Founded in 1920, The New York Community Trust has been a pioneer, innovator, and leader in philanthropic giving for over 100 years. Known for its enduring legacy, commitment to equity initiatives, and leadership in times of crisis, “The Trust” is truly a New York Institution. In 2023—approaching the centennial of their first gift & grant—The Trust saw an opportunity to breathe new life into their visual identity, and bring all three of their offices: New York, Long Island, and Westchester under one name.
Drawing directly from a refreshed verbal identity created by James Wu, the design team rooted its creative direction in the idea of a through-line—a thread of continuity, strength, resilience, and impact connecting New Yorkers of the past to New Yorkers of future. The through-line symbolizes the Trust’s enduring commitment to the region and its people—and the power and legacy of its grant-making and stewardship. The line works to visually represent the Trust’s pledge of “For New York. Forever.”
Building on the creative direction established by the team, I sought to infuse the design system and execution of the through-line with energy and dynamism.
Taking inspiration from the aesthetic quality of the new logo—a compound mark featuring custom script drawn by Phaedra Charles—I established a lively and energetic line style for the drawn instances of the “through-line”—hoping to evoke the speed and vibrancy of life in New York.
To supplement the primary logo, I created a vertical lockup as well as a "seal" to maximize the versatility of brand applications.
In addition to uniting the regional offices under one logo—I standardized the visual treatment for The Trust’s many sub-branded ventures. Leveraging “The Trust” portion of the organization’s name (a common shorthand) to represent the parent brand — I established clear rules for how to style the names of both internal programs, and external donor-advised funds.
Leaning into the conceptual continuity of the through-line, I designed a full suite of icons for use on the Trust's website and myGrants portal.
