United Nations Foundation

Creating clarity and connection for a global SDG initiative | Nonprofit + Education

Sector

Sector

Services

Art Direction
Communication Strategy
UX Strategy
Development
Web Design

Problem

The Challenge

The United Nations Foundation (UNF) approached us during the early stages of launching their new Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) initiative in the United States. While the SDGs are globally recognized, translating these concepts into compelling digital experiences for American audiences required careful strategic planning. Their primary challenge was to unify a complex set of global priorities into an experience that would resonate across a wide range of users.

They needed more than a visual refresh. Their existing web presence lacked structure, hierarchy, and emotional resonance. Engagement metrics were stagnant. Bounce rates were high. Content was hard to navigate, and most users weren’t staying long enough to understand the purpose of the initiative.

The Foundation required a comprehensive communication and web design strategy that could do three things:

Speak clearly to their core personas: academics, change-makers, and SDG-curious citizens.
Deliver a compelling brand identity that felt aligned with both the global UN brand and local cultural nuances.
Encourage meaningful engagement and action through a redesigned digital platform.

We needed to blend editorial storytelling, UX strategy, and elevated web design into a seamless experience that respected the gravity of the mission while inviting everyday users to participate in it.

Our approach began with a deep dive into audience research. Through a series of interviews, stakeholder workshops, and content audits, we identified three primary personas that would shape our strategy:

Academics looking for credible data and frameworks to support their research and teaching
Change-makers in policy, nonprofit, and grassroots roles, looking for inspiration and tools
SDG-curious individuals who are interested but not yet engaged, seeking accessible entry points

With these personas in mind, we developed a brand tone that was informed, welcoming, and motivational. We paired this with a headline and copy framework designed to guide users through the SDGs with clarity, energy, and a sense of purpose.

On the visual side, we worked within the boundaries of the existing UN brand guidelines but pushed the system forward. Our art direction focused on accessibility, clarity, and emotional impact.

We:

Created a new visual identity system specifically for the U.S.-based SDG initiative, including an extended color palette to support digital wayfinding and hierarchy.
Designed a flexible typography system to clarify content structure and enhance scannability across devices.
Introduced iconography and illustrations to help translate abstract SDG concepts into relatable visuals.
Art directed a refreshed visual identity for the “Postcards of Progress” campaign, integrating narrative and design in a way that elevated both.

From a web design perspective, our team restructured the content and UX flow to reduce friction, increase dwell time, and surface the most relevant calls to action for each user group. Every element was designed to reinforce the Foundation’s credibility while making the content easier to engage with.

We mapped journeys through the site for each persona and built pathways that aligned with their motivations: downloadable research, multimedia storytelling, actionable toolkits, and shareable social content. The revised site architecture reflected a better balance between informing and inspiring.

Results

The Results

The United Nations Foundation now has a platform that not only meets their strategic needs but elevates their message through thoughtful, user-centered web design.

A cohesive brand and verbal identity that speaks to three distinct user personas
An enhanced visual system that simplifies complex information while maintaining brand integrity
Improved UX architecture that supports multiple entry points and user journeys
Increased time on site and engagement due to stronger visual hierarchy and clear calls to action
A scalable web design system for future campaigns and digital extensions

By aligning the brand story with thoughtful web design, the Foundation can now communicate their message with clarity, drive deeper engagement, and better position their SDG initiative for long-term impact. The project serves as a model for how mission-driven organizations can blend design, UX, and content strategy to engage diverse audiences across digital channels.

Looking Ahead

In a world of content saturation, attention scarcity, and growing skepticism, organizations like the United Nations Foundation must go beyond traditional messaging. They need to tell stories that resonate, backed by systems that convert curiosity into action. Our partnership with UNF demonstrates how powerful that blend can be.

If you’re a mission-driven organization struggling to bridge the gap between vision and digital engagement, this case proves what’s possible when brand strategy, UX, and web design are treated as a unified whole.

Creating clarity and connection for a global SDG initiative | Nonprofit + Education

The Challenge

The Results

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