Erica Rascoe is one of the funniest and most encouraging people I know. When she reached out about creating a website design for her nonprofit, I knew this was going to be a fun project!
At the time, Erica had already started a YouTube channel for Miss Erica’s Reading Club, her nonprofit that strives to ignite a love for reading in kids. She was ready to create cohesive branding and a professional website to help grow the club’s reach and attract her target audience.
Erica’s Nonprofit Brand Design
We kicked-off the project with branding first. Erica wanted to play off of the primary colors (red, blue, and yellow). We also wanted to keep things kid-friendly and playful. I love how her final color palette is just as bright and bubbly as her personality!
After picking out fonts and colors, I moved on to the logo design! My inspiration for the logo was an open storybook.
Erica loved my first logo concept right away and gave the most enthusiastic feedback I’ve ever received!
“Girl my jaw dropped!! I was so pleased with the outcome and was impressed at how you made it look! I love the colors a lot!!! They really make the logo stand out and I love how they all fit well together! I love the fonts! They are giving me PBS vibes and I love it!”
In addition to the primary logo, I also created 3 variations of logo badges, and patterns! I think the badges would be so fun to give out to kids as stickers. Erica has used the patterns in some of her Instagram graphics.
One of my favorite parts of the branding process is something that’s hard for me to “show” you: Before any designing takes place, I have my clients answer questions that ask them to dig deep and think about why they do what they do, the target audience they serve, and what they want their brand to communicate. Doing this gives both clients and me clarity as we create the brand visuals and website design!
For a sneak peek of what these branding deep dives are like, check out my post How to Discover What Sets Your Brand Apart.
Erica’s Nonprofit Website Design
After the branding was complete for Miss Erica’s Reading Club, it was time to bring her website to life! Erica’s custom website was built using Showit. I love using the Showit website builder because it allows for creative freedom, and is easy for my clients to edit moving forward!
This website was a fun challenge because we needed it to be simple enough for kids to navigate, but also include all the details that parents and teachers care about.
I start every design with the homepage. Here’s how Erica’s turned out:
Fun Fact: I created the cartoon of Miss Erica that you see at the top of the homepage! Erica really wanted to incorporate that as a fun part of her brand, and she loves the way it turned out. You’ll see cartoon Miss Erica make surprise appearances throughout the website!
When asked if the homepage reflected her goals, Erica shared, “I love it and the feel is not too overwhelming for kids.”
Erica’s site was custom designed for both desktop and mobile. I loved being able to add little surprises throughout the pages, such as the doodles in the background that appear when you open the mobile navigation.
Want a Custom Nonprofit Website Design Like Erica’s?
If you’re looking for a designer to create a website that will help you grow, I’d love to make your website dreams come true! I specialize in helping nonprofits and purpose driven small businesses use design to have a greater impact.
Take it from Erica:
“Maya is seriously AMAZING!!!! She is understanding and wants the best for both you and your brand. It’s like all you have to do is tell her a few pieces of your ideas and she can turn it into a masterpiece! Overall, if you choose to work with her, you will not be disappointed!!!!”
Learn more about my All-Inclusive Brand + Website Design Experience
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