GIVETOLOCAL | Co-FOUNDer

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. They needed an innovative platform that connected them to local people and businesses.

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

Grassroots clubs in UK

151,000

Average adult members

120

Average junior members

Number of volunteers

5.5m

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 created activity diagrams mapping the key user journeys.

This expedited approach balanced the need for speed with delivery. 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.

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 sports and community. Combining this with the hand mimicking the letter G is a playful twist.

Optimising our homepage to boost conversions.

Clubs showed a lot of interest in GiveToLocal, yet they struggled to grasp its core mission. High traffic numbers didn't translate into the number of club registrations we would have liked. We decided to look at the data and redesign the website.

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 and a sticky call to action.

Previously surveyed visitors said they understood what GiveToLocal was.

82%

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

120

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

4:38

Increase in completed club and business registration forms.

108%

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.