Other Important Impression Makers
GET A WEBSITE
This should be one of the first things you do. A website that has your information on it is invaluable. You can put your mission, your contact information, your forms, your board meetings, your volunteer calendar, your donation page, your staff information and so much more online.
A professional looking website is easy to set up and very affordable (less than $100, really!). And it is a great way to build the capacity of your organization.
GET A LOGO
The number of new nonprofits that get created each year keeps rising. Separating your organization from the rest is an important part of establishing yourself in your community. No matter what your mission is, it will have more impact if it is branded with a recognizable logo.
Some Tips & Resources
Type in "free logo" in Google. You’ll be surprised how many decent choices there are.
If you are having trouble deciding on a logo, you can opt to have "text" logo. There are many organizations that simply use text as their logo. If you choose to do this, learn all you can about the subtleties of fonts, colors, balance, line height, font-weight and line spacing.
Pre-made logos are professional and inexpensive. GraphicRiver.com has over 25,000 logo designs. And it is easy to search for what you want. Their pre-made logos start at $29.
Hire a pro. I use 99designs.com*. All you have to do is post your project on their website and dozens of professional designers submit their ideas. Then you pick the one you like best. This cost about $300. They also have pre-made logos for $100.
Learn more:
Pre-made logos: GraphicRiver.net, 99designs.com
Custom Logos: 99designs.com
Word of Caution
Watch out for volunteer logo makers. I have rarely seen a volunteer make a logo that I would want for my organization. This is not saying that they didn’t have artistic talent. But that is usually the problem. They are artist.
Logos are not art. Let me repeat that. Logos are not art. A logo is a simple, clean, easily digestible symbol. Your logo should not have more than three colors, two fonts and two distinct objects/shapes.
Designing a logo is the one thing I suggest getting a professional designer to do from the get-go. Having said that, there are actually some good "free" logos available. They can be a bit generic, but better than having "art" as your logo.
One last thing about logos. A logo does not define your business. Your nonprofit logo starts with no meaning. The logo acquires the meaning from the product and/or services you provide.
(Here’s a little secret: The Nonprofit Ally logo is a free one I found on the web. But the logo for the nonprofit I started I had custom made at 99designs).
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Hi Steve,
I just want to say thank you for offering this amazing resource. We are launching our ministry and have used the many videos to work through the process.
Now that all of the boxes are checked, I am working on filing for the 501c3 aka 1023. We are offering safety (educational) trainings to churches and other faith based ministries and not expecting to raise over $50,000 in the first three years. Would the 1023 ez form be the better way to go or no?
Thank you,
Wendy
My initial response would be yes. But since you are church related it might be different. Here are two other podcast: Here is info on the 1023 EZ – https://nonprofitally.com/fast-easy-501-c-3-but-then-what. And here is one that talks about church related ministries – https://nonprofitally.com/podcast-how-to-apply-for-501c3-tax-exemption. Hope that helps.
Hi Steve,
OMGsh! I stumbled across your awesome support here, and I am calmed by it. My “nonprofit” is about to make its debut on August 29th, and I am stressing over the fact that I don’t have status nor much money to get it going. My question is am I crazy for jumping in and funding it whatever way I can until I go through the filing process…I suppose the real question is when does one decide it is time to file for status, right away right?
Also, does membership in the bylaws refer to the girls who will pay a fee to sign up for the program?
Final question: I wanted to get my idea rolling before I involved the board. Is this appropriate that I want to put into play the ideas of the organization, and then get the board involved in what has already been established, and use the board for creative innovation afterwards?
Hi Rebecca,
Many start with little or no money. You may have to fund it out of pocket for a while. But you can start fundraising (as long as you have all your state paperwork in order). I would apply for 501c3 sooner than later. Donations can be tax deductible retroactively.
Members refers to members of your organization (like being a member of the ASPCA or whatever), not participants in your programs.
Programs won’t go in your bylaws. They will grow and evolve. If you put them in your bylaws it would be a pain to update them all the time.
As for talking with your board about your program ideas, it is a good idea to keep them informed of your plans. Depending on your role, you may not need board approval to start your programs. But getting them involved will give them some ownership. You can tell them what you are doing as a “program update” at your next meeting. How detailed you get is up to you.
Hope this helps. Oh, here is a great podcast with Becky Straw. She talks about the “realities” of starting your nonprofit. https://nonprofitally.com/fast-easy-501-c-3-but-then-what
Steve,
Thank you so much for following up. Your response is just what I needed.