Second call! Call for proposals to redesign May First's graphic and web identity

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May First Movement Technology is a non-profit membership organization engaged in movement building to advance the strategic use and collective control of technology in the service of local struggles, global transformation and emancipation without borders.

May First is a unique organization within the space of autonomous communication infrastructure projects because, while it maintains its own servers and online digital services based on free software (such as shared clouds, e-mails and web pages) it is also a multistakeholder cooperative democratically run by its member through annual elections in which they elect its Board of Directors and a list of priorities that guide its political and outreach work.

Details of the consultancy

Through this consultancy May First seeks to:

improve the visual identity of the organization,
strengthen ties with individuals and groups in May First's membership by undertaking a redesign process that draws on the principles of design justice,
increase May First's recognition within the community of technologists and social movements fighting for other ways of inhabiting digital technologies,
make the May First website the initial focal point linking all of the organization's initiatives and infrastructure in a wya that is comprehensive, informative and easily navigable for both first-time visitors and the membership that use it on a daily basis.

As part of the actions to achieve this, we want the way we "look" to reflect the work "we do", both technicalyl and politically.

What are we looking for?

We contemplate two stages of work, you can apply to one of them or to both if you or your group have the skills to develop both tasks.

Stage 1. Design of graphic identity for the organization: requires the creation of a logo (three sketches are expected, developing three different concepts), style manual with planimetry, versions for different uses (including, but not limited to: colors, black and white, horizontal, vertical, isotype, etc.), prohibited uses, color palettes and typographies. May First presentation postcards and digital mock-ups will be requested demonstrating how the new graphic identity would be represented across the various sites and services of the organization.
Stage 2. Web Design: Website design development based on the graphic identity established in the previous phase. Development of mockups in CSS, HTML, Javascript (priority will be given to those who can develop templates directly for the CMS Hugo https://gohugo.io/). Experience in guiding, proposing or giving feedback on the design, navigation and information architecture of the website will be an asset.

How do we want to work on the redesign?

We want to carry out a process that recognizes the principles of design justice. Within our time and budget constraints, we want to make every effort to have co-design stages in which we can hear all the voices of the membership that want to participate in this new design process.

For the time being we have convened a small group within the Board of Directors that will be following-up to this process and will be the group with whom the agreements and review of the redesign work will be established. The final deliveries will be made to the total satisfaction of the group, following the times and forms previously discussed.

Criteria required to participate in the call for proposals:

Experience working in graphic and/or web design (according to the task(s) for which you are applying in this call). It is essential to have a portfolio or digital space directly accessible from the web (image repositories in commercial social networks will not be considered).
Experience working with social movements.

Preferred criteria for participation in the call for proposals:

Already a member of May First.
Working with free software.
Be able to communicate in English and Spanish to follow up on emails and meetings.

Remember that you can apply for the visual identity and/or web design work.

If you or your group are interested in this consultancy, please send an email to info@mayfirst.org with the subject "Proposal for May First design: [visual identity and/or web design]", containing information about:

Motivation for doing this work.
Details of criteria met and references of work done for/with social movements.
Website, portfolio and/or references of similar work previously done.
Explain work procedure.
Economic proposal. In order to get started on these tasks, the May First Board of Directors has allocated $5,000. Please include in your proposal the list of activities you would like to develop, the estimated time for their development and the amount required to implement them.

We have extended the deadline for submitting proposals! We hope you can send us your proposal until December 10, 2023.

Start of the consultancy: from January 22, 2024.

Do you have any questions? Write to us at info@mayfirst.org.

This is an open call. If you know more people who might be interested in this call, please forward them this email! Your support with outreach is also welcome.