As the Society developed a refreshed strategy for its next phase of work, the focus was on ensuring the website properly reflected that direction, both for community organisations looking to apply for funding and for wider stakeholders wanting to understand the Society’s role and impact. The aim was a redesign that was clear for users, straightforward to manage in admin, and properly aligned with how the Society now presents its work.
The project ran alongside the launch of the Society’s three new grant programmes, Growing Together, Living Rivers Living Communities, and Living Heritage Shared Futures, each corresponding to one of the Society’s strategic priorities. Rather than grouping these under a single page, we structured the site so each programme has its own dedicated section, giving applicants a focused entry point relevant to their area while still reflecting the breadth of the Society’s work across the site as a whole.
A central requirement was making the application process as straightforward as possible, both for organisations applying and for the Society’s team managing submissions on the other side. We created a dedicated how-to guide on the site, walking applicants through the process clearly before they reach the form itself. The application form integrates directly with Microsoft Forms, which connects to the Society’s existing internal systems and makes managing and tracking received applications considerably easier for the team.
The grants section was built as a custom post type in WordPress, giving the team a structured, consistent format for publishing reports on funded projects. Alongside this, a news and insights section provides a clearly defined space for sharing learning, partnerships and strategic reflection, distinct from the grant holder content. Both are straightforward to add to and update in the WordPress admin without any development support needed.
The site also integrates with FishPal, embedding the fishing information relevant to the Society’s river stewardship work. This sits within a dedicated Fishing section that serves a separate audience from the grant-focused content but remains an important part of what the Society manages and communicates.
Throughout the project, language and presentation required care. The Society works across communities where place names carry significance, so content was structured around inclusive terms such as “the North West and North Coast” rather than anything that could be read as politically partial. The visual identity draws on the Society’s crest colours, with green, deep red and blue reflecting the waterways work, grounding the site in the Society’s heritage while keeping the overall feel modern and accessible.
The updated website launched alongside the new strategy in June 2026, with all three grant programmes open to applications from that date. The Society now has a site their team can manage independently, with a structure that guides applicants clearly to the right programme for their project and makes it straightforward to keep both the grants and news sections current without technical involvement.
