Here are some things to consider:
When people think about making a charitable donation, they often think of the familiar, most well-known, well-publicized nonprofits. Think of the organizations that see an uptick in their giving after a major crisis like civil liberties in jeopardy, disaster relief and emergency response.
Consider your nonprofit’s audience
Think about the people your nonprofit serves and interacts with on a daily basis. This audience is a central focal point for your decisions because your choices need to resonate with them. For instance, a women’s shelter in a large city should have a different message than a school trying to reach disadvantaged children in a rural community.
Consider your audience in all branding decisions you make. When designing your logo, ask yourself if it properly caters to the audience you’re trying to reach. Or when choosing your color palette, consider what shades will resonate with your particular audience and the tone they expect to see.
Reflect on your brand message
A very important aspect of your brand is the message you want to convey to your audience. Consider the statements that are core to your organization’s mission and how you want to communicate those to your community. Your mission and vision statements are the messages that you need to reflect for your audience, as they define your organization and its goals. When you make brand decisions, consider carefully how they reflect your core message.
Get inspired
You probably have an idea already about what you want to include in your nonprofit’s brand; however, taking the time to develop each element individually is incredibly challenging. Look for inspiration by reviewing other brands across the web to help define each individual aspect. Research various websites of other nonprofits, especially those who share similar missions as yours. Keep track of those you like, then identify the way those brands used the following elements:
Images. From stock photos to simple icons, look for consistent imagery across a website that reflects the brand of the organization.
Typography. Typography is a measure of personality for a website. Analyze the font they use, its weight, and what other fonts it's often paired with on sites you prefer. And remember the top priority is its readability for your audience.
Colors. Every color is naturally associated with certain causes and feelings. See how color palettes impact the opinions of different sites during your researching process.
Logo. Logos are meant to be simple and culminate all of the elements of your brand. See how other organizations use their logos and without taglines to represent their causes.
As you review various sites, make sure that you keep in mind that the best nonprofit sites are the ones that are inclusive and accessible, that are easy to navigate, attractive and well-designed, and perhaps most of all: engaging and informative. If there are brand elements that don’t fit these criteria, keep them in mind as something you should most definitely avoid.
Bring brand awareness to everyone in your team
Brand awareness is important for everyone on your team, even your interns and volunteers. When your brand is rooted in your organization’s goals, everything you and your team members do should revolve around that. The key to ensuring your brand’s consistency, which is critical to building trust, is making your brand elements accessible to everyone throughout your organization. You can do this by using a comprehensive brand guide that includes your color palette, brand voice, iconography, and core messaging.
The more you invest in your brand, the more likely it is to be successful.