Brand Identity and Web Design

Powering those working towards systemic change

with Catherine Donnelly Foundation

The ‘Luminous C,’ used to shine a light on Canada’s systemic changemakers.

Relationship

Since 2020

Services

Brand Strategy, Visual Identity, Graphic Design, Website Design, Website Development

Catherine Donnelly Foundation came to Loop at a time of organizational transformation. As one of Canada’s most established foundations, their work has been evolving to support bold and innovative initiatives that advance the interests of those most marginalized in our society, including a central emphasis on Indigenous communities and ecological justice. With a renewed drive for systemic change, the Catherine Donnelly Foundation required a new brand and website that speaks to the innovation that ripples through its funding programs, emphasizing optimization for digital environments. At the same time, it needed to shine a light on their funding approach, which is lead through care and kindness.

The new Catherine Donnelly Foundation logo. The luminous C reflects the circular nature of community and connects to the C initial in Catherine.

The brand translates seamlessly into a digital space to create a determined and human-centred presence for the organization.

The Luminous C

The new brand represents a modern take on the idea of radiating light. The luminous C symbolizes spreading light, hope, empowerment, innovation and the common good. It’s about spreading the power of change that the foundation enables through its funding and partnerships. The luminous C becomes a cornerstone of the identity through its use in the logo. It also becomes an overarching device to shine a light on the systems changemakers and their initiatives, which CDF funds. The device is available in multiple colours, representing the different sectors that CDF operates in, including education, housing, environment and impact investing. They create a simple and recognizable feature that CDF can own with pride.

The CDF brand toolkit allows the organization to create custom, recognizable materials from calls for funding to national events.

“The Loop team were the perfect collaborators to help us realize our creative vision. They led us through a complete and engaging process that helped us re-imagine our identity and then conveyed that new character in an immersive web experience. The end result are bold visuals and a terrific website where visitors better understand what we do and how we can work together.”

Steve Brearton
Communication & Policy Officer, Catherine Donnelly Foundation

Custom icons designed as part of the brand package.

Setting a Distinct Tone for Philanthropy in Canada

The new Catherine Donnelly Foundation brand sets a distinct tone amongst philanthropic players in Canada through the use of deep blues and vibrant pinks paired with empowered human-centric photography. The organization now has a flexible collection of assets to help create a consistent and trusting tone among its various touchpoints, from reports to social media. A new website helps clarify the mission while bringing stories of impact and the determination of its grantees to the forefront while using the bold brand to encourage changemakers across Canada to apply for funding and create change in their communities.