WE in the World: A Case Study in Large-Scale Equity Nonprofit Website Design

Well-Being and Equity in the World (WE in the World) is a national nonprofit institute working to advance intergenerational well-being and equity on a foundation of racial and economic justice. Emerging from the 100 Million Healthier Lives movement, WE partners with thousands of changemakers across the United States and internationally. When WE approached me for a website redesign, they needed a sophisticated digital platform that could hold the breadth of their programs, networks, impact stories, and resources while staying clear and inviting for a wide range of audiences. The result is a rich, layered site that reflects the scale and ambition of their mission.

Project Overview:

The primary objective was to create a website that could serve as the organization's central hub while linking out to a growing ecosystem of related networks and sites, including the Well-being in the Nation (WIN) Network, Communities RISE Together, and Pathways to Population Health Equity. The site needed to accommodate multiple content types including news, blogs, events, bright spot case studies, programs, partners, funders, team members, and resources. Clear information architecture was essential to make a high-volume site feel approachable to funders, partners, changemakers, and the public.

Design Approach:

The design reflects WE's message of abundance, connection, and justice. A warm color palette, generous imagery, and a home video hero set a confident tone from the moment a visitor arrives. The layout moves through WE's "Transform, Make It Real, Connect, Grow" approach, highlights upcoming events and recent news, showcases multi-layered impact metrics, and invites visitors into bright spot stories from the field. Every section is designed to give the organization's work the space it deserves while keeping the overall experience navigable.

Key Features:

  1. Mega Menu Navigation: A multi-column mega menu gives visitors rich previews and direct links into each major area of the site. This approach makes a deep site feel shallow and surfaces important pages without requiring clicks to discover them.
  2. Home Video Hero: A video hero on the homepage opens the experience with movement and energy, reinforcing WE's "Together, WE Can" message.
  3. Bright Spots Case Study Library: A custom content system highlights WE's success stories from around the country, from health equity in COVID response to system transformation in Delaware, giving funders and partners tangible evidence of impact.
  4. Events, News, and Blog Systems: Three distinct content streams are organized with individual archives and detail pages, so the WE team can easily share funding opportunities, thought leadership, and community stories.
  5. Resource Library: A curated resources section links both internal and external materials, from policy briefs to assessment tools, supporting WE's role as a connector in the field.
  6. Impact Metrics Section: A dedicated section on the homepage showcases WE's scope, from countries and communities reached to dollars invested and living-wage jobs created.
  7. Ecosystem Linking: Connections to WE's related sites and networks are built into the footer and throughout the site, reinforcing the interconnected nature of their work.
  8. Transparency and Accountability: Links to the organization's 990 Form, audited financial statements, and GuideStar Transparency Seal are placed in the footer, supporting credibility with donors and funders.
  9. Content Management System (CMS): Built on WordPress with Divi, the site gives the WE team a flexible platform for ongoing content updates across a broad content library.
  10. Responsive Design and Social Integration: Fully responsive across devices, with Facebook, X, LinkedIn, and Instagram connections for ongoing community engagement.

Outcome:

The final website gave WE in the World a flagship digital home that matched the scope of their work. Visitors could explore WE's programs, follow their thought leadership, dive into success stories, and connect with their broader network of changemakers, all within a site built to scale alongside the organization's growth.

Conclusion:

The WE in the World project reflects my ability to deliver large-scale, content-rich nonprofit websites that balance ambition with usability. When the mission is as expansive as advancing well-being and equity worldwide, the website needs to rise to meet it. This project is an example of what thoughtful information architecture, mega menu navigation, and flexible content systems can do for a complex, mission-driven organization.

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