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Have you ever seen a product on Amazon or eBay and decided not to buy it because of the poor-quality photos?

We definitely have and the same thing can happen with your nonprofit. People use first impressions, often a company’s nonprofit logo design, to judge whether your organization is worth further investment of their time or money. If they like what they see, great! If not, you might lose out on a potential partnership or relationship with a new organization.

While it’s not always easy to get that first impression just right, here are five steps we use for creating an impactful logo for your nonprofit to get you on the right track.

1. Decide How Best to Present the Organization’s Name

Many nonprofits choose to shorten or abbreviate their names, as the World Wildlife Fund has done. Other organizations like UNICEF, for example, need abbreviations since if they didn’t use them, their names would be a mouthful to say and likely forgotten. However, you should only abbreviate your name if the clarity is preserved and there is no possibility of confusing your organization with another.

2. Create a Slogan

How can you communicate your mission in a few words? I know, it was hard enough thinking of the perfect paragraph and now you’re being asked to sum it up into a short 3-5 word saying. It’s tough to do, but having a slogan is a great way to express your mission in a short, memorable phrase.

We can probably count the number of people who have memorized their companies’ mission statements, but almost everyone remembers the slogans. Once you’ve got it just right, you can use it on all your marketing material and display it proudly on your logo.

3. Create a Symbol if Needed

Symbols are powerful because they can evoke an emotional response and quickly convey meaning and purpose.

For example, the World Wildlife Fund selected a giant panda to represent their conservation mission. This is the perfect example of how a single animal can be used to represent an entire conservation movement. The World Wildlife Fund selected this panda because it’s endangered and their work needs all kinds of support in order not only to survive but thrive too!

Another example is Habitat for Humanity’s symbol. They use three human figures and a simple house as their symbol. This symbol excellently represents the work that they do and it reminds us of their values of friendliness, togetherness, and safety.

What symbols already represent your community that you could tap into?

4. Choose the Right Colors For Non Profit Logo

When choosing your Non profit organization logo’s color scheme, it’s important to consider the personality of the organization and what colors best represent your mission. A good exercise we use is to ask, “What emotions do I want the brand to evoke?”

If you’re with a strictly professional organization you might go with conservative black and light grey which feels serious and trustworthy, whereas a children’s charity might use more light-hearted pastel colors that feel caring, approachable, and fun.

5. Select a Shape

Most people stick with a standard circle or square, but there’s no rule about this. Our nonprofit consulting team tells people to think about their values and pick a design element that best represents them. For example, If you are an animal rescue, you could use a paw print for its shape – a simple design that viewers can easily recognize. You could also use a heart to represent love and care.

If you really want to make your logo stand out, consider using an irregular border or shaded background to create something a bit more unique. To find inspiration, you should check out other nonprofit logos and take some creative risk early in the design process.

Your non profit logo doesn’t need to be complex! The best types of logos are simple, clean, and easy to recognize.

Consider Nonprofit Consulting

Are you a nonprofit looking for help with your branding?

We know that nonprofits are the heart of our communities, and we want to help yours succeed. Our nonprofit consulting team has worked on some incredible campaigns over the years, so we know how to help your get results. We’re ready to work with you and make sure your organization’s branding is as strong as possible!

You can always count on us for honest advice, creative ideas, visual representations and practical support. If you need someone who will be there every step of the way – from strategy development all the way through implementation – then KM Clark Consulting Group is here for you.

Let us show you how working together can change everything. Schedule your free discovery call with us today!