AFEW

Overview

AFEW is a nonprofit platform designed to help provide educational support for students with limited financial resources. The platform connects donors, scholars, and organization administrators in one place, making it easier to share causes, manage fundraising efforts, and support students’ access to education.

Users can browse upcoming fundraising events, learn about each cause, and make contributions directly through the platform. Administrators can manage events, monitor donations, and organize scholarship-related information through a centralized system.

Role

Product Designer – User Research, Visual Design, Interaction and Prototype

Tool Kit

Figma, Adobe Illustrator and Adobe Photoshop

The Problem

Nonprofit organizations often rely on separate channels to promote fundraising events, collect donations, and manage scholarship information. This can make it difficult for potential donors to understand where their contributions go or find a convenient way to support a cause.

For administrators, managing event details, donor participation, and scholarship-related information across different tools can become time-consuming and difficult to track. Without a clear and centralized platform, opportunities for support may be missed and the donation process can feel less accessible for users.

The Solution

The solution was to design a centralized platform where users can discover fundraising events, understand the causes they support, and contribute directly through the app.

The platform gives AFEW a clear way to showcase upcoming events and scholarship initiatives while making the donation journey simple and trustworthy. It also provides administrators with an organized system for managing events, fundraising activities, and supporter information.

The Process

Components

Designing the Experience

Starting with Structure

I began by organizing the main user journeys around discovering a cause, viewing event details, and making a donation. Early layouts helped define the information hierarchy and made sure important actions were easy to access.

Designing Around Giving

The interface was designed to make supporting a cause feel clear and straightforward. Event pages highlight the purpose of each fundraiser, relevant details, and a direct contribution option so users can take action without unnecessary steps.

Making Events Easy to Discover

Fundraising events were presented through clear, visual cards that allow users to quickly view the event name, date, purpose, and donation options. This helps users find causes they want to support and stay informed about upcoming activities.

Creating a Clear Donation Flow

The donation flow was designed to reduce friction by guiding users through selecting an amount, reviewing their contribution, and completing their donation. Clear calls to action and simple form layouts help make the process feel secure and approachable.

Designing with Components

Reusable components helped keep the interface consistent across event listings, cause pages, donation forms, and account screens. This also made the design more efficient to expand as new fundraising initiatives are introduced.

Prototyping Key Flows

I created interactive flows to demonstrate how users can browse an event, learn more about its cause, and send a donation through the platform. This helped validate the clarity of the navigation and the overall giving experience.

Refining for Clarity and Trust

The final interface focused on readability, clear messaging, and transparent donation actions. These details help users feel more confident when supporting a cause and make the platform easier for AFEW to manage.

Key Takeaways

1. Clear storytelling encourages support

Presenting the purpose behind each event and fundraiser clearly helps users understand the impact of their contribution and encourages them to take action.

2. A simple donation flow reduces barriers

Keeping the contribution process short, guided, and easy to understand makes it more likely for users to complete their donation.

3. Trust is essential in fundraising platforms

Clear event details, transparent calls to action, and a structured donation journey help create confidence for users who are supporting a cause.

4. Centralized event management improves efficiency

Bringing event details, fundraising activities, and donor interactions into one platform makes it easier for administrators to manage initiatives and keep information organized.

5. Consistent design supports accessibility

Using familiar components and clear visual hierarchy makes the platform easier to navigate for a wide range of users, including first-time donors.