With Early Giving underway, my feed is suddenly flooded with fantastic fundraising campaigns and eye-catching graphics – many of which were created by Nan Hildebrandt, the graphic designer behind this year’s Give to the Max Day designs. As a creative marketing and design specialist with a full-time position in museum exhibit design, Nan also supports a handful of non-profit contract clients, and we've loved collaborating with her on GTMD designs every year since 2017. I chatted with Nan over email to learn more about her work, how organizations can use her versatile designs, and how she’s celebrating GTMD24:
GiveMN: How did you get involved with nonprofits and Give to the Max Day?
Nan Hildebrandt: I’ve volunteered with nonprofits for over a decade. I first learned about Give to the Max Day when I was on the board of directors for an animal rescue, and I threw myself into using it as a resource for much-needed fundraising. So, when Jake [the Executive Director of GiveMN], who I knew from a previous working relationship, reached out and asked if I wanted to help them create a campaign theme and tools for Give to the Max Day, I jumped at the chance. I knew how much this program helped my nonprofit and wanted to be a part of helping others utilize it to maximize giving.
GM: What did the creative process behind designing this year’s GTMD graphics look like?
NH: The GiveMN team developed the messaging “Give for Good,” which honors how nonprofits make a positive difference in our communities every day and how donors make that happen by giving for good in communities across our beautiful states. The message feels very personal and driven by individuals working together, so I based the [visual] theme on a set of “characters” that represent the people and diversity of Minnesota and the backgrounds are abstract scenes of Minnesota woods, farms, lakes, and cities. I hope the whole thing resonates with nonprofits and donors alike and helps spread a little of that “Give for Good” feeling.
GM: How can organizations use these graphics to amplify their missions during Early Giving season and on GTMD?
NH: Take advantage of all the graphics and tools GiveMN has to offer to make your fundraising effective. Managing a full-day fundraising campaign is a lot of work and can feel daunting – what GiveMN is offering by use of these tools is so helpful! The buzz around the day itself is electric, and using familiar-themed visuals will help you be a part of that! And don’t be afraid to customize the graphics a little to fit your unique mission and message.
GM: How are you celebrating GTMD this year?
NH: I love watching social media blow up with the visuals I’ve created on GTMD and seeing nonprofits and schools use creative ways to tell their story. And, I’m still involved in animal rescue and welfare, so I’ll be donating to the The Rescue Crew, as well as Open Arms of Minnesota, another nonprofit I’ve had the pleasure of working with for many years.
To follow in Nan’s footsteps and make your own donation to an organization or cause close to your heart, visit GiveMN.org!
To access the full suite of Nan’s Give for Good graphics, check out: https://www.givemn.org/gtmd/visuals.
To keep up with Nan, check out her LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nanhildebrandt/.