GROUNDWORK MOBILE COUNTY
As the lead designer and strategist for Groundwork Mobile County, I helped reshape how the organization tells its story — from a full website overhaul to brand messaging, content structure, visual identity, and SEO. The goal was to translate five years of grassroots work into a cohesive digital platform that could drive funding, partnerships, and community engagement. I rebuilt every section from the ground up, aligned the design with Groundwork USA’s national standards, and navigated complex technical limitations on Wix Studio. The result: a clean, fundable, and mission-aligned platform praised by national leadership — built to support long-term impact.
Category: Brand Repositioning, Web Redesign, Systems Cleanup
Timeline: 2.5 months
Platform: Wix Studio
Result: Full relaunch with national praise from Groundwork USA, foundation set for future growth and funding
The Setup
Groundwork Mobile County had been running programs for five years — but the story was buried under five years of confusion, outdated photos, broken DNS paths, and no clear messaging.
With a new Executive Director in place, they needed to rebuild from the ground up — aligning with national Groundwork USA standards while telling a story that actually reflected the work being done in Mobile.
The Challenge
This wasn’t just a website redesign — it was a full brand audit and rebuild, with no clean starting point.
I inherited:
- A disorganized asset library
- Legacy documents with conflicting info
- A Wix website held together with digital duct tape
- No SEO strategy, no visual voice, no clear structure
- Pages full of programs no one could understand — even the people running them
And yet the ask was simple:
“Make it all make sense — and make it beautiful.”
My Role
I led the entire transition from fractured brand to functional public platform.
- Cleaned up and restructured all content across the organization
- Rewrote copy and messaging to reflect current programs, values, and direction
- Created a brand direction document to align with Groundwork USA’s standards
- Worked directly with national leadership for feedback and brand alignment
- Built an entirely new website from scratch — twice — after having to shift to Wix Studio due to platform constraints
- Developed a flexible content system that worked despite Wix's limitations
- Implemented on-page SEO strategy and rewrote site metadata
- Created new social profiles and ensured brand consistency across them
- Audited the DNS system and restructured technical setups for security and speed
- Iterated visual design to strike a balance between civic professionalism and local warmth
Technical & Visual Constraints
Originally designed in Figma with the idea of a platform switch, the project hit a wall when the organization decided to remain on Wix.
That meant:
- I had to rebuild every element inside Wix Studio, a platform with major design limitations
- The site had to look and feel like a custom CMS build while staying within their toolset
- I had to restart development twice to create something both functional and on-brand
Despite that, I built a site that felt dynamic, clean, and usable — with clear navigation, live community content, and a story-first structure.
National Feedback from Groundwork USA
“First impression: it’s gorgeous. Very functional, sleek, and modern, while still feeling like it fits the Groundwork aesthetic.”
– Groundwork USA
Other notes were minor: font tweaks, placeholder blurbs, and future financial pages. But overall, the national team praised the clarity, visual impact, and UX — and the site is now being used as a reference by other local chapters.
Deliverables
- Content & document audit
- Messaging and copywriting overhaul
- Brand structure and voice guide
- Groundwork USA brand alignment
- Site design (Wix Studio, fully custom)
- SEO strategy and implementation
- Social channel setup and cleanup
- System fixes (DNS, accessibility, link hygiene)
Outcome
- Site relaunched with full support from national org
- SEO-optimized content and structure for future grants
- Clear storytelling finally in place to reflect their real community impact
- Platform stabilized, organized, and future-proofed — within the limitations
- Groundwork Mobile County now has the tools, tone, and structure to grow
Reflection
This was one of those projects where the biggest value wasn’t what I designed — it’s what I clarified.
I didn’t just make a site. I untangled five years of digital confusion and restructured it into a usable, fundable platform. The work wasn’t flashy — but it was foundational.
