Grassroots DesignFest is back for its seventh year in a one-day design-a-thon that pairs over 100 volunteer designers with 16 Baltimore nonprofits. The event takes place on March 29, 2025, at the Maryland Institute College of Art’s (MICA) Brown Center and is produced for the first time by the Neighborhood Design Center (NDC).Partnering with MICA and T. Rowe Price, NDC will help make possible the event that connects small (“grassroots”) Baltimore nonprofits with graphic designers, web developers, architects, and other creative professionals. During DesignFest, they will prototype logos, update websites, refine branding strategies, design signage and wayfinding systems, and address other design challenges.“We’re excited to provide nonprofits with practical, effective tools—whether it’s a fresh logo or better on-site signage—to help them reach their audiences effectively and elevate their important work,” said Briony Hynson, Deputy Director of the Neighborhood Design Center.Organizers have received more than 70 applications from Baltimore nonprofits seeking pro bono help with design. Selection of nonprofits is underway, and the event is now calling on graphic designers, web developers, architects, and other creative professionals willing to volunteer their help to sign up. Volunteer designer registration begins today, Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2025, on the DesignFest website. Designers can register to volunteer by clicking this link.“DesignFest helps nonprofits fulfill critical communication, branding, and marketing needs, enabling them to serve the community more effectively,” said Raymone Jackson, head of Community Investment and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, at T. Rowe Price. “This connection of creative professionals and mission-driven organizations is a dynamic display of the talents of MICA students and local volunteers and the passion we share for our community.”Organizers review all the nonprofit submissions to ensure they and their projects are good fits for the event. The nonprofits are matched with volunteer design teams before the DesignFest so they can communicate ahead of time and use their time together during the event most efficiently.“MICA is proud to host DesignFest,” said Kevin Moreno, MICA Special Assistant to the President. “This event shows how artists and designers can drive positive change through creative problem-solving and meaningful partnerships with organizations that do good work in their communities.”