L.I.F.E Website Redesign

L.I.F.E • UX Designer

Redesigning a nonprofit’s digital presence to build trust, drive donations, and engage the community.

Quick summary

Redesigning a nonprofit’s website to build trust, drive donations, and inspire action.

Gun violence continues to devastate communities, and safe storage education is a critical part of prevention.

L.I.F.E (Lock It For Everyone) is a nonprofit founded after a personal tragedy, working to promote safe gun storage, empower youth, and honor victims of gun violence.

But their existing website was difficult to navigate, lacked credibility, and failed to motivate donations or community involvement.

So we redesigned LIFE’s website.

The new design introduced a transparent donation flow, events calendar, stories & memorial section, and volunteer sign-up form — all supported by a refreshed color palette, clearer navigation, and trust-building visuals.

Jump to Solution!

Impact

2× easier navigation

Users found key pages (mission, events, donation) twice as easily on the redesigned site.

+70% boost in trust

Clear branding, EIN, and security badges made 7/10 participants rate the site as more credible.

100% donation task success

All users completed the donation flow on the prototype, compared to 60% on the live site.

the problem

So, where did we start?

We began by meeting with the founder of LIFE to understand the organization’s mission, pain points, and vision for the website. From those conversations, we uncovered:

Core mission: Prevent gun violence through safe storage education, youth empowerment, and community engagement.

Primary goals: Increase donations, acknowledge victims, showcase events, and build trust.

Challenges

Low engagement despite outreach (600 ad views → 1 attendee).
Financial constraints (self-funded).
A website that lacked credibility, clear navigation, and donation functionality.

We began by meeting with the founder of LIFE to understand the organization’s mission, pain points, and vision for the website. From those conversations, we uncovered:

Core mission: Prevent gun violence through safe storage education, youth empowerment, and community engagement.

Primary goals: Increase donations, acknowledge victims, showcase events, and build trust.

Challenges

Low engagement despite outreach (600 ad views → 1 attendee).
Financial constraints (self-funded).
A website that lacked credibility, clear navigation, and donation functionality.

What did we observe?

The original website struggled to build trust or guide users toward action.

Navigation was unclear.
Volunteer sign-up lacked a clear flow.
Trust signals like EIN or financial transparency were missing.
Calls to action were vague, and content like events or impact data was hard to find.

Users felt uncertain about how to engage, donate, or get involved.

The original website struggled to build trust or guide users toward action.

Navigation was unclear.
Volunteer sign-up lacked a clear flow.
Trust signals like EIN or financial transparency were missing.
Calls to action were vague, and content like events or impact data was hard to find.

Users felt uncertain about how to engage, donate, or get involved.

Problem Statement

How might we create a digital presence that builds trust and turns awareness into action?

Design process

What did we do?

We followed an iterative design process, combining client input, research insights, and user testing to guide each stage.

Week 1–2 → Research & Discovery	Week 3–4 → Wireframes & IA	Week 5–7 → High-Fidelity Design
Client meetings, competitor analysis, and defining core user flows.	Client meetings, competitor analysis, and defining core user flows.	Refined color palette & branding, designed new flows (Volunteer, Memorials, Stories, Contact).
Week 8–9 → Usability Testing	Week 10–11 → Iteration	Week 12 → Final Design
Six participants tested the live site versus the prototype on UserTesting.com, identifying gaps in trust, volunteer flow, and event sign-up.	Added EIN & nonprofit details, improved CTAs, redesigned volunteer sign-up, and enhanced event registration.	Delivered polished prototype emphasizing trust, clarity, and engagement.

The analysis made it clear: without trust signals and clear pathways to act, L.I.F.E’s digital presence could not support its powerful mission.

Design process

What didn't work?

While our redesign improved usability, some design choices still fell short during testing and client feedback:

The bright pink branding was eye-catching but reduced credibility.
Volunteer sign-up was hidden under “Get Involved” instead of having a clear, dedicated page.
Calls to action were too vague, leaving users uncertain about their next steps.
Even with a smoother flow, donation still lacked trust signals like EIN, tax status, or secure payment badges.

These gaps highlighted that credibility and clarity matter as much as usability in driving engagement.

final dESIGN

What DID work?

A trusted space for action, not just awareness.

The redesigned LIFE website builds credibility and guides users to take meaningful steps , from donating and volunteering to attending events and sharing stories. With clearer navigation, trust signals, and emotional storytelling, the site turns compassion into action.

Prominent Donation Accessibility

The Problem

Users had difficulty finding ways to donate quickly and easily.

Our Solution

Added a highly visible and accessible donation button.

Humanizing the Organization

The Problem

The website lacked personality, making it feel impersonal and disconnected.

Our Solution

Added faces and personal stories to the organization's brand.

Enhanced User Engangement

The Problem

Users found the sign-up process complicated and off-putting.

Our Solution

Streamlined and simplified sign-up forms for better clarity and interaction.

Revitalized Website Branding

The Problem

Stark brand colors created confusion and a weak impression.

Our Solution

Improved overall visual identity and messaging consistency.

Building Trust & Credibility

The Problem

Users were uncertain about the organization's legitimacy and financial transparency.

Our Solution

Included clear EIN, tax-exempt status, financial transparency details, and secure payment options.

View the full prototype here →

Reflection

What did I learn?

This project taught me that designing for nonprofits requires more than usability; it requires credibility, trust, and empathy. I learned how critical transparency and small details, like clear CTAs or visible EIN info, are in motivating donations and engagement.
I also saw the power of storytelling and emotional design in building connections with users, while balancing client constraints with user needs. Most importantly, I learned how to design not just for functionality, but for impact, creating a digital presence that inspires people to act.

Looking Ahead

Our redesign laid the foundation for a website that is credible, usable, and emotionally engaging.

Moving forward, we aim to:

Align brand and mission by maintaining a cohesive visual identity.
Increase trust and credibility through transparent information and nonprofit verification.
Enhance usability with clear navigation, better readability, and accessible layouts.
Humanize the experience by highlighting personal stories and community voices.
Ensure continuity through clear handover documents for future stakeholders.
Measure impact by tracking WOMI and NPS after launch and comparing against baseline numbers.

Based on our testing results, we expect these improvements to significantly increase website traffic, donor conversions, and community engagement.

Quick summary

Redesigning a nonprofit’s website to build trust, drive donations, and inspire action.

Redesigning a nonprofit’s website to build trust, drive donations, and inspire action.

Redesigning a nonprofit’s website to build trust, drive donations, and inspire action.

So we redesigned LIFE’s website.

Jump to Solution!

Impact