Fundraising Collateral Design

We are looking for creative design support for the annual fundraising event for The Civic Circle, a small community-based nonprofit that empowers young students to understand and participate in democracy through music and the arts, inspiring compassionate, informed, engaged citizens.

Core Design Assets would include:
1) Event Logo
2) Social Media Banner/Graphic Template: Flexible layout to allow for different text overlays based on context. Used for Instagram, LinkedIn, and potentially other platforms.
3) Digital Presentation Background: Branded slide background or looping visual for projection screens during the event.
4) Event Postcard: Designed for print and handouts. Includes key event details and branding. Quick-turnaround format (e.g., FedEx same-day printing).
5) Silent Auction Sign-Up Sheets: Branded but functional layout for in-person event participation.
6) Sponsorship Forms: Clean, branded form that invites sponsors to contribute or donate.
7) Event Flyer: General promotional flyer for community events (e.g., Takoma Park Festival, baseball game, comedy show).

We would utilize the branded templates created during this partnership for:
-Stakeholder invitations
-Sponsor thank-you cards
-Signage (e.g., directional signs, table toppers)
-Additional Design Requests to Consider
-Advertising Graphics
-Assets sized/formatted for local listservs, newsletters, or free ad spaces (e.g., Silver Spring Voice, Takoma listservs).
-Community Event Table Materials
-Branded tabletop sign or pop-up banner.
-Handouts or one-pagers about the organization and the upcoming event.
-Multi-Platform Social Campaign Assets
-Coordinated visuals for LinkedIn, Instagram, and other platforms with tailored aspect ratios and copy areas.

This event is more than just a gathering—it’s a celebration of civic engagement, community leadership, and the power of local action. With your design expertise, you’ll help us bring that vision to life and ensure our message reaches as many people as possible.

Your work will play a critical role in creating vibrant, accessible materials that invite our broader community to participate—whether that’s attending the event, bidding in our silent auction, becoming a sponsor, or simply learning about the movement we’re building. From digital banners that boost our reach on social media to postcards handed out at neighborhood events, your designs will be in the hands—and on the screens—of hundreds of community members.

We serve communities that are rich in passion and potential but often underrepresented in public conversations. This project will help elevate their voices, draw attention to grassroots leadership, and inspire new connections across sectors.

By joining us, you’re not just designing assets—you’re helping build momentum for civic action, deepen community roots, and open doors for future collaboration. Your talents will leave a lasting impression, not only in the visuals, but in the lives they touch.

We have secured a wonderful venue and keynote speaker for our annual fundraiser in October and we are beginning our promotional activities this summer to drive awareness beginning next month (July 20) at a local baseball game where proceeds will be donated to our organization and used to promote our annual gala. These materials will be used throughout the summer and fall to promote our annual fundraising event with a goal of reaching over 200 community members.

We've laid a strong foundation to ensure this design project has lasting impact and is a great experience for our pro bono partner. We've secured full internal buy-in, including alignment from our program, development, and executive teams. Everyone is excited about this event and understands the importance of strong, cohesive branding and design in driving community engagement, sponsorship, and attendance.

In preparation, we've already gathered key materials, including past event collateral, branding guidelines, and draft content for postcards, banners, and social media posts. We've also conducted a strategy session to identify all the design needs—from digital assets like social media graphics and slide backgrounds to print materials like postcards, auction sign-up sheets, and flyers.

We’ve mapped out how and when each asset will be used, including integration into our broader marketing and outreach plan. This includes promotion via email, local listservs, community events, and partner organizations' platforms. Additionally, our team has capacity to implement and distribute the materials immediately, and we’ll ensure the design work is used widely and with consistency.

While this is our first Taproot Plus project in design, we’ve had success collaborating with volunteers on similar efforts and know how to make the most of your time and talent. We're looking forward to a strong, respectful, and organized collaboration—and to showcasing your work to a broad, engaged community.