By Craig Causer

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Prior to dial-up and DSL, information was available via the confined working hours of businesses and the local library. Along came the cyberage. The need for instant gratification helped to build the Internet into an electronic city that never sleeps.

Nonprofits plugged in and provided information and education. Have a health-related question? Need to know where that fundraising event is taking place? Want to contact an organization? Nonprofit Web sites were there to handle those concerns.

Advances in technology and target marketing have proved that information is not always enough. Users are no longer excited to sift through pages of text or .jpg images. Popular Web sites now utilize music, movies, downloads and non-carpal tunnel syndrome inducing navigation to draw in eyeballs. And, many of these forward-thinking sites are run by nonprofits.

THE NONPROFIT TIMES examined more than 200 Web sites in selecting this year’s hottest. The selection process was not scientific -- astronomical hit totals and multi-million dollar online fundraising campaigns were not required to make the list. A site’s torridity was judged on how its message was conveyed with importance placed on availability of materials, rotating content, ease of navigation and unique features.

There are plenty of worthy Web sites, but those chosen were able to best convey the mission and tone of their organizations through a computer screen and a couple of speakers.

They’re hot. They’re cool. They educate and entertain. And they’ll have you clicking back for more.

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