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Chris and Lorraine (Sheehan) Wilson have long believed that if you can help others, you should. In 2012, when they realized they would have the opportunity to help others in more material ways, they established a family philanthropy, the Wilson Sheehan Foundation. From the start, Chris and Lorraine’s shared goal was to “give responsibly,” and under the expert stewardship of Lorraine’s sister, Maureen, they have done just that, supporting numerous cherished causes.
Yet the family was increasingly seeing an opportunity to translate what they had learned through ten years of giving into a clearer articulation of what the Foundation supports and why.
Mighty Good initiated the engagement with a series of intimate, at-home retreats with Chris, Lorraine, Maureen and the Foundation’s project officer, Andrea (also a family member). A deeply thoughtful group, the team worked to align around the Foundation’s purpose, focus areas, investment criteria and more. Mighty Good led the team through exercises ranging from the strategic (prioritizing investment areas) to the tactical (honing grant-giving criteria) to the creative (translating Chris and Lorraine’s defining character traits into brand values) and to the deeply personal (asking family members to imagine a speech Chris and Lorraine’s newly-born first grandchild might give decades in the future, honoring his family’s philanthropic legacy.)
Mighty Good then synthesized insights from these sessions with findings from interviews conducted with grantee organization leaders, where Mighty Good explored topics ranging from unrestricted giving to evidence of impact. What ultimately emerged was a fresh roadmap for the near term, articulating vision/mission, giving strategy, growth goals, and more.
From there, the task was how best to express, to the outside world, the team’s renewed clarity about its aspirations. What stood out from the many conversations, laughs, and even a few inspired tears was the family’s deep and abiding respect for others. This sparked the central idea for the brand: the Foundation’s purpose is ultimately to unlock the innate power in visionary grantee leaders, and all the people they serve.
In developing the new design system, Mighty Good created a friendly look to instantly convey the Foundation’s approachable and optimistic personality. Characterized by bold colors, an affable logo, clear type-treatments, and imagery depicting lives full of promise, the Foundation’s new design welcomes partners to join their team in believing in the power of people. In addition, Mighty Good guided the development of a fresh new website, where the Foundation’s authentic identity greets grantees, partners, and peer investors.
“Imagine the most joyful, empathetic friend, who has an uncanny ability to lead you to meaningful conversations teasing out deep-seated truths, who also happens to be a creative genius with words and with design – that is what you get with the Mighty Good team.”
– Chris and Lorraine Wilson