The Social Impact Initiative promotes and supports design for social good through networking and collaboration with like-minded individuals and organizations. We foster close working relationships between designers and the non-profit community. And we provide a forum for socially responsible design through cause/affect, a biennial design competition.

Goals include:

• Creating a culture of networking and collaborating with like-minded organizations that value the efficacy of service to the overall community.
• Creating awareness and education around how designers and the non-profit community can mutually benefit from closer working relationships.
• Providing guidance, leadership and resources to the design community and encouraging corporations and individuals to follow best practices with regard to socially responsible design.

Our current initiatives include:

• Developing and maintaining formal partnerships with the Taproot Foundation and other like-minded organizations.
• Leading AIGASF efforts on social impact advocacy and making suggestions to AIGA National.

cause/affect is a biennial, international design competition that celebrates the work of designers and organizations who set out to positively impact our society.

AIGA has expanded designjobs.aiga.org to include a section devoted exclusively to meaningful pro bono projects, particularly those in which designers can offer strategic as well as design advice.