We’re incredibly grateful for you and your team for ushering us gently and thoughtfully through the branding and messaging process and creating a website that helped us raise $2 million more this year than last year.
Season of Sharing Fund
We helped Season of Sharing Fund evolve its legacy brand to inspire a new generation of Bay Area donors, uniting neighbors to provide life-changing support in times of crisis.
Sector
Nonprofits
Deliverables
Brand Strategy
Visual Identity
Website Design
Visual Identity
Website Design
A Legacy Institution Re-energized by a Powerful New Brand
Challenge
The Chronicle Season of Sharing Fund provides critical assistance to Bay Area residents striving to overcome unexpected crisis. Through the Fund’s support, residents can move forward while staying housed and keeping food on the table.
The Fund’s name, brand, and funding base were tied to longtime sponsor San Francisco Chronicle, whose readers had faithfully donated during the holiday season each year for 40 years. Add to their good fortune, all operations costs are covered through the generosity of The Evelyn & Walter Haas, Jr. Fund, ensuring that all donations go straight to programs for people in crisis.
Yet with an aging donor base and expanded mission The Chronicle Season of Sharing Fund needed to broaden its appeal to a new generation of donors, while inspiring longtime donors to remain ever loyal.
Neighbors help neighbors.
Insight
There is a crowded sea of nonprofits providing food, shelter, and services to individuals and families. To stand out, the Chronicle Season of Sharing Fund would need to carve out a unique position in the landscape of other excellent organizations.
As we explored what makes them special, it all came down to the unique ethos of generosity and giving in the Bay Area.
What could donors of every generation feel about themselves when supporting the Fund? That their gift is a badge of belonging. People who truly understand the spirit of the Bay Area give to the Chronicle Season of Sharing Fund.
Kevin Swanson
Executive Director
, Season of Sharing Fund
Renamed, retagged, relaunched.
Journey
We developed a new brand strategy: “An unexpected crisis is no match for the soul of the Bay Area. Instead of feeling hopeless in the face of regional problems, I feel optimistic knowing I’m part of a generous, caring community that represents the very best of the Bay Area.”
To help bring this brand positioning to life we recommended a new name: Season of Sharing Fund, to be more appealing and inclusive of all types of donors, and the inviting tagline: Neighbors Help Neighbors.
A new visual identity and key messages, along with a warm, inspiring, and responsive website helped launch their expanded mission to a new generation of generous Bay Area neighbors.
Legacy giving, with a generation arriving.
Impact
As 2025 came to a close, Season of Sharing Fund reported a significant increase in donations following its brand refresh and website update. Donations were up $2M over the prior year, and average gift size had increased by 17%.
