Sherwood Trust

 

Creative Brief

September 12, 2025


Summary

The Sherwood Trust works to create a community where everyone in the Walla Walla Valley belongs, contributes, and thrives. As a catalyst and partner, we multiply the impact of local nonprofits and community leaders by providing funding, capacity, and connections that turn good ideas into sustainable results.

Participants

Sherwood Trust: Toni Alvarado-Jackson, Paul Schneidmiller, and Brian Hunt
Creative Director: David Mumm

Overview

What would you like us to do for you?

  • Establish a professional, approachable, future-ready brand presence.

  • Tell the story beyond grants: highlight community impact and grantee successes, while honoring the founders’ legacy through the accomplishments of today.

  • Strengthen accessibility, warmth, and transparency; make it clear we’re here for you.

  • Build an efficient communications system so limited staff time stays in the community, not in production.

  • Deliver brand assets and a website that can expand to support future directions.

Definition of success

  • Greater community awareness and accurate understanding of our role; increased grantee storytelling.

Projects include

Phase One:

  • Logo and Brand System that’s simple, legible, and durable long-term.

    • Business Card, Letterhead, Envelope, Greeting Card

    • Email Signature

    • Hat, Jacket, and Shirt

  • A clear, mobile-first website that explains who we are, what we do, and our impact, in plain language.

Phase Two:

  • Grant Applicant Booklet

  • Integrated newsletter; newsletter build time drops from about a day to about an hour.

Creative Considerations

Constraints

  • Limited staff time for writing and photography.

  • Small historical photo archive (pre-digital).

Preferences

  • Move away from the current “ST” lettermark; seek a story-rich symbol.

  • Photography style: candid, community-led, warm lighting, natural color palette; prioritize diverse representations.

  • Copy style: straightforward, low jargon, accessible to the general public, inclusive voice.

Materials

  • Writing: Brian (with support from David).

  • Photography: Grantee-provided assets and new work from Steve Lenz.

Examples to share

  • The Sherwood team is to submit 2–5 sample sites that handle nonprofit storytelling well, especially visual and impact metrics integration, with notes on what you like/don’t like.

Decision-makers

  • Working group (Toni, Paul, and Brian) for development.

  • Full Board for final approvals.

Product Description

Official Vision Statement
Everyone in the Walla Walla Valley has a sense of belonging and contributes to a thriving region. Sherwood Trust serves as a catalyst for building capacity, creating a cohesive, vibrant community.

What we provide

  • Private, place-based foundation serving Walla Walla & Columbia Counties and Milton-Freewater.

  • Three grant types:

    1. Capital (e.g., ADA improvements, equipment/vehicles).

    2. Community support (e.g., parks, libraries).

    3. Capacity (staff, systems, and tools that strengthen nonprofits).

Scale

  • ~$40M foundation with around $1.4M in grants per year.

  • Grants range from around $3,000 to $500,000.

Differentiators

  • Catalytic funding that attracts matches/state dollars.

  • Capital projects often overlooked by other funders.

  • Hands-on approach: site visits, personal communication, feedback.

  • Place focus: deep commitment to the Walla Walla Valley.

Client experience

  • Starts with a call with Brian (eligibility, logistics, sustainability).

  • Application → site visit → personal communication.

  • Declined applicants receive constructive feedback.

Recent examples

  • Hope Street Recovery Home: A Sherwood Trust grant funded an executive director position, unlocking accreditation and further grants, turning an idea into Eastern Washington’s first accredited recovery home for women.

  • College Place Park: Local families enjoy a fully accessible park thanks to a catalytic grant that secured state matching funds and made a previously off-limits space open to all.

  • Fraser Farmstead ADA Bathroom: A modest grant for new restrooms expanded the site’s ability to host community events, proving that small investments can create wide-reaching impact.

Value proposition

  • A catalyst: we multiply the impact of nonprofits by providing resources, validation, and visibility.

  • Unique position: larger local grants; willingness to fund capital and capacity.

Brand voice

  • Supportive, empathetic, collaborative, transparent, welcoming.

  • Tone: “Tell me more — how can we help?”

Competition

  • Blue Mountain Community Foundation (DAFs; smaller discretionary grants).

  • Wildhorse Foundation (local grants).

  • Sunny Day Fund.

  • Other small local community funds.

Target Audience & Market Realities

Current audience

  • Nonprofit sector in Walla Walla & Columbia Counties and Milton-Freewater.

  • Leadership program alumni (Around 500 individuals).

  • Business community: positive impression, low clarity on role.

  • General public: low awareness, generally favorable.

Desired audience

  • Decision-makers (elected, appointed, business).

  • Boots-on-the-ground nonprofit staff/volunteers.

  • Hispanic community and other under-reached groups.

Beliefs now vs. after

  • Now: “Respected but somewhat invisible; mostly grants/leadership.”

  • After: “Sherwood Trust builds community together — accessible, welcoming, catalytic.”

User Benefits

How users are better off

  • Catalyze projects through grants.

  • Strengthen nonprofits with staff, systems, and tools.

  • Open doors with accessible capital improvements.

  • Grow leaders through learning and connections.

Importance & tradeoffs

  • High importance: Valley-wide quality-of-life impact.

  • Tradeoff: competitive process.

Before-and-after

  • Before: good idea, limited validation, scarce resources.

  • After: our grant validates, attracts other funders, builds capacity, delivers impact.

Most Important Point (MIP)

Top benefits

  1. Catalytic grants that unlock larger systems impact.

  2. Capacity building that sustains nonprofits.

  3. Capital projects that improve access and belonging.

  4. Leadership legacy (25 years; about 500 alumni).

  5. Hands-on, place-focused partnership.

  6. Accessibility and transparency in process and posture.

If only one thing is remembered

  • We build community together by catalyzing the people and projects that make the Valley thrive.

Emotional takeaway

  • Belonging, confidence, shared responsibility: “we’re in this together.”

One MIP

  • We build community together.

CONTACT:

David Mumm
Principal & Creative Director, Walla Walla Print Co.
(509) 386‑9334