Content management software allows the user to make changes to a website using an interface resembling Microsoft Word. Nonprofits need tools they can easily maintain themselves. A CMS offers unlimited editing of the text and images of your website without the need for outside assistance.

Many organizations now have Web sites, are keen to get one, or to redevelop an existing site. Lots of these Web sites will consist of static HTML pages and will require some degree of technical knowledge to update (e.g. HTML skills, knowledge of Dreamweaver, FrontPage, or some other Web authoring package).

For many nonprofit organizations CMS is a cost-effective solution for organizing a Web site. CMS allow less technically proficient employees and volunteers to easily post updates, add events to a calendar and change contact information.

A Content Management System (CMS) is a tool that can be used to make the whole process of Web publishing much easier. The design and presentation of content on a Web page is separated from the content creation process. This is because Web pages and links can be dynamically generated from information held in a database.

A CMS can therefore allow people without technical Web authoring skills to easily update and maintain a Web site.

A CMS will not be appropriate for every site. A CMS can have the advantage of allowing non-technical users to maintain a Web site very easily and provide powerful tools for managing content and the Web publishing process. Although the initial outlay may be higher than for building your Web site with flat HTML pages, in the long run a CMS could prove more cost effective.

If you are getting a new Web site built or redeveloping an existing one, and your site needs updating regularly by users without the relevant technical skills, is large or complex, then a CMS is worth considering.