Make the work discoverable.
Distinct award paths and a prominent A Life in the Arts collection help visitors find the opportunity or story that brought them here.
The next chapter for Masterwork
A bigger stage.A clearer story.
Make the programs easier to find. Make the impact easier to see. Give your team a simpler way to keep it current.
Three award programs. A signature interview series. A community of supporters. We bring them into one distinctive Masterwork experience, with guided publishing built for two part-time staff.
Prepared by Ari Raphielari@thedesignfactory.com
Download the formal scope PDF · September 14 scope and fee reference.
MusicDanceTheatreVisual art
Complete fixed fee$5,000
Core pages or templatesUp to 10
Recommended scheduleSix weeks
Post-launch defect support30 days
Your brief / Our focus
Connect belief to support.
Real projects, clear giving options and an approved Aplos connection give supporters a direct next step.
Make upkeep manageable.
Guided fields, previews and scheduled announcements give a small staff control without asking them to redesign pages.
01 / See it working
The art leads.
The next step is clear.
An editorial opening draws people in. Clear program paths help them act. A Life in the Arts gives the people behind the work a prominent home.
01
Explore an awardCompare the three programs, meet the funded artists, and find the right award inquiry.
02Watch an artist’s storyA dedicated interview collection keeps the video, the guest’s story, and the next conversation together.
03Try a staff updateChange sample content, preview a deadline and homepage feature, and see an announcement expire.
04Follow the giving journeyExplore supported work, giving options, Angel’s Circle and corporate partnerships. Payments connect in production.
Explore today
Explore the expanded awards, interviews, journal, About, Contact, giving pages and reports. Try the sample staff publishing workflow.
Connected in productionPayload CMS, Aplos, Mailchimp, Google Drive access, final forms, administrative accounts, and production credentials. The staff demo uses sample content.
02 / Designed around people
Different reasons to visit.
One clear next step.
Artists need clarity. Donors need confidence. Audiences need a reason to return. Staff need a site they can keep current.
They arrive asking
“Is there an opportunity here for my work or community?”
Awards, eligibility, disciplines, and deadlines can be difficult to compare when they are distributed across unrelated posts.
- 01Choose a discipline
- 02Understand the award
- 03Confirm fit
- 04Apply or ask a question
Designed outcomeA confident path from interest to a qualified application.
Built for a two-person staff
More time for the mission.
Less time managing pages.
An award deadline changes. A new interview is ready. An announcement has run its course. Try the sample workflow and see how guided fields keep those updates manageable.
Try a staff update- 01Choose
Select a program, story, interview, announcement, or call to action.
- 02Complete
Add the required title, date, discipline, media, and next action.
- 03Preview
Confirm the public presentation without rebuilding the page.
- 04Publish
Release now or schedule time-sensitive content with clear ownership.
The recommended publishing systemCustom React website + Payload CMSWhy it fits, what it costs to run, and how we prove staff independence.
A custom website. A familiar editorial routine.
We recommend a custom React website paired with Payload CMS. Structured forms give staff control of content while reusable templates protect Masterwork’s design. This is the proposed production architecture; the public concept is not a deployed CMS.
About the recommended CMS- Why this fits Masterwork
- Awards, interviews, stories, and announcements have different publishing needs. A structured CMS makes those needs explicit, supports drafts and previews, and avoids asking two part-time staff to design pages every time they publish.
- Hosting, cost & continuity
- Masterwork owns the hosting and administrator accounts. We configure a compatible Node hosting environment, database, media storage, backups, and role-based access. Hosting and third-party service costs are reviewed and approved before commitment; recurring maintenance beyond the 30-day defect period is not included.
- How we prove staff independence
- Before handoff, staff will update an award deadline, publish a story, change a homepage feature, and expire an announcement using the editor. We provide training and a concise administrator guide.
03 / What Masterwork receives
One connected project.
A useful site after launch.
Strategy, design, publishing, and launch belong in the same plan. Each part below supports the next, with clear limits and a complete handoff.
- Strategy
Sitemap, audience journeys, content model, migration priorities, and publishing rules.
- Design
Responsive art direction and reusable page patterns across up to 10 core pages or templates.
- Publishing
Guided fields for awards, interviews, stories, announcements, and calls to action.
- Connections
One Aplos giving connection, one Mailchimp form, YouTube, social, and board-resource handoffs.
- Migration
Up to 15 priority Blogger posts, source attribution, clean URLs, and a redirect ledger.
- Launch
Accessibility and device QA, training, documentation, launch support, and 30-day defect coverage.
Inside the fixed scopeExplore the ten core publishing patterns
A manageable publishing system
Ten core page patterns.
Room for the stories within them.
The final sitemap is agreed in week one. Shared content fields support Premier, Community Arts, and Emerging Artist awards while allowing each program its own visual treatment. A page pattern can support several published pages; the approved launch inventory is confirmed at kickoff.
- 01Homepage
- 02About the foundation
- 03Awards overview
- 04Award detail
- 05A Life in the Arts
- 06Interview detail
- 07News & stories
- 08Story detail
- 09Support & giving
- 10Protected board landing
Up to 10 core pages or templates · Up to 15 priority Blogger posts · Two consolidated visual revision rounds. Contact information and existing resource links are integrated into the approved structure. Additional archive migration is documented for staff or scoped separately.
The DesignFactory.Creative That Gets Results
Independent creative agency
Dallas & Los Angeles · Working nationally
04 / The Design Factory
A close working relationship.
Senior people doing the work.
For 30 years, The Design Factory has connected brand strategy, visual communication, and digital experiences. We bring that experience to Masterwork through a small senior team, a direct point of contact, and clear responsibility for the result.
PRWeek US Awards 2023Best in Public Sector
Recognition for the broader WeConsiderWA campaign, with TDF leading the subcontracted creative and digital work.
Selected client experience
Brand, civic, and nonprofit work across three decades.
Senior people on the work
Clear accountability from first decision through launch.
- 01Sederrick RaphielFounder & Creative Director
Executive alignment, creative oversight, and final quality accountability.
- 02Ari RaphielLead Designer & Project Director
Principal contact for strategy, audience journeys, content direction, design, and approvals.
- 03Armon RaphielTechnical Director
Architecture, integrations, accessibility, performance, security, and launch.
05 / Selected work
Organizations with purpose.
Experiences built around people.
Three relevant projects, each with a different audience and a practical connection to Masterwork. Explore the live work and the contribution behind it.
01 / Community nonprofit / Public presence + staff tools
Many audiences. One coherent organization.
Dallas–Fort Worth Urban League
Bring programs, participation and a new chapter of leadership into a public experience with the presence the organization deserves.
What we delivered
We developed a distinctive website beyond its former Wix presence, with branded video, community photography, news and press. Member, staff and leadership spaces support the work behind the public pages.
Explore the work
- Public program, membership and event pathways
- Member and community portal; staff and leadership tools
- Inaugural launch and leadership-transition presentation
Why it matters for Masterwork
Masterwork also serves several audiences with a small team. We bring experience connecting a compelling public story to useful staff workflows. Your proposal defines the focused tools included here.
02 / Community institution / Participation + publishing
A rich institution. A clearer way in.
St. Luke Community UMC
Help a varied community find worship, events, giving and everyday information without losing the institution’s character.
What we delivered
We redesigned the website and mobile navigation, connected participation pathways, and built the Lukebook business directory so the congregation can discover and support its own businesses.
Explore the work
- Worship, visitor, event and giving pathways
- Searchable community business profiles
- Mobile navigation and staff copy-editing tools
Why it matters for Masterwork
An arts institution needs both character and clarity. The same attention to navigation, participation and routine publishing helps Masterwork turn interest into a useful next step.
03 / Member association / Recurring information
Current information. Reasons to return.
Code Enforcement Association of Texas
Make training, conferences, career opportunities and professional resources easier for members to find and use.
What we delivered
We expanded the experience beyond its former basic website with stronger page organization, mobile navigation, training information and job-posting presentation.
Explore the work
- Training dates, locations and registration pathways
- Career opportunities and member resources
- Clearer mobile presentation and navigation
Why it matters for Masterwork
Award cycles, interviews and announcements are recurring work. Masterwork needs a publishing system that keeps those opportunities visible and current between major events.
Selected client work demonstrates relevant experience. Each engagement has its own scope; private tools described here are not publicly accessible or automatically included in Masterwork’s fixed fee.
06 / RFP response
The brief, answered.
Each requirement has a defined response. Open any item to see the evidence and what we need from Masterwork to complete it.
12material RFP requirements mapped
NowVisible in the concept
NextIncluded in production, with account access where needed
Public experience
Make Masterwork easier to understand, explore, and support.
01Responsive experienceMobile-first page patterns with fluid type, art-directed media, and touch-safe controls.Visible now
Evidence & delivery
Working homepage and proposal at phone, tablet, and desktop widths.
What we need from Masterwork
Final content volume and approved imagery.
03Flexible homepage feature areaA lead story plus two supporting initiatives visible at the same time, with independently editable content.Visible now
Evidence & delivery
Working homepage composition and sample feature selector in the staff demo. Production connects these controls to the CMS.
What we need from Masterwork
Approved homepage priorities and image standards.
04Expanded A Life in the ArtsA dedicated editorial collection with interview pages, video, guest context, and related conversations. Approved transcripts can be added during production.Visible now
Evidence & delivery
Working collection and two interview pages with click-to-load YouTube players and direct viewing fallbacks.
What we need from Masterwork
Final video inventory, verified captions or transcripts, and source files.
06Lightbox and announcement bannersA top-of-page announcement banner and dismissible lightbox, with production controls for dates and frequency.Included
Evidence & delivery
The concept includes a banner and click-open announcement dialog. The staff demo illustrates expiry. Production connects scheduling and frequency rules to the CMS.
What we need from Masterwork
Announcement policy and approved content.
09YouTube and social mediaVisual YouTube embeds plus Facebook and Instagram feed connections with a graceful fallback if a provider is unavailable.After access
Evidence & delivery
Production includes approved-channel connection and mobile checks. The concept demonstrates editorial placement; live feeds remain to be configured.
What we need from Masterwork
Account permissions, media rights, and approval of any provider subscription or API restrictions.
11Current brand with future flexibilityRetain Masterwork’s identity while introducing durable typography, spacing, photography, and component rules.Visible now
Evidence & delivery
Working visual system across editorial, program, giving, and governance moments.
What we need from Masterwork
Final logo files and brand approvals.
12Four-discipline color hierarchyUse music, dance, theatre, and visual-art colors as wayfinding signals, not competing page themes.Visible now
Evidence & delivery
Discipline rail, program labels, and related-content logic.
What we need from Masterwork
Final color approval and contrast testing.
Operations and integrations
Give a two-person staff practical control without handing them a page builder.
02Intuitive content managementPayload CMS with guided fields for pages, awards, news, interviews, announcements, and calls to action.Included
Evidence & delivery
Interactive staff demo shows sample editing, preview, expiry, and a simulated publish. Production adds authenticated roles, saved drafts, scheduling, training, and documentation; Payload is not yet connected.
What we need from Masterwork
Administrator list, approved hosting costs, and publishing roles.
05Protected board accessA password-protected board landing page with a controlled handoff to the existing Google Drive repository.After access
Evidence & delivery
Technical scope and handoff plan.
What we need from Masterwork
Approved access model and Google Drive permissions.
07Aplos giving & required paymentsAn Aplos-connected giving path with major credit cards, Apple Pay, Google Pay, and Venmo on the acceptance checklist.Confirm provider
Evidence & delivery
All four payment categories must be checked against Masterwork’s provider configuration before the implementation path is finalized. Wallet and Venmo support is not yet verified; the concept does not process donations.
What we need from Masterwork
Aplos account review and provider confirmation. Any compatible third-party path or additional recurring cost requires Masterwork’s written approval; no silent substitution of payment methods.
08Blogger migration or integrationMigrate up to 15 priority posts, preserve source attribution, and document the path for remaining archives.Included
Evidence & delivery
Migration scope, URL ledger, and editorial model.
What we need from Masterwork
Export access, priority list, and staff-assisted migration.
10Mailchimp formsReplace the legacy Wix signup with one directly connected Mailchimp form, including accessible validation, confirmation, and consent language.After access
Evidence & delivery
Production acceptance includes a test signup appearing in the approved audience. The concept reserves its placement; it does not yet collect subscriptions.
What we need from Masterwork
Masterwork-owned account access and final consent copy.
AccessibilityWCAG 2.2 AA target
Semantic structure, keyboard operation, visible focus, reduced motion, captions, contrast, zoom, and reflow checks.
PerformanceFast by construction
Responsive media, stable dimensions, lean scripts, lazy loading, and launch performance review.
ContinuityProtect what already works
Metadata, clean URLs, redirects, source attribution, analytics, and post-launch error monitoring.
07 / From approval to launch
A head start on design.
A clear plan to launch.
The six-week production plan builds on this developed concept. We use the time to align the content, connect the services, rehearse staff updates and prove the release works.
- 01Week 1
Confirm the foundation
Kickoff, content inventory, audience priorities, hosting review, measurement baseline, and decision ownership.
Approval gateGoals, sitemap, content owners, technology direction, and migration priorities.
- 02Week 2
Set the story system
Information architecture, page briefs, content types, award logic, giving journey, and board-access flow.
Approval gateNavigation, page responsibilities, content model, and functional requirements.
- 03Week 3
Refine the approved experience
Refine the developed concept with Masterwork’s feedback, confirm responsive page patterns, and review accessibility and final content.
Approval gateVisual direction, key templates, components, and content presentation.
- 04Weeks 4–5
Build and connect
Custom page patterns, guided content tools, approved integrations, priority migration, metadata, and redirects.
Approval gateWorkflows, populated content, integrations, and administrative behavior.
- 05Week 6
Prove and launch
Device QA, accessibility, performance, link testing, privacy review, training, documentation, and launch.
Approval gateProduction readiness, account ownership, and final handoff.
One shared schedule
A deliberate plan, with dates everyone can rely on.
The visual foundation is already developed. The six-week production plan uses that head start for content approval, staff publishing, integrations, migration and a tested launch. It begins at the agreed kickoff with account access and one decision lead in place. Delayed inputs or approvals move dependent dates.
How the work stays realistic
Clear responsibilities keep the work moving.
- Content readiness
- Approved content moves in manageable batches with one named owner.
- Decision speed
- One empowered lead consolidates feedback at each approval gate.
- Integration access
- Provider and credential review begins in week one.
- Scope control
- Optional work begins only after its effect on price and timing is approved.
- Staff adoption
- Training uses Masterwork's real content and repeatable publishing patterns.
- Long-term control
- Masterwork owns its accounts, content, data, and approved deliverables.
Before you accept the website
Show that it works.
Then hand it over.
We review these tasks with your team before launch approval.
- Publish a real update.A staff member changes an award deadline, previews a story and updates a homepage feature.
- Complete the giving path.Verify the approved payment methods, confirmation and receipt behavior with Masterwork’s provider setup.
- Check the connections.A test subscription reaches Mailchimp. Authorized board access works, and unauthorized access is blocked.
- Take control.Receive account access, source and content handoff, the redirect record, training and a clear support process.
08 / Investment and ownership
A clear investment.
A complete handoff.
The fee sits within Masterwork’s published range and includes both the public redesign and the practical systems required to keep it useful.
Fixed professional fee$5,000
Third-party platform, hosting, licensing, and transaction fees are excluded.
Where the investment goes
Strategy and information architecture$600
Responsive visual system and key-page design$1,150
Custom build and guided content tools$1,550
Approved integrations and priority migration$950
QA, training, launch, and 30-day defect support$750
Milestone billing
Kickoff and production scheduling40% · $2,000
Design-system approval40% · $2,000
Launch approval and handoff20% · $1,000
Masterwork controls
Domain, hosting, content, media, Aplos, Mailchimp, Google Drive, analytics, accounts, and inquiry data.
The Design Factory hands over
Approved custom deliverables, reusable patterns, documentation, training, QA records, redirects, and 30-day defect support.
Boundaries that protect the fee
Up to 10 core pages or templates, 15 priority posts, two consolidated visual revision rounds, and written change control.
Ready to make this Masterwork’s next chapter?
Request the agreement and kickoff steps. We’ll confirm the scope, account access and working calendar with you.
09 / Questions answered
Good questions.
Clear answers.
Still weighing a detail? Ask Ari directly and we’ll work through it together.
01What is already working?+
The working preview includes the homepage, three award programs, an interview collection and viewing pages, stories, About, Contact, Support, Angel’s Circle, corporate support, historical reports and a shared footer. The staff demo illustrates the publishing routine. Account-based publishing, payment processing, subscriptions and protected board materials are connected during production.
02What sits outside the fee?+
Hosting, domain, premium platform subscriptions, payment-processing fees, extensive copywriting, new photography or video production, migration above the stated volume, custom application development, travel, and material scope changes are excluded unless approved in writing.
03Are all requested donation methods confirmed?+
Not yet. Major credit cards, Apple Pay, Google Pay, and Venmo are all RFP requirements, not optional extras. We will verify Masterwork’s Aplos/provider configuration before finalizing the giving implementation. If another compatible service is necessary, its availability, connection, and costs must be approved in writing before work proceeds.
04How are accessibility and performance protected?+
The production target is WCAG 2.2 AA. We will use semantic structure, keyboard-operable controls, visible focus, reduced-motion support, contrast testing, captions or transcripts for meaningful video, responsive images, stable media dimensions, and launch checks across modern desktop and mobile browsers.
05Who owns the website and accounts?+
Masterwork should own or control its domain, hosting, content administration, Aplos, Mailchimp, Google Drive, analytics, content, and media. After final payment, Masterwork receives the approved custom deliverables and documentation. Third-party software remains subject to its own license.
06How is scope growth handled?+
We confirm requests against the written scope before work begins. If a request changes content volume, integrations, templates, or functionality, we document the effect on fee and schedule and proceed only after written approval.
10 / Your next chapter
Give the work
the home it deserves.
The direction is here to explore. The scope, investment and delivery plan are defined. Let’s turn this working concept into a website your Foundation can use and keep current.
Ari Raphiel Lead Designer & Project Director
Start with what matters to your teamReady for the
Ready for the
next step?
If the direction fits, request the agreement and kickoff checklist. If the Board needs a detail clarified first, send Ari a question. A call is available when useful.
Request the agreement Have a question first? Email Ari Request a 20-minute conversation Opens an editable email to Ari. Review and send it in your email app.