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Guide for Nonprofits, Artists and Community Organizations

Okay, so you’re considering making the commitment to a fully-accessible website for your organization by participating in AIR. Hooray! Now what? In the following guide, we’ll take you through who might benefit from this competition, how to register, what to expect once the competition begins and all of the other frequently asked questions we’ve gotten from participants over the years.

Who can participate?

AIR is open to nonprofit organizations, charities, writers and community foundations and groups, as well as visual and performing artists.

I already have a website! Do I need to replace it entirely?

That’s up to you! Your team can either build a site from scratch, do a complete accessible redesign of your existing site, or add in accessibility without changing the design unless necessary. Your team is there to develop the site that best suits you and your organization’s needs.

I don't have a website yet! Will my team write my site for me?

Not Exactly. Your team will build the website using the content you provide. You are responsible for preparing all content (including page names, written content, images, and videos) for your website. You will learn more about what is required during the non-profit training session. This includes:

  • Page names
  • Written content
  • Images
  • Videos
  • Forms
  • Documents

My current site was built using [CMS Platform]. Will that work?

Your site may be created using any platform that you and your client choose. Note that there are some builder sites and tools that have been found to be difficult or impossible to output an accessible website.

In addition, certain tools may have built-in accessibility barriers that could limit your client’s ability to use them effectively. For these reasons, your mentor should also be involved in the discussion. 

Your choice should be based on two essential principles:

  • the site output is accessible to people with disabilities, and
  • you as the client can easily maintain your content moving forward.

Some examples of platforms that have been used successfully in past competitions include (but not limited to): WordPress, Drupal, Joomla, Kirby.

Some examples that have been found to be less successful in producing accessible sites include (but not limited to): Wix, Squarespace.

If you have a question about the tool that you use or plan to use for your site, please ask us at air@knowbility.org

Who is going to be building and designing my site?

You will be paired with a team of four to six professional developers looking to learn or improve their accessible programming skills. Our teams are made up of developers from all over the world  and are organized so that each team has a member that specializes in Quality Assurance, in Project Management, in UX Design, in Front-end Development, in Back-end Development, and in Web Design.

Each team will be paired with a mentor, an expert in the field, who will guide them through their accessibility checkpoints and monitor their work to ensure it is being done correctly.

Is there a fee for entry?

Yes, all client participants pay a $150 entry fee. 

Are there additional expenses associated with participating in AIR?

Possible additional expenses include but are not limited to the following:

  • Website hosting
  • Domain registration
  • Ongoing maintenance
  • Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
  • Backups (e.g. website content and or databases)

I’m very busy! What should I expect my time commitment to be?

How much time teams and clients spend on design and development will depend on what you as the client needs for your website.

We recommend you figure out where that time allocation could live in your schedule for the two months starting at the AIR Kickoff so you are able to communicate that schedule with your team from the beginning. These hours include training; individual work; and meeting with your team and your team’s mentor.

The AIR Client Roadmap walks through the full timeline, including the eight weeks of team meetings, site launch, and judging, so you can see where your time will go.

How will I maintain my site once it’s up?

When you participate in the AIR program, you will have access to learning the techniques and skills that you will need to keep your website accessible as you make changes and updates in the future. 

We offer a collection of online resources that you can use on maintaining an accessible website Through our Learning Center, you will also have access to Accessibility 101 and other technical accessibility tutorials.

Alright, I’m ready to register! How do I do it?

Registration for AIR 2027 opens soon. Simply fill out the Interested in AIR form and we'll email you as soon as registration is live.

What happens after I register?

After registering, the next step is to make sure that you have as much of all the page names, written material, images, and content collected before the kickoff event as possible. (Refer to the calendar of events for date and time).

You will be introduced to your team at our kickoff event, which will be conducted virtually. When you meet your team, you will work together to decide how you will stay in touch during the Rally and how frequently you would like to meet while they build your website.

Wait, I have another question!

Great! Feel free to email us any questions you have at air@knowbility.org and we will get back to you as soon as possible.

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