10/29/2024 | News release | Distributed by Public on 10/29/2024 07:25
Your nonprofit's brand is an essential tool for building trust with supporters. When your audience sees the same visuals and messaging throughout all of your communications, it makes your organization recognizable and memorable for them. Plus, since your brand represents your mission, it instills confidence that they're supporting a good cause with their resources and time.
The centrepiece of your brand is your logo. According to Loop, "Your nonprofit logo is the visual representation of your organization's identity. It translates your mission, vision, and values into a graphic that encapsulates who you are, what you stand for, and the impact you strive to make."
To help your organization's logo accomplish this purpose, let's review four best practices for designing it.
Colour is the foundation of all graphics, especially logos. The colours in your nonprofit's logo will influence the look and feel of all of your marketing materials. In many cases, brand colours become very closely associated with the organizations using them-think of Coca-Cola Red on the for-profit side and Girl Scout Green among nonprofits, for instance.
When choosing colours for your nonprofit's logo, consider:
In your organization's brand guide, include not only the names of the colours in your logo, but also the specific hex codes (for example, "light purple" could be #d3b3f2 or #e4affa). This way, you can input the codes into any graphic design tool and get the exact shades in your logo every time you create branded marketing materials.
Generally speaking, simple logos are more memorable than complex ones. However, since your logo represents your nonprofit's unique identity, the design needs to have the same one-of-a-kind factor.
Here are a few ways to make this happen:
If you have a few logo ideas in mind but aren't sure which one will resonate most with your audience, hold a focus group or create a survey for longtime supporters to gather direct input on which design they find most appealing and why.
Your logo should feature prominently in all of your nonprofit's communications, from your website's navigation bar to signage at fundraising events. Once you've chosen a primary logo design, create a few variations of it to ensure you can naturally incorporate your logo into various materials.
Here are some popular logo design iterations and their functions:
Keep your logo's core symbol at the centre of every variation to tie it back to your brand, and document all approved versions in your brand guide for your team's reference.
While your logo and branding should always align with your nonprofit's identity, that identity will evolve as your organization grows and changes. There are many reasons your organization might choose to rebrand, including:
Since your logo is at the core of your brand, evaluate it first if you're considering rebranding. Gather input from staff members, board members, and employees on if and how you should change your logo, then plan the rest of your rebrand from there. Before you officially launch your new logo, give supporters a sneak peek of the design so they understand the reasoning behind it and aren't surprised by the change.
Following the tips above will provide your nonprofit with a solid foundation for creating a mission-driven, memorable logo. Look to other organizations' logo designs for inspiration, and don't hesitate to reach out for professional branding help if you need it at any point in the process!