Simpler.Grants.gov Public Wiki
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  • 👋Welcome
  • GET INVOLVED
    • Why open source?
    • How to contribute code
    • How to file issues
      • Report a bug
      • Request a feature
      • Report a security vulnerability
    • Community guidelines
      • Code of Conduct
      • Reporting and removing content
      • Incident response protocol
    • Community events
      • Fall 2024 Coding Challenge
        • Event Submissions & Winners
      • Spring 2025 Collaborative Coding Challenge
        • Event Submissions & Winners
    • Communication channels
  • Product
    • Roadmap
    • Deliverables
      • 🏁Static site soft launch
      • 🏁Static site public launch
      • 🏁GET Opportunities
      • 🏁Open source onboarding
      • 🏁Co-Design Group planning
    • Decisions
      • ADR Template
      • ADRs
        • Dedicated Forum for Simpler.Grants.gov Community
        • Recording Architecture Decisions
        • Task Runner for the CI / CD Pipeline
        • API Language
        • Use Figma for design prototyping
        • ADR: Chat
        • DB Choices
        • API Framework and Libraries
        • Back-end Code Quality Tools
        • Front-end Language
        • Communications Tooling: Wiki Platform
        • Use Mural for design diagrams and whiteboarding
        • Ticket Tracking
        • Front-end Framework
        • Front-end Code Quality Tools
        • Front-end Testing & Coverage
        • Backend API Type
        • Front-end Testing & Coverage
        • Deployment Strategy
        • Use U.S. Web Design System for components and utility classes
        • FE server rendering
        • Use NPM over Yarn Architectural Decision Records
        • U.S. Web Design System in React
        • Communications Tooling: Video Conferencing
        • Back-end Production Server
        • Communications Tooling: Analytics Platform
        • Commit and Branch Conventions and Release Workflow
        • Cloud Platform to Host the Project
        • Infrastructure as Code Tool
        • Data Replication Strategy & Tool
        • HHS Communications Site
        • Communications Tooling: Email Marketing
        • Communications Tooling: Listserv
        • Use Ethnio for design research
        • Uptime Monitoring
        • Database Migrations
        • 30k ft deliverable reporting strategy
        • Public measurement dashboard architecture
        • Method and technology for "Contact Us" CTA
        • E2E / Integration Testing Framework
        • Logging and Monitoring Platform
        • Dashboard Data Storage
        • Dashboard Data Tool
        • Search Engine
        • Document Storage
        • Document Sharing
        • Internal Wiki ADR
        • Shared Team Calendar Platform
        • Cross-Program Team Health Survey Tool
        • Adding Slack Users to SimplerGrants Slack Workspace
        • Repo organization
        • Internal knowledge management
        • Migrate Existing API Consumers
      • Infra
        • Use markdown architectural decision records
        • CI/CD interface
        • Use custom implementation of GitHub OIDC
        • Manage ECR in prod account module
        • Separate terraform backend configs into separate config files
        • Database module design
        • Provision database users with serverless function
        • Database migration architecture
        • Consolidate infra config from tfvars files into config module
        • Environment use cases
        • Production networking long term state
    • Analytics
      • Open source community metrics
      • API metrics
  • DESIGN & RESEARCH
    • Brand guidelines
      • Logo
      • Colors
      • Grid and composition
      • Typography
      • Iconography
      • Photos and illustrations
    • Content guidelines
      • Voice and tone
    • User research
      • Grants.gov archetypes
  • REFERENCES
    • Glossary
  • How to edit the wiki
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On this page
  • Color Families
  • Color & Accessibility
  • Additional don’ts

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  1. DESIGN & RESEARCH
  2. Brand guidelines

Colors

PreviousLogoNextGrid and composition

Last updated 1 month ago

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Color plays a significant role in our brand. The following values represent our core palette. These are used most often in the system and should be relied on when the color palette must be limited. Each of our colors is named for ideas that represent trust and accessibility.

Patina Green, Forest Green, and Sky Blue should be used most frequently as the primary brand colors, with the remaining values being used as support.

Color Families

The Grants color system is based on the design token system in USWDS. Each color family has 7-8 grades.

Color & Accessibility

Pairing colors together can be complex. Always consider the application, information, and audience when selecting values. Higher contrast combinations make information clearer, while lower contrast combinations can be helpful for graphic elements.

Color contrast is crucial to legibility and accessibility in type. Always be sure there is enough contrast between the type and background. In most situations, type should be used in Gray or White, with color being used to create emphasis.

Additional don’ts

Do not diminish the value of color in the brand. Avoid the following uses.

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Do not use unapproved colors.

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Do not use gradients.

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Do not use low-contrast combinations.

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Do not use only accent color combinations.