Giving Compass supporting the donor journey

The History

Where Giving Compass came from

In 2017, Giving Compass became the first incubation project under Giving Tech Labs. As Giving Compass matured, Giving Compass became fully self-sustained, parting ways with Giving Tech Labs. Shortly after the Giving Compass spin-off, to chase its goals in supporting anyone who wanted to give and support a cause to give with purpose and impact.

The Challenge

Branding with Purpose— Navigating the Complexity of Philanthropy

Defining a target audience for a nonprofit that supports other nonprofits across the broad and often complex spectrum of philanthropy? Now that’s a creative challenge we welcomed with open arms.

At Giving Compass, we leaned into that complexity rather than shy away from it. Our audience was diverse—ranging from everyday donors to seasoned philanthropic advisors—all driven by the same goal: making a meaningful impact. Instead of narrowing our focus, we saw this as an opportunity to craft a brand voice that could unify, inspire, and inform.

Through thoughtful design and strategic storytelling, we helped shape a clear organizational identity rooted in purpose. This clarity allowed us to connect with values-driven individuals and guide them through the often-overwhelming landscape of strategic giving. By translating complex ideas into engaging, actionable experiences, we empowered our audience to give more intentionally and effectively.

The result? A brand that not only resonated across demographics but also elevated the mission: connecting donors with impactful nonprofits, promoting equity, and driving social change—one well-informed decision at a time.

Our Role

Leading with Vision, Designing for Impact

Our team played a central role in helping Giving Compass evolve its brand from the inside out. We took a strategic pause to zoom out, assess the landscape, and reimagine how the organization showed up in the world.

We kicked things off with a deep dive into the product roadmap, brand identity, design systems, and marketing strategy. From there, we collaborated closely with leadership, guided creative teams, and led key sessions to align stakeholders around a renewed sense of purpose and direction. Every agenda had an outcome. Every presentation had a mission.

We brought clarity to the organization’s voice and visual identity, building a brand experience that truly reflected its values. Our design system brought cohesion, our messaging brought confidence, and our process brought everyone along for the ride.

By focusing on inclusive storytelling and intuitive design, we helped Giving Compass engage a wide range of donors and advisors—people passionate about making a difference but unsure where to start. Our work enabled them to navigate the complexities of philanthropy with clarity, purpose, and trust.

In short, we transformed how Giving Compass connects—with donors, with partners, and with the broader social impact space. And in doing so, we helped strengthen a platform that continues to drive equity and meaningful change in communities everywhere.

The Approach

Research. Design.
Iterate. Repeat.

To bring our vision to life, we embraced a hands-on, holistic approach—equal parts strategy, creativity, and curiosity. We started by mapping every corner of the Giving Compass ecosystem. From the website to the product experience to the brand touchpoints, we documented everything. And we mean everything.

Our conference room turned into a visual war room—walls layered with sticky notes, printouts, and digital screenshots. This immersive setup gave us a bird’s-eye view of the entire user experience and allowed us to spot patterns, inconsistencies, and opportunities for improvement.

But we didn’t stop there. We went straight to the source—real users. Through heuristic audits, focus groups, and feedback sessions with philanthropists, students, and educators, we gathered rich insights into how people interacted with the platform and what they needed most.

Those insights became our blueprint. We refined our design systems to be not just visually cohesive, but deeply functional. Navigation became easier. Content became more accessible. Branding aligned tightly with values like equity, action, and community. And everything we built—from site architecture to CTAs—was stress-tested, iterated, and improved with users at the center.

This wasn’t a one-and-done process. It was a loop of learning and creating that made the work better at every stage. And it paid off: Giving Compass emerged with a brand and experience that truly resonated—internally and externally.

The Discovery

Seeing the Potential in What’s Possible

When we first partnered with Giving Compass, we saw a brand with a strong foundation—and even stronger potential. The platform had already carved out a unique space in the philanthropic world, but there was room to go further, deeper, and bolder.

Our discovery process was all about uncovering the gaps between what existed and what could be. We asked ourselves big questions: How can we make the journey from awareness to action feel seamless? How can we speak to first-time donors and seasoned advisors with equal clarity? And most importantly, how can we elevate Giving Compass as the go-to resource for impact-driven philanthropy (IDP)?

We set out to transform the experience into more than just a content hub. Our vision was to guide users—from education through action—in a way that felt intuitive, inspiring, and deeply human. This wasn’t about rebranding for the sake of it. It was about unlocking the full potential of Giving Compass’s mission and helping it shine.

The Vision

A Seamless Path to Strategic Giving

Our goal wasn’t just to polish what was already there—we set our sights on creating a new kind of philanthropic experience. One that seamlessly guides donors through the entire lifecycle of giving, from inspiration to impact.

We imagined a platform that could meet users wherever they were—curious, committed, or somewhere in between—and give them the tools to act with confidence. That meant building a space where donors could research, learn, engage, and take meaningful action, all in one connected experience.

By aligning strategy with storytelling and design with mission, we helped Giving Compass become more than just a destination. It became a trusted partner in philanthropy—empowering donors to make informed choices and amplifying their ability to drive real social change.

The vision was bold. The execution was thoughtful. And the result? A transformed brand experience that’s not only inspiring action—but helping shape the future of giving.

The Outcome

Empowering Donors, Elevating Impact

Our collaborative work with Giving Compass didn’t just result in a stronger brand—it created measurable, mission-aligned change.

Thanks to a simplified, intuitive user journey, we saw a surge in donor engagement and longer on-site sessions. Clearer navigation and streamlined content empowered users to move from passive exploration to active giving with greater ease and intention.

Our cohesive design system unified the platform across channels, eliminating friction and creating a seamless experience—no matter how users entered the ecosystem. Accessibility improvements widened our reach, while inclusive design and messaging ensured everyone felt seen, welcomed, and valued.

Internally, teams had the tools they needed to move faster and smarter. The updated brand guidelines, component libraries, and messaging frameworks clarified every campaign and creative decision, enabling consistency and agility across departments.

But beyond the metrics, the real outcome was alignment. Giving Compass now appears in the world with a voice, visual identity, and product experience that fully reflect its mission—connecting donors with the causes they care about and driving strategic, equity-focused philanthropy.

Together, we didn’t just evolve a brand. We created a movement—one that’s helping people give better, smarter, and with purpose.