F Club Websites Melbourne | Membership Sites for Community Organisations

Websites That Support Your Members — and Your Volunteers

Whether you’re running a local club, a national association, or a community group, your website should make things easier — not harder. I build branded, easy-to-manage sites that help you welcome new members, handle renewals, run events, and reduce admin stress.

Built for real-world groups — not just tech-savvy teams.

What organisers struggle with

What you get — all in one place

Real-world examples

Support that doesn’t stop at launch

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does a membership website cost for a small club?

For a basic membership site with online registration, renewals, member portal, and event RSVPs, expect $3,000-$6,000 to build. If you need member-only content, payment processing, merchandise sales, or more complex features, it's typically $6,000-$12,000. Hosting and support is a separate monthly fee (usually $50-150/month depending on your needs). I'll give you a clear quote upfront — no surprises.

Is this cheaper than using Wild Apricot or similar platforms?

It depends on your club's size and how long you plan to use it. Wild Apricot costs $40-$240/month ($480-$2,880/year) and takes transaction fees on payments. Over 3-5 years, you'll spend $1,500-$14,000+ with no ownership. With a custom site, you pay upfront once, own everything, and avoid transaction fees. For most clubs planning to stick around, custom is cheaper long-term and you're not locked into monthly payments forever. You are also free to move your site, with Wild Appricot you are locked in to their platform.

Can we afford this if we're a small volunteer-run club?

Many clubs fund their website through membership fees, fundraising, or grants. Some clubs add $10-20 to annual membership to cover the website cost. Others use grant funding — many community grants specifically cover website development for nonprofits and community organizations. I can work with your budget and timeline, and some clubs choose to build features in stages rather than all at once.

Our committee changes every year. Will the new people know how to use the website?

Yes — I design admin dashboards to be simple and intuitive, even for volunteers who aren't tech-savvy. I provide documentation, training sessions for new committee members, and ongoing support. When your committee changes, I can do a handover session with the new team. Many of my clubs have had multiple committee turnovers over the years — the website keeps working, I keep supporting it.

We don't have anyone on the committee who's good with computers. Is this still doable?

Absolutely. I build websites for volunteer-run groups where nobody considers themselves "tech-savvy." The admin dashboard is designed for regular people — if you can use email and Facebook, you can manage your club website. For anything complex, you just call me. That's the whole point — technology that doesn't require a computer person on your committee.

How much time will it take to manage the website?

Once it's set up, minimal time. Posting event updates or news articles might take 10-15 minutes. Membership renewals are automated (members renew themselves online). Most clubs spend 1-2 hours per month on routine updates. For anything technical (adding new features, troubleshooting), you call me — volunteers shouldn't be spending time on technical website maintenance.

Can members renew their own memberships online?

Yes. Members log in, click renew, pay online, done. They get automatic receipt and confirmation. You get automatic reminders sent to members before their membership expires. This alone saves most clubs 10+ hours of admin time per year — no more chasing people for renewals, no more manual bank reconciliation.

How do you handle different membership types (individual, family, junior, senior)?

The system handles as many membership categories as you need, each with different fees, benefits, and renewal dates. Family memberships can include multiple people under one payment. Junior memberships can have age-based expiry (automatically move to adult membership at 18). You control what each membership type includes and who has access to what.

What happens to members who don't renew?

You control the grace period. Typical setup: automated reminder 30 days before expiry, another at expiry, final reminder 2 weeks after expiry, then their member-only access is removed. They stay in your database but can't access member content or events. They can self-renew anytime through the website. You get reports of who needs follow-up.

Can we import our existing member list from a spreadsheet?

Yes. I'll take your existing member data (names, emails, membership status, join dates) from Excel, Google Sheets, or whatever system you're using, and import it into your new website. Your members won't need to re-register — they can just log in with their email address.

What payment methods can members use?

Credit card and debit card through secure payment gateways (typically Stripe). Members pay online during registration or renewal.

Do you take a percentage of our membership fees?

No. You keep 100% of your membership fees. The only fees are the payment gateway charges (approximately 1.75% + 30c per transaction — same as if you were taking credit cards in person). This is very different from platforms like Wild Apricot that take additional platform fees or transaction fees on top of gateway charges.

Can we sell merchandise or take donations through the website?

Yes. You can add an online shop for club merchandise (t-shirts, caps, equipment) and a donations page for fundraising. Same payment system as memberships. Some clubs use this to raise funds beyond membership fees — selling club gear, accepting donations, or charging for special events.

Can we have member-only sections that the public can't see?

Yes. You can have public pages (about us, contact, join now) and member-only pages (meeting minutes, resources, member directory, discussion forums). Only logged-in members can see member-only content. Perfect for clubs that need to share information with members without making it public.

Can members update their own contact details?

Yes. Members log in and update their own email, phone, address, and preferences. This saves volunteers from constantly updating member records when people move or change phone numbers. Members keep their own details current, you always have accurate information.

We said members could update the website, but nobody ever does. Can you help?

This is incredibly common! Most clubs realize that "everyone can edit" usually means "nobody edits." Better approach: simple admin dashboard for 1-2 designated people (secretary, webmaster) who can post news and events. Members can update their own profiles and RSVP to events, but content management stays with committee. Much more practical than hoping members will maintain content.

Can we update the website ourselves or do we have to contact you?

Both. Your admin dashboard lets you post news, events, update pages, manage members, and handle day-to-day content. For bigger changes (restructuring the site, adding new features, fixing bugs), contact me and I'll handle it. I'll train your committee on what they can do themselves and what to ask me for help with.

What if we want to add features later?

Easy. Most clubs start with basic membership and events, then add features as they grow — member forums, photo galleries, online voting, volunteer roster management, equipment booking systems. Because you own the website, we can add features anytime. Just let me know what you need and I'll quote it.

What's included in hosting and support?

Hosting includes: website hosting, database, daily backups, SSL certificate (security), and minor technical support. If something breaks, you call me and I fix it. If you have questions about using the admin dashboard, you call me. Monthly hosting typically runs $50-150 depending on your site's complexity.

What happens if our club folds or we can't afford to maintain the website?

You own everything. If you need to shut down or move to a cheaper hosting option, I'll help you export everything. If you can't afford monthly hosting, we can discuss minimal maintenance mode or I can help transition to another provider. No one's held hostage.

Do you provide training for our committee?

Yes. When the website launches, I provide training for your committee — showing them how to post updates, manage members, run reports, and use all the features. Training is usually 1-2 hours via video call or in person. When your committee changes, I can do another training session with the new team. I also provide written documentation.

Why not just use a Facebook group or page?

Many clubs use Facebook for day-to-day chat and event promotion — that's fine. But Facebook can't handle membership renewals, payment processing, member-only content, or structured databases. You don't own your Facebook content or member list. And many members (especially younger ones) don't use Facebook regularly. A website gives you a permanent home that you control, plus all the membership management tools Facebook doesn't have.

Can we just use a free website builder like WordPress or Wix?

You can build a brochure site (about us, contact info) with those tools. But they don't handle membership databases, payment processing, renewals, member-only content, or event management without expensive plugins that often don't work well together. Clubs usually try DIY, get frustrated after 6 months, then come to me to build something that actually works. Save yourself the frustration.

What types of clubs and organizations do you work with?

Sports clubs, hobby groups (car clubs, model railway clubs, collectors), community organizations, Rotary and service clubs, arts groups, historical societies, residents associations, special interest groups, and small national associations. If you have members, collect fees, and run events, I can build you a website that makes all of that easier.

How long does it take to build a membership website?

Basic membership sites take 4-8 weeks from initial meeting to launch. More complex sites with custom features take 8-12 weeks. Timeline depends on how quickly you can provide content (member list, images, pages) and make decisions about features. Most clubs launch before their next AGM or renewal period.

Let’s build a site that works for your group

Whether you’re starting fresh or improving what you’ve got, I’ll help you create a site that reflects your professionalism and supports your members.

Book a Meeting Call 0411 265 967