Project overview‍

Elliotsville Foundation, Inc. (EFI) is a philanthropic foundation dedicated to conservation, rural communities, and Indigenous partnerships. I joined during the $31M A Monumental Welcome capital campaign to build a digital presence that could communicate their mission, inspire funders, and support the long-term growth of their partners. EFI, a key supporter of Katahdin Woods & Waters National Monument, was transitioning from a behind-the-scenes role to a more visible public presence and needed a platform that could tell its story with clarity and credibility.

Opportunity‍

EFI had invested heavily in land conservation, cultural programming, and partnerships, but lacked a public-facing online presence. At a moment of heightened visibility with national press attention, a new Visitor Contact Station, and a historic $31M campaign, EFI needed a digital strategy that would:

• Capture traffic and interest from donors, foundations, and the press.
• Clearly articulate EFI’s values and the capital campaign's unique benefit-sharing model.
• Provide scalable communications infrastructure for ongoing programs and collaborations.

Solutions

• Website Development: Designed and launched EFI’s first website, strategically built to scale with new programs and campaigns.
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• Indigenous Cultural Intellectual Property (ICIP): Developed the Sakhomuhsewiw website to communicate ICIP best practices emerging from the capital campaign.
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• Stakeholder Engagement: Collaborated closely with EFI leadership, the Wabanaki Advisory Board, contractors, and committee members to create accurate, values-driven communications and collateral.
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• Foundation Support: Supported the launch of the Wabanaki Community Foundation (WCF) website, designed to grow with programming and visibility.
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• Capacity Building: Participated in ICIP training, workshops, and conferences to ground communications in cultural best practices.
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• Digital Strategy: Consulted on digital tools and Google Ad Grants to expand WCF’s reach and donor pipeline.

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Results

• Supported EFI and Friends of KWW in raising $31M, including $1M directed to the Wabanaki Community Foundation endowment.
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• Established EFI’s first digital presence, positioning the organization as a model of conservation and partnership for peer foundations.
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• Created scalable platforms that continue to support EFI and WCF as they expand programming.
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• Strengthened EFI’s ability to communicate its support of public lands, Indigenous partnerships, and rural economic development.
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• Built lasting relationships that have led to ongoing collaborations beyond the initial campaign.

Role
Communications and design partner (strategy, messaging, web development, stakeholder engagement).