Lowthian Design Works is a collective of web-savvy people that enable groups working for social and environmental justice to create and maintain a high-quality web presence. We operate on a donation basis, so that any justice-minded group with the willingness to collaborate can afford a website. Specializing in open source content management systems, our sites are easy to update and expand, which makes expensive monthly web maintenance unnecessary. Each client group maintains control of their own site, making the web an active and exciting part of peace and justice work.
Lowthian Design Works was originally formed as Alternative Web Areas (AWA) in 1999, when non-profit group Koinonia Partners needed a new website for their farm in South Georgia. This initial experience inspired us to begin creating sites for related organizations and small businesses working for good causes.
2006-2009, we relocated to New Orleans to help with the rebuilding effort after Hurricane Katrina. While maintaining our relationships with previous clients and their sites, we helped New Orleans-based groups to create sites that addressed the immediate needs of our new community. We are now decentralized, with collective members from across the country pooling our talents to provide high quality websites that help make the world a better place.
Over the years, we have learned the importance of content management systems (CMS) for our clients' websites. Sites designed using CMS allow each group to control its own content directly, without needing to rely on a hired webmaster. Lowthian Design Works assists in the initial design and implementation, then empowers each group to take control of its own web presence.
We serve any organization that we consider a good match, regardless of the organization's financial capacity. We don't have rates, contracts, or deadlines. Instead, we match the amount of time and effort that members of the organization contribute. (This means that our websites can sometimes be set up in as few as 7 days!)
If you feel that your group may be a good match for Lowthian Design Works, please thoroughly and thoughtfully fill out our contact form, and we will contact you promptly.