Bit of Faith Ranch: A place to find belonging
Bit of Faith Ranch is a special sanctuary hidden in northeast Florida, Palm Valley to be more specific, where individuals and families impacted by autism and related disabilities can find community, belonging and relationships.
Table of Contents in this blog:
What is Bit of Faith Ranch?
Brand Development
Website Design
Results
About the Organization
Bit of Faith offers adaptive horseback riding lessons, equine-assisted activities, recreational and social outings, as well as rest opportunities for parents and caregivers.
Their unique mission and vision was birthed from personal experience in the founder's own life. Tammy Romanczuk is an incredible woman, leader, mother and member of the community. She has been riding and caring for horses her entire life, and also has a son who is impacted by non-verbal autism.
After a few years gaining the skills to offer adaptive riding, she began having riding sessions at the ranch. The riders have blossomed as they learned to ride and enjoy a special connection with horses. During the sessions, the parents and caregivers stayed and watched, but it was apparent that they enjoyed the much needed break. They decided to add social and recreational outing for the individuals they serve and their families.
The community that is blossoming out of this Ranch is truly beautiful and empowering!
Brand Development
So, where does Wild Ellis come in? We played a small role in their growth this past year through brand consulting and building a new website for the local nonprofit.
The founder & board president have both known Grace P for the majority of her life, which helped when we sat down together to have trust and rapport. We began by simply meeting up to discuss their current goals and opportunities for growth.
"I tried to take a sustainable, long-term growth approach to the conversation when we sat down to discuss the current state of the brand. They needed an identity that would not only invite families into the community, but also appeal to donors and potential partners.
I was also honored and excited to be working with two women I grew up looking up to, and tried my hardest to do a stellar job for them." - Grace P.
In our consulting sessions, we re-evaluated & discussed quite a few things with their long term and short term goals in mind for the organization.
Including:
Mission and Vision Statements
Brand Values
Critical Action Statements
Brand / Organizational Culture
Partnership Opportunities
Audience/Market Segments
Board Growth Strategies
Internal Systems
With a small team and a small board, it was important to prioritize efficiency and strategy in every area. We helped them identify areas of opportunity and boosted their confidence with clearer messaging.
Once the brand identity became clear, and their target audience was identified, we could take action steps on the visual elements like brand photography and the new website.
Website Design
The brand strategy work is absolutely crucial to a successful and streamlined website design process. Bit of Faith already had a great logo and color palette that we didn't want to change. But, we took their new goals & website layout into consideration when planning the brand photoshoot with CRM Photo.
All of the specifics we discussed in our consulting sessions (bulleted list above) are what we used to add copy and build out the website. We also made sure to choose a platform that would integrate with their other systems, like SignUpGenius and Bloomerang. It was super important that they could easily connect all of their systems together.
We also wanted to make sure that the website would be something they felt comfortable logging into and managing - on some level - for sustainability's sake. Our team will be available to them whenever they need it for updates or edits, but we empower our clients to have a working knowledge of their own stuff!
Since launching the new website, Bit of Faith Ranch has welcomed 3 new board members (one of their primary goals at the outset) and have had over 10 individuals sign up to be a part of the adaptive riding program. #growth
We get so stoked when our clients start reaching their goals, and get to set new, bigger ones!
Nonprofits will always have a special spot with Wild Ellis. Grace is super passionate about giving back and making a lasting impact. We partner with Okoa Refuge on a monthly basis as a company, and our whole team is actively involved in giving back in our own ways.
If you, or someone you know, is involved with a nonprofit organization that needs some support, please reach out. You can nominate them to be a beneficiary of our Wild Generosity program here.
Wild Ellis offers highly customized social media marketing and brand consulting for female-owned small businesses. To learn more about our services, click here!