Erb Family
Foundation

Public + Nonprofit

A partner for lasting change.

The Fred and Barbara Erb Family Foundation is dedicated to fostering a resilient Great Lakes ecosystem and a culturally vibrant, sustainable Southeast Michigan. Since 2008, it has awarded over $180 million to initiatives that reflect its core values—supporting the environment, arts and culture, jazz education, sustainable business, and Alzheimer’s research.

As the Foundation moves toward spending down its assets by 2034, they approached Zoyes in search of a reimagined brand identity that would honor its legacy while looking ahead with vision and purpose.

Client

Erb Family Foundation

Birmingham, MI

Scope of Work

Brand Strategy
Brand Design
Creative Direction
Digital Strategy
Web Design + Development

Drawing inspiration from the Great Lakes, nature, music, and Fred and Barbara’s art collection, the Foundation’s new brand comes to life through deep blues, vibrant accent colors, kinetic shapes, and approachable typography—reinforcing a sense of trust, innovation, rootedness, and optimism.

Just as ripples in water create a continuous impact, the interconnected shapes within the logomark symbolize the Foundation’s role in driving change through its partnerships. The way the shapes, flow, connect and grow in a circular pattern reflect how a shared purpose can create a lasting impact—embodying the Foundation’s commitment to enacting impact that will last for generations.

The redesigned EFF website captures the foundation’s investment in the arts and the environment with colorful shapes and immersive imagery—all while also making content more accessible and emphasizing the impact of these partnerships.

Striking a balance between a trusted institution and a celebration of artistic joy, the new website was designed to make it easy to search past grants, access annual reports, and stay up to date with the latest news. This reimagined digital experience honors the foundation’s legacy while embracing the optimism and future impact of its longstanding partnerships.

In addition to their new digital presence, we worked with EFF’s team to create a series of print materials, like business cards, letterheads and banners, as well as social media.

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