Mary Pickford Foundation Sponsored Project
Mary Pickford Arts Alliance
Bringing Together Art, Community, and Legacy
MPAA supports local artists and nonprofit arts organizations while fostering intergenerational creativity in Los Angeles. This project reimagines their digital presence—creating a welcoming, dynamic platform rooted in community care and artistic expression.
In partnership with DesignMatters, I developed a digital tool to help LA art nonprofits collaborate and use art for mental health support. This initiative fosters project collaboration, funding access, and therapeutic art programs, building a network for lasting impact.
During the 14-week sponsored studio, I led UX research, synthesized findings, and developed the website’s structural concept. Additionally, I designed prototype mockups to showcase projects and attract potential donors.
"HMW design a collaborative platform that enhances event visibility, addresses isolation and access challenges, and serves as an effective digital hub for LA's arts nonprofits?"
To help non-profits collaborate more effectively within their local ecosystem by streamlining communication, sharing resources and ideas, and empowering them to tell their stories in a way that resonates with the public.
MPAA envisions a vibrant network of art nonprofits collaborating to harness the transformative power of art for social change.
Feature 01
Public showcase for collaborative projects to encourage donations
“Showcasing successful projects and collective programs and projects can increase visibility and exposure to find donors.”
"Transparency reporting boosts confidence between donors and foundations.”
Feature 02
AI-Powered collaboration proposal
"We don’t collaborate often or at all. How do we do more things with them? "
"If there were a platform to help small non-profits work through an intermediary to access larger state or federal funds."
Feature 03
“How can we share the resources? We need to find available spaces within the community and explore partnerships.”
Non-profit resource-sharing place
Design Journey
01 Define
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Design Matters
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Discover Problems
02 Research
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Mission Statement
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Lo-Fi Wireframe
03 Prototype
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Key Features
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Iterations
04 Present
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Polish
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Live Demo
Insight Synthesis
Research and Interviews with 3 stakeholders from Mary Pickfords Foundation and 6 LA Arts Nonprofits
Nonprofits recognize the benefits of collaboration but often operate in isolation due to several challenges:
Funding Constraints
Collaborations are frequently shaped by funding requirements, which may not align with strategic partnership goals.
Limited Resources
With constrained staff and budgets, organizations prioritize direct services over building collaborative relationships.
Divergent Missions
Ideation
Leveraging AI tools to match non-profits based on activities, location, and goals, enabling them to find ideal partners for growth, secure federal donations, build long-term relationships while overcoming the challenges of unstable partnerships.
Information Architecture
Our system comprises two main components:
Public Interface (Pre-Login)
This section showcases successful collaboration projects, aiming to attract potential donors and nonprofit organizations interested in joining our network.
Member Portal (Post-Login/Registration)
Collaborations are frequently shaped by funding requirements, which may not align with strategic partnership goals.
Design Iteration
01 Main Page
Be more narrative, introduce the purpose, highlight the journey, call to action with a vision.
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02 AI-Powered Collaboration Proposal
Establish the hierarchy on the layout.
03 Finding Resource & AI Assistance Tool
Be more concise and clear on information.
What I Learned
This project helped me translate abstract values—like care, legacy, and empowerment—into a concrete user experience. I learned how subtle design decisions (like pacing, color, or image hierarchy) can create emotional resonance for users.