You’ve may have heard the term “Minimal Viable Product” (or MVP) if you spend time around tech projects. Eric Ries, best known for his book The Lean Startup, popularized the idea. The concept is simple: instead of building a big, complicated system right away, you launch with just the basic features you need. You put this MVP into the world, see how it works, and learn from real users while you keep improving it.
As Eric Ries puts it, “Remove any feature, process, or effort that does not contribute directly to the learning you seek.” That’s good advice, and it’s just as relevant for nonprofits as it is for startups.
In fact, I’d argue that MVPs for nonprofits are sometimes even more important than in the corporate world. Your supporters, clients, or members are may be more understanding if your first version isn’t perfect—especially if they can see you’re trying something new to help your mission.
Whenever you’re building something —a website, a database, an online service—it’s worth considering the MVP approach. I’ve used it a couple of times to help keep projects focused on what really matters, and to create something we can test and learn from early on. MVPs also give you something real to show funders or board members, which can help build momentum (and, hopefully, attract more support).
But there are a few risks and challenges to be aware of with MVPs for nonprofits:
1. User Experience and Design Matter
It’s easy to tell yourself (or for more tech-focused folks to tell you) that looks and ease-of-use aren’t “minimal” requirements, but if you’re putting this in front of real people, that mindset doesn’t hold up. People will always be less compelled by something that’s ugly and hard to use than by something polished and a pleasure.
2. Keep the Big Picture in Sight
MVPs are all about building iteratively, but that means you need a clear vision from the start. Otherwise, as you add features over time, you can end up with a messy collection of parts that don’t fit together—a kind of “Frankenstein” system that doesn’t really serve anyone well.
3. Maintain Momentum
Launching your MVP is exciting, but energy can drop off after that first release. To avoid this, try breaking the work into small steps or “micro-releases.” If you use Agile, that means short sprints with regular launches to keep things moving.
4. Swapping Out Old Systems Can Be Tough
If your MVP is replacing something bigger—like a CRM or membership portal—it might not be practical to go live with a stripped-down system, especially if you have lots of data to move. Sometimes the MVP is more of an internal milestone, or just a planning tool, not a public release.
Even with these challenges, I believe MVPs for nonprofits are almost always worth thinking about. At the very least, mapping out a MVP helps you see what’s absolutely essential for launch, and what can wait until later. Sometimes you’ll decide not to take the MVP approach for this project, but the process itself is always valuable.
If you haven’t tried this yet, I encourage you to ask: “What’s the MVP for our next project?” It’s a great way to stay focused, save resources, and get real-world feedback—while keeping your mission front and center.
Want more information?
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This article from Interaction Design is a great overview of when MVPs can apply