional WordPress site without a large-agency budget.

• Chicago Website Design SEO Company — 10 S Riverside Plaza in the Loop. Its published baseline is around $2,500 for a new website and $1,500 for a revamp, making it another relatively accessible downtown option. Its positioning is more small-business/SEO oriented than nonprofit-specific, though.
• Third Coast Creative | 3CC — 235 W Van Buren St. It has worked on nonprofit-related projects, and available project information indicates many engagements under $10,000, including a no-cost launch site for a nonprofit-related initiative. This could be worth asking about a stripped-down grassroots package.

Particularly interesting nonprofit-budget alternatives

These aren't necessarily downtown firms, but they may be better fits if affordability and nonprofit experience matter more than being physically downtown:

• What A Great Website — Gold Coast. The firm specifically works with small businesses and nonprofits, with a small-studio model rather than a large agency structure.
• LimeRed Studio, Inc. — Ravenswood. This is much more explicitly nonprofit/mission-driven: it works with nonprofits and social enterprises and offers web design, accessibility, SEO, WordPress, integrations and ongoing maintenance. It also has structured offerings aimed at smaller nonprofits, including organizations with budgets under $5 million.
• That's So Creative, LLC — Chicago-based, woman- and minority-owned studio that works with nonprofits and mission-driven organizations. It offers WordPress/Wix sites, basic SEO, training and ongoing management.

If the budget is really tight

I'd also look beyond Chicago proper. There are nonprofit-specific providers with unusually low published pricing:

• Twist Web Studio advertises nonprofit packages starting at $550 for a refresh and $850 for a new site, including accessibility considerations. Twist Web Studio
• Wired Impact is nonprofit-only and currently starts at $1,999 one-time + $99/month, including design, writing, hosting, security, updates and support. Wired Impact
• 67 Web Design advertises Chicago nonprofit websites from $67/month, including hosting, maintenance and basic SEO. It's based in Michigan rather than Chicago, but specifically markets its service to Chicago nonprofits. 67 Web Design
• MicDrop Design Studio advertises nonprofit packages of $1,500 for web design + hosting or $2,000 including design, strategy and branding, plus a pro-bono program for qualifying organizations. MicDrop Design Studio

For a grassroots nonprofit with, say, a $1,000–$5,000 total budget, I'd contact Windy City Web Solutions, Third Coast Creative, and LimeRed first and explicitly ask for a “small nonprofit / limited-budget scope.” Ask them to quote a 5–7 page WordPress site, donation integration, mobile accessibility, basic SEO, staff training, and 6–12 months of maintenance separately so you can see exactly where the money goes.

• Windy City Web Solutions - 801 S Wells St, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• LimeRed Studio, Inc. - 4611 N Ravenswood Ave, Chicago, IL 60640, United States
• What A Great Website - 50 E Bellevue Pl, Chicago, IL 60611, United States
• Advocate Creative - 320 N Damen Ave d301, Chicago, IL 60612, United States
• That's So Creative, LLC - 3636 S Iron St Ste C-350, Chicago, IL 60609, United States
• Affordable Web Design Chicago - 5141 W Altgeld St, Chicago, IL 60639, United States
• Nonprofit Megaphone - 1230 W 34th St, Chicago, IL 60608, United States
• Cybernautic Web Design - 515 N State St #14-126, Chicago, IL 60611, United States
• Chris Depa Web Design + Branding - 1528 Robinhood Ln, La Grange Park, IL 60526, United States
• EDUCO Web Design - 128 Chicago Ave, Oak Park, IL 60302, United States
• Modern DCA - 1440 W Taylor St #1009, Chicago, IL 60607, United States

If the priority is a genuinely limited nonprofit budget, I’d focus on firms that either publish low-cost packages or explicitly work with nonprofits—not just agencies that happen to have nonprofit clients.

Chicago-area firms worth contacting

• Windy City Web Solutions — South Loop

• 801 S Wells St, Chicago.
• Particularly relevant: Clutch currently lists less-than-$10,000 average project costs for its Chicago web-design work and documents projects for nonprofits, including a food-security nonprofit. Clutch
• Their local business profile says they specialize in WordPress sites for small businesses and nonprofits.
• Best question to ask: whether they have a small nonprofit/grassroots package below $5,000.
• LimeRed Studio, Inc. — Chicago

• 4611 N Ravenswood Ave.
• This is more mission-focused than a typical budget web shop: it specifically works with nonprofits, social enterprises, and other purpose-driven organizations, including accessibility, WordPress, integrations, and ongoing maintenance.
• Caveat: I couldn't find a publicly posted low-budget package, so I'd ask about nonprofit pricing before investing time in a proposal.
• What A Great Website — Gold Coast

• 50 E Bellevue Pl.
• Its business profile specifically mentions small businesses and nonprofits and describes support designed around practical budget constraints.
• Worth approaching if you want a small, hands-on studio rather than a larger agency.
• Advocate Creative — West Town

• 320 N Damen Ave.
• Specifically focused on nonprofit/foundation branding and communications, with website design and development among its services.
• I'd consider this more appropriate if you need messaging/branding + website, rather than simply an inexpensive five-page site.

If "affordable" means under ~$2,000

There are some options outside downtown that may be considerably more realistic for a grassroots organization:

• 67 Web Design advertises Chicago nonprofit websites starting at $67/month, including hosting, SSL, basic SEO and ongoing updates. It's actually based in Michigan rather than Chicago, so it isn't a downtown Chicago firm. 67 Web Design
• SpireDevs specializes specifically in nonprofit websites and advertises a $197 starter package for up to three pages, including a donation button and one revision round. SpireDevs Agency
• Twist Web Studio advertises nonprofit packages starting at $550 for a refresh and $850 for a new site, with WCAG 2.2 AA accessibility included. Twist Web Studio
• Wired Impact is nonprofit-only and starts at $1,999 one-time + $99/month, including design, writing, hosting, security, updates and support. Wired Impact
• AMA Design Agency says it selects five nonprofits each month for a free five-page website build; hosting is separate. Free Websites for Nonprofits

One particularly interesting Chicago option

If you want local + nonprofit experience + relatively low project costs, I'd put Windy City Web Solutions at the top of the initial inquiry list. That's not a ranking of firms overall; it's simply the closest match I found between your specific requirements and publicly documented pricing/project information. Clutch currently reports a less-than-$10,000 average Chicago web-design project and specifically documents nonprofit work. Clutch

For a grassroots nonprofit, I'd tell prospective firms something like:

"We're a small grassroots 501(c)(3) with a very limited web budget. We're looking for a simple, accessible 5–8 page WordPress site with donation integration, mobile responsiveness, basic SEO, and training so our volunteers can update it. Do you offer a nonprofit/grassroots package, and what would the total upfront and ongoing cost be?"

That wording should quickly separate firms that genuinely accommodate small organizations from agencies whose nonprofit work normally starts at $10K+.

If you tell me your rough maximum budget (e.g. $1K, $3K, $5K, or $10K) and whether you need donations, events, membership, or just an informational site, I can narrow this to the most plausible 3–5 options and check their current pricing/contact information.

• Marcel Digital - 20 N Wacker Dr Ste 1285, Chicago, IL 60606
• Flamingo Agency - 3752 N Southport Ave, Chicago, IL 60613
• Cybernautic Web Design - 515 N State St #14-126, Chicago, IL 60611
• Windy City Web Solutions - 801 S Wells St, Chicago, IL 60607
• CMCG / Concept Marketing and Communication Group - 2756 N Pine Grove Ave, Chicago, IL 60614
• Version2 LLC | Managed IT Services & Support, Chicago - 566 W Adams St Ste 750, Chicago, IL 60661
• CCS Fundraising - 155 N Wacker Dr #1790, Chicago, IL 60606
• Mission + Strategy - 1925 N Clybourn Ave Ste 200, Chicago, IL 60614
• Framework Isystems - 1400 W Fulton St Ave, Chicago, IL 60607
• Association of Consultants to Nonprofits - 400 E Randolph St Ste 2305, Chicago, IL 60611
• Chicago Workers Collaborative - 6925 Cermak Rd, Berwyn, IL 60402
• CSched USA - 917 W Washington Blvd, Chicago, IL 60607

For your specific brief—nonprofit CMS migration + staff training—I’d put Marcel Digital at the top of the shortlist.

Why:

• They’re Chicago-based and have documented nonprofit CMS migration experience. They rebuilt Chicago nonprofit StreetWise’s site, moving it from WordPress to Umbraco Cloud and improving the internal team’s ability to manage content. Umbraco
• Their work covers CMS development, integrations, migration, and ongoing digital support.
• If you’re considering Umbraco or another more structured CMS, they’re particularly worth talking to.

Two other Chicago options I'd interview:

• Flamingo Agency — explicitly focuses on nonprofit sites, uses WordPress/Elementor, and provides staff training plus documentation for routine content updates. Flamingo Agency
• Orbit Media Studios — has a substantial nonprofit portfolio and explicitly includes content migration, CMS training, QA, and post-launch support in its process. Orbit Media Studios Orbit Media Studios

My practical approach: book discovery calls with Marcel Digital and Orbit first, then compare proposals on migration methodology, staff training, accessibility, SEO/redirect preservation, integrations/donations, and post-launch support—not just visual design.

If you tell me your current CMS, desired CMS, approximate budget, and site size, I can narrow this to the most appropriate agency and give you a short RFP/interview checklist.

• Orbit Media Studios - 4043 N Ravenswood Ave #316, Chicago, IL 60613, United States
• Sandstorm Design - 4422 N Ravenswood Ave #50, Chicago, IL 60640, United States
• Promet Source - 4809 N Ravenswood Ave #126, Chicago, IL 60640, United States
• Windy City Web Solutions - 801 S Wells St, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• LimeRed Studio, Inc. - 4611 N Ravenswood Ave, Chicago, IL 60640, United States
• Thirdwave - 15 W Hubbard St, Chicago, IL 60654, United States
• Mightybytes - 4001 N Ravenswood Ave, Ste 404, Chicago, IL 60613
• Zora Digital - WeWork, 20 W Kinzie St 17th Floor, Chicago, IL 60654, United States
• EDUCO Web Design - 128 Chicago Ave, Oak Park, IL 60302, United States
• Promet Source - 3322 N Ashland Ave, Chicago, IL 60657
• What A Great Website - 50 E Bellevue Pl, Chicago, IL 60611, United States
• Adage Technologies - 10 S Riverside Plaza Ste 1500, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• eGuide Tech Allies - 405 W Superior St, Ste 409, Chicago, IL 60622

For your specific needs—nonprofit experience + CMS migration + staff training—I’d start with Orbit Media Studios.

Why it fits:

• They explicitly specialize in nonprofit websites and have worked with Chicago nonprofits including the Greater Chicago Food Depository and Off The Street Club. Orbit Media Studios
• Their process includes content migration, CMS training, testing/QA, and post-launch support, rather than treating the migration as just a redesign. Orbit Media Studios
• They emphasize giving nonprofit staff an easy-to-manage CMS so routine content changes don't require a developer. Orbit Media Studios
• They're actually Chicago-based (4043 N. Ravenswood Ave.).

orbitmedia.com

Two others I'd put on the shortlist

• Sandstorm Design — particularly worth talking to if accessibility, governance, and staff enablement are major requirements. They work extensively with nonprofits and provide hands-on content-editor training; they also have experience with Drupal, WordPress, Kentico, and Sitecore. Sandstorm Design
• Promet Source — a strong candidate if you're moving to or within Drupal. Their Chicago operation emphasizes Drupal migrations, accessibility, and Drupal training/team enablement.

If you tell me what CMS you're leaving, what CMS you're considering, approximate site size, and your budget range, I can narrow this to the 2–3 agencies I'd actually invite to bid and give you a comparison of their relevant nonprofit work.

• Studio Blue - 20 W Hubbard St #3W, Chicago, IL 60654, United States
• Bark Design - 3115 W Montrose Ave, Chicago, IL 60618
• Advocate Creative - 320 N Damen Ave d301, Chicago, IL 60612, United States
• Dialogue Theory - 1932 S Halsted St #509, Chicago, IL 60608, United States
• Design In Chicago - 159 N Sangamon St Suite 200, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• Firebelly Design - 1402 N Western Ave, Chicago, IL 60622, United States
• Studio Blue - 800 W Huron St, Chicago, IL 60622
• LimeRed Studio, Inc. - 4611 N Ravenswood Ave, Chicago, IL 60640, United States
• Windy City Web Solutions - 801 S Wells St, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• Kym Abrams Design - 213 W Institute Pl, Ste 608, Chicago, IL 60610

For a museum project, I’d prioritize agencies that understand institutional storytelling (collections, exhibitions, community narratives, donors, education audiences), not just attractive marketing sites. In and around the West Loop/Fulton Market area, these look like strong candidates:

Strong museum/cultural storytelling fits

Studio Blue

DirectionsWebsite[Call](tel:+1 312-243-2241)

Why it may fit: Studio Blue is one of the more museum-oriented studios in Chicago. Their work spans cultural and academic institutions, including work associated with Art Institute of Chicago and other museum clients. Their background suggests comfort with complex content structures, interpretive storytelling, and institutional brands.

Best for:

• Exhibition storytelling
• Museum identity + digital experience
• Sophisticated editorial design
• Institutions where content quality matters as much as conversion

Bark Design

DirectionsWebsite[Call](tel:+17735397185)

Why it may fit: Bark has a long track record with mission-driven organizations and cultural institutions. Their portfolio highlights work for organizations including Field Museum, which is a meaningful signal for museum-sector familiarity. Bark Design

Best for:

• A museum website that needs warmth and narrative
• Donor/community storytelling
• Translating institutional missions into compelling digital experiences

Advocate Creative

DirectionsWebsite

Why it may fit: Advocate specializes in nonprofits and foundations and lists arts/culture organizations among its experience areas, including museum-related work. Advocate Creative

Best for:

• Museums with a strong public mission
• Community engagement stories
• Brand refresh + website redesign together

Dialogue Theory

DirectionsWebsite[Call](tel:+1 617-922-3790)

Why it may fit: Dialogue Theory positions itself around mission-driven organizations, social impact, and digital experiences. Their emphasis on strategy and narrative design could fit a museum seeking a more immersive storytelling approach.

Best for:

• Interactive storytelling
• Motion, animation, richer digital experiences
• Museums trying to feel contemporary and experiential

Also worth considering

Design In Chicago

DirectionsWebsite[Call](tel:+1 312-535-3088)

West Loop-based full-service agency combining branding, design, development, and content production. They may be a fit if the museum wants a single partner handling broader digital strategy and production.

Orbit Media Studios

Not West Loop, but very relevant for nonprofits and cultural organizations. Orbit has extensive nonprofit experience and cites work with cultural organizations including Goodman Theatre. Orbit Media Studios

Firebelly Design

DirectionsWebsite[Call](tel:+1 773-489-3200)

A Chicago mission-oriented design studio with nonprofit and civic experience. Better known for broader branding/design work, but worth considering if the website is part of a larger institutional identity effort.

My shortlist for a museum RFP

If I were building a shortlist, I’d probably invite:

1. Studio Blue — strongest museum/cultural alignment
2. Bark Design — strong mission-driven storytelling + museum credibility
3. Advocate Creative — nonprofit/cultural communications expertise
4. Dialogue Theory — if the project needs immersive digital storytelling
5. Orbit Media — if content strategy, accessibility, and long-term CMS management are major priorities

For a museum, I’d ask each agency specifically for:

• 2–3 examples of exhibition, archive, or collection storytelling
• How they handle large content ecosystems (collections, events, education, memberships)
• Their approach to accessibility (WCAG), multilingual content, and long-term staff editing
• Whether they provide content strategy and writing, not just UX/design

If you share the museum type (art, history, science, community/cultural, etc.) and the goals (new build vs redesign, fundraising vs visitors vs collections), I can narrow this to the best 3–4.

• Firebelly Design - 1402 N Western Ave, Chicago, IL 60622, United States
• LimeRed Studio, Inc. - 4611 N Ravenswood Ave, Chicago, IL 60640, United States
• Sandstorm Design - 4422 N Ravenswood Ave #50, Chicago, IL 60640, United States
• Advocate Creative - 320 N Damen Ave d301, Chicago, IL 60612, United States
• Bark Design - 4330 N California Ave Store Front, Chicago, IL 60618, United States
• Beth Interactive - 4657 N Ravenswood Ave, Ste B, Chicago, IL 60640
• What A Great Website - 50 E Bellevue Pl, Chicago, IL 60611, United States
• Nonprofit Megaphone - 1230 W 34th St, Chicago, IL 60608, United States
• Statement - 1033 South Blvd, Oak Park, IL 60302, United States
• Windy City Web Solutions - 801 S Wells St, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• Eurydice - 3600 N Halsted St, Chicago, IL 60613, United States
• JG Poll & Associates - 5445 N Sheridan Rd Apt 2615, Chicago, IL 60640, United States
• Bark Design - 3115 W Montrose Ave, Chicago, IL 60618
• TWB Fundraising - 2 N Riverside Plaza Ste 1875, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• ASIL Ventures - 350 N Orleans St Ste 9301, Chicago, IL 60654, United States
• Resilience Partners NFP - located in the rear of the building, 4455 S King Dr Ste 101B, Chicago, IL 60653, United States

For a foundation that wants a visually driven site plus a much better grant-application/download experience, I’d interview a mix of Chicago web/design firms and one or two grant-process specialists rather than hiring a generic web shop.

Agencies I’d put on the interview list

• Firebelly Design — particularly interesting if you want strong visual identity + storytelling + web. Firebelly has worked with foundations and philanthropic organizations, including Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors and The Chicago Community Trust.
• LimeRed Studio, Inc. — a Chicago design agency focused on purpose-driven organizations, with branding, messaging and digital experience capabilities. Good candidate if the foundation needs its brand and website thought through together.
• Sandstorm Design — worth interviewing if the project is more sophisticated than a brochure site. Its work emphasizes UX research, digital experience, accessibility and custom web/CMS solutions, including for nonprofits and other purpose-driven organizations.
• Advocate Creative — a nonprofit/foundation-oriented Chicago agency offering branding, websites/microsites and publication/impact-report design. That combination could be useful if your grant materials and annual reports need to feel like part of the same visual system.
• Bark Design — mission-driven Chicago studio with experience spanning branding, print, interactive storytelling and websites. Worth including if the visual/editorial side of the project is especially important.
• Beth Interactive — consider this if the website needs to connect strongly to fundraising, donor journeys, analytics and digital communications, rather than being primarily an institutional site.
• What A Great Website — a smaller Chicago option that works with nonprofits and can combine websites with branded PDFs and other communications materials.

For a larger/strategic benchmark, orbitmedia.com is also worth reviewing; it specifically showcases nonprofit websites, UX, accessibility, resource libraries and integrations. Orbit Media Studios

For the grant-application piece

I'd also interview a grant-process specialist or make this a required competency in the RFP. The Chicago Community Trust is a useful benchmark because its GrantCentral system is explicitly designed around responsive grant applications, organizational profiles, outcomes, supporting information and grant-related resources. CCT

That means your agency should be able to demonstrate more than "we can put PDFs on a page." Ask them to design:

• A prominent Funding Opportunities section.
• Filterable opportunities by eligibility, deadline and funding area.
• Downloadable application packets, guidelines, budgets and templates.
• A clear distinction between "download application" and "apply online."
• Accessible, mobile-friendly PDFs.
• Version/date control so applicants don't accidentally download an obsolete form.
• A confirmation/thank-you page and clear submission instructions.
• An internal CMS workflow so foundation staff can update deadlines and replace documents without calling the developer.
• Analytics showing which grant opportunities and documents applicants actually use.

This is particularly important because Chicago foundations currently use very different models: the Chicago Community Trust uses an online grant portal, while the Savithri Foundation explicitly uses a downloadable PDF application, and other foundations combine online systems with downloadable application resources. CCT Savithri Foundation

How I'd structure the interviews

I'd give all candidates the same 30-minute design challenge:

"Design the experience for a prospective grantee arriving at our homepage, finding the right funding opportunity, understanding eligibility, downloading the application materials, and knowing exactly what to do next."

Then ask each agency to show you 2–3 comparable nonprofit/foundation projects, not just their prettiest commercial work.

The most revealing questions would be:

1. Show us a foundation or nonprofit site where visual storytelling was central.
2. Show us a resource/document library you've built.
3. How will staff add, replace and archive grant PDFs without developer assistance?
4. How will you prevent applicants from seeing outdated application documents?
5. How will you make PDFs and the website accessible?
6. What CMS would you recommend, and why?
7. How would you handle an online application portal alongside downloadable materials?
8. What analytics would you implement around grant-seeker behavior?
9. Can you provide a content migration and document-inventory plan?
10. What happens after launch—training, maintenance, accessibility testing and support?

My initial interview slate would be Firebelly, LimeRed, Sandstorm, Advocate Creative and Orbit Media, with Beth Interactive added if fundraising/donor experience is a major part of the brief. I'd then have the finalists respond to the same grant-application UX scenario so you're comparing actual approaches rather than agency sales presentations.

"Design the experience for a prospective grantee arriving at our homepage, finding the right funding opportunity, understanding eligibility, downloading the application materials, and knowing exactly what to do next."

Then ask each agency to show you 2–3 comparable nonprofit/foundation projects, not just their prettiest commercial work.

The most revealing questions would be:

1. Show us a foundation or nonprofit site where visual storytelling was central.
2. Show us a resource/document library you've built.
3. How will staff add, replace and archive grant PDFs without developer assistance?
4. How will you prevent applicants from seeing outdated application documents?
5. How will you make PDFs and the website accessible?
6. What CMS would you recommend, and why?
7. How would you handle an online application portal alongside downloadable materials?
8. What analytics would you implement around grant-seeker behavior?
9. Can you provide a content migration and document-inventory plan?
10. What happens after launch—training, maintenance, accessibility testing and support?

My initial interview slate would be Firebelly, LimeRed, Sandstorm, Advocate Creative and Orbit Media, with Beth Interactive added if fundraising/donor experience is a major part of the brief. I'd then have the finalists respond to the same grant-application UX scenario so you're comparing actual approaches rather than agency sales presentations.

• LimeRed Studio, Inc. - 4611 N Ravenswood Ave, Chicago, IL 60640, United States
• Advocate Creative - 320 N Damen Ave d301, Chicago, IL 60612, United States
• Beth Interactive - 4657 N Ravenswood Ave, Ste B, Chicago, IL 60640
• Prosper Strategies - 200 W Madison St, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Tala Communications - 5924 Crain St, Morton Grove, IL 60053, United States
• Public Communications Inc. - 161 N Clark St 20th Floor, Chicago, IL 60601, United States
• Statement - 1033 South Blvd, Oak Park, IL 60302, United States
• Nonprofit Megaphone - 1230 W 34th St, Chicago, IL 60608, United States
• Windy City Web Solutions - 801 S Wells St, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• Rudd Resources - 56 E 47th St Ste 300C, Chicago, IL 60653, United States
• Melcher & Tucker Consultants - 333 North Michigan, 333 N Michigan Ave #606, Chicago, IL 60601, United States
• DeSoto & State Communications, Inc. - 7301 W 25th St #256, North Riverside, IL 60546, United States
• Eurydice - 3600 N Halsted St, Chicago, IL 60613, United States
• Conlon Public Strategies - 1 E Wacker Dr, Chicago, IL 60601, United States
• Firebelly Design - 1402 N Western Ave, Chicago, IL 60622, United States

For a visually driven foundation site that also makes grant applications/resources easy to find and download, I’d interview a mix of web/brand firms and at least one grant-process specialist rather than treating this as a pure web-design project.

Chicago firms I’d put on the interview list

• LimeRed Studio, Inc. — Chicago-based, purpose-driven design firm with nonprofit experience spanning branding, UX/UI, accessibility, WordPress, CRM/forms, and content strategy. This is a strong fit if the site needs to feel highly designed while still functioning well. Clutch
• Advocate Creative — Particularly relevant for a foundation/nonprofit brand system: website design, digital development, annual/impact reports, and coordinated print materials.
• CauseHouse — Worth interviewing if you want the website connected to fundraising, CRM, analytics, donation/grant-related workflows, and the broader digital infrastructure rather than simply a beautiful front end.
• Beth Interactive — A philanthropy-focused digital agency; potentially useful if donor journeys, digital fundraising, analytics, and communications are important alongside the website.
• Prosper Strategies — More strategy/communications oriented. Useful as an interview if you're still defining the foundation's audiences, messaging, stakeholder needs, and digital strategy before commissioning the actual build.
• Project6 — Its foundation/nonprofit practice explicitly includes grant and donation tools, accessibility, UX, WordPress/Drupal, stakeholder interviews, and digital design. That combination maps unusually well to your requirements. Project6
• Trajectory — Specializes in nonprofit/foundation websites and specifically describes grantmaking foundations whose sites need to serve donors, partners, grant applicants, and grantees. Its scope includes information architecture, accessibility, responsive design, CRM integrations, and ongoing support. Trajectory Web Design
• Tala Communications — I would add a grant-communications specialist like this to the interviews if the downloadable application materials themselves need restructuring, clearer instructions, proposal support, or stronger funder-facing communications.

One important benchmark

I'd also interview the people who actually use grant portals, not just agencies.

For example, The Chicago Community Trust has a responsive GrantCentral system with application instructions, organization profiles, outcomes/measures, and other grant resources. CCT cct.org

That gives you a useful model for thinking beyond a static "Downloads" page. Similarly, VNA Foundation publishes funding guidelines, model proposals, FAQs, outcome measures, and application instructions alongside its grants-management system. VNA Foundation VNA Foundation

What I'd ask every agency

Give each candidate the same brief:

1. Show us 2–3 foundation/nonprofit sites where visual storytelling was genuinely important.
2. Show us a grantmaking website, ideally one where applicants can easily find eligibility, deadlines, instructions, FAQs, templates, and downloadable application documents.
3. How would you structure "For Grantseekers" versus "Our Work/Impact" versus "About the Foundation"?
4. How will staff update application PDFs, deadlines, eligibility rules, and FAQs without calling the developer?
5. Can the site support accessible PDFs and WCAG-compliant navigation?
6. How would you make a visually rich homepage without burying the practical information grant applicants need?
7. What CMS would you recommend, and why?
8. How would you handle search/filtering if we eventually have dozens of grant programs, reports, and downloadable resources?
9. What would you do to make the application process work well on mobile?
10. Show us the admin experience, not just the finished public website.

My interview slate would probably be five: LimeRed, Advocate Creative, Project6, Trajectory, and CauseHouse. That gives you a useful spread between visual/brand excellence, foundation-specific experience, accessibility/content architecture, and digital infrastructure. I wouldn't select purely on portfolio aesthetics—the grantseeker user journey and ease of staff maintenance should be part of the evaluation.

• The Loop Marketing Inc - 159 N Sangamon St Suite 200, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• Windy City Web Solutions - 801 S Wells St, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• Operation Technology - 211 W Wacker Dr 3rd Floor, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Cybernautic Web Design - 515 N State St #14-126, Chicago, IL 60611, United States
• Advocate Creative - 320 N Damen Ave d301, Chicago, IL 60612, United States
• Nonprofit Megaphone - 1230 W 34th St, Chicago, IL 60608, United States
• What A Great Website - 50 E Bellevue Pl, Chicago, IL 60611, United States
• EDUCO Web Design - 128 Chicago Ave, Oak Park, IL 60302, United States
• Modern DCA - 1440 W Taylor St #1009, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• ePageCity Inc. - 111 N Wabash Ave Ste 3023, Chicago, IL 60602, United States
• Wojo Design - 318 W Adams St #1609, Chicago, IL 60606, United States

For a Chicago nonprofit site redesign where SEO for program-related searches is a major goal, I’d put Orbit Media Studios at the top of your interview list. They specifically market nonprofit web design + SEO, and their portfolio includes Chicago nonprofits such as the Greater Chicago Food Depository, Goodman Theatre, and Off the Street Club. Their Off the Street Club redesign explicitly combined site restructuring, SEO-focused copy/navigation, and conversion improvements. Orbit Media Studios

A few Chicago-area options worth comparing:

• The Loop Marketing Inc — West Loop/Fulton Market, 159 N. Sangamon St. They work with nonprofits and combine custom WordPress design with UX, coding, and SEO. This could be a good fit if you want a relatively local, hands-on agency.
• Windy City Web Solutions — South Loop, 801 S. Wells St. They specifically cite nonprofit, healthcare, and education work and emphasize WordPress, accessibility, performance, and SEO. Windy City Web Solutions
• Operation Technology — Loop, 211 W. Wacker Dr. They offer redesigns alongside SEO, content, analytics, and digital marketing, so they're worth considering if you want the agency to own both the rebuild and ongoing search growth.
• Cybernautic Web Design — downtown Chicago. They have specific nonprofit/organization experience and combine custom web development with SEO. Their published case material describes nonprofit projects involving navigation, mobile performance, and search visibility. Cybernautic Website Design
• Advocate Creative — near Fulton Market/West Town. Their focus is particularly nonprofit/foundation branding and communications, including website design and development. I'd consider them if the mission/storytelling and brand side of the redesign is as important as SEO.

What I'd ask them to solve

For your particular goal, I wouldn't frame the project as simply "redesign our website + do SEO." I'd ask for a program-search architecture:

• Identify the actual searches people use to find each program/service.
• Rebuild the information architecture around those user journeys.
• Give each important program a strong, indexable landing page rather than burying programs inside PDFs or generic "Services" pages.
• Preserve existing search equity with a URL-by-URL redirect plan.
• Improve title tags, headings, internal linking, structured data, page speed, accessibility, and Core Web Vitals.
• Build location/service pages where there is genuine search demand.
• Set up Google Search Console and GA4 reporting around program discovery and conversions, not just overall traffic.
• Establish a post-launch content plan so rankings can continue growing.

My practical shortlist would be Orbit Media, The Loop Marketing, and Windy City Web Solutions—then compare their proposals specifically on SEO architecture, nonprofit experience, accessibility, CMS ownership, and post-launch support. That's not a ranking of the agencies; they're differentiated by the capabilities documented in their current materials. Orbit Media Studios Windy City Web Solutions

If you tell me your nonprofit's programs, approximate budget (e.g. $20–40k vs. $50–100k), and current CMS, I can narrow this to 3 agencies and compare their likely fit, nonprofit experience, location, SEO capabilities, and published case studies.

• Windy City Web Solutions - 801 S Wells St, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• The Loop Marketing Inc - 159 N Sangamon St Suite 200, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• Cybernautic Web Design - 515 N State St #14-126, Chicago, IL 60611, United States
• Nonprofit Megaphone - 1230 W 34th St, Chicago, IL 60608, United States
• Operation Technology - 211 W Wacker Dr 3rd Floor, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• What A Great Website - 50 E Bellevue Pl, Chicago, IL 60611, United States
• Modern DCA - 1440 W Taylor St #1009, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• Advocate Creative - 320 N Damen Ave d301, Chicago, IL 60612, United States
• ePageCity Inc. - 111 N Wabash Ave Ste 3023, Chicago, IL 60602, United States
• EDUCO Web Design - 128 Chicago Ave, Oak Park, IL 60302, United States
• Brand Vision Marketing - Web Design & Branding - 30 N Michigan Ave #504, Chicago, IL 60602, United States
• Design In Chicago - 159 N Sangamon St Suite 200, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• Chicago Website Design SEO Company - 10 S Riverside Plaza #875, Chicago, IL 60606, United States

For a nonprofit redesign where program-related Google searches are a major goal, I’d put Orbit Media Studios at the top of your interview list. They’re Chicago-based and specifically market nonprofit web design + SEO, with documented nonprofit work including Off the Street Club and the Greater Chicago Food Depository. Their approach explicitly includes keyword research, search-optimized navigation/content, accessibility, and easy-to-manage CMSs. Orbit Media Studios

Shortlist

• Orbit Media Studios — Strongest fit on the evidence I found for your particular combination of nonprofit redesign + SEO + program discovery. Their nonprofit practice is extensive, and they cite a redesign for Off the Street Club that addressed low organic traffic, navigation, SEO, and conversions. Orbit Media Studios

orbitmedia.com

• Windy City Web Solutions — A more local/smaller-agency option in the South Loop. They specifically work with nonprofits and promote WordPress, SEO-ready site architecture, and projects including United Way of Lake County and Nourishing Hope Chicago. Windy City Web Solutions
• The Loop Marketing Inc — Located on N. Sangamon in the West Loop/Fulton Market area. They serve nonprofits and combine WordPress web design with UX, technology and SEO.
• Cybernautic Web Design — Specifically advertises Fulton Market web design and SEO, and says it has worked with nonprofits including Habitat for Humanity. Its offering leans toward custom development plus SEO rather than purely visual redesign. Cybernautic Website Design

What I'd ask them to demonstrate

Don't make the RFP primarily about "a modern-looking website." For your situation, ask each agency to show how they would turn searches such as:

• “food assistance Chicago”
• “after school programs West Side Chicago”
• “free [your program] Chicago”
• “mental health services for [your audience]”
• “[your organization] programs”

into specific, indexable program/service pages with clear navigation, internal linking, structured data where appropriate, and measurable conversions.

I'd also ask for a pre-redesign SEO migration plan. An aging site can have valuable existing rankings, backlinks, and indexed URLs, so changing the architecture without a redirect/content strategy can unnecessarily damage organic traffic.

If you tell me your nonprofit's website and roughly what your programs are, I can also compare 3–5 Chicago agencies against your actual needs and identify which ones have the most relevant nonprofit/program-search experience.

• LimeRed Studio, Inc. - 4611 N Ravenswood Ave, Chicago, IL 60640, United States
• Windy City Web Solutions - 801 S Wells St, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• Statement - 1033 South Blvd, Oak Park, IL 60302, United States
• Taproot - 100 S State St, Chicago, IL 60603, United States
• Firebelly Design - 1402 N Western Ave, Chicago, IL 60622, United States
• Advocate Creative - 320 N Damen Ave d301, Chicago, IL 60612, United States
• Nonprofit Megaphone - 1230 W 34th St, Chicago, IL 60608, United States
• Beth Interactive - 4657 N Ravenswood Ave, Ste B, Chicago, IL 60640
• Chris Depa Web Design + Branding - 1528 Robinhood Ln, La Grange Park, IL 60526, United States
• EDUCO Web Design - 128 Chicago Ave, Oak Park, IL 60302, United States
• Bark Design - 4330 N California Ave Store Front, Chicago, IL 60618, United States
• What A Great Website - 50 E Bellevue Pl, Chicago, IL 60611, United States
• Bark Design - 3115 W Montrose Ave, Chicago, IL 60618
• Designs for Dignity - 4311 S Western Blvd, Chicago, IL 60609, United States

Yes. I’d prioritize firms that explicitly have nonprofit pricing/pro-bono programs, rather than simply asking a general agency for a discount.

Places I’d contact first

• LimeRed Studio, Inc. — Chicago agency focused heavily on nonprofits and social-impact organizations. Their work includes strategy, UX, WordPress, accessibility, SEO, integrations, and ongoing maintenance. They also have offerings aimed at smaller nonprofits.

Good fit if: you need more than a visual facelift and want someone to rethink the site's structure, messaging, and donor/user experience.

• Crescendo Studios — explicitly offers up to 50% off for qualifying nonprofits, with some projects taken completely pro bono. They specifically mention website design/development, donation flows, volunteer signups, and event calendars. Crescendo Studios

crescendostudios.com

• Windy City Web Solutions — Chicago-based, small web shop focused on WordPress, including nonprofits. Current Chicago nonprofit listings show projects under $10k, so I'd ask about a tightly scoped redesign rather than a large agency engagement. Clutch

Good fit if: you want a practical WordPress redesign without paying for a large agency.

• Wired Byte IT Solutions — advertises 50% off eligible website-design plans for qualifying nonprofits and specifically serves Chicago. Wired Byte IT Solutions Wired Byte IT Solutions

wiredbyteit.com

• Lorien Web — a one-person studio specifically serving nonprofits, churches, and community organizations, with discounted nonprofit rates and fixed proposals designed to be board-approvable. Lorien Web

Good fit if: you're a small organization and don't want the overhead of a traditional agency.

• Statement — Oak Park firm with a strong nonprofit/mission-driven focus and services spanning messaging, branding, website design/development, campaigns, and communications.

Good fit if: the website problem is partly a messaging/brand problem.

If the budget is basically $0

I'd also investigate these before paying anyone:

• Ark40 Consulting — has an explicit pro-bono technology program for small nonprofits, including web development. Ark40 Consulting
• NPO Web Development — a nonprofit offering free website design, hosting, SEO and other technical services to under-resourced nonprofits. NPO Web Development
• Taproot Foundation Chicago — connects nonprofits with skilled volunteers for pro-bono professional projects. Taproot
• AMA Design Agency — currently advertises five free custom five-page nonprofit websites per month through an application process. Free Websites for Nonprofits
• Peak Digital — advertises 15% off for eligible 501(c)(3)s, including website design and ongoing support. Peak Digital Studio

Who I'd actually email

For a small Chicago nonprofit, I'd send the same short project brief to Crescendo, LimeRed, Lorien, Windy City Web Solutions, and Ark40. That gives you a mix of explicit nonprofit discounts, nonprofit specialization, small-studio economics, and genuine pro bono possibilities.

One important distinction: if this is a redesign of an existing site, tell them that explicitly. A redesign can be dramatically cheaper than rebuilding everything from scratch—especially if your existing WordPress/hosting/donation integrations can be retained.

If you tell me your nonprofit's approximate annual budget, current website/platform (WordPress, Wix, Squarespace, etc.), and what you want changed, I can narrow this to 3–5 Chicago agencies and find their actual contact/application pages.

• Windy City Web Solutions - 801 S Wells St, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• LimeRed Studio, Inc. - 4611 N Ravenswood Ave, Chicago, IL 60640, United States
• Advocate Creative - 320 N Damen Ave d301, Chicago, IL 60612, United States
• Firebelly Design - 1402 N Western Ave, Chicago, IL 60622, United States
• Nonprofit Megaphone - 1230 W 34th St, Chicago, IL 60608, United States
• Statement - 1033 South Blvd, Oak Park, IL 60302, United States
• Zora Digital - WeWork, 20 W Kinzie St 17th Floor, Chicago, IL 60654, United States
• Beth Interactive - 4657 N Ravenswood Ave, Ste B, Chicago, IL 60640
• What A Great Website - 50 E Bellevue Pl, Chicago, IL 60611, United States
• Chris Depa Web Design + Branding - 1528 Robinhood Ln, La Grange Park, IL 60526, United States
• Access Direct Nonprofit Marketing - 209 Des Plaines Ave, Forest Park, IL 60130, United States
• Prosper Strategies - 200 W Madison St, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Bark Design - 4330 N California Ave Store Front, Chicago, IL 60618, United States
• That's So Creative, LLC - 3636 S Iron St Ste C-350, Chicago, IL 60609, United States

Yes. I’d focus on firms that explicitly work with nonprofits and have a stated discounted/pro-bono pathway, rather than simply looking for agencies that happen to have nonprofit clients.

A few Chicago-area options worth contacting:

• Windy City Web Solutions — Chicago-based, small team, focused on WordPress sites for nonprofits and small organizations. Clutch currently shows nonprofit website work and projects averaging under $10K, which makes them worth approaching if your budget is modest. Clutch
• LimeRed Studio, Inc. — Chicago design agency with a strong focus on nonprofits, social enterprises, and purpose-driven organizations. Particularly interesting if the redesign involves messaging/branding as well as the website.
• Advocate Creative — Chicago agency specifically focused on nonprofit/foundation branding and communications, including website design and development.
• Firebelly Design — Has an explicit Grant for Good program that provides a year of free design services to one nonprofit, although you'd need to check the current application cycle and whether a website redesign fits the grant.
• Crescendo Studios — Explicitly offers qualifying nonprofits up to 50% off, with selected projects taken entirely pro bono. Their program covers web design/development as well as branding and media. Crescendo Studios
• Digital Mountaineers — Particularly intriguing if you mainly need a homepage/site refresh: they say they donate free homepage redesigns to organizations serving their communities. Digital Mountaineers
• Peak Digital Studio — Offers eligible 501(c)(3)s 15% off all services, including website design/development and ongoing support. Peak Digital Studio
• Rapid Fire Web Studio — Has a genuine annual pro-bono website program. Their 2026 project is already selected, but they say applications reopen in November for the 2027 project. Rapid Fire

Who I'd contact first

For a small nonprofit with a limited budget, I'd send the same short project brief to Windy City Web Solutions, Crescendo Studios, Digital Mountaineers, and LimeRed. That gives you four substantially different possibilities: conventional small-agency work, explicit nonprofit discount/pro bono, a potentially free homepage intervention, and a more strategy/branding-oriented shop.

If you tell me your approximate budget (e.g. $2–5K, $5–10K, $10–20K), what your nonprofit does, and what platform you're on now (WordPress/Squarespace/Wix/etc.), I can narrow this to 3–5 agencies and find their actual contact/application pages.

• Orbit Media Studios - 4043 N Ravenswood Ave #316, Chicago, IL 60613, United States
• Windy City Web Solutions - 801 S Wells St, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• Flamingo Agency - 3752 N Southport Ave, Chicago, IL 60613, United States
• Alpha Efficiency - Web Design Chicago Agency - 875 N Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL 60611, United States
• LimeRed Studio, Inc. - 4611 N Ravenswood Ave, Chicago, IL 60640, United States
• SITE IT NOW - 1016 W Jackson Blvd, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• UX 4Sight - 111 W Jackson Blvd Unit 1700, Chicago, IL 60604, United States
• Americaneagle.com, Inc. - 200 W Jackson Blvd Fl 22, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• SEOLEVELUP Website Design SEO Company Chicago - 355 N Laflin St Ste 101C, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• IDE Interactive, Inc. - 2945 W Peterson Ave Ste 103, Chicago, IL 60659, United States
• Chicago Website Design SEO Company - 10 S Riverside Plaza #875, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Solid Digital - 100 N LaSalle St #1400, Chicago, IL 60602, United States

For a Chicago animal rescue, I’d shortlist partners with nonprofit experience plus real adoption/pet-listing integration:

• Orbit Media Studios — Chicago nonprofit specialist; custom integrations and accessible UX. Orbit Media Studios
• Windy City Web Solutions — smaller Chicago shop focused on nonprofits and custom WordPress. Windy City Web Solutions
• WebCitz — particularly relevant: they built an animal-rescue site with automated RescueGroups pet listings and adoption applications. WebCitz
• Pawlytics Custom Websites — specializes specifically in animal rescues/shelters, including adoptable-pet listings. Pawlytics Custom Websites

For your RFP, require live pet-data integration, search/filtering, adoption applications, mobile UX, accessibility, staff editing, CRM/rescue-software integration, and ownership of the underlying code/data.

• LimeRed Studio, Inc. - 4611 N Ravenswood Ave, Chicago, IL 60640, United States
• IDE Interactive, Inc. - 2945 W Peterson Ave Ste 103, Chicago, IL 60659, United States
• Mightybytes - 4001 N Ravenswood Ave, Ste 404, Chicago, IL 60613
• TXI - 10 S Riverside Plaza Ste 875 - #7670, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Synergy Labs - Mobile App and Web Developers Agency in Chicago - 515 N State St, Chicago, IL 60654, United States
• Windy City Web Solutions - 801 S Wells St, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• IST Custom Software Development Chicago - 620 N La Salle Dr Ste 305, Chicago, IL 60654, United States
• Statement - 1033 South Blvd, Oak Park, IL 60302, United States
• Firebelly Design - 1402 N Western Ave, Chicago, IL 60622, United States
• Beth Interactive - 4657 N Ravenswood Ave, Ste B, Chicago, IL 60640
• Advocate Creative - 320 N Damen Ave d301, Chicago, IL 60612, United States
• SITE IT NOW - 1016 W Jackson Blvd, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• What A Great Website - 50 E Bellevue Pl, Chicago, IL 60611, United States
• Nonprofit Megaphone - 1230 W 34th St, Chicago, IL 60608, United States
• Chris Depa Web Design + Branding - 1528 Robinhood Ln, La Grange Park, IL 60526, United States
• Millennial Web Development - 329 W 18th St Ste 413, Chicago, IL 60616, United States

Yes. For an adoption-listing system, I’d look beyond a conventional “web design” shop: you’ll want UX + custom development + animal-data integrations, so staff can update an animal once and have the listing propagate automatically.

Here are the partners I’d put on an RFP shortlist:

• LimeRed Studio, Inc. — Chicago / nonprofit-focused. Strong fit if you want a polished public-facing site plus integrations, accessibility, CRM/forms, payments, and ongoing support. Their work specifically emphasizes nonprofits and mission-driven organizations. Orbit Media Studios
• IDE Interactive, Inc. — Chicago / custom digital products. Particularly interesting if your “listing system” is really a web application: they build web apps, internal dashboards, custom platforms, and workflow systems rather than just marketing sites.
• Mightybytes — Chicago / nonprofit and mission-driven work. A good candidate if accessibility, sustainability, governance, and staff training are important alongside development.
• TXI — Chicago / substantial custom software. Worth considering if you're envisioning a genuinely custom platform with complex workflows, integrations, data management, or eventual expansion beyond basic pet listings.
• Synergy Labs - Mobile App and Web Developers Agency in Chicago — Chicago / custom web applications. Their offering includes UX/UI, full-stack web applications, integrations, QA, and post-launch support, which maps well to a custom adoption platform.
• Windy City Web Solutions — Chicago / WordPress-oriented. Potentially a better fit if you want a comparatively straightforward, maintainable WordPress site rather than a large custom software project.
• WebCitz — Not Chicago-local, but unusually relevant to your exact use case. They document projects for animal rescues involving automated pet listings, adoption applications, and RescueGroups.org integration, including automatically pulling photos, descriptions, and adoption status into the website. WebCitz WebCitz
• Pawlytics Custom Websites — Also specialized specifically in animal-rescue websites. Their offering includes live pet-listing embeds, adoption/foster applications, donations, and mobile-first sites; published pricing currently starts at $400 for a small site and $750 for a 10-page site, although that is more of a website package than a bespoke software platform. Pawlytics Custom Websites Pawlytics Custom Websites

One important distinction

I'd divide your project into two possible scopes:

A. Website + existing rescue software integration

If you're already using something like RescueGroups, Petfinder, Pawlytics, Shelterluv, etc., you probably don't need to build the animal database from scratch. The agency can build a much better adopter experience around your existing source of truth.

For example, WebCitz describes a rescue project where the website automatically pulled animals from RescueGroups so staff didn't have to maintain listings in two places. WebCitz

B. Custom adoption platform

If you want your own system—animal records, search/filtering, applications, staff dashboard, foster management, status changes, automated notifications, etc.—I'd prioritize IDE Interactive, TXI, or Synergy Labs over a conventional WordPress agency.

There's precedent for this being a substantial software project: BRINK Interactive rebuilt the Home To Home pet-adoption platform with a scalable architecture, integrating 100+ shelters and reporting a 50% improvement in page-load times. Brink Interactive

What I'd put in your RFP

Ask each agency to quote the same core requirements:

• Adoptable dogs/cats with photos, age, breed, size, sex, temperament, location, medical status, and adoption status
• Search/filtering by characteristics
• Individual animal profile pages with SEO-friendly URLs
• One source of truth for animal data—no duplicate entry
• Adoption application workflow
• Foster application workflow
• Staff/admin dashboard
• Automatic removal/update when an animal is adopted or placed on hold
• Integration with your current animal-management system
• Email/SMS notifications
• Mobile-first design
• WCAG 2.1 AA accessibility
• Analytics measuring listing views → applications → adoptions
• Donation and volunteer integrations
• Chicago-area SEO
• Staff/volunteer training
• Documentation and ownership of the code/data
• Ongoing maintenance and security

I'd also specifically ask: “Show us a live animal-rescue or shelter project where you integrated a changing animal database rather than manually maintaining static pet pages.” That question will quickly separate agencies that understand your operational problem from agencies that primarily make attractive websites.

If you tell me what software you currently use for animal records/listings, your approximate budget, and whether you want a new website or a standalone adoption platform, I can narrow this to 3–5 agencies and compare their likely fit, relevant experience, and contact information.

If you want your own system—animal records, search/filtering, applications, staff dashboard, foster management, status changes, automated notifications, etc.—I'd prioritize IDE Interactive, TXI, or Synergy Labs over a conventional WordPress agency.

There's precedent for this being a substantial software project: BRINK Interactive rebuilt the Home To Home pet-adoption platform with a scalable architecture, integrating 100+ shelters and reporting a 50% improvement in page-load times.

What I'd put in your RFP

Ask each agency to quote the same core requirements:

• Heller Consulting - 53 W Jackson Blvd, Ste 622, Chicago, IL 60604
• LimeRed Studio, Inc. - 4611 N Ravenswood Ave, Chicago, IL 60640, United States
• Thirdwave - 15 W Hubbard St, Chicago, IL 60654, United States
• Sandstorm Design - 4422 N Ravenswood Ave #50, Chicago, IL 60640, United States
• Beth Interactive - 4657 N Ravenswood Ave, Ste B, Chicago, IL 60640
• Maven Digital - 23 N Racine Ave, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• Dialogue Theory - 1932 S Halsted St #509, Chicago, IL 60608, United States
• Windy City Web Solutions - 801 S Wells St, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• Beth Interactive Inc. - 4541 N Ravenswood Ave #303, Chicago, IL 60640, United States
• Doing Good Digital - 668 N Coast Hwy, Laguna Beach, CA 92651, United States
• Third Coast Creative | 3CC - 235 W Van Buren St, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• eGuide Tech Allies - 405 W Superior St, Ste 409, Chicago, IL 60622
• EDUCO Web Design - 128 Chicago Ave, Oak Park, IL 60302, United States
• Promet Source - 4809 N Ravenswood Ave #126, Chicago, IL 60640, United States

For a mid-sized Chicago nonprofit needing both donor-database integration and website UX, I’d put Heller Consulting, LimeRed Studio, Inc., and Thirdwave on the shortlist.

How I’d distinguish them

• Heller Consulting — strongest if the database/CRM is the hardest part.

They’re at 53 W Jackson Blvd downtown and specialize in nonprofit technology strategy and CRM implementations, including Salesforce and connected constituent systems. Their work is more systems/technology consulting than pure web design. Blackbaud

• LimeRed Studio, Inc. — strongest if UX and the donor-facing experience are equally important.

They’re Chicago-based and work with nonprofits and mission-driven organizations, with capabilities spanning UX/UI, information architecture, accessibility, WordPress, and integrations with CRM/forms/payments. Tkist

• Thirdwave — worth considering for a technically complex website.

They’re in River North and emphasize strategy, design, engineering, integrations, and ongoing support. I’d particularly consider them if the website needs substantial custom functionality rather than primarily a redesign. Orbit Media Studios

One important wrinkle: “downtown Chicago” and “best fit” point in slightly different directions. Some of the nonprofit specialists I found are outside the Loop. For example, Sandstorm Design is in Ravenswood and has a particularly strong UX/digital-experience orientation for purpose-driven organizations.

If I were running the RFP, I would not hire based on portfolios alone. I'd give 3 firms the same brief and require them to explain, in writing, how they would handle:

1. Your existing donor CRM/database and data migration.
2. Donation forms → CRM → acknowledgment/stewardship workflow.
3. Duplicate records, constituent IDs, householding and data hygiene.
4. UX research and donor journey mapping—not just visual redesign.
5. Accessibility and mobile donation experience.
6. Analytics connecting website behavior to fundraising outcomes.
7. Who owns the integration architecture after launch.
8. A realistic 12-month total cost, including maintenance.

My practical shortlist would be Heller + LimeRed + Thirdwave, because together they give you three different approaches to compare: CRM-led, UX-led, and engineering-led. I would ask each for a paid discovery/architecture proposal rather than jumping directly into a website build. That will expose whether they actually understand your donor-data problem before you commit to a large implementation.

• Eventlify - 150 N Michigan Ave Unit 2800, Chicago, IL 60601, United States
• Ticket Falcon - 222 W Merchandise Mart Plaza #1212, Chicago, IL 60654, United States
• Events - 118 N Clinton St Ste 301, Chicago, IL 60661, United States
• Technical Registration Experts, Inc. - 1932 S Halsted St #413, Chicago, IL 60608, United States
• GSS Inc - 8 S Michigan Ave Ste 802, Chicago, IL 60603, United States
• Expo Pass - 1395 W Jeffrey Dr, Addison, IL 60101, United States
• CharityGiving - 118 N Clinton St Ste 301, Chicago, IL 60661, United States
• Conference Technology Enhancements - 1460 Renaissance Dr #209, Park Ridge, IL 60068, United States
• Windy City Web Solutions - 801 S Wells St, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• Chicago Association Management - 400 E Randolph St Apt 3115, Chicago, IL 60601, United States
• Creative Events Solutions - 4416 S Saint Lawrence Ave, Chicago, IL 60653
• IMPACT365 Event and Marketing Agency - 1512 N Fremont St #104, Chicago, IL 60642, United States
• Philanthropy500 - 118 N Clinton St Ste 301, Chicago, IL 60661, United States

If the goal is a Chicago nonprofit gala site where people can buy tickets, register guests, select tables, purchase sponsorships, donate, and potentially handle auctions/check-in, I’d talk to a mix of web agencies and event-tech specialists rather than hiring a generic web designer.

Shortlist

• Eventlify — Chicago-based event technology company. Its platform combines a branded event website/registration experience with payments, attendee data, check-in, reporting and fundraising workflows. This is worth contacting if the registration system itself is central to the project.
• Orbit Media Studios — A strong candidate if you want a full nonprofit website, not just a gala microsite. Orbit specifically works with nonprofits and documents experience with event registration, donations, integrations, accessibility and UX. Its portfolio includes organizations such as the Greater Chicago Food Depository and Goodman Theatre. Orbit Media Studios
• Auction & Event Solutions — Particularly relevant if your gala includes tickets/tables + sponsorships + donations + silent/live auctions + mobile bidding + event-night operations. Their offering is explicitly nonprofit-focused and combines event technology with hands-on support.
• Ticket Falcon — Chicago-founded ticketing/event-management company that supports nonprofits and more complicated ticket structures including reserved seating and tables. It could be a good ticketing engine behind a custom-designed site. Ticket Falcon®
• Flamingo Agency — Chicago nonprofit web-design shop focused on WordPress. They specifically say they can integrate event-registration and membership systems, so I'd consider them if you want a more traditional website redesign + registration integration. Flamingo Agency
• Events — Chicago-based nonprofit event/fundraising platform with branded event pages, ticket types, sponsorships, seating/tables, registration questions and other gala-oriented functionality. This is more of an event platform than a conventional web-design studio, but it may eliminate a lot of custom development.

Who I'd contact first

For a typical nonprofit gala, I'd start with Orbit Media + Auction & Event Solutions + Eventlify.

They represent three somewhat different approaches:

One important consideration: don't let the web studio choose the registration technology in isolation. For a gala, you'll want to specify up front whether you need reserved tables, individual guest assignment, sponsorship packages, promo codes, complimentary tickets, meal selections, tax-deductible portions, donations during checkout, auction bidding, QR check-in, CRM synchronization and accounting exports. Those requirements can materially change which platform should power the site. For example, a Chicago Loop Alliance RFP describes using separate systems for Eventbrite, OneCause, Constant Contact and QuickBooks and specifically identifies manual data transfers as a problem—exactly the sort of integration issue worth solving at the architecture stage. loopchicago.com

If you tell me roughly how many guests you expect, whether it's a seated/table gala, whether you have a silent/live auction, and what CRM you use (Salesforce, Blackbaud, Bloomerang, etc.), I can narrow this to 2–3 firms/platforms that fit your particular gala and give you the questions to put in the RFP.

• Orbit Media Studios - 4043 N Ravenswood Ave #316, Chicago, IL 60613, United States
• Adage Technologies - 10 S Riverside Plaza Ste 1500, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Cybernautic Web Design - 515 N State St #14-126, Chicago, IL 60611, United States
• Windy City Web Solutions - 801 S Wells St, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• Eventlify - 150 N Michigan Ave Unit 2800, Chicago, IL 60601, United States
• Ticket Falcon - 222 W Merchandise Mart Plaza #1212, Chicago, IL 60654, United States
• Nicer Collaborative: A Creative Studio - 1361 N Ashland Ave Storefront, Chicago, IL 60622, United States
• Expo Pass - 1395 W Jeffrey Dr, Addison, IL 60101, United States
• GSS Inc - 8 S Michigan Ave Ste 802, Chicago, IL 60603, United States
• Events - 118 N Clinton St Ste 301, Chicago, IL 60661, United States
• EventSprout - 320 W Ohio St, Chicago, IL 60654, United States
• Technical Registration Experts, Inc. - 1932 S Halsted St #413, Chicago, IL 60608, United States
• Conference Technology Enhancements - 1460 Renaissance Dr #209, Park Ridge, IL 60068, United States
• EDUCO Web Design - 128 Chicago Ave, Oak Park, IL 60302, United States
• Firebelly Design - 1402 N Western Ave, Chicago, IL 60622, United States
• TicketPeak - 3 Grant Square, Ste 178, Hinsdale, IL 60521

If you’re looking for a Chicago web partner specifically for a nonprofit gala site with ticketing/registration, sponsorships, donations, seating, and possibly auction integration, I’d put these firms on the initial contact list:

• Orbit Media Studios — Best fit for a substantial nonprofit website + event integration. Orbit explicitly works with nonprofits and lists event registration, online donations, volunteer sign-ups, integrations, accessibility, and custom development among its capabilities. It has also worked with Chicago-area arts/nonprofit organizations. Orbit Media Studios

orbitmedia.com

• Adage Technologies — Worth contacting if the gala needs sophisticated integrations. Adage is a Chicago digital strategy/design/engineering firm and specifically has experience integrating websites with ticketing systems; its work with Tessitura is particularly relevant if you're an arts/cultural nonprofit.
• Cybernautic Web Design — Potentially good for a smaller/midsize nonprofit. Its Chicago operation specifically advertises custom event-registration forms, volunteer forms, workflows and nonprofit web development.
• Windy City Web Solutions — Good candidate if you want WordPress and a more hands-on developer relationship. It focuses on Chicago nonprofits, donations and event functionality, with ongoing maintenance/support. Windy City Web Solutions

windycitywebsolutions.com

There are also event-tech specialists I'd consider alongside the web studios:

• Eventlify — Chicago-based event technology company with nonprofit fundraising functionality including ticketing, registration, auctions, raffles, mobile bidding and event-day operations. This could be particularly relevant if the gala is more complex than simply selling tickets.
• Ticket Falcon — Chicago-based ticketing platform that supports nonprofits, including ticket types, VIP/reserved seating, tables and event-day management. Its own site says it serves thousands of organizers and nonprofits. Ticket Falcon®

ticketfalcon.com

• EMG Fundraising — Not primarily a web-design studio, but potentially very relevant if you're using Greater Giving. EMG says it provides website creation for registration/sponsorship/auction pages and handles registration, tables, meals, bidding, checkout and post-event reconciliation; it cites multiple Chicago-area gala examples. EMG Fundraising

Who I'd contact first

I'd send an RFP/brief to Orbit, Adage, and one event-tech specialist such as Eventlify or EMG. That gives you three different approaches: a nonprofit-focused web agency, an integration-heavy engineering firm, and a gala/event-registration specialist.

When you talk to them, don't just ask "Can you build an event website?" Ask them to demonstrate how they'd handle:

1. Individual ticket + VIP ticket purchases
2. Table purchases and assigned seating
3. Sponsorship packages
4. Discount/promo codes
5. Donations during registration
6. Guest names and meal preferences
7. Mobile/QR check-in
8. Auction/raffle integration
9. CRM/donor-database synchronization
10. Payment processing and refunds
11. Accessibility
12. What your staff can change themselves next year

The biggest question is actually what system you want underneath the website. A beautiful gala website is relatively easy; making registration, payments, seating, donor records, auction data and check-in work together without creating a nightmare for your development staff is the harder part.

If you tell me your nonprofit's approximate guest count, whether it's a seated dinner, what you currently use for CRM/donations (e.g. Salesforce, Blackbaud, Bloomerang, etc.), and whether you already have a ticketing platform, I can narrow this to a more targeted Chicago shortlist and identify which firms have relevant comparable projects.

• Heller Consulting - 53 W Jackson Blvd, Ste 622, Chicago, IL 60604
• BSCI - 333 N Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL 60601, United States
• Sandstorm Design - 4422 N Ravenswood Ave #50, Chicago, IL 60640, United States
• LimeRed Studio, Inc. - 4611 N Ravenswood Ave, Chicago, IL 60640, United States
• Neoteric Design - 29 E Madison St, Ste 450, Chicago, IL 60602
• Mightybytes - 4001 N Ravenswood Ave, Ste 404, Chicago, IL 60613
• Dialogue Theory - 1932 S Halsted St #509, Chicago, IL 60608, United States
• Thirdwave - 15 W Hubbard St, Chicago, IL 60654, United States
• Windy City Web Solutions - 801 S Wells St, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• NAV & Associates - 1018 W Madison St Ste 9, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• Chicago Association Management - 400 E Randolph St Apt 3115, Chicago, IL 60601, United States
• Neon One, LLC - 1449 S Michigan Ave STE 13860, Chicago, IL 60605, United States
• Access Direct Nonprofit Marketing - 209 Des Plaines Ave, Forest Park, IL 60130, United States
• Statement - 1033 South Blvd, Oak Park, IL 60302, United States
• Grype Digital: Membership Sites for Associations - 2821 Riverside Dr., Ottawa, ON K1V 0C4, Canada
• What A Great Website - 50 E Bellevue Pl, Chicago, IL 60611, United States

For a Chicago-based arts nonprofit, I’d put portal architecture + nonprofit CRM/membership expertise ahead of pure visual/web-design credentials. A membership portal can quickly become a CRM, payments, events, member directory, donations, and permissions project—not just a website. Chicago Loop Alliance’s recent RFP is a useful illustration of how broad these requirements can become. Loop Chicago Loop Chicago

Firms I’d approach

1. Heller Consulting — CRM/technology strategy

• Chicago-based and focused on nonprofit technology, including Salesforce and Microsoft Dynamics.
• Particularly worth approaching if you need to decide what the underlying CRM/technology stack should be before building the portal.
• Their work includes technology-roadmap and platform-selection engagements for nonprofits.
• BSCI — membership/association systems

• Chicago firm specifically oriented toward member-based organizations and nonprofits.
• Strong candidate if the portal needs membership management, database/CRM integration, billing, events, reporting, and an existing association-management platform such as iMIS.
• Sandstorm Design — UX + portal experience

• Chicago digital-experience agency with work across nonprofits and membership organizations.
• Particularly interesting if you want the portal to feel excellent for members, not merely functional. Their capabilities include UX, accessibility, digital products, and membership/association work.
• LimeRed Studio, Inc. — nonprofit design + web integration

• Chicago agency focused on purpose-driven organizations.
• Their capabilities include UX/UI, WordPress, accessibility, CRM/forms/payments integrations, training, and ongoing maintenance.
• Neoteric Design — custom software/product development

• I'd include them if you're contemplating a genuinely custom portal rather than configuring an off-the-shelf membership system.
• Their focus is web applications and long-lived, maintainable digital products, including work for mission-driven organizations.
• Mightybytes — mission-driven digital/product work

• Chicago agency combining web design, software/product development, and digital strategy.
• Worth an RFP invitation if accessibility, sustainability, governance, and a collaborative nonprofit relationship matter to you.
• Dialogue Theory — brand + digital experience

• Chicago-based strategic design/digital-experience studio with a mission-driven and nonprofit orientation.
• More attractive if the portal is also part of a broader website/member-experience redesign.
• Thirdwave — technical web/portal development

• Chicago digital product/web-development firm with experience across WordPress, Drupal and Liferay.
• A useful candidate when the project has substantial technical/CMS requirements rather than being primarily a marketing-site redesign.

One important alternative: don't necessarily custom-build it

Before hiring an agency to build everything from scratch, I'd also investigate whether your requirements can be met by configuring a nonprofit membership/CRM platform and having an agency customize the front end.

For example, Neon One supports nonprofit CRM, memberships, events and donor-related functionality, and Chicago Cultural Alliance is among its documented nonprofit customers. Featured Customers Soapbox Engage can also expose CRM-powered member directories and resources from Salesforce or Microsoft Dynamics. Soapbox Engage

There are also newer, simpler approaches such as Belong CRM, which is explicitly aimed at nonprofit membership management, and Softr, which offers configurable portals/CRMs for arts organizations. Belong Here Softr

My suggested RFP shortlist

If I were putting together a 5-firm RFP, I'd deliberately get different approaches rather than five similar agencies:

• Heller Consulting — CRM/technology architecture
• BSCI — membership-system expertise
• Sandstorm Design — member UX + digital experience
• LimeRed Studio — nonprofit website + integrations
• Neoteric Design — custom application development

That gives you a useful comparison between buy/configure, integrate, and custom-build approaches.

I'd also make the RFP explicitly ask each firm to address membership tiers/renewals, member self-service, payments, event registration, member directory, private content/resources, staff administration, CRM integration, accessibility, data migration, SSO, security, analytics, and post-launch support. Those are the areas that tend to turn a seemingly simple "membership portal" into a much larger project. Chicago Loop Alliance's recent requirements are a particularly good checklist. Loop Chicago Loop Chicago

If you tell me (1) your approximate membership size, (2) what CRM/membership system you use today, (3) your budget range, and (4) what members need to do inside the portal, I can narrow this to 3–4 firms and give you a side-by-side RFP shortlist with relevant past arts/nonprofit work, likely fit, and questions to ask each one.

• Adage Technologies - 10 S Riverside Plaza Ste 1500, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Thirdwave - 15 W Hubbard St, Chicago, IL 60654, United States
• Sandstorm Design - 4422 N Ravenswood Ave #50, Chicago, IL 60640, United States
• NAV & Associates - 1018 W Madison St Ste 9, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• Chicago Association Management - 400 E Randolph St Apt 3115, Chicago, IL 60601, United States
• Smithbucklin - 330 N Wabash Ave #2000, Chicago, IL 60611, United States
• Access Direct Nonprofit Marketing - 209 Des Plaines Ave, Forest Park, IL 60130, United States
• Technical Registration Experts, Inc. - 1932 S Halsted St #413, Chicago, IL 60608, United States
• Nonprofit Megaphone - 1230 W 34th St, Chicago, IL 60608, United States
• Association Technologies Inc - 480 E Roosevelt Rd #101, West Chicago, IL 60185, United States
• Windy City Web Solutions - 801 S Wells St, Chicago, IL 60607, United States

Yes. For a Chicago arts nonprofit, I’d focus less on generic web-design shops and more on firms that understand membership systems, nonprofit/arts audiences, CRM integrations, events, payments, and member-only content.

My shortlist would be:

1. Adage Technologies — strongest overall fit

• Chicago-based and specifically works across arts/culture/entertainment and associations/membership organizations.
• Particularly attractive if the portal needs custom functionality, integrations with your CRM/AMS, ticketing, events, or other back-office systems.
• They do substantially more than a standard WordPress site: custom applications, backend engineering, CMS/DXP work and integrations.
• I would put them at the top of the RFP list.
• Thirdwave — strong portal/digital-platform candidate

• Chicago digital product and web-development firm with experience building technically sophisticated portals and integration-heavy platforms.
• Their capabilities include WordPress, Drupal and Liferay, plus ongoing hosting/support.
• A good choice if the membership portal is really a digital product, rather than simply a members-only section of your website.
• Sandstorm Design — good for strategy + UX + accessibility

• Chicago agency with experience in nonprofits and membership organizations, as well as substantial web development.
• They work with Drupal, WordPress, Acquia and other enterprise CMS platforms, and explicitly highlight accessibility/governance considerations.
• I'd consider them particularly if the project involves rethinking the member experience and public-facing site together.
• Digital Mountaineers — nonprofit-oriented alternative

• Their positioning is explicitly around cause-driven organizations, with website design/development, UX, analytics, content strategy and digital communications.
• They emphasize working within nonprofit budget constraints and have nonprofit client experience. Digital Mountaineers
• Better fit if you want a smaller, nonprofit-specialist partner rather than a larger technical shop.
• Flamingo Agency — potentially good for a smaller-budget project

• Chicago nonprofit web-design agency focused on WordPress.
• They specifically say they can integrate membership platforms, events and member-only sections, along with donations and email systems. Flamingo Agency
• Their published typical website range is $4,000–$10,000, although a genuinely custom portal would likely be above that. Flamingo Agency

One important distinction

I'd decide first whether you actually need an agency to build a membership system, or an agency to implement/customize an existing membership platform.

For example, Chicago organizations already use fairly sophisticated member portals. The Chicago Cultural Alliance's portal provides member login, event submission and member resources, while Chicago Women in Philanthropy's system handles profiles, invoices, event/program registration, career resources and member communications. Chicago Cultural Alliance Chicago Women in Philanthropy

If your requirements are something like:

• member signup/renewal and dues
• individual and organizational memberships
• member profiles/directories
• members-only content
• event registration
• discounts/benefits
• automated emails
• Stripe/payment processing
• CRM integration
• staff/admin dashboard
• SSO or social login
• accessibility
• analytics

…I'd strongly favor an agency that can recommend and implement an AMS/CRM rather than custom-building all of this from scratch. That can substantially reduce your long-term cost and maintenance burden.

Who I'd invite to the first round

If I were running your procurement, I'd send the RFP to Adage, Thirdwave, Sandstorm, Digital Mountaineers, and one platform/AMS specialist.

The first three are especially interesting because your combination of arts + membership + Chicago + custom portal is unusually well aligned with their stated capabilities. Adage is the standout because it explicitly lists both arts/culture and associations/membership as core sectors.

I'd also avoid choosing solely on the visual quality of their portfolio. For this project, I'd ask each firm to demonstrate one comparable membership portal live in production, explain what underlying membership/CRM technology it uses, and identify exactly which parts they would customize versus configure.

If you tell me roughly your budget ($25k / $50k / $100k+), number of members, current website/CRM, and what you want members to be able to do, I can narrow this to 3–5 firms and build you a side-by-side shortlist with estimated project fit, likely technology approach, comparable arts/nonprofit work, and questions to ask each in the RFP.

• Thirdwave - 15 W Hubbard St, Chicago, IL 60654, United States
• Neoteric Design - 29 E Madison St, Ste 450, Chicago, IL 60602
• Sandstorm Design - 4422 N Ravenswood Ave #50, Chicago, IL 60640, United States
• EDUCO Web Design - 128 Chicago Ave, Oak Park, IL 60302, United States
• Windy City Web Solutions - 801 S Wells St, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• Dialogue Theory - 1932 S Halsted St #509, Chicago, IL 60608, United States
• Firebelly Design - 1402 N Western Ave, Chicago, IL 60622, United States
• What A Great Website - 50 E Bellevue Pl, Chicago, IL 60611, United States
• Alpha Efficiency - Web Design Chicago Agency - 875 N Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL 60611, United States
• Cybernautic Web Design - 515 N State St #14-126, Chicago, IL 60611, United States
• LimeRed Studio, Inc. - 4611 N Ravenswood Ave, Chicago, IL 60640, United States
• Wojo Design - 318 W Adams St #1609, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• ArtVersion® Creative Agency - 211 W Wacker Dr Ste 1130, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Advocate Creative - 320 N Damen Ave d301, Chicago, IL 60612, United States

If you’re specifically looking for a Chicago agency to redesign an education-focused nonprofit website, I’d narrow the field quite a bit. Based on current portfolios, nonprofit/education experience, and location, these are the firms I’d put on your shortlist:

The 4 I’d talk to

• Thirdwave — River North

15 W Hubbard St. They’re particularly interesting if your site has more complexity than a simple marketing site—multiple audiences, integrations, portals, CRM connections, large content libraries, etc. Their focus is strategy + design + development rather than just visual design.

• Neoteric Design — The Loop

29 E Madison St. This is a particularly relevant Chicago option for education/arts/civic nonprofits; their past work includes Urban Gateways and Friends of the Chicago River.

• Sandstorm Design — Chicago

Sandstorm is worth considering if you want a more sophisticated UX/research/accessibility engagement. Their work spans nonprofits and higher education, and they specifically offer accessibility work and inclusive-design services. Their Chicago office is in Ravenswood rather than River North/Loop.

• EDUCO Web Design — Chicago area

Not downtown—they're in Oak Park—but they're unusually focused on nonprofit + education. EDUCO says it has 20+ years of nonprofit web/branding experience and cites organizations including LISC Chicago, Women Employed, BUILD Chicago and The Family Institute. Educoweb Design

One more I would absolutely investigate

Oak Theory isn't in your requested geography, but I'd put them on the RFP list because they have an unusually close match to what you're describing: they redesigned the website and brand of One Million Degrees, a Chicago nonprofit serving community-college students. Their published case study reports a 236% increase in donation sessions and 38% growth in new users after launch. Oak Theory

If I were choosing who to interview

Rather than declaring one "best," I'd send the same brief to Thirdwave, Neoteric, EDUCO, and Oak Theory and see how differently they approach the problem.

For an education nonprofit, I'd specifically ask each agency to show:

• A nonprofit or education website they've actually redesigned—not just built from scratch.
• How they would organize content for students/families, donors, educators/partners, and funders if those are different audiences.
• Their approach to accessibility/WCAG.
• How they'll improve the site's donation/conversion pathways, not merely its appearance.
• Who actually does the UX, design, development, and content strategy.
• What CMS they'd recommend and why.
• How much of the site your staff can update without a developer.
• Their post-launch support model.
• Three references from comparable nonprofit clients.

There is also some useful independent evidence here: Clutch's September 2026 Chicago nonprofit rankings specifically identify EDUCO, Substance, Sandstorm, and others, while its reviews include education and nonprofit redesign projects. Clutch

My practical shortlist would be: Oak Theory + Thirdwave + EDUCO + Neoteric. That gives you four meaningfully different agency approaches rather than four interchangeable web shops.

If you tell me your nonprofit's name and approximate website budget (e.g. $25k, $50k, $100k+), I can research these agencies' actual education/nonprofit case studies and give you a side-by-side shortlist of 3–5 agencies, including likely fit, strengths, weaknesses, location, and estimated project range.

• Orbit Media Studios - 4043 N Ravenswood Ave #316, Chicago, IL 60613, United States
• LimeRed Studio, Inc. - 4611 N Ravenswood Ave, Chicago, IL 60640, United States
• Mabbly - 640 N La Salle Dr #540, Chicago, IL 60654, United States
• What A Great Website - 50 E Bellevue Pl, Chicago, IL 60611, United States
• Nonprofit Megaphone - 1230 W 34th St, Chicago, IL 60608, United States
• R29 - 227 W Monroe St, Fl 29, Chicago, IL 60606
• Olive Street Design - 264 E Kenilworth Ave, Villa Park, IL 60181, United States
• Caxy - 212 W Van Buren St #1000, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• Windy City Web Solutions - 801 S Wells St, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• Cybernautic Web Design - 515 N State St #14-126, Chicago, IL 60611, United States
• Zora Digital - WeWork, 20 W Kinzie St 17th Floor, Chicago, IL 60654, United States
• Dialogue Theory - 1932 S Halsted St #509, Chicago, IL 60608, United States
• Beth Interactive - 4657 N Ravenswood Ave, Ste B, Chicago, IL 60640
• Firebelly Design - 1402 N Western Ave, Chicago, IL 60622, United States

Yes. For an education nonprofit rather than a generic business, I’d focus on agencies with demonstrated nonprofit + education experience, not simply agencies located downtown.

The agencies I’d talk to

• Orbit Media Studios — strongest overall fit for a conventional nonprofit website redesign. They have extensive nonprofit work, including Off The Street Club, and education work including Erikson Institute and a nursing certification organization. Their process covers discovery, information architecture, content, UX, accessibility, SEO, development, analytics, and CMS training. Orbit Media Studios Orbit Media Studios Orbit Media Studios

Caveat: They're in Ravenswood, not River North/downtown. If location is only a preference, I wouldn't let that disqualify them.

• Oak Theory — the one I would particularly investigate for an education-focused nonprofit. They have a remarkably direct case study: they redesigned the site and brand for One Million Degrees, a Chicago nonprofit serving community-college students. The project included stakeholder workshops, UX, website development, brand work, and donor/user journeys; they report a 236% increase in donation sessions after launch. Oak Theory Oak Theory

They also have actual education-platform experience, including an early-childhood education organization, and explicitly serve nonprofits and higher education. Oak Theory Oak Theory
This is probably the first agency I'd interview if your organization has a sophisticated mission/storytelling component.

• LimeRed Studio, Inc. — worth considering if mission, brand, messaging, accessibility, and storytelling are especially important. They're a Chicago agency focused on purpose-driven organizations and nonprofits, with web strategy, UX, accessibility, SEO, WordPress, CRM/forms/payment integrations, and ongoing support. Clutch

They're in Ravenswood rather than downtown.

• Mabbly — River North option. Their office is at 640 N. LaSalle. They have nonprofit experience, including a neuroscience foundation, and do branding, messaging, UX/UI, website development, and digital strategy. Clutch Mabbly

I'd consider them more if the redesign is also a major brand/marketing transformation, rather than primarily an information architecture + UX + nonprofit website project.

• What A Great Website — a smaller boutique option in the Gold Coast. They specifically work with nonprofits and offer WordPress redesigns, UX, and brand-oriented web design.

I'd investigate them if you're looking for a more hands-on boutique relationship rather than a larger agency team.

My shortlist

If this were my RFP, I'd probably invite these three:

1. Oak Theory — particularly compelling education + nonprofit combination.
2. Orbit Media — deepest demonstrated nonprofit/education website expertise and a very structured redesign process.
3. LimeRed Studio — particularly interesting if brand, messaging, accessibility, and mission storytelling are central.

Then I'd keep Mabbly as the River North alternative if being physically downtown matters.

One important point: I wouldn't choose based on who has the nicest-looking portfolio. For an education nonprofit, I'd ask each agency to show you how they would handle multiple audiences—students/families, educators, donors/funders, partners, volunteers, policymakers, etc.—because that information architecture problem is usually more consequential than the visual redesign.

If you tell me your nonprofit's name or current website, I can go one step further: audit the current site and compare these agencies specifically for your redesign, including likely budget range, relevant case studies, and who I'd actually contact.

• Mightybytes - 4001 N Ravenswood Ave, Ste 404, Chicago, IL 60613
• Sandstorm Design - 4422 N Ravenswood Ave #50, Chicago, IL 60640, United States
• Windy City Web Solutions - 801 S Wells St, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• Firebelly Design - 1402 N Western Ave, Chicago, IL 60622, United States
• EDUCO Web Design - 128 Chicago Ave, Oak Park, IL 60302, United States
• Rowe Intermedia - Chicago, IL 60641
• Garenne Bigby - 200 E Randolph Dr, Ste 5100, Chicago, IL 60601
• Digital Accessibility by WeCo - 2730 W Lake St Ste 300, Minneapolis, MN 55416, United States
• Alpha Efficiency - Web Design Chicago Agency - 875 N Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL 60611, United States
• Cybernautic Web Design - 515 N State St #14-126, Chicago, IL 60611, United States
• WeCo Accessibility Services - 300 1/2 S Main St, Stillwater, MN 55082
• Brand Vision Marketing - Web Design & Branding - 30 N Michigan Ave #504, Chicago, IL 60602, United States

For a Chicago nonprofit, I’d put Mightybytes and Sandstorm Design on the shortlist, and I’d also consider separating the accessibility audit from the redesign so the compliance review is genuinely independent.

• Mightybytes — Chicago-based, nonprofit/mission-driven focus, and explicitly builds to WCAG 2.2 AA. Its published client list includes nonprofits such as Feeding America, Access Living, and Chicago Community Trust. Markleex
• Sandstorm Design — Chicago UX/digital agency offering accessibility audits, remediation, and training, with a strong purpose-driven/nonprofit orientation.
• Chicago Lighthouse — worth considering as the independent accessibility specialist. It provides accessibility audits, consulting, certification, and WCAG/508 compliance services, with substantial experience in accessibility technology. The Chicago Lighthouse

What I'd require in the RFP

Don't simply ask for an “ADA-compliant website.” Ask the firm to contractually specify:

• WCAG 2.2 Level AA as the technical target.
• Automated and manual testing—not just an accessibility scanner.
• Keyboard-only testing and testing with actual screen readers/assistive technology.
• Testing of your critical user journeys: donations, contact forms, event registration, applications, and program/service information.
• A documented audit listing each failure, applicable WCAG criterion, affected pages/components, severity, and remediation.
• Remediation followed by a full retest, not merely a statement that the new site is compliant.
• Accessibility requirements for PDFs, third-party forms, maps, videos, and other embedded content.
• Editor/content-author training so accessibility doesn't deteriorate after launch.

One important distinction: WCAG conformance and ADA compliance aren't identical legal concepts, so I wouldn't accept a vendor's promise of “100% ADA compliance” as a guarantee against legal exposure. For a nonprofit with significant legal/funding requirements, have counsel confirm which obligations apply to your organization.

If you want the strongest procurement process, I'd actually get proposals from Mightybytes + Sandstorm + an independent accessibility auditor such as Chicago Lighthouse, and require all three to respond to the same accessibility checklist. That lets you compare their actual methodology rather than marketing claims. The Chicago Lighthouse Markleex

mightybytes.com
sandstormdesign.com
chicagolighthouse.org

If you tell me your approximate budget and CMS (WordPress, Webflow, Drupal, etc.), I can narrow this to a practical 2–3-firm shortlist and give you an RFP scoring matrix.

• Mightybytes - 4001 N Ravenswood Ave, Ste 404, Chicago, IL 60613
• Sandstorm Design - 4422 N Ravenswood Ave #50, Chicago, IL 60640, United States
• EDUCO Web Design - 128 Chicago Ave, Oak Park, IL 60302, United States
• Windy City Web Solutions - 801 S Wells St, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• Firebelly Design - 1402 N Western Ave, Chicago, IL 60622, United States
• Cybernautic Web Design - 515 N State St #14-126, Chicago, IL 60611, United States
• Dialogue Theory - 1932 S Halsted St #509, Chicago, IL 60608, United States
• Rowe Intermedia - Chicago, IL 60641
• Garenne Bigby - 200 E Randolph Dr, Ste 5100, Chicago, IL 60601
• Brand Vision Marketing - Web Design & Branding - 30 N Michigan Ave #504, Chicago, IL 60602, United States
• Neoteric Design - 29 E Madison St, Ste 450, Chicago, IL 60602
• ArtVersion® Creative Agency - 211 W Wacker Dr Ste 1130, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Alpha Efficiency - Web Design Chicago Agency - 875 N Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL 60611, United States
• Solid Digital - 100 N LaSalle St #1400, Chicago, IL 60602, United States

For a Chicago nonprofit, I’d put Mightybytes and Sandstorm Design at the top of the RFP list—not because there’s a universally “best” firm, but because their publicly documented services line up closely with your combination of nonprofit web redesign + accessibility auditing + remediation.

• Mightybytes — Chicago-based, with a strong purpose-driven/nonprofit focus. They state that their deliverables conform to WCAG 2.2 AA by default, and their site emphasizes accessibility as part of the build rather than an add-on. Mightybytes
• Sandstorm Design — Chicago agency with experience in nonprofit and other mission-driven organizations. Their services include accessibility audits, remediation support, and training for content administrators.
• EDUCO Web Design — Chicago-area option that explicitly works with nonprofits and incorporates accessibility considerations into web design; they also advertise special nonprofit rates.
• Windy City Web Solutions — A smaller Chicago shop focused on WordPress, including nonprofits, with accessibility positioned as part of its development approach.

One important distinction

Don't hire a firm merely because it says “ADA compliant.” ADA compliance isn't something a vendor can permanently guarantee with a one-time scan. A good engagement should include:

1. WCAG 2.2 AA as the explicit technical target.
2. Automated and manual testing.
3. Keyboard-only testing and testing with screen readers.
4. Testing of your important user journeys—especially donations, applications, event registration, contact forms, and member/program portals.
5. Remediation by the development team.
6. A post-remediation audit/retest.
7. Accessibility requirements built into the design system and CMS components so future content doesn't reintroduce problems.
8. Editor training and an ongoing accessibility process.

The Chicago Lighthouse is also worth knowing about if you want an independent accessibility audit rather than having the redesign firm audit its own work. Its accessibility practice offers audits, consulting, WCAG/508 compliance services and accessibility certification, with more than 15 years of experience. The Chicago Lighthouse

My practical procurement approach: ask 3 firms—including Mightybytes and Sandstorm—to respond to the same RFP, and separately price an independent accessibility audit. That gives your board something much stronger than a vendor simply saying “your new site is ADA compliant.”

If you tell me your approximate budget, CMS (WordPress/Drupal/Webflow/etc.), and nonprofit type, I can narrow this to 3 Chicago firms and give you a side-by-side RFP shortlist.

• Windy City Web Solutions - 801 S Wells St, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• Thirdwave - 15 W Hubbard St, Chicago, IL 60654, United States
• Cybernautic Web Design - 515 N State St #14-126, Chicago, IL 60611, United States
• GiveCentral - 2 North Riverside Plz, Ste 1350, Chicago, IL 60606
• Zadro Web - 28 S Water St #303, Batavia, IL 60510, United States
• Wired Impact - 401 Pine St, St. Louis, MO 63102, United States
• Eventlify - 150 N Michigan Ave Unit 2800, Chicago, IL 60601, United States
• Inova Web Design - 100 S State St, Chicago, IL 60603, United States

For a nonprofit, I’d separate “who can build the page” from “who should actually handle card data.” Ideally, your web firm builds the branded donation experience while a PCI-compliant payment processor handles the card information, so your website never stores raw card numbers. That substantially reduces your PCI scope.

Chicago firms I’d put on the shortlist

• CauseHouse — Strong nonprofit-specific option. They focus exclusively on mission-driven organizations and combine web development, donation flows, CRM integration, analytics, and fundraising strategy. Their positioning makes them worth interviewing if you want more than a basic donation form.
• Windy City Web Solutions — Good fit for a smaller/midsize nonprofit. They specifically build Chicago nonprofit WordPress sites, integrate online donation forms with donor systems, and offer ongoing security, hosting, backups, and support. Windy City Web Solutions
• Thirdwave — Worth considering for a more technically sophisticated build. They're a Chicago web-development firm with experience in nonprofit/education sites and integration-heavy digital platforms.
• Orbit Media Studios — A larger Chicago agency with substantial nonprofit web experience, including the Greater Chicago Food Depository and other nonprofit projects. They handle custom integrations and online donations. Orbit Media Studios
• Flamingo Agency — A Chicago nonprofit-focused agency that builds WordPress sites and integrates donation systems such as Stripe and PayPal. They report typical nonprofit projects in the $4,000–$10,000 range, although a security-sensitive donation project could cost more. Flamingo Agency

Who I'd interview first

I wouldn't make a hiring decision solely from these web results, but I'd start with CauseHouse and Orbit Media, then use Windy City Web Solutions as a smaller-agency comparison.

The reason isn't that either is objectively "best"; it's that their publicly documented nonprofit work appears particularly relevant to a project involving donations + integrations + donor experience, rather than merely building a general-purpose website. Orbit Media Studios

For the actual payment infrastructure, I'd also ask each firm to propose a PCI-compliant processor rather than accepting a custom system that puts card information on your server. For example, OneCause explicitly describes its donation forms as PCI compliant, while Givecloud describes PCI DSS and SOC 2 controls. OneCause Givecloud

The questions I'd put in your RFP

Ask every firm these exact questions:

1. “Will our website ever receive, store, or transmit raw credit-card numbers?”

Ideally, the answer is no.

2. “Exactly which payment processor will you use, and what is its current PCI DSS certification/status?”
3. “What PCI DSS responsibilities remain with our nonprofit?”

Don't accept simply “the site is PCI compliant.” You want them to identify the applicable PCI scope and your responsibilities.

4. “Can you provide the architecture/data-flow diagram showing what donor information goes from the browser → website → payment processor → CRM?”
5. “Where will donor PII be stored, and who has access to it?”
6. “Will recurring donations, Apple Pay/Google Pay, ACH, refunds, chargebacks and receipts be supported?”
7. “How will you protect the WordPress/CMS administration layer?”

Look for MFA, least-privilege access, patching, backups, monitoring and a documented incident-response process.

8. “Who owns the website, domain, code, analytics, payment account and donor data if we terminate the contract?”
9. “Will you provide documentation of the security controls and PCI responsibilities at launch?”
10. “Can you give us two nonprofit references for donation projects comparable to ours?”

One particularly good security pattern is the one described by nonprofit specialist Cornershop Creative: payment integrations use secure/tokenized PCI-compliant services so sensitive card information isn't stored in the WordPress database. Cornershop Creative

My practical recommendation: don't hire the firm that promises simply “a PCI-compliant donation page.” Hire the firm that can draw the payment/data architecture for your board, clearly assign PCI responsibilities, use a PCI-compliant processor, and demonstrate that card data never enters your website's database.

If you tell me your approximate annual online donation volume, current CRM (Salesforce/Bloomerang/Blackbaud/etc.), budget, and whether you need recurring donations, I can narrow this to 3 firms and give you a vendor-comparison/RFP scorecard without relying on generic agency rankings.

• Beth Interactive - 4657 N Ravenswood Ave, Ste B, Chicago, IL 60640
• Windy City Web Solutions - 801 S Wells St, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• Thirdwave - 15 W Hubbard St, Chicago, IL 60654, United States
• Cybernautic Web Design - 515 N State St #14-126, Chicago, IL 60611, United States
• GiveCentral - 2 North Riverside Plz, Ste 1350, Chicago, IL 60606
• DonationXchange - 118 N Clinton St, Chicago, IL 60661, United States
• Infinite Giving - 1525 E 53rd St, Ste 424, Chicago, IL 60615
• Zadro Web - 28 S Water St #303, Batavia, IL 60510, United States
• iDonate - 6111 W Plano Pkwy Ste 2700, Plano, TX 75093, United States
• Philanthropy500 - 118 N Clinton St Ste 301, Chicago, IL 60661, United States
• Doing Good Digital - 668 N Coast Hwy, Laguna Beach, CA 92651, United States
• Wired Impact - 401 Pine St, St. Louis, MO 63102, United States
• Eventlify - 150 N Michigan Ave Unit 2800, Chicago, IL 60601, United States
• Inova Web Design - 100 S State St, Chicago, IL 60603, United States

For a Chicago nonprofit, I’d separate the decision into (1) the firm building the site/donation experience and (2) the payment processor that actually handles card data. PCI compliance is much easier to manage when your website never stores raw card numbers and the donation platform/payment processor handles the payment data.

A few Chicago-area firms worth putting on an RFP shortlist:

• Beth Interactive — Chicago-based and specifically focused on digital philanthropy/nonprofit fundraising. They emphasize donor journeys, fundraising strategy, analytics, and digital communications. This is a particularly relevant option if the project is as much about increasing online giving as it is about building a page.
• Windy City Web Solutions — Chicago-based WordPress shop with explicit nonprofit experience. Their nonprofit offering includes online donation integration, security/maintenance, backups, and accessibility. Windy City Web Solutions
• Thirdwave — Chicago digital product/web-development firm suited to a more technically sophisticated project involving integrations, custom functionality, hosting, and ongoing support.
• Cybernautic Web Design — Chicago-based full-service web firm that can handle design, development, hosting and ongoing digital work.
• CauseHouse — nonprofit-focused digital/growth studio; its positioning includes nonprofit websites, fundraising strategy, CRM architecture and campaign infrastructure.
• GiveCentral — worth considering if you want the donation infrastructure itself, rather than hiring an agency to custom-build payment processing. Its Chicago presence and materials emphasize online giving and PCI/SOC 2 security controls.

There are also strong non-Chicago firms that could be worth including in the RFP. For example, Cornershop Creative explicitly describes using PCI-compliant payment services and tokenized/off-site processing so card information isn't stored in the nonprofit's WordPress database. Cornershop Creative

Who I'd put through the final selection

Rather than declaring one universally "best," I'd invite Beth Interactive, Windy City Web Solutions, and Thirdwave to respond to the same requirements. They represent meaningfully different approaches: fundraising/donor optimization, nonprofit-focused WordPress implementation, and more custom technical development.

Your RFP should require each firm to answer these questions:

1. PCI: Exactly which PCI DSS-compliant payment processor will handle card data? What is the processor's current PCI certification/SAQ responsibility?
2. Card-data exposure: Will your website ever receive, transmit, or store raw PAN/card numbers?
3. Donation platform: Stripe, GiveCentral, Funraise, Givecloud, Donorbox, Salesforce-integrated system, etc.—and why?
4. Recurring gifts: Can it handle monthly giving, upgrades, failed-payment recovery and donor self-service?
5. CRM: How will donations flow into your CRM without manual exports?
6. Security: MFA, WAF, vulnerability scanning, patching, backups, logging, incident response and penetration testing.
7. Accessibility: Require WCAG 2.2 AA for the donation experience, not merely the rest of the website.
8. Compliance documentation: Ask them to identify precisely what your organization is responsible for versus what the payment processor/platform handles.
9. Ownership: Your organization should own the domain, website, data and accounts, with documented export procedures.
10. Post-launch: Get a fixed annual price for security maintenance and support.

One important point: "PCI-compliant website" isn't enough as a vendor claim. For example, Funraise publicly identifies itself as a PCI Level 1 certified service provider, while Givecloud describes PCI DSS and SOC 2 controls. Those are materially more useful things to verify during procurement than an agency simply saying "PCI compliant." funraise.org givecloud.com

If you tell me your approximate annual online donation volume, CRM (e.g. Salesforce/Bloomerang/Blackbaud), budget, and whether you need a whole new website or just a secure donation page, I can narrow this to a 3-firm shortlist and give you a side-by-side RFP scorecard.