Special events are brand ambassadors for your nonprofit. Think of it as Christmas Eve or Easter service for a local church—an event that draws in lapsed or new audiences. It is a beacon that attracts those who identify with your values and mission in a fun, interactive format. 

Too long a name, too much jargon, too generic, or outdated logos. These are some of the common issues I see when evaluating nonprofit brands. It’s a tall order—settling on a name that is easy to say and remember, paired with a logo that communicates what you do for your community. There are many ways it can go wrong—but it’s not impossible OR unfixable.

So, you have decided now is the time to brand your nonprofit. Your Board is in agreement, you have the budget allocated, and have included a timeline in your most recent Strategic Plan. Your next step is hiring a brand strategist and designer to start the process. How will you choose, and where will you find them? Follow my process for finding, evaluating, interviewing, and hiring a brand designer.

How does one go about designing for Ballet performances that haven’t been choreographed yet? Here I describe my design and branding process step-by-step for Nashville Ballet’s 2023-24 Season and performances.

One of your first steps as a new nonprofit or business is to build brand awareness, which may or may not include a logo. You might ask why a brand designer would tell you this—but I strongly believe you need to get to know your target audience and organization for the branding process to be effective. In fact, I started my own business without a “logo” and did not rebrand till several years down the road. A logo is the pinnacle of your branding, the shining star at the top of a pyramid that represents, at a glance, all that your brand stands for. In this step-by-step tutorial, I will cover nine ways you can build a strong foundation—the bottom of your pyramid—by using consistency to establish brand recognition.

Spending money on fundraising with the hope that you will end the year with more money than you started with feels risky, but it is necessary for the financial health of your nonprofit. It is also an opportunity to connect to your audience and deepen their connection to your organization in a fun environment. In this case study, I will go over the steps to plan, design, and implement an in-person fundraising event.

Nonprofits often delay investing in their message and image because they feel like their mission’s needs are more important. Rebranding can feel like a daunting and expensive undertaking, but it doesn’t have to be. By approaching the process in a slow and methodical way, nonprofits can spread out the cost of a rebrand and establish a deeper connection with their audience.

Most people agree that a logo is an important part of branding, but fewer understand why brand strategy is important. Brand strategy and design help you understand the values that are the pillars of your brand, how to communicate them effectively, and how to visualize them in a way that truly speaks to your ideal audience.

When you get excited about a new project, what gives you more satisfaction—taking your time over several weeks to think it through and work on it in small increments until it is finished? Or starting it early and finishing before sunset? If you answered the latter, then a VIP Design Day may be just what you are looking for.