Small Charities Coalition
About The Client
The Small Charities Coalition, founded in 2008, supported over 16,000 members across the UK – ranging from volunteer groups and local organizations to registered charities – by providing the essential information, advice, and support they need to thrive and have their voices heard. The charity closed in March 2022 but thier work continues within the NCVO (National Council for Voluntary Organisations)
Dates
May 2018 to December 2019
Sometimes, the best collaborations start in unexpected ways. My work with the Small Charities Coalition began after a chance encounter on Twitter, where they reached out for some small but important updates to modernize their existing logos. What started as a straightforward refresh soon evolved into a series of projects, from designing Covid-19 guides to creating online materials for social media and the web.
The Project
The initial brief was to work within their existing branding—particularly the overlapping circles that formed a key part of their identity—while modernizing the font and refining the layout. One of the main considerations was ensuring that the chosen font was widely available. With staff now working remotely, it was crucial that internal communications could remain on-brand without requiring special font installations.
The Challenge
- Maintaining Brand Recognition: The logo needed a refresh while keeping the overlapping circles intact.
- Accessibility & Practicality: The typography had to be both modern and easy to implement across various platforms without extra technical steps for staff.
- Communicating Key Information Clearly: The Covid-19 guide required a careful balance between clarity and branding, ensuring it was engaging yet practical for users.
The Solution
After refining multiple font and layout options, we landed on a clean, modern sans-serif typeface that complemented the existing logo while giving it a fresh, updated feel.
Beyond the logo update, I worked closely with the team to design clear, accessible Covid-19 guidelines for people transitioning to working from home during lockdown. To make the copy-heavy document more digestible, I incorporated brand colors, relevant icons, and thoughtful font adjustments to improve readability.
To further support their outreach, I also designed a series of branded “badges” that tied in seamlessly with their identity, making their messaging more visually engaging across digital platforms.
