Brand Development, Web & Publication Design — Agency: Michael Marshall Design

Igniting the Power of Philanthropy

A multi-phase design engagement supporting one of the largest local non-profits in the Greater Washington region. From digital transformation to campaign storytelling, our work helped unify GWCF’s voice and elevate its 50-year legacy through a modernized brand experience.

Project Highlights:

Directed a full website redesign to align GWCF’s digital presence with its refreshed brand identity
Initial $39K engagement led to expanded scope and projects totaling over $70K in additional work
Designed a strategic fundraising brochure to support the Foundation’s 50th anniversary campaign

Managed multi-stakeholder coordination across leadership, development, and marketing departments
Delivered an integrated suite of digital and print assets to communicate mission and long-term outcomes

The Greater Washington Community Foundation, a philanthropic leader advancing equity and opportunity across the Greater Washington area. Founded in 1973, it is the region’s largest local non-profits and a long-standing advocate for local communities.
Client Stakeholders, Creative Director, Creative Services Director, Two Senior Designers, Web Consultant, Copywriter
- Redesign the GWCF website to reflect a modernized identity
- Develop a printed fundraising campaign brochure
- Support communications goals through storytelling, donor engagement, and impact visualization
- Maintain brand consistency across digital and print platforms
- Oversaw end-to-end design execution across web and print deliverables
- Facilitated discovery sessions and led feedback sessions with clients marketing department
- Directed visual strategy, UX planning, and phased rollout for the website
- Implemented Squarespace layouts using platform-specific features, custom CSS, and HTML enhancements
- Maintained consistent communication throughout the project lifespan, ensuring all deliverables and client needs were met
GWCF’s 50th anniversary marked a turning point for its communications strategy. The Foundation needed a cohesive branding approach to reflect its growing regional role, engage new donors, and showcase impact through a human-centered lens.
Following our participation in GWCF’s milestone anniversary event, we conducted a site audit and held strategic planning sessions, where we identified content priorities, accessibility gaps, and new UX opportunities. We worked with the client to streamline their navigation to help their users get to where they needed to go faster.

We then designed a clean, modern, and accessible website that presents GWCF’s mission with clarity and depth, serving both longtime partners and new audiences. I built the site directly in Squarespace, enhanced by custom CSS and HTML to incorporate additional functionality.
In parallel, we supported the “Igniting the Power of Philanthropy” campaign through a printed fundraising brochure that combined milestone storytelling, impact data, and donor messaging. The piece visually reinforced the Foundation’s values and served as a pivotal engagement tool across events and donor outreach.
All assets reflected the Foundation’s refreshed brand, which we honored while introducing customizable, user-friendly templates for future campaigns and initiatives.
- Brochure was used as part of anniversary campaign, supporting donor fundraising and outreach
- Led to additional work on the Foundations new offices for architecture and interiors design
- Strengthened GWCF’s ability to convey impact across platforms and engage broader audiences
- Website scheduled to launch in September