Pasadena Community Foundation Brand & Website Design
Connecting Generosity to Local Impact.
Since 1953, Pasadena Community Foundation (PCF) has been a trusted philanthropic partner. But as assets grew from $16 million in 2002 to more than $260 million today, the brand and website no longer reflected PCF’s scale or leadership. National donor advised fund providers were competing for attention, and PCF needed to show why giving locally matters.
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Discovery & Research
We began by engaging in discovery with PCF’s team and stakeholders. Through staff workshops, interviews, surveys, analytics, and a competitive landscape review, we uncovered how PCF’s strengths and challenges were experienced by the people who matter most. This wide-angle understanding became the foundation for strategic positioning and design decisions, helping us clarify where PCF’s story could resonate stronger and more consistently.
Key Research Insights
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A Foundation Built On Purpose
Our research made it clear that PCF needed to simplify its story, highlight its local expertise, and show the tangible impact of philanthropy. Donors, nonprofits, and advisors all valued PCF’s role in the community, but the brand was not consistently expressing those strengths. To address this, we returned to the foundation of the brand, its vision, mission, and tagline, and clarified how these core elements should guide everything else. These enduring statements capture PCF’s purpose and provide the stability needed to build a stronger, clearer identity.
Commitments That Shape Every Experience
Stakeholders already trusted PCF, but they wanted clarity about what to expect when engaging with the foundation. To address this, we articulated brand promises that express the experience PCF delivers across every interaction. These commitments reflect PCF’s deep local roots, relational approach, and strategic insight, providing a consistent, human-centered brand experience that aligns with how people already feel about the foundation.
A Story That Guides Every Audience
To unite PCF’s brand promises under a compelling narrative, we introduced the idea of The Constant Guide. This brand direction positions PCF as more than a manager of giving; it places the foundation as a steady, trusted partner that helps donors, nonprofits, and advisors navigate philanthropy with confidence and clarity.
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Visual Brand Identity
With strategic direction in place, we translated the brand story into a visual system that feels modern while honoring PCF’s heritage and deep community roots.
A Modernized Mark That Honors PCF’s Community Roots
The redesigned logo reflects PCF’s history and presence in Greater Pasadena. The refined mark maintains visual continuity with the foundation’s legacy while signaling an evolved, confident identity that resonates locally and supports future growth.
A System Inspired by Place
The color palette and typography were chosen to feel grounded, welcoming, and rooted in the Pasadena context. Warm, earthy tones balanced with calm neutrals create a visual language that feels both contemporary and connected to the region’s landscape.
Arches and Roots That Symbolize Connection, Growth, and Resilience
Graphic elements such as arches and root-inspired forms become recurring design motifs that express connection and resilience. These visual devices evoke PCF’s role as infrastructure — supporting growth quietly yet powerfully across the community.
Authentic, Place-Based Images That Celebrate Community
Photography across the brand emphasizes authentic moments and real people in Pasadena, Altadena, and nearby neighborhoods. Images capture the diverse faces and local settings that define the foundation’s impact, reinforcing a sense of place and purpose.
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Website Design & Development
The refreshed visual identity set the stage for a redesigned digital experience that makes PCF’s mission and services clearer, more navigable, and more compelling.
Website Goals
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Website Architecture
We restructured the site around how users naturally explore. By creating clear pathways for donors, nonprofits, and advisors, the architecture supports intuitive discovery and invites deeper engagement with PCF’s impact and resources.
Impact Storytelling Through Imagery
The redesigned Impact page centers donors at the heart of PCF’s story. Visual storytelling and curated content showcase real outcomes, emphasizing how generosity translates into tangible change across the community.
Dedicated Pages for Nonprofits and Advisors
We created tailored experiences for nonprofits and professional advisors, giving each audience quick access to FAQs, tools, and resources. These dedicated pages reinforce PCF’s role as a responsive partner and trusted guide.
Website Development
Built on WordPress with a flexible content block system, the site empowers PCF’s team to update content easily and scale features over time. The integration with donation systems, accessibility compliance (WCAG 2.1 AA), and thoughtful technical architecture ensure a sustainable digital platform that supports PCF’s mission and growth.
Push10 took the time to truly understand our deep roots in the community and the unique complexities of our foundation’s business model. Their team translated that insight into a compelling brand identity and website that will support PCF’s growth in grantmaking and donor engagement for years to come. We were especially impressed by their strategic R&D process, which thoughtfully involved a wide range of stakeholders.
Pasadena Community Foundation
Sarah Hilbert, Director of Marketing & Communications
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