Nonprofit and Philanthropic Digital Innovation Partner

Human centered organizations are more important than ever

Philanthropy is growing, and so are expectations for transparency, evidence of impact, and experiences that connect with the needs of constituents. As U.S. charitable giving reached nearly $600B in 2024, donors increasingly expect clear outcomes, modern engagement, and giving opportunities that align with the change they want to see. Giving programs and donor-advised funds (DAFs) continue to rise, making it essential to design supporter journeys as well as constituent experience, refine program delivery, and connect data systems that prove impact and scale efficiently.

What innovation supports

Better ability to serve constituents in unique ways that align with their needs
Stronger donor loyalty via compelling, recurring experiences and personalized communications
Lower cost-to-serve through streamlined digital touchpoints and smarter operations
Faster insight-to-action by connecting program, grants, digital interventions, and metrics around outcomes

Market forces & constituent needs

1) Hybrid program delivery & accessible UX

Programs are increasingly delivered through blended, mobile-first experiences, from volunteer coordination to client services. Accessibility, multilingual UX, and privacy-by-design are table stakes to reach diverse communities at scale.

2) Recurring giving, DAFs & trust

Supporters want frictionless, predictable giving and clear results. Monthly giving now represents a large share of online revenue, and DAF dollars flowing through nonprofit sites continue to grow—demanding transparent impact reporting and evergreen journeys.

3) Data interoperability & outcome measurement

Leaders need connected systems--grants, case management, and analytics--to tell a single story of outcomes, not just outputs. Impact dashboards and shared metrics enable funders, partners, and teams to align quickly.

4) AI-assisted engagement (with guardrails)

AI can match constituents to relevant content, opportunities, and services, when paired with strong data foundations, the right taxonomies, and ethical governance. Orgs are demonstrating higher engagement using AI-driven personalization to connect members with the right content and people.

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Why Highland?

We help mission-driven organizations translate human insight into scalable digital strategy, products, and services—grounded in evidence and designed for real-world constraints.

Proven impact across the sector

Critical research to clarify donor & constituent insights, informing brand principles & strategic roadmaps to align mission, donor participation, and constituent experience
Journey mapping & service design to deliver end-to-end service experience, leading to greater team alignment, lasting impact, and increased agency of those served
Numerous net-new or substantially redesigned digital products or platforms, supporting better stakeholder engagement, staff operations, or both

What partners value

Our mission directly aligns with those of NPOs, foundations, and other philanthropic organizations; human centered outcomes are our explicit goal
A single, multidisciplinary team across research, product & service design, business & operational strategy, and custom software—moving from insight to launch with speed & rigor
An objectives-led approach that connects data, operations, and experience—so your programs scale and your impact is clear

Nonprofit & Philanthropic