Branding seeks to identify and express the competency that distinguishes your organization. The brand evokes the essence of what your organization is, what it does, and what it stands for. The intent is to create or reinforce, in the minds of your constituents, a powerful bond with the organization and/or program.

For a nonprofit organization, a brand proclaims or at least suggests:

• Your identity (who you are)
• Your mission and purpose (why you exist)
• Your values (what you stand for)
• Your competency (what you do best, and how you add value to people’s lives)
• Your vision (what you hope to achieve, and what kind of world you aspire to create)

What are the benefits of a branding initiative?

1. Branding makes your organization more visible and recognizable.

2. Your brand communicates to your constituents a certain standard of quality, and it promotes trust, confidence, and goodwill.

3. For your institutional family of staff, volunteers, and donors, branding can build pride, loyalty, and a shared sense of purpose.

click here for pdf version: frm66

For more on Strategic Advancement, Aligning Your Resources to Attract Philanthropy, access Goettler Series Volume 12