Branding

Branding is never easy, but nonprofit branding poses special challenges. Potential partners, team members, donors and advocates can have wildly varying expectations when it comes to defining a nonprofit organization's profile. On the one hand, thriftiness and efficiency are held in high-esteem; on the other, there is a natural hesitation for stakeholders to engage with…

Something about the Council of Senior Centers and Services of New York City Inc. just did not sound right anymore. For one, the council, a nonprofit organization, does not operate senior centers. It advocates against the abuse of older adults, helps them apply for rental and food assistance, and lobbies for affordable housing on their…

No matter the mission, size or location of the organization, nonprofit professionals always are looking for ways to increase their fundraising numbers and invest more dollars into making the world a better, safer place. One way to do that is through nonprofit merchandising. With the technologies at every organization’s disposal these days, there’s no shortage of ways nonprofits can incorporate merchandising into their plans...

To some, the very idea of nonprofit branding is a vulgar topic. No doubt, the nonprofit sector should be about mission, about performance, about excellence. We all want nonprofits to get the support they deserve, and we may sincerely wish that effectiveness were the coin of the realm—but it rarely is. Not only are measures…

Since I joined as CEO almost three years ago, Smile Train has revamped its brand, expanded staff significantly, taken steps to make key regions self-sustainable and reached the incredible milestone of transforming one million lives through cleft repair surgery. Along the way, there have been three key common underlying practices to our evolving management system: hiring hard workers, breaking down barriers and operating like a business...

Rebranding any type of product, service, company or school can be extremely challenging work, but one of the most difficult pieces to rebrand is an annual fund. Fundraising of any type can be very difficult to brand because there are so many working parts to consider as you piece together your graphic masterpiece. Not only do you have to consider your donors, but you also have to consider your alumni, other graphics being used by the university and the image you hope to encapsulate, as well as many other elements...

Think of your brand as a person that exudes a personality, a tone, a feeling, values, etc. Does your brand represent what you want for your organization?

Although I am now a fundraising consultant, I worked for about three decades for three different nonprofits. That’s long enough that it left an indelible imprint on me, and I still react like an organizational fundraiser when I hear stories on the news that directly or indirectly impact nonprofit organizations. The truth is it’s impossible to keep up on everything that matters, or potentially could matter—and that’s not for a lack of opportunities...

Take a look at your nonprofit’s branding strategy. If it’s an afterthought—or even if it’s already high priority but in need of a refresh—it might be time to make it an integral part of your donor engagement strategy. It might be time to rebrand. Here’s what you need to know before you do...

Recently I visited my son at his university. We went out to breakfast on that fine Saturday morning to a local restaurant.