Updated Aug 27,2024
Graphic Design

Nonprofit Branding Strategy: The Complete Guide to Building a Strong Brand for Nonprofit Sector

nonprofit branding strategy

Nonprofit branding is an ideal way to tell your story to people. Using visual or written content, you can communicate with people to express who you are or what you do. An effective branding strategy can help your brand stand out from competitors and build significant connections with your audience. In this prospect, branding a nonprofit means a lot!  

Standing out as a nonprofit among millions of nonprofit organizations is challenging! We understand you're competing with millions in your same sector, right? Indeed, it's tough to rise among all, but not impossible. In crowded sectors like nonprofits, the best way to differentiate your brand is drafting an exceptional story that can differentiate your brand from other organizations to entice more donations!  

The story you want to share with your audience depends on many factors! Such as whether the color palette you choose means you’re modernized or not, whether the fonts you use suit your organization or not, whether the logo presents your brand or not, and many more things. Remember, when you dive into a nonprofit, standing out among the crowd is a priority! 

Because, you're running a race with giant nonprofits all across the globe. Take it easy! Significant nonprofit branding can help you to stand out in your organization and trigger your audience to build a more influential connection with you. 

In this blog, we'll share a meaningful tonic for your worries about building a healthy nonprofit brand. We're here thinking about your concern! So, close other tabs and focus on this to dive into the secret of nonprofit branding. Today — we’ll cover a well-detailed guide to building a powerful nonprofit brand. Interested? Keep reading.

What Is Nonprofit Branding?

Nonprofit branding refers to those elements that an organization uses to communicate its mission, vision, and values. When you go in-depth into the meaning of nonprofit branding, you’ll overview - it's all about how the world perceives your organization and what it plays. Better, think about UNICEF or the Red Cross and what they’re performing for humanity. It's the way a powerful nonprofit branding works! 

The primary goal of building a nonprofit brand is to increase community engagement, no matter if you start it with a creative logo design or excellent social media content with impressive visuals. It's noteworthy to develop an in-depth understanding of how to grow your nonprofit in the top place! When you profoundly understand what puts your nonprofit in an elevated position, you can develop a more effective strategy for your nonprofit branding.

Mind it, strong branding is not required only for big businesses! Yes, you’ve heard that right. You already know nonprofit branding is different from any other form of branding. Think about its goals, challenges, unique concepts, attributes, and priorities. While you think about creating a compelling and memorable nonprofit branding, take an eye on the paramount aspects of your nonprofit branding!  

Today, you can't ignore establishing a brand presence for your nonprofit! A nonprofit represents an organization's identity, impact, and values. Indeed, building nonprofits is significant to developing trust within the community, drawing supporters, and increasing brand awareness. Indeed, a nonprofit requires effective strategy to set its brand apart from the crowd!

Why Is Nonprofit Branding Important?

nonprofit branding important

You already understand how necessary nonprofit branding is to rise. 93% of nonprofit organizations consider that creating an all-embracing brand identity can increase donor engagement. Non-profit branding can help to develop relationships with your audience. Also, it brings loyalty and builds trust among the community. 

Undoubtedly — beneficial nonprofit branding can increase social brand awareness and build concrete dominance over time. Now let's dive into the importance of nonprofit branding!

Step #1: Standing Out From the Crowd

It is essential to stand out among other nonprofit organizations! That's why you need to think about good nonprofit branding. Sure, essential nonprofit branding can help you stand out over your competitors and send unique brand voice all across the globe. Nowadays, many nonprofits face a terrific challenge in distinguishing themselves from the crowd.

In this case, quality nonprofit branding helps your organization become more memorable to your target community to gain people's trust! Indeed, solid nonprofit branding ensures your brand is trustworthy and consistent. You must be careful about effective nonprofit branding kits, such as, the organization's logo, fonts, colors, tagline, and more.

If you can interrelate all of the nonprofit branding elements with the tone and postures of your organization, people will appreciate your brand and keep you in their mind like you’re original, consistent and cohesive!

Step #2: Building Trust and Loyalty

Every business is related to people. So, gaining trust and loyalty can be ‘Everest-winning’ for your business. You may think trust and loyalty have less value for nonprofits. Wrong! Even in nonprofits, increasing trust and loyalty can be the game changer. Look, you’re developing a brand with a purpose. It has an intention. Also, a brand will have its target audience!

When your audience finds trust in your brand, they'll be loyal to you. Trust brings loyalty to your brand. Yeah, trust works like magic that helps you to remain stable in the storm wind and makes you visible in a cloudy sky! The main reason people put trust in you is because they believe in you! Finally, they show you loyalty because they trust you. Yup, this loyalty can be life-long if you can keep the trust alive.

Therefore, effective nonprofit branding can build trust and loyalty among organizations and make you believable and trustable. A faithful nonprofit brand delivers a sense of organizational detail. So, the supporters of your brand will be more loyal to your organization. That's why building trust and gaining loyalty should be the foremost priority for an influential nonprofit branding strategy!

Step #3: Improves Powerful Engagement

While it's nonprofit, increasing your target supporter's engagement can be core to making you more reliable in the community. Indeed, understanding nonprofit engagement is significant! Look — engagement can be different from business to business. But, in the nonprofit, engagement plays a vital role to get the maximum results. Engagement for nonprofit means any type of involvement. It can be community participation, volunteering, donating, increasing awareness, and so on.

When you think about convincing your target audience, nonprofits can create captivating storytelling that'll connect more people all across the globe. When you make people understand who you are or what purpose makes you become out of the box, you can easily convert them into your target supporters. Of course, you can delve into powerful engagement strategies for nonprofits to get the best results!

Step #4: Sounder Impact on Fundraising

First things come first! In the nonprofit sector, fundraising is a top priority. Effective nonprofit branding increases the visibility of your organization and bring more support from different platforms. In this way, you can gain the fundraising goals of your organization. A powerful nonprofit branding helps to get a better connection among donors and supporters all over the world. So, you can raise a handsome funding by influential nonprofit branding. 

Research says visual nonprofit branding can increase your revenue by 50% compared to non-visual nonprofit branding. So, quality visuals can be an asset for your nonprofit branding. You can emphasize visuals while setting up your nonprofit branding strategy. It matters to add more revenue to the fund and inspire supporters to stay closer to your organization!

Drafting Your Nonprofit Branding Guidelines

nonprofit branding guidelines

Indeed, effective nonprofit branding depends on many cohesive factors. All the factors work together to stand out your nonprofit among the crowd of competitors. If you can develop the right nonprofit branding strategy with the must-need factors, your organization can obtain the first impression of supporters. We’ll dive into the most significant ones to give you an in-depth sense so you can build solid nonprofit branding.

#1. Logo

Of course, you'll confess your organization's logo is the basement of your nonprofit branding! No doubt, it's the foundational element of your overall visual brand. Your organization's logo is the first wordmark too, to ensure your nonprofit's recognition. The logo represents your brand personality and the core origins of your mission. 

Your nonprofit logo should evoke emotions of your target audiences and can help to recognize your brand. Also, it plays a vital role in building an emotional connection with your audiences in the community or all across the globe. Remember, you can design a nonprofit logo keeping all kinds of visual directions in mind, so you can trigger your audience to appreciate your brand.

#2. Name

Name is one of the memorable elements of your nonprofit branding. It can be challenging to pick a name that resonates with your mission and brand identity. A good name means a lot for any business. When we dive into the name of nonprofits, a proper name can inspire your supporters and give a first impression in the minds of your audiences. 

Choosing a suitable name for your nonprofit that aligns with your mission. can differentiate you from the crowd. In the meantime, you can think about renaming your organization when you think the name you choose doesn't meet your long-term mission and vision. But renaming means you are new to the world! 

Look, if you see your existing brand name is well-known and you're popular with the name in the community, keep this name! However, change doesn’t bring a good vibe all the time. But, if the existing name doesn’t meet your needs and can’t go with the appeal of your audience, then you can decide on a new name to get a fresh breath for your brand!

#3. Typography

Typography choice matters. It can express your organization's personality and style through the written posture of your brand. How you arrange your written elements can impact the audience's mind and give them a sense of you. Research says the right choice of typography can influence the overall brand experience. Also, it plays a significant role in eliciting emotions and convert your audience into your brand. 

Different typeface works for distinct emotions! Your nonprofit should pick a typeface that resonates with your brand's message and reflects the tone of your organization. For your better understanding — if a nonprofit speaks loud, it should use an advocacy-based tone with a firm vertical typeface in bold weights. Such a typeface works attract attention and convey urgency. 

Suppose your nonprofit is related to a children's charity. Then what type of typeface you should use? The best will be a geometric typeface with a tiny weight as it can transfer a more tranquil tone. One more thing - typefaces you use must be easy to read, whether it come out as digitally or in print. When your written words are easy to understand, you can make the call to action and significant messages clear for anyone.

#4. Color

Color triggers emotions! You already know triggering emotions is the core purpose of branding. However, you should choose color for your nonprofit with in-depth thought from different aspects. Think of picking colors with care, not considering only how they look. Mind-triggering colors can work subconsciously for a specific brand audience. Colors have different characteristics! Here are some color engagement ideas for successful nonprofit branding: 

  • Orange: It means the vibe of life! Orange represents energy and a friendly and playful tone.
  • Red: Red is red. It makes you bold. Yes, it expresses big emotions like passion, ambitions, violence, and strength.
  • Green: This color is a symbol of growth and a positive sign. However, green is related to the environment or climate.
  • Yellow: It elicits the feelings of optimism, happiness, and warmth.
  • Blue: The blue color has a wide range of meanings. It represents trust, calmness, and professionalism.
  • Black: It typically represents serious and bold feelings. Sometimes, it conveys a feeling of mourning that comes from boldness.
  • Purple: Color of innovation, solutions, or creativity.

Indeed, color combination is essential when choosing a color palette. You can raise the emotions of your target audience by utilizing the right color palette. Of course, the colors you pick will interact with the choices of your supporter's emotions.

#5. Tone

Tone of words matters! Tone or personality works significantly in boosting powerful nonprofit branding. The personality of your nonprofit can include personal characters and emotions like sincerity, positiveness, or inclusivity. These help you build a meaningful nonprofit brand identity and welcome an audience with a warm connection. 

On the other hand, the tone of your organization helps to express the true emotions of a brand's personality. The way you speak to your audience or write, or share your messages with your audience must be friendly! So that you can always welcome your audience with an inviting window. The tone of your brand and personality work together to make your voice unique and can create an original version of who you are. Keep in mind, people like a real person, not a faceless company!

How to Develop a Nonprofit Brand Identity?

nonprofit brand identity

Brand identity represents mainly the external visuals of a brand that help identify or differentiate a brand in the audience's mind over competitors! External visuals encompass logo, design, color, and even language. As you're trying your best to develop a nonprofit brand identity, have a look at the following guides:

Step #1: Focus on Target Audience

Audience is the life of a brand, like oxygen for breath! Thinking about your nonprofit target audience is the first and foremost aspect of developing or updating a solid nonprofit branding identity. Before delving into building a nonprofit brand identity, you can divide your target audience into classes to engage them with your brand and what service you provide. Can't get it? 

Okay. Let's make it simple. 

For example, let’s filter your target audience - middle-aged men or women audience, the income-challenged audience, or the youth audience. Once you've recognized your target audience, think about how to connect with them. To learn your audience, you can start sharing with them your mission and vision. Then, you can identify who cares about your words or who does not. Engage all your audience with your visuals and brand messaging!

Step #2: Develop Mouthwatering Brand Documents

The branding strategy changes over time to cope with the latest trends. So, you can focus on core branding information to keep your brand up from every aspect. All of your core branding information includes:  

  • Your Story: What's the background story behind your nonprofit - narrate it to your audience. What makes you different from other organizations with the same missions? Convey it to your audience with your inviting words.
  • Mission Statement: Your organization's mission statement must be unique and can drive branding decisions. The mission statement should share the purpose of your nonprofit organization. 
  • Colors: Pick a color that resonates with your voice or brand. Suppose an environmental nonprofit should pick a green color. The color palette will represent your nonprofit brand identity. 
  • Fonts: Your chosen fonts should represent the tone of your organization. How? Transparent, easy to understand, and softer lines look friendly and inviting. 
  • Logo: Again, logo. The logo of your organization symbolizes your nonprofit fundamental facts. It catches the first impression of your brand.

Now, share the above document with your marketing staff to develop solid nonprofit branding. Sure, keep an eye on the latest branding trends in your sector. Then, you can update your nonprofit branding elements according to the changes. While changing any of your branding documents, keep in mind that the elements will reflect your branding purpose.

Step #3: Visual Identity Is the Core of Nonprofit

Look, if your nonprofit is new or you want to get a recharged look at your nonprofit, visual identity can fulfill your purpose. Visual identity includes a logo, typography, color palette, or branded materials like a letterhead or a website. If you're thinking about developing a brand-new visual identity for your nonprofit, take an eye on the given short notes:

  • Choose fonts that align with the tone of your organization   
  • Think about how your organization reacts to your visual elements   
  • Understand color psychology to define your organization's actual look 
  • Go in-depth the basics of design, such as contrast, hierarchy, or accessibility 
  • Design a memorable logo for a nonprofit that sets you apart from the race   

However, if you want to develop a meaningful nonprofit brand identity that meets the purpose, you can think of consulting or hiring a branding design company if all seems messy! An ideal nonprofit branding identity incorporates vital branding elements that can reflect your mission, vision, or values.

Step #4: Focus on Nonprofit Branding Kit

All the branding kits you implement make your brand more visible, catchy, and memorable to your target audience. In another sense, the branding kit helps establish rules to use the branding guidelines flawlessly. No doubt - building a branding kit for nonprofits is a basic initiative to establish a recognizable brand identity. A well-developed branding kit can ensure all the branding materials are mind-triggering, visually appealing, consistent, and resonate with your nonprofit's mission and values. Here’s a quick note to develop an effective branding kit:

  • Design a memorable logo
  • Brand guidelines document
  • Determine your brand colors
  • Prepare your brand messaging
  • Update and develop your brand kit
  • Differentiate your brand personality
  • Design visual elements and graphics
  • Describe your mission and core values

Indeed — understanding the whole concept of nonprofit branding can be difficult on your own. At the same time, graphic design gives breath to your brand identity. Considering importance of designs in your branding, you can thrive for top-quality branding kit design services to make your nonprofit branding easier!

How to Promotion of Your Nonprofit Brand

One of the most practical functions of any brand! 

Promoting your nonprofit means making people identify and connect to your brand. If supporters are familiar with your brand, they can remember more about your organization and why it comes out on the planet. Indeed,  increasing brand awareness can support other marketing tools and give your nonprofit a concrete identity that supporters love to connect with! Here are some vital ways to promote your nonprofit:

1. Focus on SEO

According to a survey, 31% of people find products or new brands using search engines. As a nonprofit, you can use the most of it to build brand awareness among your target supporters. You can be a part of Google Ad Grants to accumulate Ad credits up to $10,000 per month. By using these paid ads, your nonprofit website can rank at the top of the SERP's. Staying the focus on the searcher's eyes, you can share more info about your brand and what you do as a nonprofit to your supporters.

2. Your Approach Shows Who You Are

The best way to reach more supporters with your nonprofit brand is to deliver a positive approach. Decorate your brand with what your target supporters appreciate more. Learn what your supporters like and what they don't like. Depending on your target supporter’s choices, you can optimize the platforms to connect with your target audience.

3. Develop Multiple Touchpoints with Donors

Yes, establish multiple touchpoints with your supporters and donors! You can choose the particular platforms depending on your target donor's choices. You can use social media, email campaigns, or SMS messages to elicit your donor's emotions to your nonprofit. Find out the best way that helps you connect to your supporters and donors emotionally. 

Once you're connected to your donors and they understand your brand messages in the true sense, they'll be yours!

5 Successful Nonprofit Brand Examples To Inspire You

The good has no end. Improvement has no limits. Sure, you can improve your nonprofit’s health by getting inspired by highly successful nonprofit brand examples! We've listed a few successful nonprofit brands to gear up your journey to success. We think these powerful nonprofit brands have implemented well-developed branding strategies to bring their dream into reality. Now it's your turn! 

Yeah, let's delve into the world's most successful nonprofit brand examples:

1) Africa Health Organization (AHO)

Ahh, what a background story of AHO! 

Indeed, the AHO, Africa Health Organization believes human for human. The Africa Health Organisation (AHO) comes out with a grand mission to meet the needs of ordinary people! It was founded in 1999 by Graciano. The nonprofit brand has inspired the world with the true story of Graciano’s realization of life. However, it's a prominent nonprofit that's run by people for people. The AHO has come out with a noble purpose of helping African people by ensuring optimum health services!  

It's a dedicated nonprofit organization that demonstrates its core value and unique brand identity. The AHO not only works for health but also it dives into global challenges like poverty, inequality, climate change, and peace. Mainly, the organization is working in Africa, and they’ve divided their work into regions and countries with the target of reaching every door of Africa!

2) Teach For Canada

Education is the light for bright humans! Teach For Canada conveys the message to the world. This nonprofit promotes quality education for First Nations and Northern communities. Teach For Canada established a solid branding strategy to unite mentors, teachers, and community leaders in one place. The organization has specified three languages to specify the three distinct audiences. These are French, Ojubwa, and English. 

The nonprofit emphasizes visual branding elements to engage its target audience. They are a groundbreaking organization that works to prepare, recruit, and support outstanding teachers. Teach For Canada has been working with name and fame all across the world since 2013 to make sure quality education. Also, they work to make education equal for all walks of people from remote places. The nonprofit is an authentic reflection of life in the light of education.

3) Catherine Donnelly Foundation

It's one of the prominent and most established nonprofit organizations in Canada. They provide funding to social endeavors considering housing,  adult education, environment development, and influence investing. The nonprofit has modernized its branding strategy to grab human emotions to flourish in the digital space. The organization is working to help those who are thinking about systematic changes in the world. 

Catherine Donnelly Foundation dives into funding programs to advance digital environmental changes. They are working to bring a distinct tone for philanthropy in Canada. The organization has flexible assets to raise diverse touchpoints in the community. They believe in connecting people to make a social change and building a green economy through care and kindness!

4) VolunteerMatch

This nonprofit organization is well-known for its 'More People, More Impact' slogan. The main purpose of VolunteerMatch is to make people smile and provide satisfaction with volunteering. The nonprofit provides an effective way to recruit highly qualified volunteers. They mainly work on recruiting solutions for nonprofits. They focus on developing effective connections in the community and work together through service. 

VolunteerMatch believes in the ideology that volunteering can change the world and lives. Absolutely, everyone deserves to become a part of a good dream. It's an award-winning nonprofit organization that helps more than thousands of volunteers. VolunteerMatch is working to connect people to unfold more opportunities and has already become the most popular and trustworthy volunteer recruiting platform all across the globe.

5) The Game Changers Institute

It's an advocacy, research, and educational platform that helps to promote plant-forward nutrition. The purpose of this nonprofit is to improve public health and personal development. Also, the Game Changers Institute (GCI) helps to protect the environment and support social justice. It's a public charity that works to improve overall health improvement and growth. 

Also, this organization helps to get social justice under the same flag with integrity. The organization works to mitigate discrimination and practice positivity with the importance of a plant-centered diet!

EndNote

At the end! How was the guide on building a strong nonprofit brand? We believe that you've found the above post helpful for you. Probably, you've unfolded many things new in nonprofit branding today! If it is, our efforts and your time both are effective. 

You already know it’s a bit tough to get a space in a crowded nonprofit world. But, it’s not impossible. With specific and accurate guidelines, you can win the race in the marathon of building your nonprofit brand. Yes, a strong brand identity can differentiate your nonprofit from the crowd of competitors. That’s why quality nonprofit branding strategy matters! 

Still, if you have anything to know about nonprofit branding, contact us

No more words, today! Soon, our team will come with another important guide to grow your business. Till then, stay safe and sound. 

Have a good vibe with your nonprofit!  

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