The nonprofit’s guide to branding, plus 5 tools to help you shine

Branding is often viewed through a corporate lens, tied to marketing strategies, sales targets and profit margins. But for nonprofits, branding plays a different, yet equally important role. It reflects the heart of an organisation—its mission, values and impact, and helps the community connect with its mission.

Good branding can establish your nonprofit’s credibility among donors, supporters and the general public by conveying that it understands community needs and is committed to making an impact.

Branding helps organisations stand out in a crowded sector by highlighting their unique approach or values. It can also facilitate stronger emotional connections with audiences and drive community engagement.

Here’s a guide on how to brand your nonprofit organisation effectively, and five tools to help you do it!

How to build a nonprofit brand

1. Know your organisation

The first item on your nonprofit branding checklist is to define your mission and vision statements. Clarifying why your organisation exists grounds your daily operations, while a strong idea of what you hope to accomplish outlines your long-term goals.

Also, it’s important to establish your core values and guiding principles; whether inclusivity, compassion or integrity, they’re the foundation of your nonprofit’s brand personality.

2. Know your audience

Branding for nonprofits requires comprehensive knowledge of your audience. It ensures you can tailor your message to their interests and build stronger emotional connections. Knowing where they spend time can guide you to the most effective outreach channels.

Identify key stakeholders, including donors, volunteers, partners and beneficiaries. Creating audience personas can help uncover motivations, pain points and preferences.

3. Establish a recognisable tone and visual presence

Developing a brand voice and colour palette is a crucial part of nonprofit branding. Far from simple aesthetic choices, these standards will shape how people perceive and remember your nonprofit. A consistent recognisable tone and colour palette nurture familiarity and trust while helping you stand out.

It’s helpful to use words that sound positive, empowering and effectively capture your mission. Colours affect emotions—choose ones that reflect your brand’s emotion. When creating a logo, use your brand colour and an image that hints at what your nonprofit stands for.Examples of nonprofits with strong brand voice and visual presence are:

• International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement
• UNICEF
• World Wildlife Fund

4. Spread the word

Engagement builds on awareness. Before people can partner with or support your organisation, they have to know that it exists. Promoting your nonprofit tells the public what you do and positions you as reliable.

It can also emphasise your uniqueness and facilitate connection and community-building.

To build brand awareness for your nonprofit:

• Market your organisation using social media and word-of-mouth
• Use storytelling to highlight the impact of your nonprofit
• Spotlight beneficiaries, volunteers and donors in your communications
• Collaborate with media houses, influencers and other entities that align with your mission
• Optimise your website, implement paid ads strategically and use email marketing to keep your community informed
• Participate in community events

5. Protect your branding

Protecting your brand legally is imperative to secure your reputation and prevent brand confusion. It ensures that your nonprofit’s brand elements can’t be used by other organisations or individuals.

To legally safeguard your brand’s identity, register and trademark your nonprofit name, logo, tagline, domain and all other identifiers nationally (or even internationally). Stay vigilant for any unauthorised use.

In case of infringement, send cease and desist letters; resort to legal action if the infringement persists.

5 Marketing tech tools for branding your nonprofit

Branding work for your nonprofit doesn’t have to be expensive or difficult. There are a host of affordable (and free!) tools available for nonprofits. Here are five that can help save time and streamline your marketing and branding efforts.

1. Canva

A platform for the simple creation of visuals, including videos!. It offers registered nonprofits free access to all their premium features.

2. Google Ad Grants

The advertising platform provides $10,000/month in free Google Ads, which can help drive traffic to donation pages, promote events and raise awareness.

3. MailChimp

The email marketing platform provides a free plan that allows up to 500 contacts and 1,000 emails per month, helpful in sending newsletters and managing donor/supporter lists. Nonprofit discounts are also available for paid accounts.

4. Buffer or Hootsuite

Buffer and Hootsuite are social media planners that allow you to schedule posts across multiple platforms. Basic/free accounts available.

5. Good Grants

Our grant marketing software provides nonprofits an affordable grant management experience with extensive branding options, helping you streamline your entire grantmaking lifecycle (and look good doing it). Start with a free 14-day trial! 

Branding your nonprofit is as important as the mission you hope to accomplish. Use these tips and tools to help your nonprofit stand out with purpose.