Small But Mighty
2024 Impact Report
Focus on the impact you can deliver
2024 was a humbling year, but as always, the team rose to the occasion.
We turned 10 as a business, and we started with very grand ambitions and a plan to emulate what we accomplished as a team in the previous year. In reality, it was a turbulent year in the Design Industry and for small businesses. We continued to lean into our values as a company. Year-on-year, we were less prolific (in volume), but what we were able to accomplish had huge meaning to us.
We intentionally put our focus into a few key areas rather than spreading ourselves too broadly. We continued to host interns, we supported values-aligned organizations, and committed 1% of our annual revenue back into the community.
Thank you again to everyone who contributed this year. We are a small, people-powered studio, and without you all, there would be no impact to share.
Love,
Paul, Christian, and Chris
xoxo
Highlights
2024
Donated 1% of our annual revenue to charitable causes
Updated Evolve policies using equitable framework
Maintained our commitment to internships in a tough year
Worked with MESA and Tilly Jane
Launched our “Thinky Makey”
Club
Hosted mutliple events in our community space
Internships
Interns in 2024
3
Hosted interns
from 2 schools
2
50 interns, 12 schools, and counting!
This year, we reached 50 paid interns since we started in 2014, spanning Industrial Design, UX, Communications, Service Design, and Research. We wouldn’t be where we are today without mentorship throughout our careers. We strongly believe in providing access to design early and creating hands-on learning opportunities for aspiring designers. We work with local grade schools and design graduates from around the country.
We continue to partner with schools and candidates with relevant professional experiences from around the country to recruit talent. During the summer cohort, we prioritise candidates that only have one opportunity for an internship per year. In 2024 we added [a new school MEGANs?]
Time flies! As I reflect on the past ten years, I'm thankful that we have created a place where designers can see other designers just like them thriving, enjoying work, and finding meaning in what we do every day.
“
Paul Backett, on mentorship
Evolve initiatives
Our primary commitment to giving back is our charitable giving scheme - a combination of revenue and donations in kind to values aligned organizations. On top of this each month we carve out time for Team Members to collaborate on internal initiatives or volunteering. This time can be dedicated to educational, environmental, or social equity matters. The majority of our efforts are put into developing future talent in Design by working with local high schools and investing in our graduate internships. Here are a few highlights from the year.
2024 marks our second year of our commitment to AdoptOneBlock, as well as joining other Portland businesses and community members to make our city shine, an event run by We Believe in Portland at the end of the summer.
How we got out into the community
Evolve donated 30% of our Prescott Fountain bookings for 2024 to organizations doing great work in Portland including Sofa Sounds, Stand for Children, and Friends of Tilly Jane.
One of our highlights was donating our space and time, collaborating closely with Ron Khormaei, Steelport Knife Company to explore ways to bring together the five leading Portland-based knife brands – Benchmade, Gerber Gear, CRKT, Leatherman and STEELPORT Knife Company to celebrate Portland as a Center of Excellence. PKCoE was founded and launched in August of 2024. [link to the blog post]
How we activated our space
It was a great year connecting with the Design and Education community. Some of the highlights include partnering with Oregon MESA and Portland Frontrunners to host a Career Conversations event to celebrate Pride Month and elevate voices from the LGBTQIA2S+ community. Internship Webinars sessions with colleges across the US, Volunteer Mentorship hours, and hosting a fun AI x Design event for Portland Design Week. [link to blog post]
How we showed up for students
Donations
Evolve supports social and environmental causes that align to our mission and philosophy. Using the 1% for the Planet guidelines as our benchmark, each year Evolve commits to donate 1% of annual company revenue (a mix of revenue and donations in kind) to charitable organizations making a difference in one of the following areas - Education & Development, Healthcare, and Environmentalism.
Organizations can be nominated by team members, and a list of those we donated to in the previous calendar year is published annually, we prioritize local partners as much as possible.
Environmentalism
education+
Development
Healthcare
This year’s contributions
-
![Rose Haven Logo]()
Provides day shelter, resources, emotional support, and community connections to marginalized genders experiencing poverty.
-
![The Trevor Project Logo]()
The leading suicide prevention and crisis intervention nonprofit organization for LGBTQ+ young people.
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![Albina Vision Trust Logo]()
Community-driven non-profit created to buy back land, rebuild community, and reroot Black legacies and futures in the heart of Portland.
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![Planned Parenthood Logo]()
The nation’s leading provider and advocate of high-quality, affordable sexual and reproductive health care and education.
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![Ecotrust Logo]()
Inspires fresh thinking that creates economic opportunity, social equity, and environmental well-being.
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![APANO Logo]()
Unites Asians to build power, develop leaders, and advance equity through organizing, advocacy, community development, and cultural work.
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![NAYA Family Center Logo]()
A regional center for Native resilience and self-determination through culturally specific programs.
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![Portland Rescue Mission Logo]()
Committed to breaking the cycle of homelessness, addiction, and despair since 1949.
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![Stand for Children Logo]()
A unique catalyst for educational success and social progress, to create a brighter future for all.
This year’s collaboration
Client Spotlight: Friends of Tilly Jane Cabins
It’s not every year you get to work at such great heights.
Over the summer, Evolve partnered with a team of local volunteers responsible for preserving the off the grid Tilly Jane Historic District, located 5,700 feet high up on Mt. Hood, in Oregon.
We invited generations of volunteers and previous guests into the design process. As a 100% volunteer run organization of caretakers and conservationists the team’s goal was to articulate vision, mission and values and shape the new brand identity.
Evolve contributed 732 hours from a dedicated team to bring this newly formed non-profit forward. The program helped unite their board and volunteers with a shared purpose: to move to the backcountry forward.
Evolve connected the dots we didn’t see in front of us - people, community, connection, history, relevance, and colors. Evolve is “all in” when it comes to getting to know their client and delivering what they promise.
“
Jennifer Fortin, Friends of Tilly Jane Cabins Board President and Caretaker
Shout out to all the businesses we supported this year!
FOOD & RESTAURANTS
Hat Yai • Enat • Cha Ba Thai • Meals 4 Heels • Matt’s BBQ Tacos • Duck House • Nostrana • Aksaru Ramen • Bye and Bye • Glo’s Cafe • Tamale Boy • Ranch Pizza • Lovely’s Fifty Fifty • Prost • Dogwood • Siri Indian Restaurant • Papa Haydn
COFFEE & BAKERY
Mikikko Mochi Donuts • Coco’s Donuts • Pips Donuts • Better Half • The Great North • JustBob • Little T Baker • Jet Black Coffee Co • Extracto • Proud Mary • Petite Provence • The Pie Spot • Lauretta Jeans • Soro Soro
SERVICES
Beaumont Hardware • Portland Garment Factory • Patchmarks • Precision Images • Broken Top Brands • Bolt Fabric • Bardy Trophy Co • The Lippman Co