From Canva to cornerstone collateral
Youth With Faces’ first professionally designed impact report became a polished, versatile piece that could support fundraising, partnerships, and outreach all year long.
CLIENT: Youth With Faces
How it started
They say that camp friends are forever friends, but when Libby met Michelle Jones, Vice President of Engagement at Youth With Faces, at Lucky Star Art Camp in 2024 she had no idea their friendship would also become a professional relationship. They took a few classes together and quickly realized their work overlapped — Michelle’s rooted in youth justice and engagement, Libby’s in helping mission-driven organizations clearly communicate their impact.
After returning home, Michelle shared that Youth With Faces was looking for design support. Having previously designed their 2023 impact report in Canva, she wanted something that reflected the organization’s level of professionalism and clarity and could be used throughout the year.
“I had the most enjoyable experience working with Ventura Graphic Design on our impact report. Libby is incredibly organized and responsive. I especially appreciated her thoughtful suggestions when we needed creative solutions to fit content into limited space.”
Michelle Jones, Vice President of Engagement
Project goal
Youth With Faces wanted an impact report that could do more than summarize a year of work. They required a professional, versatile piece that clearly communicated their impact — one that could live far beyond a single moment and be used across fundraising, partnerships, events, and grant applications.
This was their first time working with an external designer on an impact report, and the goal was to elevate both the look and the usefulness of the document while staying true to their mission.
The challenge
One report, many jobs
The impact report needed to work for donors, partners, grantmakers, and event attendees — without losing clarity or focus.
Designed for print and real life
It had to function as a printed booklet and as flexible digital collateral used throughout the year.
Making complexity easy to grasp
Dense information needed to be communicated quickly, visually, and in a way people would actually read.
Telling the story without showing faces
Protecting youth privacy limited how photography could be used, requiring thoughtful cropping and creative visual solutions.
“Libby’s project management process stood out, making the experience smooth and efficient from start to finish. The client portal and Adobe project management tools were easy to navigate, which was a huge help given my busy schedule.”
Michelle Jones, Vice President of Engagement
The process
Starting with structure, not blank pages
Because the copy wasn’t written yet, VGD provided a Google Doc outline and writing guide to help the team shape content and clarify what the report needed to accomplish.
Making content collection easier
That early structure gave the team a clear starting point and helped streamline content gathering — especially valuable for a small nonprofit juggling competing priorities.
Designing within real-world constraints
Using a mix of black-and-white and color images — focused on staff, volunteers, and environments — kept the report engaging and visually dynamic, while protecting the anonymity of the youth they serve.
Extending
the brand thoughtfully
We refined and built on the existing brand, including creating a high-resolution logo with the tagline incorporated for consistent use across materials.
A format built to be reused
The final result was a 12-page, booklet-style impact report designed to work equally well in print and across digital touchpoints.
Balancing energy with readability
While we explored expressive typography to reflect the organization’s personality, legibility came first — leading to the use of brush strokes and swashes that added movement without compromising clarity.
Outcomes and impact
For Youth With Faces, investing in professional design paid off through versatility and longevity. The finished report has quickly become a go-to piece, clearly and succinctly illustrating their impact while feeling energetic, polished, and on brand. At one event, several attendees picked up copies from the check-in table and took them home — exactly the kind of engagement the team had hoped for. They plan to produce another impact report in 2026.
For VGD, the project reinforced something we see again and again: when nonprofits are given the right structure, support, and design partnership, their work becomes easier to share — and much harder to ignore. Winner of a 2025 GDUSA American Graphic Design Award.
“The entire process felt streamlined and well-managed — just what I needed. I’m grateful for Libby’s professionalism and creative eye, and I look forward to working with her again!”
Michelle Jones, Vice President of Engagement