GIVETOLOCAL

Designing a micro-donation platform to support small businesses and grassroots sports.

Scope

Product design

Product strategy

Micro copy

Visual design

Fundraising

GiveToLocal had an ambitious vision. Getting to market meant clearing formidable obstacles. Anti-money laundering rules loomed large. Clubs operated in scattered silos. Users struggled with tech. Success hinged on distilling complexity into simplicity. The product needed a clear message to cut through the noise and connect with its audience.

An image of the dashboard from the THrive app showing income and projects.

Speaking to clubs to confirm the funding problem.

GiveToLocal's innovative vision emerged from conversations with over 100 clubs, aiming to understand their problems.

Many clubs struggle to stay afloat, dependent on volunteer labour. Media coverage often highlights the problem but uncovers few solutions.

Funding shortages plague the 151,000 grassroots clubs. Traditional fundraising has systematically failed them. They needed an innovative platform that connected them to local people and businesses.

The GiveToLocal app simplifies club fundraising offering monthly or one-off micro-donations.

By building local relationships, it creates a more sustainable funding model.

This new approach had strong support from the clubs we spoke to. We saw an opportunity to reinvent local sports funding and reduce reliance on old fundraising methods like raffles and bucket collections.

The solution is elegant: small contributions, big impact.

151k

Number of grassroots clubs in the UK.

5.5m

The number of hard working volunteers.

120

Average number of adult members.

Average number of junior members.

A change of name to make what we do clearer.

GiveToLocal emerged from its sports-centric roots as Squaddity. The new name broadens horizons, hinting at the app's core mission. It invites viewers to envision local impact beyond sport, expanding potential markets. This shift reflects a strategic pivot toward wider community engagement.

Crafting a clear message proved challenging, but the result is elegant and simple.

The heart in the logo hints at the public's love of sport and community. Combining this with the hand mimicking the letter G is a playful twist.

Optimising our homepage to boost conversions.

Our homepage underperformed, missing two crucial targets. The "About Us" page, hidden in the footer, claimed the second-highest visit count. Users showed interest in GiveToLocal, yet struggled to grasp its core mission. High traffic numbers masked disappointing club registrations. These findings showed promise and hurdles for our platform's growth. They highlighted areas to improve.

A cleaner homepage design sheds clutter for clarity and impact. Refined messaging guides visitors through a streamlined 'Get Your Club Funded' process. Bold calls to action stand out, inviting engagement. As users scroll, a persistent top bar keeps conversion opportunities close at hand. The redesign balances simplicity with persuasion, making funding access effortless for clubs.

82%

Previously surveyed visitors said they understood what GiveToLocal was.

4:38

Average session duration versus 2:18 for the three months prior to the redesign.

72%

Increase in traffic to registration page compared to the previous iteration.

108%

Increase in completed club and business registration forms.

Plotting the fastest route to a minimal viable product.

For expediency, we bypassed wireframes, moving from rough hand-drawn sketches to a more polished, responsive prototype. Choosing Webflow to prototype streamlined developer handoff.

To round out the spec, I crafted activity diagrams mapping the key user journeys in the GiveToLocal app.

This expedited approach balanced the need for speed with delivering comprehensive documentation.

By breaking the spec down into detailed tasks and milestones and then two-week sprints we made progress quickly. User feedback on the prototype guided the development as I balanced requirements with the business case.

Writing and designing an
investible deck.

Creating an effective pitch deck isn't easy. There are many elements to building a cohesive, compelling, and understandable story. We needed to identify GiveToLocal's essence. It would convince investors of our potential.

With a pitch deck, getting the quantity vs. quality balance right is critical. Investors are busy. Pitches must be brief and impactful. They should grab attention and outline the investment opportunity.