Marketing for the Greater Good: A Case Study with Good Neighbor Village

We are proud to work with a variety of organizations; from a local HVAC and home improvement company to a holistic foot and ankle treatment center to a wedding photographer and videographer. Every so often, we also have the unique and exciting opportunity to work with a nonprofit.

In 2023, we began our partnership with Good Neighbor Village, a nonprofit residential community for adults with mild to moderate intellectual disabilities. Located in Richmond, Virginia, this foundation was started by three loving mothers with special needs children, determined to create an environment where their adult children could thrive.

After meeting with the incredible people behind Good Neighbor Village, our team got to work on developing a new website for the organization. The goal for the website was to not only to improve the online experience for current and future residents and family members, but also to pave the way for better marketing and advertising results in the future. With more room to house more adults and ambitious goals for the future, we had a goal to develop a strong website that communicated what Good Neighbor Village stood for, why they could be trusted and what sets them apart.

It Takes A Village

Good Neighbor Village has made a significant impact on its residents, their families and the local community. As one of the only options in the area for parents of adult children with intellectual disabilities, Good Neighbor Village provides a safe, caring and home-like environment for residents to live independently while also having access to the necessary support they need.

As the organization grew in land size, housing abilities and staff, the time came to share its mission with a larger audience. Ready to expand services and make sure families with adult children with disabilities were aware of their organization, Good Neighbor Village required a website that could effectively tell their story and showcase its offerings.

When it comes to sensitive topics such as housing a family member with special needs, the website needed to convey safety, community, responsibility and trustworthiness. We weren't selling a product or advertising a specific service to just anyone. We were seeking out families who needed the help and support that Good Neighbor Village could provide long-term.

Our first step was to disband their previous site, which had been built with Wordpress templates. We designed an entirely new and desired experience from scratch with our own framework that we've been contributing to for over 20 years. This allows us full control over customization, including dynamic schedules, donation integrations, accessibility improvements, performance increases and a more tailored experience reflective of the brand.

• An easy-to-navigate website. Whether it was parents of adult children with intellectual disabilities looking for a safe and thriving community for their child, local organizations seeking to volunteer time and resources or others seeking to donate monetarily to the cause, the website had to be easy to navigate and understand. Visitors would not be a one-size-fits-all demographic, after all.
• Friendly and calming colors and fonts. Branding is about much more than making a sale. It's about conveying emotions, earning trust and building a relationship for years to come. For Good Neighbor Village, their branding had to convey a friendly and inviting tone. They lead with respect and kindness, ensuring every person has value and deserves dignity. And for family members who were considering moving their loved one to the community, these values needed to be front and center. The design of the brand reflected this with a deep, calming blue, and subtle touches of muted green and orange, along with a clear and easy to read font.
• A simple look and feel that incorporated existing branding. We weren't looking to undergo a complete rebranding for Good Neighbor Village. As a well-established organization within the community, it was important to them to keep their logo and language. However, we were able to simplify the overall look to ensure the message was easily received and no one would second guess what this organization stood for.
• Content that effectively spoke to their mission and long-term vision. For parents of adult children with special needs, finding full-time or even part-time care is not an easy choice. Parents want the best for their children, no matter their age. In this case, it meant every word we used had to contribute toward Good Neighbor Village's mission and help ease any anxieties parents or family members may have. We did this by relying on the organization's unique history and personal connections, along with testimonials and examples of what life was like for residents.
• And an emphasis on visuals that provided an inside look at resident life. We also provided a full production shoot, including videography and photography to capture life at Good Neighbor Village with residents, their visiting families and the kind staff members. This helped to support our efforts in conveying a trustworthy community.

Continuing Their Mission

To ensure Good Neighbor Village was set up for success, we prioritized their goal of increasing residency, as they had the space for new residents and wanted to keep their community growing.

When it came time to launch the website, our team implemented all the pieces to create a website that featured the organization's unique and powerful history, commitment to quality care and an emphasis on community participation. With new web pages that detail what resident life is like, who qualifies for housing, ways to give, donate and volunteer, along with regular updates and news around the village, the website spoke to their overall goal of inviting new residents to move in. We're immensely proud of our work with Good Neighbor Village and look forward to continuing our work to help the team expand its kind mission for many years to come.

Whether we're working with a nonprofit, small business or large fortune-500 company, we take great care in how we approach website development, launch and maintenance. If you're ready to take your website to the next level, reach out to us today.