Office of Local Defense
Community Cooperation
Redesigning a critical government platform to enhance accessibility, streamline community engagement, and improve information discoverability for defense-related local initiatives. Research across internal staff, external applicants, and community partners mapped where the grant process breaks down — and what to do about it.
Steepest drop-off occurs at EADS submission
Role
UX Design
UX Research
Rebranding
Client
OLDCC
Programs
Miro
Figma
Confluence
Duration
6+ months
Making federal grants findable.
The Office of Local Defense Community Cooperation funds community projects near military installations — but applicants couldn't tell whether they qualified, and planners didn't know OLDCC existed. Research across internal staff, external applicants, and community partners mapped where the process breaks down.
Who we're designing for
Three stakeholder groups move through the grants ecosystem with different goals, technical comfort, and urgency. Designing for the applicant alone would have failed the other two.
Hover any attribute to compare it across all three personas
Grant Applicant
Individual or organization seeking funding for community development projects
Secure funding quickly with clear application guidance
Moderate — comfortable with online forms and documentation
High urgency — needs fast information access and submission
Screen reader support, keyboard navigation, high contrast
Grant Reviewer
Committee member evaluating applications and making funding decisions
Efficiently review multiple applications against clear criteria
High — experienced with evaluation platforms and databases
Moderate — balances review quality with deadline pressure
Sortable tables, filter options, printable summaries
Community Member
Local resident interested in understanding grant impact and opportunities
Learn about funded projects and available opportunities
Low to moderate — basic browsing and reading
Low urgency — casual browsing and information gathering
Large text, plain language, mobile-friendly design
What they told us
Stakeholder interviews surfaced three themes. Open one to see what users said and the specific changes recommended to fix it.
Internal Users
Usability finding- Want easier access to information about projects — what they are and how they get funded
- Search process is difficult to use and hard to find information in
- Most have some familiarity with OLDCC but limited detail about what it actually does
External Users
Usability finding- Searching for requirements and the process for applying eligibility
- Small businesses interested in partnerships need clearer pathways
- Communities need access to additional resources (FEMA, CISA, DHS)
- Federal agencies want to learn how to leverage the programs
- Opportunity to connect with other DOD programs OLDCC works with
Recommended solutions
6 recommendationsHomepage visual program overview
Small visuals with brief descriptions of each program, with expandable sections.
"Do you qualify?" section
Prominent qualification entry point on the homepage with clear criteria.
Step-by-step application process
Clear instructions with a "more details" expansion for depth.
Enhanced mission statement
Rewrite to explain what the organization actually does.
Improved readability
More white space, less texture, easier content consumption.
Eligibility requirements list
Detailed criteria distinguishing qualified from unqualified applicants.
Internal & External Users
Usability finding- Information about projects is difficult to find
- Website is not engaging and could benefit from animation and graphics
- Images and photos are old or not relevant and should be updated
- Project locations are difficult to find
Recommended solutions
9 recommendationsInfographics for storytelling
Display relevant information as visual narrative rather than prose.
OLDCC history timeline
An "Our Journey" timeline showcasing organizational history.
Homepage banner announcements
Continue using the homepage banner for timely announcements.
Project catalog experience
An engaging, browsable catalog of community projects.
Reduce text-heavy pages
More imagery and infographics across the site.
High-quality project photography
Showcase real photography from funded projects.
Restore project pages
Most search clicks originate from them — bring them back.
Case studies & data pages
Community-focused case studies with impact metrics.
30-second explainer video
Short video explaining site content and navigation.
Community Planners & Partners
Usability finding- Community planners don't know who OLDCC is or what they do
- Want an easy-to-read excerpt they can send as a link
- Confusion persists between qualified and unqualified end users
Recommended solutions
4 recommendationsClear application instructions
Documentation covering eligibility and the full application process.
Uniform page heading
A consistent heading style for recognition across the site.
Flexible eligibility submission
Allow flexibility in how final eligibility details are provided.
Distinct program pages
Make each program visually distinct while holding one brand.
Where it breaks down
The applicant path from first awareness to submission. Confidence rises during research, then drops sharply once the EADS portal enters the picture.
Discovering Opportunities
Determine if OLDCC is relevant for their organization
- Browse the OLDCC website
- Review active grant programs
- Scan structural eligibility criteria
- Unclear eligibility parameters
- Dense federal jargon
- Hard to quickly assess programmatic fit
- Define who we fund vs. don't fund upfront
- Concise, human-readable program overviews
Researching Grants
Confirm eligibility and specific project fit
- Read detailed eligibility documentation
- Review past successful case studies
- Search for direct program contacts
- Highly complex submission requirements
- Information-dense documentation layers
- Lack of concrete historical examples
- Plain-English summaries alongside policy files
- Showcase past grantee case studies
- Direct contact cards embedded on pages
Applying for Grant
Submit a complete, accurate, compliant application
- Register an account on the EADS portal
- Gather organizational documentation
- Complete mandatory digital forms
- Heavy technical friction in the EADS platform
- Pervasive fear of a disqualifying mistake
- Vague post-submission next steps
- Interactive step-by-step EADS wizard
- Localized EADS video walkthroughs
- Clear milestone confirmation emails
What success looks like at each stage
Continues exploring the site
Visitor spends meaningful time on resource pages and downloads program guidelines rather than bouncing immediately.
Decides to apply for a grant
Candidate initiates EADS portal registration and accesses the mandatory application worksheets.
Application submitted cleanly
A complete, error-free package filed through EADS on the first attempt with all supporting assets.