The Holdsworth Center Nonprofit Website Design

Building Stronger Leaders

Modern campus with green landscape, winding paths, and contemporary buildings surrounded by trees. People walk on paths, creating a lively atmosphere.

The Holdsworth Center has spent nearly two decades investing in the leaders who shape Texas’s public schools. As their leadership development programs grew in depth and reach, their website hadn't kept pace. We partnered with Holdsworth to deliver a complete website redesign that reflects the full impact of their work.

Services

Content Strategy, Website Design

Problem

The existing site had grown organically and couldn’t scale with the organization. Programs had overlapping audiences, new initiatives were emerging rapidly, and internal teams lacked a unified way to present Holdsworth’s full leadership pathway. Navigation was unclear, storytelling opportunities were underleveraged, and the overall design system didn’t reflect the high-end, human-centered nature of the work.

Our Approach

We approached this project as a strategic and creative partner. That meant getting deep into how Holdsworth thinks about leadership development, who their audiences are, and how those audiences connect with their work. From discovery through launch, every decision was grounded in making the Holdsworth's mission feel clear, compelling to donors and accessible to educators.

01

Discovery & Research

We began the process by listening. Through staff interviews and a careful review of existing materials, we built a clear picture of Holdsworth's programs, audiences, and goals. The aim was to understand not just what Holdsworth does, but how their audiences experience it and where the existing site was creating friction.

Holdsworth-Center-nonprofit-website-design-research-workshop-dinner-party

Workshopping the Audience Experience

Our work included collaborative workshops with the Holdsworth team to pressure-test assumptions and surface insights that interviews alone wouldn’t reveal. We examined how Holdsworth shows up in the world, what it communicates, and how different audiences interpret the work. That foundation informed every design decision that followed.

4 slides on the main aspects of Holdsworth Center, how they appear, what they bring to the table, what they say, and what the audience takes away

Modern building with wood accents and large windows under a clear blue sky. Foreground features trees and stone landscaping. Text reads

A diverse group of people gathered indoors with text overlay listing core values such as people-focused, equity, collaboration, and education

Two women engage in conversation at a meeting table. Overlaid text highlights themes of inclusivity, innovation, and approachability in communication.

Person in professional attire interacts with another in a hallway. Text overlay lists organizational strengths, including large scale presence, rigorous programs, and data-driven focus. Tone is professional and informative

Building a Content Strategy

In our discovery work, we focused on how to shift the website’s core audience journey to better meet the needs of donors. While educators remained a critical audience, this shift prioritized donor comprehension and confidence. From there, we mapped content around the two intersecting frameworks: audience intent (donors, educators, partners) and leadership stage (emerging leaders through superintendents). This allowed us to define what content needed to exist before making decisions about how it should be organized.

02

Content & Structure

Both our core audiences want to see the impact Holdsworth programs have, but with very different needs and next steps. With the content model established, we developed a streamlined information architecture and user experience that balanced clarity with flexibility.

Sitemap titled 'The Holdsworth Center' on a blue background, showing organizational sections like About, Programs, Impact, Resource Library, and Alumni Center, with subcategories detailing specific functions and actions.

Turning the Site Structure into a User Experience

We then translated the architecture into modular wireframes, ensuring consistency across program and content types. Each template was designed to reinforce our key content themes — what Holdsworth does, who it’s for, and the impact it delivers.

Web page design with a blue and white theme focusing on public education initiatives. Features text sections, image placeholders, and navigation menus.

03

Design System

With a clear strategic foundation in place, we moved into design. Our approach centered on elevating storytelling while preserving clarity, creating a modern, accessible website built to showcase both human stories and systemic impact.

Minimalism That Puts Stories First

The website design was built to let content lead. Clean typography, generous white space, and a restrained color palette ensure that photography and human stories command attention. Every design decision reinforces Holdsworth's identity as a rigorous, human-centered organization, without ever feeling cold or institutional.

Website homepage featuring a mother hugging her child, accompanied by the text 'We Build Stronger Leaders So Students Thrive.' The page highlights leadership importance and includes statistics: 1,900 graduates since 2005, 99% program satisfaction, and 96% improved student achievement. The design uses a blue and orange color scheme with a focus on community impact.

A group of four women sit on a bench outdoors, enjoying a sunny day. One points forward, all smiling and wearing sunglasses, creating a light-hearted mood.

Block 'Building a Network of Stronger Leaders for Texas Public Schools.' Features photos of three educators: a superintendent, principal, and assistant principal/coach. Text includes statistics: 26 superintendents, 92 principals, 129 assistant principals/coaches.

Modular Components Built for Scale

We designed a library of content blocks that work across program types, audience segments, and content lengths. Whether Holdsworth is launching a new cohort program or publishing a research insight, the components adapt without reinventing the structure. The system is built to grow with the organization over the long term.

Two women stand smiling outdoors; one is in a suit, the other in a patterned blouse. The text reads,

Young children happily playing outside at a playground, featuring colorful equipment. They exude joy and friendship, framed by a playful semicircle design.

Visual Language Rooted in Place

The Campus at Lake Austin is central to the Holdsworth experience, and the website design reflects that. Organic shapes, warm earth tones, and nature-inspired illustration elements echo the landscape and bring a sense of calm and intention to the site. Photography guidelines emphasize authentic human moments, connecting visitors to the real relationships at the heart of Holdsworth's work.

A cozy room with large windows offers a scenic lake view. Two people sit chatting with drinks, while two others enjoy the view, creating a relaxed atmosphere.

Minimalist beige leaf print on a light cream background, featuring a symmetrical leaf with textured, faded edges, creating a tranquil, natural feel.

Wooden balconies overlook a sunlit park with scattered trees and outdoor seating. A peaceful, expansive landscape under a partly cloudy sky.

Stylized leaf print with detailed veins, in beige on a taupe background. The leaf's intricate patterns create an organic, earthy feel.

04

Website Design

We built a staged rollout that included messaging for existing cohorts, clear entry points for new audiences, and a content management setup that empowers non-technical staff to publish and maintain pages with confidence.

A Site Built for Every Educator

The redesigned site brings together Holdsworth's full range of programs in one cohesive, navigable experience. Program pages are structured to help visitors quickly understand who each offering is for, what it involves, and how to take the next step. Crosslinks and filtering tools guide users based on their role and readiness, reducing friction and building confidence for prospective participants.

Storytelling at Every Scroll

Impact isn't confined to a single page. Statistics, testimonials, alumni profiles, and outcome data are integrated throughout the user journey so that proof of Holdsworth's work meets visitors wherever they are. The result is a website that demonstrates impact through evidence and inspires through story.

Three overlapping web pages with a blue theme are displayed against an orange background. They feature Holdsworth alumni, events, and working at Holdsworth sections.

Impact Storytelling Through Scroll Animation

To bring Holdsworth's data to life, we built a custom scroll interaction on the Impact section. Statistics animate in as visitors move down the page, creating a sense of momentum and reinforcing the scale and growth of the organization.

A classroom with diverse students raising hands, engaging with a teacher in the background. Text highlights education challenges in Texas.

A young boy in a checkered shirt stands confidently with crossed arms in a school hallway. The bright lighting creates a welcoming atmosphere.

Donations

Giving is integrated naturally into the site rather than treated as an afterthought. Donation calls to action appear contextually throughout, and a streamlined giving form reduces friction for supporters at any stage. Sponsorship tiers, giving society recognition, and event-based opportunities each have dedicated touchpoints that communicate both opportunity and impact.

Three women walk joyfully through a garden on a sunny day, surrounded by greenery and flowers. A banner at the bottom reads

Sepia-toned image of a smiling woman in a vintage outfit and hat. Text reads

A smiling woman in glasses sits at a formal event, surrounded by applauding attendees. The atmosphere is joyful. Text overlay reads

Donation pop-up for The Holdsworth Center with options for one-time or monthly contributions. Background shows a teacher encouraging a student with the text, 'Give students the gift of great leaders.'

Three people walk down a decorated school hallway, smiling and engaged in conversation. The atmosphere is cheerful and collaborative.

Holdsworth-Center-nonprofit-website-design-Lake-Austin-color-treatment-circular-photo-frame-element@2x

Holdsworth-Center-nonprofit-website-design-Lake-Austin-photography-element-1@2x

Designing for the Campus Experience

The Campus on Lake Austin plays a meaningful role in Holdsworth’s programming, and it warranted its own dedicated web experience. We designed a microsite specifically for the campus that communicates the setting’s unique qualities: a peaceful, inspiring environment where leaders gather to do transformational work. Warm photography, earthy tones, and refined layout give the campus pages a tone that is distinct from the main site while remaining visually cohesive.

Wooden outdoor terrace with chairs and tables under a pergola, surrounded by trees. Warm tones create a peaceful, inviting atmosphere. Circular frame with textured brown background.

Wooden boathouse by a tranquil lake, with a steep roof and glass walls; a person sits at the end of a dock, surrounded by lush greenery under a clear sky.

Three cohesive webpage designs on a soft green background showcasing a serene retreat space. Features include campus photos, meeting packages, and facility details, conveying tranquility and inspiration.

Connecting Programs to Proof

Each program page is anchored in outcomes. Leadership and results sections connect what Holdsworth teaches to what graduates accomplish, surfacing the numbers behind the work: superintendents placed, principals developed, and student achievement improved. These sections gives prospective participants, district partners and donors the confidence to engage.

A website and mobile view show a leadership-focused education program. The design features images, statistics, and text, conveying professionalism and success.

A Digital Experience That Reflects the Mission

The Holdsworth Center now has a website that does justice to the depth of their work. It is clear, scalable, and built to grow alongside the organization. And for every visitor, whether a first-time educator or a sitting superintendent, it provides the clarity and confidence to find their place within Holdsworth's leadership ecosystem.

Tablet and smartphone displaying an educational website. The tablet shows a smiling teacher under

When you decide to make a significant investment in your website - the front door of your organization - the decision on who to hire feels very high stakes. Push10 was 100 percent the right decision and delivered on their promises! The design talent is top notch and the team is fabulous to work with - organized, accommodating, good at listening to feedback. Everyone in our org loves the new site, including our web developer because the back end is so clean and the modules are easy to work with. It’s versatile, beautiful and exactly what we were hoping for.

Holdsworth Center

Melissa Ludwig, Senior Communications Manager