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There are more than 1.5 million 501(c)(3) nonprofits in the U.S. alone, all striving to build strong communities around their missions and raise the funds they need to make a difference.
With so many worthy causes and organizations, how can your nonprofit stand out from the crowd and inspire support? While the answer to this question is complicated and multi-faceted, there is one key underlying factor: your branding.
Your nonprofit’s branding is more than just a design you slap onto your marketing materials. It’s your visual and verbal identity. It defines every experience and impression people have when interacting with your organization.
A strong nonprofit brand builds trust, creates alignment, and motivates people to get involved in your mission—but establishing one requires research, thought, and fine-tuning. Let’s explore some do’s and don’ts to set your organization up for success with its branding strategy.
Do: Understand Your Target Audience
While your nonprofit should aim to secure as much support as possible, this doesn’t mean you should try to appeal to everyone. Doing so can cause your organization to appear too generic and make it more challenging to stand out.
Donors and volunteers get involved with specific nonprofits and causes based on their interests, values, and experiences. Your brand identity should resonate with those most likely to feel passionate about your mission.
While you may not be able to get to know every member of your target audience personally, you can use data to understand what motivates them as a whole. The NPOInfo donor data management guide recommends collecting and analyzing relevant details such as:
- Age
- Gender
- Location
- Employment
- Volunteer activity
The North Carolina Community Health Workers Association (NCCHWA) is a stellar example of a nonprofit that aligns its branding with its audience. Since a high percentage of the organization’s community speaks Spanish, the NCCHWA has a Spanish version of its logo and a translated version of its website to better connect with its target audience.
Do: Keep Branding Consistent Across All Materials
When donors give to your nonprofit, they want to be confident that their dollars will go toward furthering your mission. If your website is full of bright colors and casual messaging, but the donation page they land on is largely monochrome with a professional tone, they may wonder if they ended up in the right place.
Whether you’re designing a website page or sending text messages, they should all have a similar look and feel. Brand consistency allows your nonprofit to:
- Become more recognizable
- Boost trust and credibility
- Stand out from other nonprofits
- Build loyal, lasting supporter relationships
- Align staff, volunteers, and donors behind your mission
This consistency should apply to online and offline marketing efforts. For example, direct mail and merchandise are powerful ways to keep your mission top of mind, serving as physical mementos for your organization. Convoy of Hope is a disaster relief nonprofit that sent branded t-shirts as thank-you gifts to donors during GivingTuesday, resulting in higher fundraising engagement than ever before. Plus, whenever a donor wears the t-shirt, they help spread the word to others who see it.
Do: Standardize Brand Guidelines
Each member of your nonprofit’s staff and volunteers acts as a representative of your organization and brand, whether they’re creating social media posts or interacting with attendees at one of your events. Help them keep your voice and identity consistent by outlining official brand guidelines in a shared document.
According to the Liminal nonprofit branding guide, your brand guidelines should include these essential elements:
- Name: Specify your organization’s official name, along with any accepted abbreviations that can be used, such as “WWF” for World Wildlife Fund.
- Logo: Include your logo, explain any acceptable variations, and provide instructions for appropriate usage across various marketing materials and communications.
- Core Messaging: Ensure your internal and external content is focused and compelling by providing your “why” statement, mission, vision, values, tagline, and other essential communication components.
- Voice and Personality: Is your nonprofit a warm and compassionate presence in its community? Or do you aim to come across as witty, casual, and playful? Decide on a consistent voice and personality to guide your messaging and interactions with supporters.
- Typography: Your nonprofit’s fonts and styling choices can significantly impact how people react to your content. Indicate when your team should use various sizing, capitalization, or font weights.
- Color Palette: Define your nonprofit’s primary and secondary colors, along with hex codes for easy reference. Include details such as appropriate color combinations and other special considerations.
Put your brand guidelines in an easy-to-access location for your staff and volunteers. Remember to review the document regularly to make updates and additions as needed.
Don’t: Assume DIY Is Better
Many nonprofits believe that, to win the support of new and long-time donors, they must give the impression that they’re passionately working to make a difference in the face of significant challenges—such as a perpetually tight budget.
This mindset often leaks into their branding strategies. Their websites might feature hand-drawn logos, clip art, and unclear calls to action (CTAs). Their font choices may be inconsistent or stylized and difficult to read. While you might think this homemade approach can make your nonprofit seem more charming and relatable to donors, it can actually detract from its credibility and reputation.
A more professional brand identity, on the other hand, conveys that your nonprofit is committed to high-quality results—whether you’re creating a website or carrying out your mission. Donors will feel much more comfortable giving you their hard-earned dollars when they’re confident that you’ll put their contributions to good use. Enhancing your organization’s brand will boost, rather than undermine, your chances of connecting with donors and community partners.
Don’t: Be Afraid to Rebrand If Necessary
Your nonprofit’s brand isn’t completely set in stone. If you think your branding strategy isn’t resonating with your community and bringing in the support you need, you can always pursue a rebranding project.
To improve or overhaul your existing brand to better capture what your organization stands for, consider reaching out to a nonprofit branding agency for help. A well-experienced team can:
- Engage with your audience to learn and improve how they perceive your organization.
- Work with you to create clear and compelling core messaging.
- Draft an attention-grabbing logo and color palette that encapsulates what you do.
- Design an eye-catching website and marketing materials that reflect your brand.
- Put together a brand style guide to align your team’s efforts going forward.
Even after your rebranding project is complete, your nonprofit can establish a long-term partnership with the branding agency to continually set and meet new branding goals. From monthly newsletters to printed annual reports, you can always uncover more opportunities to inspire and engage your audience with strong messaging and a clear brand identity.
If you need a little more inspiration on your nonprofit’s branding journey, consider checking out other successful organizations and examining how they portray themselves across various mediums and platforms. While you should avoid directly copying another nonprofit’s brand, looking at strong examples can help you pinpoint helpful ideas and best practices for establishing your own unique identity.
