Simple process.
Real impact.

We've stripped away every obstacle between a designer's willingness to help and an organization's need for creative support. Here's how the magic happens.

Design .Gives Designers 340+ Nonprofits 85 Projects 120 Impact 14K hrs Apply Match Deliver Impact

Every project, the
same great experience.

1

Create your profile

Tell us your disciplines (branding, UX, motion, illustration), your availability, and the causes you care about. Takes under 5 minutes.

2

Browse or get matched

Browse open projects in our catalog, or let our matching algorithm surface the best fit for your skills and schedule. You always have final say.

3

Kick off with support

We host a brief kick-off call and provide a project brief, timeline template, and a dedicated Design.Gives coordinator for the duration.

4

Deliver and celebrate

Present your work, collect feedback, hand off files. We publish your project to our portfolio and share your impact metrics.

Designer journey Profile Match Create Deliver JD Jane Designer Brand · UX · Motion Branding UX Design Available: 8 hrs/month Matched Projects Ocean Alliance → Brand Literacy First → UX Your impact 3 Projects 48h Given 2K Reached
1

Submit your project

Fill in our project brief template: your organization's mission, the design challenge, timeline, and any constraints. Our team reviews within 5 business days.

2

Meet your designer

We match you with a designer whose skills and values align with your work. You'll have a 30-minute intro call to ensure it's a great fit before anything begins.

3

Collaborate with confidence

Work directly with your designer through our platform. Our coordinators support both sides throughout. Expect two rounds of revisions, clearly scoped upfront.

4

Own your deliverables

All files, source assets, and guidelines are yours. We include a simple handoff guide so you can brief any future designer or vendor on your brand.

Organization journey PROJECT BRIEF Organization name... Design challenge... Project type... Timeline... Submit project → PROJECT STATUS Under review Matched Complete 📁 brand-guidelines.pdf · logo-files.zip · style-guide.html

From brief to
impact.

01
⏱ 1–2 weeks

Discovery & scoping

Designer and organization align on goals, constraints, timeline, and success metrics. We provide structured brief templates so nothing falls through the cracks.

Brief template Kick-off call Scope doc
02
⏱ 2–4 weeks

Concept development

Designer explores directions, presents initial concepts. Up to two rounds of structured feedback. Design.Gives facilitates communication and keeps timelines on track.

Concept presentation 2 revision rounds Coordinator support
03
⏱ 1–2 weeks

Refinement & delivery

Final polish, file preparation, and handoff. Deliverables are packaged for real-world use — print-ready, web-optimized, or development-ready, depending on the project.

File handoff Usage guide Source files
04
⏱ Ongoing

Impact tracking

We follow up 3 and 6 months post-delivery to measure real outcomes: donation rates, engagement metrics, reach. This data helps us improve matching and demonstrate collective impact.

3-month check-in Impact metrics Portfolio feature

Two sides of the
same mission.

🎨

Volunteer designers

Open to any designer with professional-level skills who wants to give their time to meaningful work. All disciplines welcome.

  • Brand identity & visual design
  • UX/UI and product design
  • Motion, animation & video
  • Illustration & art direction
  • Web design & digital campaigns
Apply as designer
🌍

Social impact organizations

We work with registered nonprofits, social enterprises, and community organizations doing verifiable public-benefit work.

  • Registered 501(c)(3) nonprofits
  • Social enterprises & B Corps
  • Community grassroots groups
  • Educational institutions
  • Public health organizations
Submit a project

Everything you need
to know.

How much time do I need to commit as a designer?
Most projects require 8–20 hours total spread over 4–8 weeks. We show you the estimated scope before you commit, and you can filter projects by time commitment in your dashboard.
Is there any cost for nonprofit organizations?
Design.Gives is completely free for qualifying nonprofits and social impact organizations. Our operations are funded by corporate sponsors and individual donors who believe in our mission.
What happens if a project doesn't go well?
Our coordinators are actively involved throughout every project. If issues arise, we step in to mediate and, if necessary, rematch the organization with another designer. We've maintained a 94% project completion rate.
Can students or junior designers participate?
Yes — we have a "starter projects" track designed for designers with 1–2 years of experience. These are well-scoped, supported by a mentor designer, and great for building a portfolio with purpose.
Who owns the design work after completion?
The organization owns all final deliverables. Designers retain the right to include the work in their portfolio with attribution. Source files are transferred unless the designer prefers otherwise.
How long does the matching process take?
Typically 1–2 weeks from project submission to match confirmation. Complex or specialized projects may take a bit longer. We send weekly updates throughout the matching process.

The best time to give
is right now.

Every hour you donate multiplies through every person an organization reaches. Start small. The impact is big.

Get started today Browse projects