Care for community

Over the last 11 years, Pyramid has transformed The Seattle Foundation from the region's best-kept secret to the recognized “go-to” place for effective private philanthropy. Through strategic communications and brand development, we have helped the oldest and largest community foundation in Washington state reach new audiences they had never engaged before—while maintaining the Foundation's appeal to its traditional donors.
 
We repositioned the Foundation to dispel its bank-like image through strategic communications planning, rebranding and cross-channel marketing including online, print and broadcast advertising, community partnerships and events. Our brand strategy and creativity leveraged the Foundation's strong reputation into a more active vibrant brand. With our help, in 10 years the Foundation's assets have grown from $250 million to more than $500 million.
 
In addition to donor cultivation, the Foundation sought to demonstrate its community knowledge to a wider audience. In 2006, Pyramid captured the knowledge held by staff and presented it in a 90-page report, “A Healthy Community: What You Need to Know to Give Strategically”—described by The Seattle Times as “a tremendous and welcome contribution.” This same year saw a 300 percent increase in website traffic, a record year for new assets committed to the Foundation ($100 million) and the selection of the Foundation as the nation's best nonprofit by Charity Navigator.

We continue to work closely with the Foundation as it takes a new and even more visible role in the community. We are especially proud of our role helping to produce its newest website, launching in early 2010. It will offer an interactive, searchable resource center of detailed nonprofit profiles, putting the Foundation at the forefront of a new model of philanthropy—one that is shaped by a younger generation eager to see results and be personally engaged.