So, you have decided now is the time to brand your nonprofit. Your Board is in agreement, you have the budget allocated, and have included a timeline in your most recent Strategic Plan. Your next step is hiring a brand strategist and designer to start the process. How will you choose, and where will you find them? Follow my process for finding, evaluating, interviewing, and hiring a brand designer.

Is your nonprofit's brand effectively conveying the message you want your audience to hear? When you realize you need an update, panic sets in, because you have NO IDEA how much something so important (and nebulous feeling) should cost. Typically, nonprofits allocate 5–15% of their budget to marketing. For newer and smaller nonprofits, a higher percentage is often necessary to establish brand recognition. Professional brand design and strategy can give your organization renewed confidence, increased clarity and focus, a loyal donor base, and ultimately, allow you to make a BIGGER impact on your community.

My second year has been truly exhilarating! When I work with my nonprofit clients to illuminate their core beliefs and purpose, it resonates with their ideal audience, creating a powerful connection. When people can see that you genuinely stand for something and understand how they can contribute to that cause, it fosters a deep and meaningful relationship. This connection often leads to the development of loyal supporters who are passionate about your mission. Visuals can be a crucial part of this communication strategy. They have the power to enhance your message, making it more engaging and memorable. Using design to visualize their values, I have helped clients achieve the results they have been looking for:

How does one go about designing for Ballet performances that haven’t been choreographed yet? Here I describe my design and branding process step-by-step for Nashville Ballet’s 2023-24 Season and performances.

One of your first steps as a new nonprofit or business is to build brand awareness, which may or may not include a logo. You might ask why a brand designer would tell you this—but I strongly believe you need to get to know your target audience and organization for the branding process to be effective. In fact, I started my own business without a “logo” and did not rebrand till several years down the road. A logo is the pinnacle of your branding, the shining star at the top of a pyramid that represents, at a glance, all that your brand stands for. In this step-by-step tutorial, I will cover nine ways you can build a strong foundation—the bottom of your pyramid—by using consistency to establish brand recognition.

Great brands have solid foundations made of consistent client experiences, clear communication, and striking visuals. Your brand is how you are perceived by your audience. Your branding communicates your brand values. Your identity visually connects your brand values to the emotions you want to project to your ideal audience. Your brand, your branding, and your identity work together to form an experience that your client can feel, hear, and see.

Spending money on fundraising with the hope that you will end the year with more money than you started with feels risky, but it is necessary for the financial health of your nonprofit. It is also an opportunity to connect to your audience and deepen their connection to your organization in a fun environment. In this case study, I will go over the steps to plan, design, and implement an in-person fundraising event.

I am so happy I decided to buckle down and rebrand myself during 2021! Luminea Creative and all it stands for fits me so much better than the general catch-all design work I was doing previously. Partnering with nonprofits and mission-forward companies allows me to utilize my design skills to make the world a better place. When the visuals help amplify a concise message, I can see how impactful good design can be on the bottom line. In order to be as impactful as possible, I’ve expanded my service offerings for a larger range of budgets.

Nonprofits often delay investing in their message and image because they feel like their mission’s needs are more important. Rebranding can feel like a daunting and expensive undertaking, but it doesn’t have to be. By approaching the process in a slow and methodical way, nonprofits can spread out the cost of a rebrand and establish a deeper connection with their audience.

Most people agree that a logo is an important part of branding, but fewer understand why brand strategy is important. Brand strategy and design help you understand the values that are the pillars of your brand, how to communicate them effectively, and how to visualize them in a way that truly speaks to your ideal audience.

When you get excited about a new project, what gives you more satisfaction—taking your time over several weeks to think it through and work on it in small increments until it is finished? Or starting it early and finishing before sunset? If you answered the latter, then a VIP Design Day may be just what you are looking for.

I always knew I wanted to be involved in the arts in some way, shape, or form. As a child, I was not much of an athlete but thoroughly enjoyed mixing paint colors, and spent the rest of my time reading. Growing up to become an artist or writer seemed my best option, though both felt far-fetched, as I was told it was difficult to succeed as a creative.