NEXTDC: Rebranding The American Experience Foundation

The Need:

Washington, DC's tourism, hospitality, media and business sectors represent a significant economic engine for the region — yet for many local students, these industries remain largely invisible as viable career pathways. Destination DC's longtime 501(c)3 nonprofit partner, The American Experience Foundation, spent years working to bridge that gap through scholarships, internships, field trips, and mentorship opportunities. But the organization faced a persistent obstacle: its name. 

The opportunity was clear: a strategic rebrand could remove that barrier, sharpen the foundation's identity, and give students, educators, and community stakeholders something they could genuinely rally behind. 

The Objectives:

  1. Develop a new name that authentically reflected the foundation's mission and programs

  2. Create a cohesive visual identity and digital presence to support that name

  3. Position the organization for stronger partnerships, increased funding, and deeper community engagement going forward. 

The Strategy:

Destination DC’s in-house creative team, in close collaboration with American Experience Foundation leadership, made a deliberate choice: before any shifts were made, community voice was a foundational need. 

In partnership with LINK Strategic Partners, the foundation and DDC launched a structured discovery process, engaging 23 stakeholders across five groups — student interns, student advocates, industry partners, DC Public Schools educators and administrators, and board members — through focus groups and one-on-one interviews. The breadth of voices was intentional: no single perspective would drive the outcome. 

What emerged was a clear, consistent signal. Across every group, stakeholders agreed the name "American Experience Foundation" was working against the organization. Students felt "American" didn't reflect their DC-rooted experience. Educators found it too broad to explain to school partners. Industry hosts noted it implied a national or governmental focus that clashed with the foundation's local mission — a particular concern given Washington's political climate. The existing red, white, and blue visual identity compounded the problem, carrying associations that felt misaligned with the foundation's inclusive, forward-looking work. 

But stakeholders didn't just identify the problem — they pointed toward the solution. Words like "inspire," "educate," and "future" surfaced repeatedly. Students wanted a name tied to their identities as Washingtonians. Board members wanted energy and movement. Funders needed a name that communicated purpose without explanation.

That community input directly shaped the selection of NEXTDC—Network, Educate, Experience and Travel. Locally rooted, mission-forward, and instantly legible to every audience the foundation serves. 

The Visual Identity:

Destination DC's in-house creative team developed a colorful and unique suite of assets: logo, brand guidelines, social media toolkit, stationary package, event signage, fundraising video (above) and more, translating stakeholder input into a visual identity students could see themselves in.

The Result:

The result is an organization whose name, look, and digital presence finally match the transformational work it has always done. NEXTDC enriches students' lives through inspirational experiences and educational opportunities, connecting local youth with professionals, entrepreneurs, and executives across DC's tourism, hospitality, and business sectors — and now, anyone who encounters the organization can understand that from the very first introduction.

In 2025, NEXTDC recorded 1,656 student engagements, awarded 37 scholarships totaling $38,500, and placed 23 students in paid internships. Since 2015, the organization has created more than 3,200 work-based learning opportunities and reinvested more than $3 million in combined financial and in-kind support for youth career development. As student Micah Bracey put it: "Through NEXTDC, I discovered my voice and realized my potential."