Dream Charter Schools Website

The Challenge

Dream Schools, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2006, needed a comprehensive digital presence to support their mission of providing affordable, sustainable facilities for charter schools. Their challenge was multifaceted: they needed to communicate their value proposition to school leaders, showcase their portfolio of completed projects, manage ongoing procurement opportunities (bids and RFPs), and establish credibility through leadership visibility.

Without a cohesive website, Dream Schools struggled to reach potential charter school partners and communicate the full scope of their services, from real estate development to project management and lease-to-own financing options.

Our Solution

Working collaboratively with developers and fellow designers at Hack4Impact, we created a comprehensive multi-page website with distinct sections for different audiences and purposes:

Key Pages & Features

• Homepage: Hero section with mission statement "Building dreams, one school at a time" and clear value proposition highlighting 100% financing, full project management, and lease-to-own options
• About Us: Mission, leadership profiles (Jonathan Wolf, CEO and David Uminsky, Board Chair), organizational story, and impact metrics (10K+ students served, 1M+ square feet developed, 25+ projects completed)
• Services: Detailed breakdowns of Real Estate Development, Project Management, Renovations & Upgrades, and Lease-to-Purchase Financing with visual icons
• Portfolio: Showcase of completed projects including Innovation Academy (Philadelphia), Horizon Charter School (Atlanta), and Riverside Elementary (Denver) with project details, square footage, and key features
• Bids & RFPs: Active procurement opportunities with downloadable RFPs and submission portals for contractors, architects, and vendors
• Contact: Multi-field contact form, newsletter signup, donation CTA, and full contact information

Design System

I established a warm, professional design system using:

• Color Palette: Blue and coral/orange tones to convey trust and warmth, with neutral backgrounds for readability
• Typography: Clean, modern sans-serif fonts with clear hierarchy for mission-driven messaging
• Photography: Real images of students, construction, and completed facilities to humanize the mission
• Layout: Card-based design with clear CTAs, rounded corners, and generous whitespace for accessibility
• Components: Reusable stat cards, project cards, leadership profiles, and impact metrics

Impact & Results

The new Dream Schools website provides:

• Professional Digital Presence: A comprehensive platform that establishes credibility with charter school leaders and potential partners
• Portfolio Showcase: Visual proof of successful projects with detailed case studies showing Innovation Academy, Horizon Charter School, and Riverside Elementary
• Procurement Transparency: Dedicated bids section streamlining the RFP process for contractors and vendors
• Lead Generation: Multiple conversion points through contact forms, newsletter signup, and donation CTAs
• Mission Communication: Clear messaging around equity, opportunity, and community impact that resonates with values-driven partners

What I Learned

This project taught me how to design for complex organizational needs while maintaining user-friendly navigation. Key learnings include:

• Designing multi-page websites with distinct user journeys for different audiences (charter schools, contractors, donors)
• Balancing nonprofit mission-driven content with professional service marketing
• Creating scalable design systems that work across diverse content types (portfolio, bids, leadership)
• Collaborating with developers to ensure designs translate effectively into React components
• Prioritizing accessibility and readability for users seeking critical information about facilities and funding

Project Team