10 Tips For Creating a Unique Nonprofit Logo

As with any other organization, a Nonprofit’s logo conveys important information about their brand, ethos and identity. Many charitable organizations have become household names, and thus need a watertight brand identity that speaks to their supporter base and what they are trying to achieve.

The following 10 Tips For Creating a Unique Nonprofit Logo will help you get it right when designing a logo for a Nonprofit.

1. Your logo doesn’t have to be a tree.

New nonprofits often believe that if they are in the business of saving or promoting a specific thing, that this should also be the logo. Some of the most successful nonprofits utilize abstract logos that creatively hint at their organization’s agenda. Your logo never has to show precisely what you do.

2. Avoid amateur designers.

Resist the temptation to skimp on paying for a professional, high quality logo. Your brand identity and image will be your strongest consistent selling point. First impressions are key. If your logo looks like it was done overnight for free by Aunt Sara, chances are, customers will question your nonprofit’s quality and professionalism.

3. Clip art should have died peacefully in the nineties.

Although this should be obvious, under all circumstances avoid using clip art or stock illustrations in any part of your branding. Any effort to be viewed as fresh or unique would be pointless. Just don’t. Clippy, the beloved Microsoft paperclip, begs you to let him rest in peace.

4. Make it versatile in both color and black and white

You can never fully control how your logo will be shared. Although you can control how it looks from your end, reproduction may cause important colors to change or diminish altogether. This could also distort your intended message. Test your logo in black and white to avoid this issue.

5. About that tree again…

Avoid using cliché or exhausted images to portray your nonprofit. You want your organization to stand out when compared to countless others vying for the same consumer audience. Be bold. Think outside the forest.

6. Think minimalistic.

Producing both a logo and a simplified icon that resembles that logo is extremely beneficial. This allows for you to use a recognizable image that is less complicated and easier to adapt to documents, photos, business cards and more. It can also be more cost effective to distribute than a detailed logo.

7. Create one version in a single color.

Making a version of your logo in one color will not only avoid the confusion of constantly switching between colors (which can irritate your consumer), but it can also help you cut back on costs. It will serve as a nice contrast from your black and white version as well.

8. One size does not fit all.

Blow your logo up. Shrink it down to the size of a pea. It is imperative that you test your logo in several different sizes as you never know where it must be accommodated. As mobile use increases, so must the capacity of your brand to adapt to new and sudden changes in size.

9. Don’t forget your slogan.

Find a way to cleverly include your nonprofit’s slogan or website in your logo. This will help consumers remember your organization more clearly. It will also provide a means to search for it online when the logo itself cannot convey this specific information.

10. Create and save the proper image version.

To ensure that you retain the quality and integrity of your logo, make sure that you save it in jpeg, png, and eps image file versions. This will make sure that the logo can be used universally on all media platforms, web applications and other varying formats.