Design Robin Hood

In today’s economic climate, non-profit organizations are finding it harder to secure funding whether it’s through government grants or private contributions. This in turn limits their ability to promote and advertise their cause and develop the programs necessary to make a difference in the community. There is a perfect opportunity here to tap into the pool of young designers that exists at New York City College of Technology (CUNY) to create the appropriate branding and promotional material that will then generate awareness as well as help stimulate financial support for these non-profit organizations.

By creating a curriculum /model based on this hypothesis, the goal is to first address the organizations’ graphics needs of course but at the same time give students the real world experience they so desperately seek. As any graduating design student with limited experience will tell you, the search for a job always begins with the proverbial question “Do you have any experience?” In this case the answer would be “Yes”. Students enrolled in this curriculum would be exposed to real clients demands, graphic standards, production deadlines and budgetary concerns while successfully ensuring the completion of each phase of the project. Plus the bonus of contributing to a worthy cause is not a bad idea either.

An example of a non-profit that fits this mold is St. Nicholas Neighborhood Preservation Corp. They are a local Williamsburg-Greenpoint based organization committed to revitalizing their community by providing services in the following areas: housing, healthcare, workforce and economic development and youth and families. Currently their financial resources are limited so they produce all their promotional material in-house with the aid of non-designers. The result of this approach is a non-cohesive graphic standard across each department and an even greater disconnection between them and the community in terms of awareness.

Ultimately, this model would help foster a relationship that benefits both parties. Bringing the necessary attention to the organization and their cause while giving students job experience and a level of satisfaction that can only be achieved through charitable means. In the near future, if this curriculum is successful, it could definitely translate to other non-profit organizations and communities almost like a “Design Robin Hood”.