A few years ago, if you’d asked us how to build a great charity website, we’d have given you a very clear answer: Go with a solid, all-in-one platform.
And at the time, that was absolutely the right advice.
For many mid-sized and regional charities, bringing everything - content, donations, events, CRM - into one system solved some very real problems. It simplified management, reduced integration headaches and gave teams a single place to run their digital activity.
It worked.
But digital doesn’t stand still. And neither should strategy.
What’s changed isn’t that “all-in-one” platforms suddenly became bad. It’s that specialist tools became very, very good.
Donation platforms have improved massively - optimised for conversion, mobile-first, and constantly evolving with integrated Donor CRMs have become more powerful and more flexible.
Event platforms now handle everything from ticketing to peer-to-peer fundraising far better than most built-in modules ever could.
In short, the gap between “generalist” and “specialist” has widened. And that changes the equation.
The Shift: From Convenience to Performance
Previously, the priority was often simplicity: “Let’s keep everything in one place so it’s easier to manage.”
Now, the priority is increasingly performance: “Let’s use the best tools available to maximise fundraising and engagement.”
For charities where every donation matters (which is all of them), that shift is significant.
An extra 10–20% improvement in donation conversion, better supporter journeys or more effective event management quickly outweighs the convenience of having everything under one roof.
Where all-in-one still makes sense
Let’s be clear… all-in-one platforms still have a place.
For smaller organisations with very limited internal resource or where digital is relatively simple, they can still be a pragmatic and effective option (and one we’d still suggest).
They reduce complexity. They’re easier to manage day-to-day. And they can absolutely deliver value.
So this isn’t a case of “old way bad, new way good.” It’s about fit for purpose.
Why we’re now recommending a composable approach
For many of the charities we work with today - typically investing £15k–£30k in their website - we’re increasingly recommending a composable approach.
Not because it’s trendy, but because it reflects how the digital ecosystem has matured.
Using a CMS like Umbraco as the foundation, charities can:
- Deliver rich, flexible content and storytelling
- Maintain full control over their website
- Integrate seamlessly with best-in-class platforms for donations, CRM, events and ecommerce
The result?
A website that’s not trying to do everything, but is connected to tools that each do their job exceptionally well.
The key advantage: You’re not locked in
One of the biggest lessons from the “all-in-one” era is what happens over time. harities grow. Needs change. Better tools emerge.
And being tied into a single platform can become restrictive.
Composable flips that.
If you want to change your donation platform in two years - you can.
If your CRM evolves - your website doesn’t need rebuilding.
You’re not replacing everything. You’re improving parts.
It’s not a U-turn. It’s an upgrade.
This isn’t about abandoning what worked before. It’s about recognising that the environment has changed and adapting accordingly.
The all-in-one approach solved the problems charities had then. Composable solves the problems charities have now:
- The need for flexibility
- The demand for better-performing tools
- The pace of digital change
And most importantly, the pressure to do more with every pound invested.
The Bottom Line
If you’re running a charity website today, the question isn’t:
“Should everything live in one system?”
It’s: “Are we using the best tools available to support our mission?”
Sometimes, that might still be all-in-one. But increasingly, the answer is composable.
And the charities that embrace that shift now will be the ones best placed to grow, adapt and raise more in the years ahead.
