Ashe Community Land Trust

Website Version Comparison

A side-by-side guide to help Ashe CLT choose between two design approaches: one optimised for accessibility and plain language, one that follows the beta spec exactly with built-in tooltips.

Version A — Simplified Language
Version B — Spec + Tooltips

Foundation

What both versions share

The public-facing website — home page, Our Story, How It Works, and the overall visual design — is identical in both versions. The differences are confined entirely to the Join/Donate flow and the member dashboard.

🏡

Full public website

Home, About, How It Works — identical design and content in both versions.

❤

Donate button everywhere

Persistent in the nav, on every page banner, in the footer, and as a floating pulse button.

✏️

Built-in CMS

Admin mode lets the team edit stories, news, team members, stats, and key copy without a developer.

🔄

Transition messaging

Editable leadership transition note in the team section keeps donors confident during the changeover.

💳

Zeffy integration points

One-time gift and membership payment flows both route to Zeffy with the same logic in both versions.

📋

Full spec compliance

All 6 join/donate steps and all 8 dashboard sections from the beta spec are present in both versions.

The Core Choice

How the two versions differ

The difference is a deliberate tradeoff between familiarity and precision. Version A removes jargon and speaks the way a neighbour would. Version B preserves the spec's exact terminology — which matters for legal accuracy and staff consistency — but adds hover tooltips so every term is explained in context.

Version A

Simplified language — plain English throughout
Philosophy
Writes every label, heading, and button as if explaining it to a first-time user with no prior knowledge of CLTs, online forms, or nonprofits. Jargon is replaced; processes are described by what they feel like, not what they're called.
Join/Donate flow — Step 1
"First, tell us a little about yourself" → "I'm an individual" / "A business or organization"
Warmer opener. First-person option labels reduce cognitive distance.
Flow step labels (progress bar)
About you → Your address → Pick an option → Set up account → Pay securely → All done!
Active, friendly, and anticipatory. "All done!" signals completion warmly.
Sweat Equity form heading
"Volunteer Commitment Form" — with plain-English checkboxes like "Hands-on home repairs and construction" and "Talking to neighbors and attending events"
Avoids the term "Sweat Equity" inside the form itself since it has already been selected.
Account setup step
"Set up your account" — sub-text explains what the account is for before asking for details. Password field: "At least 8 characters."
Payment step
"Almost there — let's complete your payment" → "How much would you like to give?" — with "Every dollar goes directly to affordable housing in Ashe County."
Reinforces the mission right before the moment of giving.
Confirmation step
🎉 "You're all set — thank you!" with plain-language explanation of what happens next. CTA: "Go to My Account" (not "My Dashboard").
Dashboard — impact section
"My Contributions This Year" → "Volunteer Hours Logged", "Money Donated This Year", "Events You've Attended", "Hours Waiting for Approval"
Sub-text adds plain context: "includes your membership fee and any extra gifts."
Voting panel
"Open Community Votes" → buttons: "✓ I approve this" / "✕ I do not approve" / "— I'd rather not vote"
First-person phrasing makes the act of voting feel personal and clear.
Expense reports
"My Expense Requests" — draft status shown as "Not yet submitted" rather than "Draft."
Events
"Home Buying Information Night", "Spring Volunteer Work Day", "Annual Members Meeting" → register button: "Sign me up →" / confirmation: "You're signed up!"
Documents panel
Subtitles added to every document explaining what it is in plain terms. Google Drive link: "Committee Shared Folder" → "Open Folder."

Version B

Spec language — preserved exactly, explained via tooltips
Philosophy
Keeps all terminology from the beta spec exactly as written — "Sweat Equity," "Abstain," "Committee Lead," "Ground Lease," "Voting Eligible" — so the site matches internal documentation and staff communications. Every term gets a ? tooltip that explains it on demand without cluttering the interface.
Join/Donate flow — Step 1
"Are you joining or donating as…" → "Individual" / "Organization or Business" — each with a ? tooltip explaining implications.
Flow step labels (progress bar)
Who are you? → Your address → Choose option → Account / details → Payment → Confirmation — each with a ? tooltip.
Sweat Equity form heading
"Sweat Equity Commitment Form" — with a tooltip: "Sweat Equity Members contribute volunteer hours instead of paying annual dues. This form records your commitment." Checkboxes use spec language: "Administrative & office support," "Committee work."
Account setup step
"Create your account" — email field has tooltip: "You'll use this email to sign in. You'll also receive an email verification link — click it to activate your account." Password field: "Min. 8 characters."
Payment step
"Complete your payment" → "Make a One-Time Gift" — spec-accurate language. Membership path: "Complete Your Membership Payment."
Confirmation step
✅ "Thank you!" — spec-accurate confirmation language referencing email verification link and dashboard access.
Dashboard — impact section
"My Impact This Year" → "Volunteer Hours", "Total Donated", "Events Attended", "Hours Pending Approval" — all with tooltips explaining nuances (e.g. "Includes your annual membership fee plus any additional one-time gifts. Should match your Zeffy records.").
Voting panel
"Active Votes" → buttons: "✓ Approve" / "✕ Reject" / "— Abstain" — with tooltip on Abstain: "Abstaining means you choose not to vote. Your abstention is recorded but does not count as a yes or no."
Expense reports
"My Expense Reports" — each status badge (Draft, Submitted, Approved) has a tooltip explaining what happens next at each stage.
Events
"Homebuyer Information Session", "Spring Volunteer Build Day", "Annual Membership Meeting" → "Register →" / "✓ Registered" — spec-accurate naming with section tooltip.
Documents panel
"Documents & Records" — Ground Lease has tooltip: "The ground lease is the legal agreement between Ashe CLT and a homeowner. CLT retains land; homeowner owns structure under a 99-year renewable lease." Board Minutes tooltip: "Official records of decisions made, votes cast, and topics discussed."

Flow Steps

Step-by-step language comparison

Every label in the six-step Join/Donate flow, shown side by side.

Step Version A — Simplified Version B — Spec + Tooltips
Step 1
About you
"First, tell us a little about yourself"
Options: "I'm an individual" / "A business or organization"
Who are you? ?
"Are you joining or donating as…"
Options: "Individual" / "Organization or Business"
Step 2
Your address
"Where do you live?" — note: "We will never share or sell your information."
Your address ?
"We use your address to determine which membership options are available." County field has dedicated tooltip.
Step 3
Pick an option
"How would you like to help?" — "Pick the option that feels right. You can always change it later."
Choose option ?
"Choose your option" — tooltip explains the filtering logic. Sub-text confirms which options are shown and why.
Step 4
Set up account
"Set up your account" — explains what the account does before asking for details. SE form: "Volunteer Commitment Form."
Account / details ?
"Create your account" — SE form: "Sweat Equity Commitment Form" with tooltip. Email and password fields both tooltipped.
Step 5
Pay securely
"Almost there — let's complete your payment" → "How much would you like to give?" Mission reminder before the give moment.
Payment ?
"Complete your payment" → "Make a One-Time Gift" / "Complete Your Membership Payment."
Step 6
All done! 🎉
"You're all set — thank you!" CTA: "Go to My Account."
Confirmation ?
"Thank you!" — spec-accurate. CTA: "Go to My Dashboard."

Version B Feature

Tooltip reference — hover to preview

Every tooltip in Version B is crafted to define the term and explain what the user should expect or do next. Hover the ? icons below to preview a selection.

Sweat Equity Membership ?
Used in: Step 3 membership cards, Step 4 form heading, Membership Status panel
Voting Eligible ?
Used in: Dashboard membership status badge
Ground Lease Agreement ?
Used in: Documents & Records panel
Hours Pending Approval ?
Used in: Dashboard impact metric card
Abstain ?
Used in: Active Votes panel, Abstain button
Under Consideration ?
Used in: Impact Map filter buttons
Committee Workspace ?
Used in: Documents & Records — Google Drive link
Draft (expense status) ?
Used in: Expense Reports — status badge

Recommendation

Which version for which audience?

The right choice depends on who Ashe CLT expects will use the site most, and how the team communicates internally. Both versions are fully spec-compliant.

User type Best version Why
First-time visitor from Ashe County — no CLT knowledge Version A Plain language removes every barrier. "I'm an individual" and "Sign me up" are instantly understood without any prior context.
Older community member less comfortable with technology Version A Warm, conversational phrasing reduces anxiety. "Almost there!" and "You're all set!" feel reassuring rather than transactional.
Board member or committee lead testing the site Version B Spec-accurate language matches internal documents and staff communications. Tooltips confirm the system works as designed.
Repeat member managing their account Either Familiar with CLT terms either way. Version B's tooltips add value on nuanced items like abstaining or expense status.
Local business or organisation joining as a supporter Version B Organisations tend to be more comfortable with formal language and appreciate precise terminology for record-keeping.
Donor making a one-time gift Version A "How much would you like to give?" with a mission reminder right before payment is proven to increase conversion in nonprofit giving flows.

Our Take

Strengths & trade-offs at a glance

Side-by-side strengths

Version A — Simplified

  • Lowest possible barrier for first-time users
  • Warmer tone builds trust before asking for money
  • Mission reinforced at key conversion moment ("every dollar goes to affordable housing")
  • First-person voting labels ("I approve") feel empowering
  • "You're all set!" confirmation reduces post-payment anxiety
  • Document descriptions help members know what they're downloading

Considerations

  • Some spec terms (e.g. "Sweat Equity") still appear in membership cards — the form avoids them but earlier steps don't
  • Staff learning the site may find it slightly misaligned with internal documentation

Version B — Spec + Tooltips

  • 100% consistent with beta spec and staff communications
  • Tooltips explain every term without cluttering the interface
  • Status badges (Draft / Submitted / Approved) each explain what happens next
  • Tooltip on Abstain explains it doesn't count as a vote — important for legitimacy
  • Ground Lease tooltip reduces calls/emails to staff asking "what is this?"
  • Scales well as the site grows — new terms can get tooltips without redesign

Considerations

  • Tooltips require hover — mobile users must tap the ? circle to see them
  • Users who don't notice the ? circles won't get the benefit
  • "Account / details" and "Confirmation" as step labels are less intuitive than "Set up account" and "All done!"
💡

Recommended approach for the presentation

Present Version A as the primary proposal — it directly addresses the "easy to use for everyone, no matter how much you know about computers" mandate from the email. Present Version B as the alternative for teams that need spec-accurate terminology for staff consistency. The Ashe CLT board can make the call based on who they expect to use the site most: general community members or internal staff and committee leads.

🔀

A hybrid is also possible

The two versions could be merged: use Version A's simplified language throughout the public-facing join flow (Steps 1–6), but use Version B's spec-accurate language with tooltips inside the member dashboard (where users are already enrolled and more familiar with the organisation). This would give first-time donors the warmest path in, while giving active members the precision they need once logged in.

📁

Files included in this delivery

asheclt-version-a-simplified.html — Full site, simplified language throughout.
asheclt-version-b-spec-tooltips.html — Full site, spec language with hover tooltips on all technical terms.
asheclt-comparison-guide.html — This document.

Prepared for Ashe Community Land Trust, Inc. · Both versions are fully spec-compliant per the beta testing guide. · All content is editable via the built-in CMS (Admin mode in the footer of each file).