Communicating an expansive vision for solving global poverty.

Problem
FINCA has been a pioneer in the microfinance space for more than 30 years. In recent years, especially in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, FINCA’s portfolio expanded into the social enterprise space. Its longtime donors, however, were not familiar with this new, expansive portfolio. FINCA engaged us to draft a new messaging platform articulating its refined approach to solving global poverty.

Solution
In order to understand where FINCA is headed, we needed to speak directly with the staff, donors and board members who have witnessed its evolution. We uncovered a common struggle – difficulty messaging what FINCA does to solve poverty because of its multifaceted investment approach. We conducted a competitor analysis and dug deep into FINCA’s existing marketing assets to determine where best to refine its messaging.

In close collaboration with the Development and Marketing teams, we crafted a new brand statement – the future-looking vision, mission and unique value proposition of FINCA. And we created a compelling presentation for frontline fundraisers to use with prospective donors.

Ongoing Collaboration
Today, we continue to work side-by-side with FINCA’s Marketing and Development teams on several storytelling and design projects. These efforts are part of a larger effort to tell a more comprehensive and emotive story of FINCA’s mission and to reach new audiences with its work.

How a K-8 school empowers kids to choose their next path.

Founded in the 1950s, Sheridan is an independent, K-8 school in Washington. Sheridan’s philosophy is that the building blocks of lifelong learning are established in the elementary and middle school years. The school’s K-8 environment allows students to engage in age-appropriate activities, without being exposed to the very different social and academic pressures of high school students. In this model, Sheridan believes that children are free to stay “younger” a bit longer.

But too many prospective parents are unfamiliar with the research-proven benefits of the K-8 model. It’s also true that many parents are reluctant to undergo the private school application process a second time, in the search for an appropriate high school.

Sheridan wanted to address these concerns head on with a compelling video. We reviewed existing research about the impact of the K-8 model and conducted a competitive analysis of DC-area independent schools to understand how Sheridan’s “competitors” talk about the middle school years. Finally, we interviewed Sheridan’s leadership team and 8th grade teachers to understand the preparation Sheridan 8th graders undergo to ready themselves for choosing a good fit high school.

As a result of this extensive research, we were able to produce an emotionally driven, but evidence-based film. We demonstrated that by eighth grade, a child’s strengths, learning styles and interests are clearly understood, making it easier to determine the best “match” for high school.