Nonprofit Website & "Just Enough" Branding





IMPACT HIGHLIGHT

Before sharing the project details, I'd like to describe some of this website's impact.

This project was carried out for a Minneapolis nonprofit with decades of local continuity. We began working in 2019 with the website launch in late 2019/early 2020.

In May 2020, the community was rocked by police murder. An outpouring of the community’s grief and an uprising followed. This came with a groundswell of awareness and support for Minneapolis’ Black residents and victims of human rights violations.

Mr Floyd had ties in North Minneapolis and it is likely he had engaged with the nonprofit at an earlier point.

Meanwhile, residents were put under a curfew, people were shot at with rubber bullets by law enforcement, and members of media were denied access to critical areas. Out-of-town visitors lit fires and terrorized the community. The National Guard provided support but could not quickly ease the strain of this injustice and the many responses to it.

This nonprofit had already pivoted to offer expanded services during the pandemic. Because of their leadership, years of impact and close community ties, awareness of the organization increased dramatically after May 2020. They were highlighted by national voices as a place for people across the world to direct their donations.

The presence of a professional, comprehensive website, social media and content about the team contributed to the organization’s credibility with people seeking ways to have a tangible impact.

LaunchGood fundraiser saying "Stand with Minneapolis: We Can't Breathe"

A large fundraiser was created by supporters on LaunchGood, a global fundraising site. It linked to the new website for background information. The website, in turn, was updated to send potential supporters to the fundraiser as it went viral.

We created graphics to match the fundraiser and ensure visitors could verify the organization they were looking into. The fundraising page raised more than $400,000.

The organization’s new Instagram account facilitated community connections. The nonprofit was added to a list of recommended organizations, which also went viral.

The newly minted fundraising funnel, brand and website very likely contributed to increased trust, visibility and funds raised during this critical season.

As a result, more people received vital medication during the curfews; people had access to food; and the grounding hope of this nonprofit's presence endured.

STARTING POINT

This North Minneapolis nonprofit had a strong reputation as a leader in its community, many members of which both serve and are served by their programs. However, its web presence was limited to a section of its mosque partner’s website.

The organization's aim was to reach a broader audience of funders and partners. With such a large footprint in the community, and wide-reaching networks of volunteers, there were many systems in place already. They required a solution that integrated with the tools used by leaders and volunteers. As with many nonprofits, the website would also serve their audience of service recipients. An asset-based lens was crucial to convey the story of this organization.

I joined the project as a collaborator with a fund development consultancy. My role covered web design, back end development, website project management and all creative and copy. It would all be aligned with the broader strategy set by the fund development consultant.

The nonprofit had a logo and key messages but no brand standards available beyond that. The logo was a strong starting point, but the organization also needed enough branding to cover its website design.

SERVICES

Wordpress web design, Wordpress builder installation and template selection, template editing, copywriting, graphic design, photography, project management, fundraising alignment, donor funnel, client/community informant interviews, client training

RESULTS

Working with a local fund development consultancy, I managed design, content and launch of the “stage 1” website for this Islamic nonprofit, which has served the North Minneapolis region for decades. I created lightweight brand standards and documentation.

IN DEPTH

Project management: I managed the requirements, status updates and priorities with a comprehensive Airtable. This also served as documentation for the organization, and a place to save requirements for a second phase they were planning. It allowed for straightforward collaboration with both the client and the consultant leading the broader fund development strategy.

Research: I led an input and feedback process with the board of advisors at the start and during the design process. I also conducted stakeholder interviews and secondary research to ensure accuracy of the content, especially the About page and Community Profile. My experiences, including faith-based community development, contributed additional background. As I am not Muslim I also learned about Islam, the mosque's history and the history of charitable giving in Islamic communities.

Navigation and content strategy: I built a content organization and governance structure in Google Drive, including documentation and training. We enhanced the donor funnel including a strong Call to Action visual strategy in the navigation and a unique CTA on every page.

Content: I wrote the copy, largely working from scratch or sourcing from fundraising materials and copy on social media or on Google Forms. I also drew on my knowledge of the local nonprofit and philanthropic sector to build credibility with external partners and donors while staying close to the organization’s knowledge and story.

Interactive data visualization: To meet the expectations many donors and funders bring to nonprofit websites, I created a Community Profile: a branded, interactive data visualization experience with contextual framing based on stories from organization leaders.

Lightweight brand design: The organization had a logo but no brand standards. We required enough brand infrastructure to allow our work to continue. I created a lightweight brand guide including typography and a color palette. Many elements are still in use.

The typography took inspiration from the logo font. It conveyed key brand messages our team identified: history, inviting, lasting, bold.

The color palette was based on existing graphics and the strong maroon and gold of the logo. The palette expanded to include the powder blue used by the nonprofit’s mosque partner, with a secondary reference to Minneapolis’ lakes and rivers (the city’s name meaning “City of Waters”). It included color usage for each service area, to support consistency across the website, socials and email.

Web design: Wordpress.org theme selection and customization (Impacto Patronus by Ancora Themes). I sourced photos from free stock photo sources with attention for the stories and identities of the people taking part in the nonprofit's work, and drawing on Black-owned photo sources where possible. I recorded screenshare video trainings of website editing steps for future administrators.

Integrations: The website included integrations with its e-newsletter, CRM, and volunteer management system. It also linked to and from the Google Forms leaders were using for sign-ups and services.

Social media: I created and ran the organization’s Instagram account, along with contributing to other social media to provide consistent, platform-optimized messages and calls to action.

Photography: The client’s photos covered a range of topics but did not meet the needs of a website. Readily available stock photography of the nonprofit’s neighborhood was hard to find. (This reflects one way the region’s story has been warped in the eyes of outsiders—a reason asset seeking narratives were more vital than ever.) I took photos of the nonprofit’s building and the surrounding area. These were included with the intention the organization could eventually replace them with the work of their own photographer. I also photographed the leadership team. Team photos were used on the website, as headshots and in social media.