Agency + Freelance Work / Designed with Ethos | VONT / CD Allison Blackstone / Development by Doug Bertlesman / Copy by Heidi McInerney / View the live site
The team at the Finance Authority of Maine (FAME)—in conjunction with the Maine Department of Economic and Community Development (DECD)—came to VONT looking for a one-stop online portal for business owners to connect with lenders. They'd heard from Maine entrepreneurs, business owners, and lenders loud and clear: there was a desire for a simpler business-funding experience—one that didn't require many applications to disparate lending agencies—and so, with an initial collection of 15 financial institutions, the Maine Funding Network was created.
I worked to first design a digital brand identity that retained a Maine aesthetic while feeling professional and trustworthy. It was important for the portal to feel approachable and reflect the Maine lenders represented, but to instill as much trust as a national financial institution would.
The resulting logo combined the symbol of Maine's state tree with an optimistic, upward-facing arrow. The brand included topographic map elements to visualize Maine's landscape, blaze orange CTAs that call to mind trail markers to guide users on the funding journey, and a modern and friendly custom icon set. I selected stock photos to represent the diversity and dynamism of real Maine businesses, aiming to create an authentic connection between the users and the portal.
My approach to the website design focused on user-friendliness and accessibility, ensuring that business owners could easily navigate and utilize the platform. I began by creating a small—just three pages in total—but robust information architecture that would provide an informative, easy-to-use user experience. The website design implemented a clean, intuitive interface with clear calls-to-action and straightforward navigation to make the process as seamless as possible. The responsive design ensured that users have a consistent and efficient experience across all devices.
From the Maine Funding Network portal, users are linked to a secure Salesforce application. Working with the team at Coastal Cloud, I reviewed the existing UX design and functionality and provided styling recommendations for a more seamless experience between the portal and application.
Salesforce application
Through the Maine Funding Network, Maine businesses are now matched with public and nonprofit funding agencies that are best suited to their specific type and financing needs. The result is a more efficient, supportive, and vibrant business environment throughout the state.
Let's work together.
Have a project in mind? Let's chat about bringing your idea to life.
