Project Overview
A brief introduction about our client
PILR Training is a rising social enterprise that aims to empower athletic coaches and student-athletes to become change agents in promoting mental and physical well-being within the community. Achieving this goal involves fundraising and gaining support from local leaders and potential investors.
Our project goal is to help PILR
Revitalize the PILR website to captivate potential investors and attract future coaches by delivering clear, comprehensive, and engaging content. This project aims to elevate PILR's online presence, effectively showcasing its mission, services, and membership to inspire support and growth.
Project Scope
Client : PILR Training
Organization : Tech Fleet
Project Duration : August 2024 - October 2024 (11 weeks)
Team : 2 UX Researcher Leads & 4 UX Researchers
My Role : UX Researcher
Tools : Figma, FigJam, Google Suites & Notion
Responsibilities:
Collaborated with UX research leads and fellow UX researchers to brainstorm and develop interview scripts to understand donors' needs, behaviors, and challenges.
Actively contributed to research sessions, validating team ideas and ensuring alignment with project goals.
Conducted in-depth interviews with grant givers to gain firsthand insights into their motivations and decision-making processes.
Performed secondary research on foundation websites to gather contextual information and identify industry trends.
Analyzed interview notes using debrief documents and synthesized key findings from the experience map to generate actionable insights, guiding the creation of personas and the value proposition canvas.
Research Objective
Understand what motivates donors to support organizations like PILR.
Identify key factors that influence donation decisions.
Explore donor expectations for a non-profit website and what information they find most compelling.
Validate content, structure, and design concepts for the new website.
Ensure the website effectively communicates PILR’s mission and vision to a diverse audience.
Research Methodology
Exploratory Research
In-Depth Interview with Donors
As a part of the UX Research team, we initially started with a brainstorming session in collaboration with the UX Design team to share ideas and come up with the best possible interview questions for donors.
Outcome:
5 open-ended interview questions with follow-ups
Conducted 1 of the 5 interviews with potential investors and donors with experience in social initiatives
Research Interview Questions:
Can you walk us through your typical process for evaluating organizations to invest in, from discovery to how you decide which opportunities to pursue?
a. Where do you look for potential social causes to invest/donate to?
What factors do you consider when deciding on a one-time donation towards a social initiative?
a. What factors do you consider when it’s a long-term investment?
Can you describe the types of information or resources that give you confidence in making an investment decision, especially when dealing with organizations that are still in the early phases of development?
a. What sources do you find the most reliable in learning about an organization? (i.e. initiative’s website, founder vision/roadmap, proof of concept/impact, etc)
Tell us about an existing or past social enterprise you’ve invested/donated to.
a. What facilitates your evaluation of investments in general?
b. What adds friction to your evaluation of investments in general?
Are there any other people, organizations, investors, etc who you think we should reach out to/ would be interested in this project?
Challenges and Insights:
Target Audience Misalignment: During the initial round of interviews, there was a misalignment of the interests of potential investors and donors. This misalignment hindered the effectiveness of the interviews and made it difficult to gain meaningful insights into how investors make investment decisions.
In response to these challenges, we focused on "PILR-minded" investors and donors to achieve more productive discussions and relevant feedback.
Information Gaps: Additional research into foundations and philanthropic organizations was conducted to bridge information gaps and deepen understanding of funding opportunities.
Secondary Research
Additional Research on Foundations:
We conducted additional research on foundations to understand their grant-providing processes, focusing on key areas such as funding priorities, application requirements, monetary values of grants, and past recipients. We also explored their guidelines for funding, reporting expectations, partnership opportunities, and the frequency of grant cycles.
Key Insights:
Foundations
focus on underrepresented and at-risk communities
prioritize eligibility criteria and comprehensive application requirements
prioritize funding based on regional and demographic focus
encourage collaboration and partnerships
look for proposals that demonstrate long-term impact and sustainability
Additional Research on Philanthropy Trends:
We conducted secondary research on philanthropy trends for PILR to gain a deeper understanding of the funding landscape. As an early-stage social enterprise, PILR may stay informed about current philanthropic trends and funding strategies to secure support from diverse sources. This knowledge will help us align our efforts with the evolving expectations of funders, enabling us to achieve our mission of empowering under-resourced athletes and driving systemic change through sports.
Key Insights:
Projected Growth: Charitable giving is expected to rise in 2024 and 2025, with individual donations continuing to be the largest funding source, despite lagging growth.
Fundraising Strategies: Mixed findings on diversification vs. concentration, but a clear trend toward diversified fundraising strategies.
Shifting Donor Demographics:
Baby Boomers contribute over 40% of donations and prefer traditional methods like direct mail and checks.
Gen X is the fastest-growing donor group.
Millennials and Gen Z favor cause-driven giving through crowdfunding, peer-to-peer fundraising, and social media, currently contributing 11% but with growing influence.
Donor-Advised Funds (DAFs) are gaining popularity.
Funding Process Experience Map
Key Findings:
Relationship Building is Key: Building strong, trust-based relationships between the organization and its donors is critical.
Mission Alignment is Crucial: For organizations, especially in the non-profit or social impact sectors, all activities, partnerships, and decisions align with the core mission.
Focus on Long-Term, Systemic Impact: Rather than focusing on quick wins or short-term goals, grant givers prioritize projects that lead to lasting solutions and systemic shifts.
Less Bureaucratic Process, More Flexibility: Grant Givers are more flexible and respond better to changing needs, emerging challenges, or new opportunities.
Less Formal, Relationship-Driven: They value personal relationships, open communication, and trust over formal protocols fostering collaboration, quicker decision-making, and innovation.
Personas
Grant Givers of Foundations - Sarah
Bio
30s-40s
Foundation Director
North West Region of the US
Ensuring the foundation’s grant-making aligns with its mission
Focus areas are health, education, social justice, and the environment
Goals
Fund innovative solutions for long-term systemic changes
Fund projects demonstrating financial sustainability and long-term impact
Fund projects that address urgent issues and provide critical support during crises
Fund organizations with strong financial strategies for long-term stability and growth
Motivations
Support projects uplifting underrepresented groups and fostering inclusivity.
Respond to urgent issues like natural disasters or public health crises with timely funding
Build sustainable, resilient organizations with long-term impact
Needs & Expectations
Align closely with the foundation's mission and focus areas
Provide detailed budgets, financial reports, and a clear grant allocation breakdown and periodic updates
Communicate challenges and provide timely reports on project development
Highlight partnerships or plans for community collaboration to address systemic issues
Pain points & Frustrations
Lack of compliance with regulations (e.g., 501(c) (3) status, diversity policies, safety protocols) creates frustration
Unclear about expected outcomes or success measures leads to uncertainty about project impact
Missing key documents (e.g., budget breakdowns, impact metrics) or lacking clarity, hinders accurate project evaluation
Limited experience or weak track record raises concerns about leadership and execution capabilities
Takeaways
Prioritize projects that address underrepresented groups and at-risk communities, especially racial injustice and inequity in areas like education, healthcare, and social justice
They value initiatives that foster collaboration between organizations, maximizing the effectiveness of projects and efficient use of resources.
They expect clear, detailed proposals outlining goals, strategies, impact metrics, and financial sustainability.
Grant Givers of Organizations - Sofia
Bio
30s-40s
Strategy Partner of Grant program
Philadelphia region of the US
Passionate about empowering marginalized communities
Goals
Provide grants that align with specific, focused objectives and aligns with their values and vision
Encourage projects or initiatives within particular regions
Provide ongoing support to long-standing organizations with sustained impact
Offer grants to organizations facing unexpected challenges or crises
Support organization with a proven track record and existing relationships
Motivations
A strong connection to the local community motivates investment in improving quality of life
Motivation to build sustainable, resilient organizations with the capability for long-term impact
Grant givers seek to create lasting impact through financial contributions that promote positive community change
A desire to give back to society and support under-resourced communities
Needs and Expectations
A clear and compelling mission, vision, and actionable plan from organizations
Alignment between the organization's goals and the grant giver's area of interest
Building relationships through direct conversations, insights, or recommendations (e.g., word of mouth)
Evidence of community engagement, and partnerships with grantee organizations within the community.
A well-structured plan demonstrating clear timelines, milestones, and innovative ideas.
The organization’s ability to adapt to challenges while staying true to its principles, values, and goals.
Pain points and Frustrations
Lack of responsiveness from organizations or excessive, unnecessary information
Grant projects benefiting one community while potentially harming another
Uncertainty about how the funds will be used or how well the grantees will communicate and report progress.
Lack of well-defined goals, timelines, or budgets, leading to uncertainty about the feasibility or effectiveness of the project
Takeaways
Often rely on relationships and trust-building with organizations
They prioritize funds for projects that address racial injustice, systemic barriers, or specific community needs.
They expect clarity of mission, adaptability, and long-term vision from grantees.
Value Proposition Canva
Customer Jobs: What are investor's & donor's task
Their main task includes evaluating
social impact projects
assessing financial sustainability
building trust in leadership and project outcomes
Gains: What do investors and donors want to achieve?
Investors and donors seek
social impact
alignment with their values
maximized returns with minimal risk
enhanced reputation through credible partnerships.
Pains: What risks & obstacles do investors and donors face?
Key obstacles include
difficulty in finding the right organizations,
establishing trust due to limited transparency
concerns over legal and financial risks.
Gain Creators: How does PILR's product or service offer value to investors & donors?
Focus on cultural, structural, and incremental changes
Offer transparency and recognition
Foster networking and partnership opportunities
Pain Relievers: How does PILR's product/service alleviate investor & donor pains?
Roadmaps, financial reports, and impact metrics that address the need for transparency and trust.
The organization’s focus on sustainability and adaptability by providing testimonials and success stories
Product & Services:
Web Platform
Training & workshops for athletes and coaches
Localized membership network
Learnings & Next Steps
The PILR Training UX research project yielded valuable insights despite facing some notable challenges:
Challenges Encountered
Limited access to donors and investors for user interviews
Process setbacks that required timeline adjustments
Project Achievements
Successfully uncovered actionable findings about donor and investor expectations
Developed concrete recommendations to inform PILR's website redesign strategy.
Next Phase Research Goals
Donor Research Expansion
Conduct additional interviews with grant providers
Deepen understanding of donor expectations for early-stage startup support.
Volunteer Experience Analysis
Interview coaches to gather comprehensive insights
Document key factors affecting volunteer engagement and retention
Usability Testings Integration
Incorporate usability testing in the next phase to validate design decisions.
Ensure the redesigned website meets user needs effectively through iterative feedback.
This research has established a strong foundation for improving PILR's user experience while highlighting clear directions for future study.
Get in touch at
LinkedIn | ramsrk2@gmail.com