What Sandstorm Design does

Sandstorm Design is an award-winning, Chicago-based UX design and web development agency operating since 1998. It provides professional services — UX research, UX design and accessibility, brand strategy, creative design, web development, custom software development, AI strategy and implementation, data analytics, and website maintenance — primarily to purpose-driven organizations: trade and professional associations, global nonprofits, healthcare systems, and higher education institutions, with a secondary practice in "responsible manufacturing." Technology delivery is anchored in Drupal, Kentico, and WordPress, with active Acquia, Sitefinity, and Association-specific Drupal certifications. The firm differentiates on a proprietary six-step user-centered design methodology developed by a Ph.D. in Human Factors, supported by 5,000+ hours of accumulated UX research and usability testing and a custom Drupal SEO Admin Interface. Revenue is generated through project-based engagements acquired via RFP process, direct enterprise sales, referrals, and industry events such as DrupalCon, Digital Collegium, and ASAE conferences. The company is privately held and founder-led (Sandy Marsico, founder & CEO), with no institutional investor or parent company disclosed. Recent strategic actions include the 2019 acquisition of Jacobs Agency, the launch of an AI Strategy & Implementation service line, and five Hermes Creative Awards in 2024 alongside a seventh ICIC Inner City 100 (Hall of Fame) recognition.

Name

Sandstorm Design

Legal name

Sandstorm Design, Inc.

Website

https://sandstormdesign.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1998

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Sandstorm Design is a Chicago-based UX design and web development agency serving purpose-driven organizations — primarily associations, global nonprofits, healthcare systems, and higher education institutions — through Drupal, Kentico, and WordPress implementations, with AI strategy and accessibility services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Chicago

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Professional Services - UX Design & Research: User experience research, usability testing, persona development, journey mapping, and information architecture services for enterprise clients.
2. Web Development & Engineering: Enterprise web development, custom software development, CMS implementation (Drupal, Kentico, WordPress), and website maintenance services.
3. AI Strategy & Implementation: AI-powered search, chatbots, personalization solutions, and schema optimization services for associations and nonprofits.
4. Brand Strategy & Creative Design: Brand strategy development, creative design, content marketing strategy, and digital marketing services.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Sandstorm Design is an award-winning UX agency that provides user experience design, UX research, web development, brand strategy, custom software development, and AI strategy services to purpose-driven organizations. The company builds high-performing websites and digital experiences for associations, nonprofits, healthcare systems, and higher education institutions using platforms such as Drupal, Kentico, and WordPress.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• UX Design & Web Accessibility Human-centered UX design combined with web accessibility compliance, including wireframe prototyping, UX design comps, content comprehension testing, navigation, conversions, and user flows for enterprise clients.
• User Experience (UX) Research In-depth user research including website surveys, web analytics reviews, in-depth interviews, and usability studies. Develops personas and customer journey maps to drive design decisions. Backed by 5,000+ hours of UX research.
• Web Development Enterprise-level web development using agile methodology and SCRUM framework. In-house senior-level development team building websites and data-driven web applications in Drupal, Kentico, and WordPress.
• Brand Strategy Strategic brand positioning and messaging development, including positioning statements, key messages, content marketing tactics, and digital marketing strategies. Rebranding services including name development, visual identity, and launch campaigns.
• Creative Design

Quantifiable outcome

• CCIM Institute achieved 785% increase in content downloads and 70% engagement rate
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers13 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration15 records

AI capability9 records

Feature4 records

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• Giveffect: Software and services provider for nonprofits with digital experience offerings, partially overlapping with Sandstorm's nonprofit website and member-engagement scope.

Direct peers

• DelCor Technology Solutions: IT and digital consulting firm dedicated to associations and nonprofits, covering web platforms, AMS integrations, and member engagement—comparable vertical and adjacent services.
• Forum One: Digital agency specialized in Drupal and web strategy for associations, nonprofits, and government clients, with similar vertical mix and Drupal-first delivery model.
• Big Duck: Branding and marketing agency exclusively serving nonprofits, with comparable vertical focus and emphasis on strategy-led creative work.
• Heller Consulting: Association and nonprofit technology consultancy with overlaps on CRM/AMS integrations and digital transformation projects for similar clients.
• Velir: Digital experience agency focused on Drupal, Kentico, and Sitecore implementations for associations, healthcare, and mission-driven organizations—directly comparable client base and platform stack.
• OHO Interactive: Digital agency serving higher education and nonprofit clients with Drupal-based websites and UX-driven engagements—directly comparable in vertical and platform.
• Kanopi Studios: Digital agency delivering Drupal and web development for mission-driven organizations, with overlapping methodology around design, research, and open-source CMS implementations.
• FFW (Five Flavors Web): Drupal-focused digital agency delivering enterprise web experiences for mission-driven and association clients, directly comparable in platform specialization and delivery model.

Broad incumbents

• Blue State (formerly Blue State Digital): Larger digital agency serving nonprofits, advocacy, and purpose-driven brands with strategy, creative, and digital product capabilities—broader scale and service mix but overlapping client segment.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/SandstormDesign
• Facebookfacebook.com/sandstormdesign
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sandstorm-design

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A1 record

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Sandstorm Design