A Beginner’s Guide to Figma for Nonprofit Designers

Design shouldn't feel intimidating.

Figma is one of the most widely used design tools in the world—but for nonprofits, it’s more than just a trend. It’s a powerful way to communicate ideas, review work, and collaborate with your web or branding partner—even if you’ve never “designed” anything in your life.

If your team is new to Figma, here’s a gentle guide to understanding what it is, how it works, and how it fits into nonprofit workflows.

1. What Is Figma?

At its core, Figma is a browser-based design tool. It lets people:

Design websites, logos, and graphics
Leave feedback directly on layouts
Collaborate in real-time—no software install required

Think of it like Google Docs, but for design. You don’t need Photoshop or Illustrator. Just a browser and a link.

2. You Don’t Need to Be a Designer

Figma is built for teams. You might use it to:

Review a homepage mockup
Comment on button text or spacing
Share ideas with your web partner visually

You don’t have to create anything from scratch. Just click, look, and respond.

Figma brings everyone into the design process—without adding friction.

3. Understanding the Interface (Lightly)

The Figma interface includes:

Canvas – where the designs live
Layers panel – a list of every shape, block, or text element
Comments mode – allows you to leave notes anywhere

Most nonprofits only need two tools:

The hand tool (to move around)
The comment tool (to leave feedback)

That’s it.

4. How Figma Fits Into a Website Project

Here’s how Figma often works in nonprofit web builds:

The designer shares a link to your homepage or page layout
You review the layout on desktop and mobile sizes
You click “Comment,” leave feedback, and tag the designer
The designer updates the file based on your notes

No PDFs. No messy email chains. Everything in one place.

5. Figma vs. Canva

Many nonprofit teams use Canva for flyers and social posts. It’s great for templates and quick graphics.

But:

Canva is for final content
Figma is for design systems and collaboration

You can use both. Canva is the kitchen. Figma is the blueprint.

6. Tips for First-Time Users

Open links in Chrome for best results
Use the “Present” button to view full-screen mockups
Don’t worry about breaking anything—your comments are separate
Use “@” to tag your designer or collaborator directly

And if it feels overwhelming? Ask your partner for a walkthrough. Good design includes everyone.

Final Thoughts

You don’t need a design degree to participate in design. With Figma, nonprofits can co-create digital experiences that reflect their values—visually and collaboratively.

At Loopdash, we guide our nonprofit partners through every step of the process. Figma helps make that process visible, elegant, and shared.

If you're just getting started, we’re here to make it feel easy.