design an accessible resource for queer youth, allies, and parents
Mendocino County Safe Space Project (MCSSP) is dedicated to serving the queer community of Mendocino, CA. To spread awareness of their services and encourage donations, MCSSP sought a creative strategy that elevates their brand and serves as a hub for the queer community and allies.
We found among 16 other website with similar goals and missions, some key factors that provided a usable and welcoming user experience are:
Content addresses all user groups
Useful resource listings
Warm and approachable branding
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By refocusing the website as both reliable information hub and a testimony of personal connections, which improved both donation conversion and trust for MCSSP’s online visitors.
Analysis showed that:
About 50% of websites use direct pop-ups that appear promptly encourage donation.
About 50% of websites utilize an impact statement page, focusing on storytelling and mission clarity to establish trust before asking for support.
A lack of concise, reliable, local LGBTQ+ resources and support system
Websites with accurate local and national resources gain more trust
Use of an impact statement establishes reliability and credibility
Use of personal stories establishes more emotional user-reactions
Create easy access to information for everyone engaging with MCSSP.
Highlight an established LGBTQIA+ community ready to support anyone seeking connection.
Create a website that captures MCSSP’s personality and serves as a single source of truth for all work.
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Vibrant color palette visually communicate pride, celebration, and a sense of togetherness
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Community photography highlights of real people so the viewer can connect with MCSSP
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Accessible paths for services, events, and support so it is easy to understand website offerings and services
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Testimonials build trust and showcase the connection MCSSP has within Mendocino County.
MCSSP's resource page reflects one of the organization's core missions: becoming a trusted home for queer youth and their allies in Mendocino County. Like many LGBTQ+ institutions, the page offers a comprehensive, easy-to-skim directory of available services.
MCSSP's programs and services are free but they're only possible because of community support. The Programs & Services page is designed to make it effortless for visitors to explore what's available, while naturally guiding them toward contributing to the work that makes it all possible.
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We established a new visual identity that feels warm, welcoming, and reflective of the community MCSSP serves.
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Complete with a refreshed brand identity, an organized resource directory, and a donation-forward structure built to support the queer community of Mendocino County, the project addressed MCSSP's core needs: visibility, trust, and donations.
Creative Strategy By grounding every design decision in research, from competitive analysis to trust-building strategies, the final website positions MCSSP as a credible, welcoming, and reliable resource for queer youth, allies, and parents alike. The process of creating a proper creative strategy was reliant on my team's understanding both the needs of MCSSP and the need of the locals they serve.
Designing for a community-driven nonprofit reinforced that branding is never just aesthetic. To establish trust and encourage involvment, my team had to reflect deeply on how to present MCSSP to the community. Creative strategy creation pushed me to consider beyond what a brand or digital experience can achieve, but how it can lead to the fulfillment of a mission.