How a Website Redesign Boosted Donors and Built Credibility for FoWHS

Domain Migration and Infrastructure Reset

The first step in redesigning the Friends of Waipahu High School website was a full domain and hosting transition. Prior to the rebuild, their old website was tied to a third-party site builder with limited control and unsecured domain ownership. We unhooked the existing design from its original provider and transitioned the project into Webflow, giving the nonprofit full design and administrative access and ownership over the site’s infrastructure.

As part of the migration, we registered and secured the full set of top-level domains: fowhs.org, fowhs.com, and fowhs.net. This protects the brand’s footprint long term. The .org domain became the official website. Both .com and .net are permanently redirected to .org using 301 redirects to preserve SEO equity and prevent audience confusion.

All domain settings were reconfigured, including DNS management and SSL integration. These changes aren’t always visible on the surface, but they’re what keep the site secure, fast, and reliable. With the new domain infrastructure in place, Friends of Waipahu High School now owns and controls its digital presence—and can build on it without platform limitations or third-party roadblocks.

This foundation is what made everything else possible. From here, we had full freedom to reimagine the site’s identity, content, and functionality without compromise.

Rebranding with Purpose and User Experience in Mind

Friends of Waipahu High School already had strong community roots. What they needed was a brand presence to match. The previous site was generic and visually outdated, which made it hard to communicate the impact they were making year after year. We approached the redesign with a goal: make the nonprofit’s support of Waipahu scholars unmissable.

The new site was designed from the ground up in Webflow. It’s clean, structured but not boring. Large type, vibrant accents, and fluid layouts highlight the energy of the students and the legacy of the alumni. Every design choice was made to spotlight the real work Friends of Waipahu does—giving financial support, recognition, and opportunity to graduating seniors.

A big focus of the redesign was storytelling. The website now includes a growing list of named scholarship recipients, class by class, with dedicated pages that acknowledge students by name. It also includes a donor wall, giving public thanks to businesses, alumni, and families who’ve contributed to the nonprofit’s mission. These sections reinforces the organization’s credibility, celebrating community involvement, and inviting future support.

On the UX side, we designed the layout to guide users without friction. It’s intuitive to explore the nonprofit’s website, learn how to contribute, or find information on current or past scholarships. Everything is structured to feel natural on desktop and mobile, with clear pathways for users to take action.

A 24/7 Digital Concierge for Supporters and Stakeholders

The redesigned Friends of Waipahu High School website acts like a brochure, but built to function like a digital concierge. Open all hours and accessible to anyone. And useful to the nonprofit’s most important audiences: donors, alumni, staff, and community supporters.

At the center of this is the “Become a Friend” user journey. It’s a simple form, but behind it is a set of smart automations powered by Zapier. When someone signs up, their information is automatically routed into organized spreadsheets, triggers notifications to board members, and adds them to the Mailchimp list for future campaigns. No manual input. No missed data. Just clean handoffs from interest to engagement.

The site also includes searchable records of past scholarship recipients and donor acknowledgments. This creates transparency and public recognition. Anyone who donates, whether as an individual, business, or former student—gets listed on the website. It’s a small gesture with a lasting effect, showing that every contribution counts and gets remembered.

By moving this infrastructure into Webflow, we were able to create multiple fully CMS-based systems. That means future updates, student names, or new donor lists can be added without needing a developer. It’s scalable, practical, and built for a small nonprofit team that still needs enterprise-grade results.

This mix of automation and thoughtful UX gives Friends of Waipahu a modern, professional digital presence that works just as hard behind the scenes as it does on the front.

One-Page Event Marketing, Stripe-Powered Ticket Sales

In early 2025, Friends of Waipahu High School hosted a fine-dining fundraiser and the website became the main marketing tool. Instead of relying on an external ticketing service, we built a simple landing page directly on their existing domain. It was clear, on-brand, and easy to share.

On the backend, Stripe’s payment API handled ticket purchases. This kept everything on-site and secure. Users could read about the event, check details, and purchase tickets in just a few clicks without ever leaving the page. Once a ticket was purchased, payment confirmations were sent automatically via Stripe, and event organizers were notified in real time.

Because the website runs on Webflow, we were able to build and launch the page quickly. It worked seamlessly on mobile and desktop, and it stayed live until the event concluded. Afterward, the page was hidden, but it remains ready to be duplicated and reused for future events.

This format creates a repeatable playbook: easy-to-deploy event pages with built-in payments and full control over the experience. It also sets the foundation for promoting future events via email and social media without relying on third-party platforms or ticketing fees.

Smarter Email Campaigns with Mailchimp Integration

For the first time, Friends of Waipahu High School launched an email campaign to their supporter list in November 2023. The goal was to reach their growing network of alumni, staff, donors, and community members with a request for donations. But behind that single email was a tightly integrated system that now runs year-round.

The website is directly connected to Mailchimp using Zapier. When someone makes a donation or signs up to “Become a Friend,” they’re added to the mailing list in real time—cleanly categorized and ready for future communication. Donors also receive an automatic thank-you email, written and signed by the nonprofit’s president, which adds a personal touch while keeping the workflow efficient.

The email list is fully synced and designed for long-term use. Instead of manually exporting and cleaning spreadsheets, the nonprofit can now send targeted emails to the right groups—donors, volunteers, alumni—based on how they first interacted with the website.

The first campaign was simple, but effective. It showed that the list is active and that Mailchimp is a viable channel for regular outreach. As of this writing, Friends of Waipahu plans to use it for event invitations, donor updates, and general news related to the high school and its growing alumni network.

Streamlining Donations with Stripe Payment Links

Before the rebuild, Friends of Waipahu High School relied on PayPal for online donations. While it got the job done, it felt dated. The interface was clunky, and the experience pulled users out of the site, undercutting trust and momentum. More importantly, it lacked flexibility.

As part of the redesign, we transitioned the nonprofit to Stripe. They already had an account, so we reactivated it and set it up as the default system for all incoming donations. Stripe’s Payment Links feature made the upgrade simple and seamless. These links allow donors to give any amount, at any time, through a secure and branded checkout page, and no custom development required.

The main Payment Link now appears in two key locations: the site’s primary “Make a Donation” button in the navigation, and a callout in the homepage hero. It’s intentionally placed for visibility and ease of use. Users don’t need to create accounts or jump through hoops. They just click, choose how much to give, and submit.

This change improved the donor experience from start to finish. Stripe provides detailed reporting, real-time notifications, and cleaner record-keeping, helping both the board and the treasurer stay on top of contributions.

The move away from PayPal modernized how Friends of Waipahu receives support. And with the Payment Link now live across the site, the nonprofit has a frictionless, mobile-friendly way to receive funds that matches the professionalism of their new online presence.

What’s Next for Friends of Waipahu High School

With the new site launched, Friends of Waipahu High School now has the tools to scale their impact online. Every part of the site, from the CMS-driven scholarship archive to the automated friend sign-ups—was built to grow with the organization.

There’s still more to build. The site includes a blog feature that’s already set up and ready for future updates. This gives the nonprofit space to share stories, announcements, and long-form updates with their community without relying solely on social media or email.

There’s also a dedicated section for Waipahu High School alumni news in development. This page will help drive deeper engagement from past graduates, especially those interested in giving back, staying informed, or reconnecting with the campus. It’s a smart way to strengthen the bridge between former students and the nonprofit supporting them.

What started as a redesign became a full reset: new infrastructure, stronger automation, and a digital presence that reflects the energy of the community it supports. And with everything now under their control, Friends of Waipahu can keep building without needing to start over again.