Design Resources for Social Causes
Empowering the client to actively participate in the branding process can only improve the end product. Heidi Cies, a student of mine in the masters program at Syracuse University, just developed a very useful Web site that sums up the purpose of this page (and then some) as her thesis project:
Here are additional resources are included on my site:
Foundations
Taproot Foundation (New York and SanFrancisco) places worthy designers and other branding professionals with worthy nonprofits and provides a project manager to help usher the project through its phases.
Ideas that Matter, annual grants awarded to designers for the production of print materials for worthy nonprofits. This program is run by Sappi Paper. I was a judge on the 2004 jury. To find out more, go to www.sappi.com
The Foundation Center Library
(search for other funders who have a specific interest in marketing, like Sappi)
Peter Drucker Foundation
(management guru for nonprofits with focus on branding)
www.pfdf.org
American Institute of Graphic Arts
(national organization of graphic designers)
click on ‘Especially for Clients’ for information on the design process
Design Management Institute
(national organization for design managers)
www.dmi.org
Governance Matters
Nonprofit Governance Indicator Guide
Communication Arts Magazine
(international magazine about graphic design – can post projects on their site to attract designers)
www.commarts.com
Publications
“Preparing for the Design Process: Writing a Design Brief” (this is a paper I wrote for a seminar for nonprofits that Fo Wilson and I put together for The Foundation Center in 2002)
“Now Hear This”
The Fenton Communications approach to advocacy communications campaigns. The Fenton website provides a downloadable PDF format of this publication at www.fenton.com
“What Great Brands Do”
Scott Bedbury, Vice President of Marketing, Starbucks, shares his eight-point program on how to create a great brand. By Alan Webber, Fast Company, Issue #10, page 96, also available on www.fastcompany.com
“Cause and Effect”
(this is an article I wrote for Communication Arts magazine on the need for designers and nonprofits to work together, March/April 2002)
“Beyond the Corporate Sphere”
Roger Sametz, President/Founder, Sametz Blackstone Associates Vol. 11, No. 1, Winter 2000 Design Management Institute Journal, also available at
On Brand by Wally Olins, published by Thames & Hudson
Emotional Branding by Marc Gobe, published by Allworth Press
Designing Brand Identity Editions 1 and 2 by Alina Wheeler, published by Wiley