Cuso International, a global leader in advancing inclusive development through volunteerism, partnered with Design Centered Co. to elevate the clarity, cohesion, and emotional impact of its community engagement and fundraising communications. The collaboration focused on developing compelling marketing collateral and refining the organization’s brand guidelines to better reflect its evolving mission and global reach.
Background and Context
With a legacy of over 60 years of fostering sustainable development and social justice, Cuso International continues to engage diverse audiences—from grassroots supporters to corporate partners. As part of its commitment to strengthening its community outreach and donor engagement, the organization sought to refresh its visual storytelling and harmonize its communications across print and digital platforms. Design Centered Co. was engaged to help realize this vision.
Our mandate included producing strategic marketing materials for a variety of initiatives, including a spotlight report on Cuso Club Night, a community event in partnership with Mountain Equipment Co-op (MEC), as well as a suite of print and banner advertisements. Additionally, Design Centered Co. was tasked with updating Cuso’s branding guidebook to ensure consistency and accessibility across departments and partners.
” Design Centered Co. delivered high-quality marketing materials that clearly communicated the purpose and impact of our initiatives. They helped us refresh our branding guidebook, making it more practical and easier for teams across the organization to use. “
— Meghan Maack, Manager, Cuso International
Challenges
Cuso International’s existing visual materials—while informative—lacked the emotional resonance and cohesive design language needed to drive deeper engagement. The organization also faced the challenge of maintaining brand integrity across multiple formats and campaigns, all while engaging a broad range of stakeholders including donors, volunteers, and community partners.
The branding guidebook, while comprehensive, required an evolution to reflect emerging priorities, accessibility standards, and the nuanced storytelling required in today’s nonprofit communications landscape.
Solutions
Design Centered Co. approached the project with a user-centered, insight-driven process. We began by immersing ourselves in Cuso’s mission, audience personas, and existing brand assets to identify opportunities for amplification and alignment.
- Collateral Development: We crafted dynamic, story-driven reports and marketing materials that brought Cuso’s community initiatives to life. For Cuso Club Night, we designed a print-ready report that combined compelling visuals with authentic narratives to highlight the partnership with MEC and its community impact.
- Advertising Materials: Our team developed print and banner ads that captured attention while staying true to Cuso’s voice—balancing urgency with hope, and data with human stories.
- Brand Evolution: We modernized the branding guidebook to introduce clearer visual hierarchies, refined color palettes, and updated typography guidelines—all designed to ensure cross-platform consistency while enhancing accessibility.
Name, Role
Benefits and Outcomes
The partnership resulted in a refreshed suite of communications that resonated with Cuso’s diverse audiences. With improved visual storytelling and a stronger brand framework, the organization was better equipped to engage supporters, increase visibility, and mobilize action.
The updated branding guidebook became a cornerstone reference for internal teams and external collaborators, streamlining creative workflows and reinforcing brand cohesion across all touchpoints.
” Their work on reports and print collateral, including materials for our partnership event with MEC, significantly improved the consistency and professionalism of our outreach.”
— Meghan Maack, Manager, Cuso International
