Mother Design rebrands dedicated foundation supporting Brooklyn’s non-profits

The wordmark is inspired by neighbourhood blocks, while framing devices have been developed from postcards found in the borough.

Date
13 October 2023

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Mother Design’s latest work is a refresh for Brooklyn Community Foundation, now just Brooklyn Org. The foundation works in many spaces but supporting Brooklyn’s underserved non-profits is a major focus – it funds over 100 annually. While Brooklyn is home to around 30 per cent of New York City’s residents and 30 per cent of its non-profits, it receives only 7.6 per cent of its charitable funding.

Mother New York was brought onboard to help engage Brooklynites to rally around these organisations. Brooklyn Org also wants to distance itself from outdated conventions surrounding philanthropy by focusing on its community. As such, the identity focuses on local moments.

The major inspiration is the “density” of Brooklyn, says Mother, which speaks to the unity found in communities throughout the borough too. A stark wordmark with an extended crotch on glyphs like the Y emphasises the sense of architectural forms fitting together, similar to a skyline. The typeface is Community Gothic from Frere-Jones type foundry, an impactful and precise number.

Danielle Horanieh, managing director at Mother Design, says: “This organisation has been influential in empowering social justice initiatives that benefit the local communities. Being based in Brooklyn ourselves, we’re honoured to have worked with the now Brooklyn.org for the rebrand of its next chapter. Our designs capture the spirit of Brooklyn and provide the organisation with a fresh visual identity that matches their dynamism and all the impactful work they do day in and day out.”

Now one website (Brooklyn.org) provides a singular destination for non-profits to apply for funding and for the public to read further stories.

GalleryMother Design: Brooklyn Org (Copyright © Mother Design, 2023)

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Mother Design: Brooklyn Org (Copyright © Mother Design, 2023)

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About the Author

Liz Gorny

Liz (she/they) joined It’s Nice That as news writer in December 2021. In January 2023, they became associate editor, predominantly working on partnership projects and contributing long-form pieces to It’s Nice That. Contact them about potential partnerships or story leads.

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