A Great Idea is where the values go to work.
The brand strategy and design agency Shane Lukas founded in Greensboro in September 2015. Ten years of campaigns, identities and sites for organizations that lead with what they believe.
What A Great Idea is.
A Great Idea is a full-service brand strategy and graphic design agency based in Greensboro and Durham, North Carolina. Shane Lukas founded it in September 2015, after institutional attacks on his activism, on one idea: design can be a force for social good. The agency works with values-driven organizations, from community nonprofits and health innovators to foundations and entertainment companies, on empathy- and narrative-led strategy, identity, campaigns and websites that help them amplify their message, build community and move people to action. Its work has been recognized by the Anthem, Davey, MarCom, W3 and GDUSA awards, and in 2025 it marked ten years of collaborative work with its partners.
- Founded
- September 2015, by Shane Lukas
- Based in
- Greensboro and Durham, North Carolina
- Years in practice
- 11, celebrated ten in 2025
- Focus
- Brand strategy, identity, campaigns and websites for values-driven organizations
- Certification
- NGLCC-certified LGBTQ Business Enterprise
- Recognition
- Anthem, Davey, MarCom, W3 and GDUSA awards
- Website
- www.agreatidea.com
From one idea to a decade of work.
The agency began as an answer to attacks on Shane's activism: if design could be turned against people, it could be turned toward them.
- September 2015Founded by Shane Lukas in Greensboro, NC; the Tyler Clementi Foundation becomes the first client that October.
- 2017Launches Out.Vote, helping queer communities contact their representatives and mobilize.
- 2018Certified LGBTQ Business Enterprise through the NGLCC; the A Great Idea mark is trademarked.
- 2019Sponsors Greensboro and Durham Pride for the first time; launches the Power Beyond Pride forum series.
- 2022Co-launches Every Day Say Gay to amplify LGBTQ+ voices nationwide.
- 2023GDUSA names Shane a Designer for Good.
- 2024Launches Freedom Is For Every Body and Pride Is For Every Body.
- 2025Power Beyond Pride becomes a weekly podcast; A Great Idea turns ten; the Idealist Microgrant launches for grassroots organizers.
- Greensboro Pride, where the agency has sponsored and shown up since 2019
- Power Beyond Pride began as a forum series and became the podcast
- Freedom Is For Every Body and Pride Is For Every Body, launched 2024
Values are the compass.
We started A Great Idea ten years ago with the belief that storytelling and strategy could help our movements shift power and culture.
The agency commits 5% of its revenue to civic engagement and community movement work, and marked its tenth anniversary in 2025 by launching the Idealist Microgrant for grassroots organizers doing intersectional liberation work.
The tenth-anniversary celebration →- Together, we will do great thingsCollaboration is magic. Strong, authentic connections that engage advocacy for impact.
- Good is a great startOur partners are changing the world. Every project has to amplify and advance their success.
- Greatness lives in every bodyEvery human being has the right to thrive on their own terms, in their expression and in their humanity.
- Create with great‑itudeSupporting transformative work is an honor. Gratitude, and the space to listen and grow, come with it.
Organizations the agency has worked with.
A selection from the agency's client list. Speaking hosts and stages are listed separately on the speaking page.
- AARP NY
- Amida Care
- Carolina Federation
- Citizens Union
- Climate Advocacy Lab
- Cone Health Regional Center for Infectious Disease
- Creation Justice Ministries
- Dogwood Alliance
- Embrace Kids Foundation
- FaithAction
- GDUSA
- Guilford Green Foundation + LGBTQ Center
- Kidpower
- New Pride Agenda
- North Carolina AIDS Action Network
- North Carolina Coalition Against Domestic Violence
- People USA
- Planned Parenthood Empire State Acts
- Queens Chamber of Commerce
- Triad Health Project
- Tyler Clementi Foundation
- Voces Latinas
In their words.
“The biggest thing for me, specifically when we're talking about marketing, is values alignment. Anyone we're going to work with needs to really understand the work that we do. With A Great Idea, those values lined up explicitly.”
“A Great Idea is able to ask the right questions, to understand our vision, to ask questions that maybe help us articulate the parts of the vision that we didn't totally know.”
Have a brand, campaign or site in mind?
The agency’s portfolio, services and team live on its own site. Shane’s speaking and writing stay here.