The Brand and Challenge
The National Japanese American Historical Society (NJAHS) is a nonprofit organization that collects, preserves, and educates the public on the Japanese American experience. NJAHS’s vision is to assist in our learning from the past as a catalyst to improve our future.
The previous NJAHS website was extremely limiting in allowing staff to make changes and updates and it has a less-than-ideal process for online donations and membership. Verve’s experience in nonprofit web design and curriculum promotion made us a good fit for the project.
What We Did
One of the biggest improvements with the new website design is the reorganization of content and intuitive navigation that allows visitors to find what they need. The site is built in WordPress allowing staff and volunteers to easily add and update the organization’s ongoing series of programs and exhibits. In addition to addressing the more functional issues on the site, Verve also created a brand new look to present the organization in a more modern light. “Even though their work is focused on history, we wanted to present the organization itself as modern,” says Creative Director Seth Guge. Various textures of Japanese rice paper subtly allude to the Japanese culture throughout the site.
The robust site launched with over 100 pages of content. Key aspects include –
Online membership application and payment
Calendar of Events with color-coded by events, exhibits, and public programs
Online donations
Archive of research used by students and others interested Japanese American history
Additional sites
Beyond the organizational site, NJAHS has had design and develop numerous sites related to various educational initiatives including the online presentation of the traveling Enemy Alien Files Exhibit.
“We strongly recommend Verve Marketing Group to any educational or nonprofit group because they will understand your values and general goals and help you operationalize them to be more effective for your general audience.”
Rosalyn Tonai
Executive Director, National Japanese American Historical Society
