McGuffin Grant
The McGuffin Grant
The McGuffin Grant is open to nonprofit, tax-exempt 501(c)(3) organizations and U.S. organizations or fiscal agents with that status. Applications for next year’s grant will open in April 2025.
How the grant works
The McGuffin Grant is an opportunity for all of us here at McGuffin to do forward-thinking, fun and necessary communications work for groups that make a real difference in our communities. Each year, we invite nonprofits of all shapes and sizes to submit applications. We choose the one we think is the best fit to receive $30,000 worth of creative strategies and design solutions. Then, for six months, we work hand-in-hand with that group on a project or projects that best fit their goals — like an identity redesign, a fundraising direct mail campaign, a brochure or a website refresh. Our strategists, designers, writers and other members of the team pool their time and talents to create communications that get our grant recipients noticed and get them results.
Why we do this
First and foremost, The McGuffin Grant exists because we believe in the power of a good cause. And we have a lot of admiration for people who devote their days to making things better for people and the planet. But we also do it because we love the creative process and enjoy the chance to share it with organizations that might not have access to agency-quality work.
Dogs for Better Lives
Grant Year
About the recipient
Dogs for Better Lives trains and places Assistance Dogs free of charge with deaf or hard-of-hearing adults, children diagnosed with autism and licensed professionals working with vulnerable communities so people with disabilities can lead safer and more independent lives.
Services
The Ask
As the 13th recipient of the McGuffin Grant, Dogs for Better Lives (DFBL) reached out to McGuffin for help with a significant opportunity to both raise brand awareness and grow their network of volunteer puppy raisers. DFBL needed support in developing a campaign to roll out in the regions that they are currently accepting puppy raiser applications, now expanding nationwide. There has been an ongoing, industry-wide challenge in recruiting puppy raisers, and with Dogs for Better Lives being a newer program, they were facing an uphill challenge.
The Answer
In order to better understand the needs and motivations of the puppy raiser community, McGuffin conducted a series of in-depth interviews with puppy raisers. The team also looked into the digital and social footprints of other organizations that are recruiting puppy raisers. With these findings, McGuffin worked with DFBL to create a fresh campaign called Milestones. Recognizing the behavioral benchmarks Puppy Raisers tend to track, this concept highlights the rewarding process of helping a puppy develop and thrive. Using badges that represent key milestones, this campaign could accompany stickers given to volunteers that they could self-award to their dogs as they reach proficiency in the key skills and behaviors. The goal is to attract volunteers looking for a tangible sense of accomplishment in their work. McGuffin worked to help set the groundwork for the campaign which included Milestone Badge creation, social copy, design templates and web graphics.
John Howard Association
Grant Year
About the recipient
The John Howard Association (JHA) independently monitors correctional facilities, policies and practices, and advances reforms needed to achieve a fair, humane and effective criminal justice system.
Services
The Ask
As the 12th recipient of the McGuffin Grant, the John Howard Association (JHA) sought for McGuffin to use its newly-established brand to create new marketing materials for fundraising, outreach and social media. JHA’s goal for the Grant was to create communication tactics that would help spread the message about equitable prison reform initiatives in Illinois and incentivize donations from new and existing donors.
The Answer
McGuffin worked with the JHA team to create a series of branded materials that would engage JHA’s supporters, attract new followers and generate interest among returning and first-time donors. This included a fundraising campaign for Giving Tuesday, with a direct mail letter of appeal and new email templates. McGuffin also created social media guidelines for the JHA team as well as Canva templates for easy and consistent DIY social graphics.
Marbleseed
Grant Year
About the recipient
For 30+ years Marbleseed (formerly known as MOSES) has been working to support the Midwest’s organic and sustainable farmers through farmer-led events and educational resources that help farms grow.
Services
The Ask
As the 11th recipient of the McGuffin Grant Marbleseed, formerly known as the Midwest Organic & Sustainable Education Service (MOSES), sought guidance in reinventing the organization from a brand level. The name MOSES was confusing and posed challenges for the organization’s future growth and brand awareness. The goal of the board of directors and staff, a group deeply committed to organic and regenerative farming, was for the organization to be a leader in the transformation of the farming ecosystem for farmers and food justice for eaters.
The Answer
McGuffin helped consult and provide exploration guidance for a refreshed brand name and brand identity, providing a more contemporary and progressive look reflective of their mission. We identified core organizational beliefs and a vision that would inform the direction of the brand. MOSES established a new name, Marbleseed (a native Midwestern prairie plant), and brand identity that was reflective of the organization’s mission and their commitment to equity throughout the food system.
Remote Energy
Grant Year
About the recipient
Remote Energy is a group of innovators and educators in the photovoltaic (PV) industry dedicated to bringing solar energy programs to technical schools in marginalized communities around the globe. They mentor and build the skills of solar trainers in remote, often disadvantaged, locations so they, in turn, can bring solar energy education to their communities.
Services
The Ask
As the 10th recipient of The McGuffin Grant, Remote Energy needed help selling in their mission and services. While the organization had grown considerably since its 2017 inception, in order to expand their services to more communities they were tasked with explaining complicated topics to government agencies unfamiliar with PV technology. And the arrival of a global pandemic only complicated matters further.
The Answer
McGuffin worked with Remote Energy to create sales materials they could use to quickly and confidently explain who they are and what they do to potential funders and technical institutions. After a consultative brand discovery session and several messaging audits, McGuffin took the information and created a comprehensive pitch deck to explain Remote Energy’s mission and services. The deck included not only program information, but data visuals that broke down complex data into easily digestible graphics. The result was a ready-to-use presentation and refreshed brand messaging guaranteed to inform and engage future stakeholders.
Bernie’s Book Bank
Grant Year
About the recipient
Bernie’s Book Bank sources, processes and distributes quality children’s books to significantly increase book ownership among at-risk infants, toddlers and school-age children throughout Chicagoland.
Services
The Ask
As the eighth recipient of The McGuffin Grant, Bernie’s Book Bank wanted a capabilities brochure that would speak to disparate stakeholders: volunteers, benefactors, book donors and corporations that used their modern, inviting distribution facilities for events. The brochure would encapsulate their mission and inspire their various constituencies to get involved with the organization.
The Answer
The brochure is a summation of the unique, fast-growing and invaluable community asset that Bernie’s Book Bank is. Using statistics, quotes and original photography, the brochure tells the story of “Books for a Better Life,” how Bernie’s gets books into the hands of children who need them most and the ways those books transform lives. Written to speak to a diverse audience, it’s an accurate and engaging picture of an organization doing real good and making real change.
The Honeycomb Project
Grant Year
About the recipient
The Honeycomb Project aims to create multi-generational volunteer experiences with children of all ages. Their mission is to engage, mobilize and inspire kids and their families to build strong communities for all Chicagoans while learning first-hand about important social issues.
Services
The Ask
As the seventh recipient of The McGuffin Grant, The Honeycomb Project sought to increase interest in participation from both potential volunteers and corporate sponsors as well as update the look and feel of their existing recruitment materials.
The Answer
McGuffin worked with The Honeycomb Project team to create a series of branded materials to help reach potential volunteers and partners, including brand identity standards, positioning statement, company informational brochures and a corporate sponsorship guide. With consistent branding across digital and print materials, the team felt confident that the communication tools provided would engage, inspire and mobilize new volunteer families and corporate sponsors to invest time and resource into The Honeycomb Project.
Purple Asparagus
Grant Year
About the recipient
Purple Asparagus educates children, families and the community about eating that’s good for the body and the planet. Their elementary school programs include Family Cooking, Summer Programs, Delicious Nutritious Adventures and other community events.
Services
The Ask
As the sixth recipient of The McGuffin Grant, Purple Asparagus hoped to expand their successful Delicious Nutritious Adventures program to more children throughout Chicagoland and beyond to other urban areas in need of healthy food advocacy and education. Taught by trained staff and volunteers, Delicious Nutritious Adventures is a monthly lesson where students learn about a new ingredient in school by tasting it and “cooking” with it, taking their learnings home to their families.
The Answer
To increase interest and facilitate expansion of the program into new classrooms, McGuffin developed a marketing strategy with the Delicious Nutritious Adventures Program Pack. This pack included a new program logo, a printed guide with instructions for new program participants and monthly themed handouts for students with recipe cards, ingredient information and more. The packs provided program information while clearly conveying Purple Asparagus’s mission and core values to new volunteers, students and teachers.
Options for Youth
Grant Year
About the recipient
Options for Youth’s mission is to expand the opportunities available to vulnerable Chicago youth by developing programs that build upon the strengths and maximize the potential of each young person. They have three programs supporting distinct adolescent groups: The Subsequent Pregnancy Program, the Peer Advocates for Health Program and the Options Program.
Services
The Ask
As the fifth recipient of The McGuffin Grant, Options for Youth approached McGuffin to refresh the program’s brand identity and public presentation. While Options for Youth had been helping young people in Chicago communities for over 30 years, the organization was missing out on potential connections with more youth and philanthropic partners with an outdated website and unclear communications of its mission and program information.
The Answer
McGuffin got to work by creating a new logo and a completely revamped website. The work powered by The McGuffin Grant helped Options for Youth establish greater awareness and understanding of its distinct programs, build a stronger visual connection of the organization to local and regional communities, and enhance relationships with philanthropic partners.
Traveling Stories
Grant Year
About the recipient
Traveling Stories wants to inspire a love of reading in children, transforming reluctant readers into confident ones. Their mission is to outsmart poverty one book at a time.
Services
The Ask
As the fourth recipient of The McGuffin Grant, Traveling Stories wanted to create a new campaign to raise awareness and encourage donations for their two franchising opportunities: StoryTents and World Library.
The Answer
Under the umbrella of “Mybrary,” McGuffin created a new campaign identity, bringing the Mybrary imagery and language to Traveling Stories’ website. McGuffin also designed an email campaign to raise awareness and created a promotional bookmark.
